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WS Runner Update #2:

Dear 2008 Western States Runners,

Preparations for the 2008 Run are progressing well. I hope your preparations are going equally well, that you're training smart and each of you makes it to the start line uninjured, rested and ready to run!

A special thanks to Montrail, the WS Presenting Sponsor. This is Montrail's second year as our Presenting Sponsor, and they are fully engaged in the sport. The Montrail Ultra Cup Series has added excitement and horsepower to the six qualifying events and will produce an outstanding field at WS this year. To find out how you can be part of the series, go to: ultracup.montrail.com. You'll need every psychological advantage to make it to the WS finish line, and the Ultra Cup Series can be a part of that strategy.

Please take a moment to visit our aid station sponsors as well.

• BankCard USA: For all your merchant credit card needs, bankcardusa.com
• The Forest Foundation: Healthy forests, healthy trails, calforestfoundation.org
• GU Sports: Fluid replacement and energy gels that work together, gusports.com
• Injinji Socks: The maker of performance toe socks that keep your feet happy, iinjinji.com
• Moben Sleeves: Cool or hot, keeps you comfortable and protected, moeben.com
• Sunsweet Growers: The healthy way to satisfy your sweet tooth, sunsweet.com

A reminder that the Service Requirement Form must be received no later than May 15, 2008. The volunteer service must be performed between March 1, 2007, and May 15, 2008. We take this requirement very seriously. May 15th will be here before you know it.

Please return your General Information Form (autobiography). This is an important document. Finishing WS is a remarkable accomplishment, and those in the stands would like to know a little bit about you as you circle the track at Placer H.S. Please fill out the form and return it so the finish-line announcer can let the folks watching know whether this is your first or 50th 100-miler.

Inclusion of a self-addressed, stamped envelope for confirmation of receipt of your Service Requirement and General Information forms is no longer necessary. Simply go to the checklist page for confirmation that your forms have been received.

Two Medical Research Studies will be Conducted at WS this year. These studies will address topics of importance to our health and performance. Please consider participating to help advance our knowledge in these areas. Further details on the studies and how to sign up will be provided in a subsequent e-mail.

Assessing body water changes and body composition of WS runners: A research team from the University of California Davis, including Drs. Marta Van Loan, Gretchen Casazza and Marty Hoffman, has organized this study to learn more about body composition (including % body fat) of participants and relate this information to performance. The study will also examine changes in total body water before and after the race. Participants will be asked to undergo a simple non-invasive impedance measurement on Thursday or Friday before the race and again after the race. This measurement only takes a couple of minutes. Participants will also be asked to provide a small blood sample at the finish line for measurement of blood sodium levels. We are inviting the entire field of runners to participate in this study. Each participant will receive information about their % body fat and receive the new WSER "research rat" t-shirt. Wearing this shirt, you will be the envy of all your running buddies.

Cardiovascular consequences of completing the WSER: the impact of age: Drs. Rob Shave and Keith George and colleagues from the United Kingdom will return this year to do further work examining the acute effects of the run on cardiac function. Their work last year was limited to runners no older than 45 years. They are expanding the age range this year to include runners up to 60 years of age. Participation will involve pre- and post-race echocardiograms and a small blood sample. They will be recruiting a total of 30 participants, and each subject will receive a small gift for participation.

Medical Science Lectures.
We are delighted to have two speakers at our Medical Science Lectures this year. The talks will take place at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 26th, in Squaw Valley. Dr. Rob Shave will be discussing the findings of his group from their studies conducted at WS last year examining changes in cardiac function after the race. Dr. Tami Hew-Butler, first author of the Statement of the Second International Exercise-Associated Hyponatremia Consensus Development Conference, will be speaking on hyponatremia. Please plan to join us for these informative talks.

If you're looking for a pacer, we have an interactive pacer request form available. If you're successful in finding a pacer after you sign up, please notify the webmaster as soon as possible so your name can be removed.

Upcoming WS Trail projects are posted on the Projects page. Scroll down the page to "Upcoming Trail Dates." WS Board member Mark Falcone is coordinating this very important part of the WSER mission. If you're available to help out, please contact Mark at: mark.falconemac.com or 916-772-1234x160.

