Koerner / Krupicka throwdown at Western States this weekend

99% are not runners they are old white guys who where professional white collar workers who need a new challenge in their life. The top 1% are runners who actually train but decided to avoid competition and beat the pants off these old white guys to make themselves feel good again about running.

Meltzer has Leigh Schmidt as a sleeper to win. He's my pick- of course I'm from New England...

mmmmmmmU wrote:

99% are not runners they are old white guys who where professional white collar workers who need a new challenge in their life. The top 1% are runners who actually train but decided to avoid competition and beat the pants off these old white guys to make themselves feel good again about running.

So it sounds like you might just be the one to go out there and expose those top ultrarunners for the competitve frauds they are. I doubt you would even need to train. Just jump into the next 100 miler on the calendar and you will easily substantiate your claim by destroying all. Keep us posted on how that goes for you.

I'm guessing that mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmums the word.

Killian Jornet wins by one hour and 40 minutes---

Unless he has some major medical issue, he will not be touched.

In terms of "real runner" status, Killian is also one of those.

It's the same in climbing/mountaineering. From Ed Viesturs book K2... (Viesturs was the first American to climb all 14 of the world's 8,000-meter peaks.)

"I'd hear thirdhand that so-and-so had said, 'Big f***ing deal. So Viesturs climbed the standard route on Cho Oyo. Why doesn't he try something new or really difficult?' "

"Some of these critics seemed to operate from a double standard. They'd imply that I wasn't a complete climber if I hadn't done El Cap or led a 5.13 rock climb. Yet they themselves had never set foot on an 8,000-meter peak, let alone climbed one without supplemental oxygen. I've endured risks and hardships on 8,000ers that some other climbers could never imagine."

S.L.O.W. wrote:

A throwdown at 9:30 pace. Yeeehaw!

I know I'm slow by letsrun high standards but as a 17min 5k runner I had a lot of difficulty going faster than that on a 15k trail run with a significant amount of climbing.

I think Tony and Jornet battle for first, with Roes in 3rd. Tony's knee seems to be ok, and he's been training hard up green mountain all winter and spring. I dont knkow much about jornet other than a little ive read and that he's won Mt Blanc ultra twice. The video interview on makes him sound very humble.

After that, I'd love to see my friend Nick Clark in the top 5. He's been killing it all year winning jemez 50 just last month and every other race he's run too.

It's gonna be sweet!

Can't wait to track them online!

Sorry, the interview of Jornet is on irunfar.com

wilco will love you baby wrote:

Killian Jornet wins by one hour and 40 minutes---

Unless he has some major medical issue, he will not be touched.

In terms of "real runner" status, Killian is also one of those.

Killian will NOT win by 1:40h.

he might win, but no way by this much.

There are 4 guys who I can see take the win this year (in no particular order):

Hal: 2 times winner, has the experience

Tony: If he's healty and "on" he can run with anyone. His WR 50 CR last year shows he's got the speed necessary to win in this field.

Geoff: Has picked up this year right where he left off last year. And what a year it was!

Killian: Big unknown in the US, has been untouchable in Europe's ultra trail scene, and is competitive in shorter mountain races there as well.

Could this be the first year with 4 runners under 16:00 hours? Possible.

As for those that say that "no one with an ounce of talent will ever train for an ultra":

Max King (US world XC team, 2:16 marathon)

Chris Lundstrom (2:17 marathoner)

Matt Carpenter (2:18 marathoner before focusing on high altitude mountain races)

myself (16th at NCAA DI XC champs in 1996, 2:14 marathon, 28:50 10000m, 12th @ Boston in 2007)

And many more....

Really? I like Dean, and I have read his books, but I do not think any of the top 10 are too worried about Dean making a run at this.

Tony is set to crush this one.

Grosso wrote:

Agree. Reading the ultrabashers is like listening to virgins talk about their favorite sex positions.

Winner!

bump

Hey uli, when are you going to run a hundred?

Are you focusing on getting to London 2012 instead?

You would hope that this sensible posting by Mr. Steidl would push the trolls back underground for good, but I'm sure they'll eventually find a way to tunnel out and respond.

Anyway, the Western States 100 is upon us, and it promises to be a great race.

For those who think it's child's play to win Western States, Leadville, etc., just throw on some Chuck Taylors, lace 'em up, and show us all how it's done!

Karno Christ wrote:

Geoff Roes is a backstory. Watch for him this weekend.

winner!

Go out and buy a three month supply of toilet paper before you try to run Western States because you will need it after that course tears you a new asshole.

broken arrow wrote:

Go out and buy a three month supply of toilet paper before you try to run Western States because you will need it after that course tears you a new asshole.

sounds like someone had a tough day out there.

I love track and field. I hate Dean K. That having been said since I just moved out to Sacramento I made the trip up to Auburn last night to watch the finish. To do what Geoff and Anton did is bad ass.

I'm sure if an elite runner (like Geb) decided to give a race like Western States a go he could destroy the field if he ran it properly. That having been said, it doesn't diminish my respect for what these guys did last night.