Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run

Olympic sign entering squaw valley






















Runners meeting friday afternoon
Lots of enengy and antisipation in the air. R.D. introduced top male and female competors so we mere mortals can see them from the front. This is about the time the butterflies get going.




Fiday night in the squaw valley resort making last minute notes for my family(crew).













The family injoying a little pre race R.R.















Saturday morning 3:30am pre-race check-in and bib# pickup.














These guys are through they record our weight, resting heart rate, and blood pressure. Then you get a medical wrist band with all that info for aid station medical monitoring.







After checking in everyone is grabing last minute coffee and a bite to eat.












In the crowd of fellow crazies waiting for the 5:00am start. Damn it was cold, I couldn't wait for a little sun.











Everyone lined up at the start line.

















The start is strait up the ski slope for several miles, were not cold anymore.
at least there no snow on the road.











nevermind, spoke to soon. This is at about 1.5 miles in and pleanty more to come.













Yeh it really is as steep as it looks.
















and it never ends.

















Well maybe I exagerated a little. This is the top the Escarpment pass with the Gong to the left.












Someone offered to take a picture of me at the top.















A couple pics of the French Meadows Reservoir.
































Dusty corners aid station mile 38. The sun is out and its starting to get hot on the fireroads. A quick little spray and Im off.










Entering Michigan Bluff aid station mile 52.9 at this point I don't know how I'm going to finish it looks very grim. Devils thumb just destroyed me and all the steap decents have my feet crying out in pain. I chug several cups of chicken broth and crackers to get a little more salt I my system as well as regain some of the 6lbs Ive lost so far. The med tent helped with a short but very painful massage of my quads and hamstrings and off I went.


A picture of the clock heading into foresthill elementry school mile 62.













Foresthill is where I meet my first pacer Mark Ramirez. He was so excited to be there I couldn't help but fill energized. Mark pushed my pace into the night and we had a blast passing other racer pacer pairs. He quickly labeled them as road kill as the count started to add up. I think we had as many as 18 kills in the 18 miles he paced me. But the extra pace came at a price, my feet were in so much pain i could no longer run down hill. I dont have any night pics but I picked up my second pacer Jeff Cowling at mile 80. But before we could get going I needed a 5 minute nap.The 13 miles with Jeff were the hardest with me not able to take more then baby steps on any of the decents we concentrated on the climbs. We started to pass back some of the runners that went by while I was napping but with the a long decent at the end of our 13 miles it seemed we never reach the next aid station. Because I was at a literal crawl we were both getting very sleepy I even started to eyeball the smoother sections of the trail as possible beds.


Sure enough we finally got to the Hwy49 Crossing and I got another 10 minute nap. I cant thank Jeff enough for getting me through that section.









My Dad on the right and Jeff on the left both looking on in worry.













My dad and I coming into the Stadium for the finish along side Ian Maddieson 67 year old finishing his 15th WS100.











Finishing in 27:44:42 I can know say I've completed my first Hundred mile foot race.












At the finish reciveing my finishers Medal I'm so glad to be done and can't wait for next year.












A picture with my pacers and I and of corse my Mother behind the camera. From left to right David Perez(Dad), Jeff Cowling, Jason Perez(Me), and Mark Ramirez.

Thanks to everyone for there support whether it was on the corse, at home watching the web cast, or even keeping me in there thoughts.
Thank You