WS Run Ask-a-Medic, the WS medical advisory line, is open and taking requests. Just go to the bottom of any discussion and click on "comments" to ask that burning ultrarunning question you're dying to know the answer to. The WS Medical Advisor, Linda Lee, is a highly trained Family Nurse Practitioner and RN. Linda is trained in wilderness medicine and is an accomplished ultrarunner.

We spend a lot of time discussing medical problems that may arise during the event and how best to avoid them. It is equally important to address medical problems that you may encounter AFTER the event and how best to avoid those as well. Below is a Q & A that will address the most common post-run medical problems that you are likely to encounter:

1) What are the normal medical problems that I may experience during the week following the run?

Recovery from the event is as important as the preparation prior to the event. For the week after this major stress, you should eat well, drink LOTS of fluids and sleep. Supplemental vitamins, minerals and antioxidants may be warranted. Commonly, there are healing blisters, sore muscles and joints. Also, many runners will have a productive cough after the race. This is a reactive bronchitis from the dusty trails. It does not require antibiotics and clears after a few days.

2) What should I do to avoid serious medical problems following the run?

Biomarkers of muscle and cartilage damage have been measured, and it is well documented that there is altered immunity, oxidative stress and generation of free radicals in exhaustive exercise. The increase in catecholamine and endorphins may make you feel like you are a superstar, but on the cellular level your entire body needs to replenish.

One of these biomarkers (that can be measured free of charge at the finish line) is Creatine Phosphokinase. CPK is a serum enzyme released from injured muscle. In the 2007 run, we had four runners with a CPK over 50,000! Normal levels are 100 to 200. Myoglobin is a protein released from damaged muscles. Myoglobin is a large molecule. The kidney's filter can become clogged with the abundance of myoglobin. Your urine may look like root beer! This also can lead to impaired kidney function and a buildup of waste products and an imbalance of electrolytes and fluid in your system.

It is imperative to hydrate for up to a week after the race. Flushing the kidneys of myoglobin can help you avoid ARF. We are not talking about drinking beer or barking like a dog! We're talking about non-alcoholic beverages and Acute Renal Failure.

Our research has shown that your resistance to colds and viruses will be reduced for several days following your run and the incidence of infections increases. Avoid sick people and wash your hands frequently.

The constant pounding of running 100 miles may result in damage to the capillary beds of the calves resulting in swelling and pain. Use of support hose or wrapping the calves gently with an ace bandage may help prevent swelling and reduce pain. Avoid long periods of sitting and elevate your feet and legs as much as possible.

3) What signs and symptoms should I be watching for that would indicate a dangerous medical problem?

Symptoms of ARF (acute renal failure) can be nonspecific. With the buildup of the nitrogenous waste, nausea, vomiting, weakness and an inability to think straight can present.

Look for the following symptoms of ARF:

• Urine output may be decreased.
• Your weight may go up.
• Abdominal pain and chest pain are possible.
• Aching ALL over.
• Feeling worse instead of better.
• Dark urine in spite of adequate fluid intake.
• Deep fatigue and listless.
• Persistent nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

4) Additional general symptoms to be aware of:

• Upper respiratory infection.
• Black stools.

These symptoms in the week after the race are abnormal, and a medical assessment is warranted.

So to do things Right, and set yourself up for success, remember to: Rest, Re-hydrate, Repair and Recover!

Greg Soderlund, RD
Western States 100 Presented by Montrail www.ws100.com
American River 50 run100s.com/AR50/
Way Too Cool 50K Presented by GU run100s.com/snu
Lake Natoma Four Bridges Half Marathon fourbridgeshalf.org
Phone: 916-387-8796 or Send Email
2217 Ryedale Lane
Sacramento, CA 95835
See the best in every one, expect the best from yourself.

Video: PLACERQATSI

This is a time-lapse video done here in Placer County in the style of the 1982 Koyaanisqatsi documentary. It has a couple of sequences from the WS Run that you might find entertaining.

New Run/Trail History pages have been added:

A Short History of the Run, a Year-by-Year History and a History & Description of the Trail have been added to the site. Look under the "Historical" dropdown menu, above.

Trail Projects for the 2007-2008 Season:

You can use these project events to help satisfy your volunteer requirements. Details HERE.

Video Documentary: The Week After WS

Western States' Ask-A-Medic Blog

Linda Lee, Nurse Practitioner, has a background in emergency and wilderness medicine. Her blog is available 24/7 to discuss ultrarunning medical issues and to take your questions.

Check it out: Go to Ask-A-Medic. Atom and RSS Feed available.

 

Confirmation of Qual & Service Proof Documents:

Inclusion of a self-addressed, stamped envelope is no longer nessesary when sending your Proof of Qualification and Service Requirement. Simply check this page.

General Information Form available:

2008 Entrants are asked to print, fill out and mail this form (PDF format) at their earliest convenience.

2008 Participant Guide is now Online:

View the 2008 Guide HERE.

WS Runner Update #1:

Dear WS Runners --

First let me congratulate you for being one of the lucky few to gain entry into WS this year. With a record crowd of over 1,350 applicants, the odds of being selected were 16%. The lottery is one of my favorite WS activities of the year, and I absolutely enjoyed watching the excitement on the faces of those folks in the audience fortunate enough to have their name drawn out of the GU2O ( www.gusports.com) jug. If you haven't already, you should be receiving your WS Participant Guide in the next few days. The Guide is an invaluable WS resource. Even if you're a WS veteran, read it carefully as there are some changes.

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Proof of Qualification - - Now is the time to send us your proof of qualification before the 12/31/07 deadline. You must send a hardcopy (printout) of your race results. If you sent proof with your application, send it again. Do not send me an E-mail stating that I can find your results at "someultra.com" or the results are attached. Send hardcopy results to: WSER, 2217 Ryedale Lane, Sacramento, CA 95835. All proofs of qualification must arrive at the WS office by 12/31 or you will be removed from the 2008 WS database. We will not confirm receipt of your Proof of Qualification. Please include a SASE if you want confirmation that we received it. The US Postal Service is very reliable, however.

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Service Requirement - - Read the rules and mark your calendar now. The Service Requirement Form is the second cover page on your Participant Guide. Your completed Service Requirement Form must be received in the WS office by May 15th. No exceptions. No exceptions. If you provided your service requirement when you sent in your application, there is no need to send it again. We will not confirm receipt of your S.R. Form. We will have an online confirmation of these receipts available shortly. Please include a SASE if you only if want a hard-copy confirmation that we received it. Again, the US Postal Service is very reliable.

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Do not send any letters or packages to us that require a signature. We are in and out of the office continually and may not be here to sign for a letter or package on the first, second or third try, and the letter or package will be returned to you.

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I'm very proud to announce Montrail ( www.montrail.com) continues as our presenting sponsor. Through innovation, dedication and a personal knowledge of the sport, Montrail has been at the leading edge of trail shoe development since 1988. Montrail is, and will continue to be, an integral part of the ultrarunning family. Whether it's developing and promoting their trail shoes, working an aid station, or pacing a runner through the last 38 miles at WS, Montrail and its employees are fully engaged in the sport and project a genuine and sincere love of the sport of ultrarunning. Montrail sponsors The Montrail Ultra Cup Series. This is a series that any runner capable of completing WS can be a part of. For information go to: http://ultracup.montrail.com/overview.

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We welcome Sunsweet Growers ( www.sunsweet.com) as the official Robinson Flat aid station sponsor. Sunsweet Growers, Inc. of Yuba City, California, is the world's largest handler of dried tree fruits including cranberries, apricots, pears, dates, raisins and prunes. A grower-owned marketing cooperative representing more than two-thirds of the prune market worldwide, Sunsweet processes more than 50,000 tons of prunes a year, including the traditional prune, chocolate-covered plum bits, and new PlumSmart juices. Sunsweet has been a sponsor of ultrarunning and running events since 2001 and is proud to be a part of the Western States Endurance Run. Sunsweet products can be purchased at most grocery, drug and club store retailers throughout the world or at the Sunsweet Gift Shop.

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Please visit the WSER Trail Project page. If you live in the N. California area and would like to volunteer for any of our upcoming trail projects, the hours can be used to fulfill your service requirement. Participating in the trail projects has been a very rewarding experience for all those who have joined us.

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Visit the Rucky Chucky website at: http://www.mile78.com. The aid station is captained by Charles and Trish Godtfredsen. They welcome you to the 2008 WS Run and look forward to serving you at the Rucky Chucky Near Side Aid Station at mile 78.

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If your crew has any extra ice when visiting the Duncan Canyon, Robinson Flat, Dusty Corners or Michigan Bluff aid stations on race weekend, please offer it to the aid station volunteers before leaving. If we have another hot weekend, the volunteers and runners will appreciate it very much. We provide seven tons of ice on race weekend, and sometimes that is not enough!

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Snow and Ice. A major source of discussion and worry will be the snow conditions leading into the WS weekend. With the event occurring very late in June next year, the chances of a snow year are greatly reduced. Even in years with significant snowpack, the snowmelt in the last week of June can be significant. Having said that, it is still too early to know with absolute certainly that we will not have a snow year.

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WS Runners can sign up to find a pacer at: http://ws100.com/pacerform.htm. If you would like to pace one of the Runners listed, click on their name to compose and send an E-mail.

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SUCCEED! Buffered Electrolyte Caps for Western States. Sponsored by S! Who: Runners entered in WS 100.
What: S! Caps will be available.
Why: Electrolyte balance is important in an ultramarathon of any distance.
Where: At most aid stations.
When: On your training runs and throughout the race.
How: Maintenance of body electrolytes during the race.
Benefits: Runners will have access to S! Caps so that they can stay in electrolyte balance throughout the run.

Karl King says: Runners must maintain proper hydration (neither excess nor deficit ) during the run. In addition, key electrolytes in the body must be maintained in relationship to the water in the body. Runners lose electrolytes as they run, primarily by sweating. If electrolytes are not replaced, a deficit will normally occur. A moderate deficit will reduce performance, but a major deficit can cause DNF, hospitalization, or in extreme cases, death from hyponatremia. Runners are therefore strongly urged to address their electrolyte needs throughout the run. The race will supply electrolytes (SUCCEED! Buffered Electrolyte Caps) on the course at all aid stations -- except Rucky Chucky Near Side and Green Gate -- so that runners have access to an electrolyte source that will help them stay in electrolyte balance.
Electrolyte specifications for SUCCEED! Buffered Electrolyte Caps (S! Caps): Sodium (as the element) 341 mg
Potassium (as the element) 21 mg
See http://www.succeedscaps.com/main_scaps.html for more detailed information.
Use during the race:
Individuals vary in their electrolyte needs. Therefore only general guidelines can be given for electrolyte intake. Runners should determine their typical electrolyte needs in training.
Typical use rates for S! Caps are as follows:
In cold or cool conditions, one electrolyte cap per 2 hours.
In moderate temperatures and humidity, one electrolyte cap per hour.
In very hot temperatures where the runner is sweating heavily, one electrolyte cap per half hour.
Runners should not exceed 2 electrolyte caps per hour. Runners on a low sodium diet may be satisfied with fewer electrolyte caps per hour.

Always take electrolyte supplements with water for proper absorption.

Some possible signs of sodium deficit in an ultra (note that many of these are aggravated by over-consumption of fluids):
1) Moderate deficit.
Sloshing of fluid in the stomach (fluid cannot be absorbed if there is a sodium deficit).
Swelling and tightness of the hands and feet.
Nausea or vomiting.

2) More serious deficit.
Cramps or muscle spasms.
Light-headedness and dizziness.
Headache.
Cravings for salty foods.

3) Very serious deficit – medical emergency.
Mental confusion or unusual behavior.
Seizures.

Some possible signs of excess sodium in an ultra:
Salty foods taste bad.
Strong thirst.

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Leaving the canyon on a medevac helicopter is not a prospect any of us wish to ponder. The odds are very small that you or a family member will need to be life-flighted out of the canyons on race weekend, but if it is necessary (and depending on your health insurance coverage), the helicopter ride to the hospital could cost you $3,000 or more.

Refer to the info below on this page for further detail.

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Training for the WS is covered in the Participant Guide. For some of you, this is your second or 20th WS. If it is, you know what works for you and what doesn't. You know when to start your training and how many miles you can tolerate without sustaining overtraining injuries. If it isn't, it's all a grand experiment. To give you a simple basic guideline, we are very fortunate to have a natural WS buildup by virtue of three ultramarathons here in N. California in the months leading up to WS. You can duplicate this program at home. In early March we have the Way Too Cool 50K. Locals know that they need to be ready for a solid 31-mile run by early March. This is followed by the American River 50-Mile Endurance Run three or four weeks later. Just enough time to build up your miles and tackle the 50-mile distance in early April. AR50 is followed by the Miwok 100K in early May; so again, you have just enough time to build to a final 100K training run before tackling WS. The two key words here are "TRAINING RUNS." There's obviously much more to be considered in your training regimen, but these events and dates serve as good benchmarks to measure the progress of your WS training. The three events I mention fill very quickly; so if you do choose to run them, you'll want to enter the minute, hour and day entries become available, especially for Way Too Cool and Miwok. AR will fill in late February or early March.

I and the WS Board of Trustees wish you the best of luck with your training. And don't forget to have fun!

Greg Soderlund, RD
Western States 100, Presented by Montrail

2008 Lottery Results are on line:

Names of the Lottery Winners are posted HERE.

Raffle Tickets available on-line:

The Mail Order and On-line Raffle tickets are now on sale for the June 2008 drawing for a FREE, automatic entry into the 2009 Run. Tickets can also be purchased on the morning of the 2008 Run Check-In at Squaw Valley. Details HERE.

2008 Training Runs Announced:

Details HERE.

The 2007 Splits are on line:

Splits for the 2007 event are posted HERE. Huge thanks to Gary Wang for putting all this good info together!

The view from Inspiration Point

See it HERE.

Media Coverage of the 2007 Run

Links to stories available on-line from around the country and around the world. Available HERE.

Squaw Valley Raffle Results for the Free Entry to the 2008 Run

Listed on the Raffle page.

Video Interviews and Footage of 2007 Top Finishers.

Video clips are posted to our new Vlog on YouTube, starting off with an exclusive interview with 2006 winner, Graham Cooper. As the lead runners arrived at the Finish Line on Saturday evening, the coverage continued. View all of the available videos HERE.

Special thanks to David La Duc for heading up this new initiative.

Take the Photo Tour of the WS Trail!

View over 700 photos taken along the course taken in Spring, 2007, all keyed to a series of detailed topographic maps. Each map can also be swapped for sattelite imagery at the same scale. Start your tour HERE.

Special thanks to Ken Gregorich, seven-time sub-24 finisher, for this unique contribution.

Photos from the 2007 Memorial Day Weekend Training Run

Photos taken by professional photographer Joe McCladdie of Auburn, CA, are viewable HERE. Joe is offering prints and/or high-resolution copies of individual photos shown for a reasonable fee. Contact him by Email at mccladdi.joesbcglobal.net

MedEvac Helicopter at Lyon Ridge, 2006

MedEvac at a Discount:

Leaving the canyon on a medevac helicopter is not a prospect any of us wish to ponder. The odds are very small that you or a family member will need to be life-flighted out of the canyons on Race Weekend, but if it were necessary (and depending on your health insurance coverage) the helicopter ride to the hospital could cost you $3,000 or more.

If the call goes out to evacuate someone from the American River canyons during the event, the folks who take to the air will be CALSTAR, the California Shock/Trauma Air Rescue service. Their helipad is visible from I-80, next to the Bowman exit just east of Auburn.

If your health coverage is limited or carries a high deductable, CALSTAR offers very affordable individual and family memberships that can be purchased online.The coverage includes not only the entire Western States Trail, but any CALSTAR medevac in Northern California, Oregon and most of Idaho and Wyoming. As a Member of CALSTAR, they will bill your insurance plan (if you have one) for their services. You will not be billed for any remaining balance.

In Memoriam: Dr. Ralph Paffenbarger, Jr.

One of the Run's most important pioneers, Dr. Ralph Paffenbarger, has passed away at the age of 84.

In 1977, he and his friend Peter Mattei, at ages 53 and 54, became the oldest men to ever finish the race. Their time of 28:36 led to the creation of the 30-hour time limit for "normal" folks who simply wanted to make it to the finish line.

He was also one of the world's most renowned human performance researchers, and by every account a tremendous human being.

Complete Story HERE.

What Ultrarunners should know about their trails...

"Healthy Trails Need Healthy Forests"
Commentary by Thomas M. Bonnicksen, Ph.D.

Meet the WSER Board of Directors:

Photos HERE.

Take the WSER Warehouse Tour!

In case you thought we operate out of a closet somewhere, here's a peek at the real deal: Click HERE (1.6Mb WMV file)