It's 16 Days to Western States 100 Endurance Run and Here's 1 Racer Profile

He ain't beating my boy Jimmy.

jimmy FTW wrote:

He ain't beating my boy Jimmy.

... he already has.

it's worrying that he hasn't raced more this year so far. I'm gonna predict DNF

Power hiking

reed wrote:

it's worrying that he hasn't raced more this year so far. I'm gonna predict DNF

Looks like on social media he said he installed a standup desk at home. So, don't fret. He'll be more than good to go.

speed walking with fanny pack of potatoes

That's a pretty big slow down trend since he was 30, to be expected really. Guessing 5th.

Nice thread title.

But but wrote:

jimmy FTW wrote:

He ain't beating my boy Jimmy.

... he already has.

Exactly. Walmsley fanboys forget so quickly all his failures.

Sure Walmsley will be the first at the first couple of aid stations but after that we don't know what will happen. Will he bunk, will he take a wrong turn? There are a lot of options.

Sandes isn't the fastest guy in the field by a long shot, but his specialty is dealing with any conditions. Since there's going to be a lot of snow on the course this year, I expect top 10 performances from the steady runners like Sandes, Browning, and Sharman. Sandes could win it, but it'd require guys like Walmsley and Reagan to blow up.

How much snow is at the start this year??

I personally think Jared Hazen and Jim will battle for #1. Ryan for 3rd. Jim wont go for his record because of snowpack. I expect slower times but a better race.

agreed wrote:

Sandes isn't the fastest guy in the field by a long shot, but his specialty is dealing with any conditions. Since there's going to be a lot of snow on the course this year, I expect top 10 performances from the steady runners like Sandes, Browning, and Sharman. Sandes could win it, but it'd require guys like Walmsley and Reagan to blow up.

Of all the studs in the line up, I am probably most intrigued by what Pat Reagan is going to do. Will be interesting to see how he does with the climbing, he'll surely be able to run hard on the downhills, how he balances that with the climbing could be the game changer. Don't dismiss Morgan Elliott either. Georgia Death Race winners the last few years have done very well at Western States. Laney and Mocko have a lot of promise too. Browning IMO is an automatic top 10, same with Sharman. Going to be a wild day for sure.

Even Ryan thinks he'll win this year.

How many people is that that think the'll win?

I can think of at least 4 who've said they will try to win.

Jim, Jared, Mocko, Sandes

There's probably at least 4 more who I can't think of.

https://www.redbull.com/za-en/ryan-sandes-to-run-western-states-100-2014?linkId=69598278

agreed wrote:

Sandes isn't the fastest guy in the field by a long shot, but his specialty is dealing with any conditions. Since there's going to be a lot of snow on the course this year, I expect top 10 performances from the steady runners like Sandes, Browning, and Sharman. Sandes could win it, but it'd require guys like Walmsley and Reagan to blow up.

There is always a high likelihood that Jim Walmsley blows up. That's what he can do best.

Sandes would be my bet.

SandesMan wrote:

Even Ryan thinks he'll win this year.

How many people is that that think the'll win?

I can think of at least 4 who've said they will try to win.

Jim, Jared, Mocko, Sandes

There's probably at least 4 more who I can't think of.

https://www.redbull.com/za-en/ryan-sandes-to-run-western-states-100-2014?linkId=69598278

Few lingering thoughts about Western States...

I think Sandes time has come and went at Western, truthfully..but we shall see..

Walmsley is the undenying favorite short of an epic blow up..hazen is running strong since JFK, Matt Daniels is a real wild card, I love his potential though.. siding with Pat Reagan as a dark horse..I love Mocko but if he's in his head at all, the wheels will come off..

Can't forget Mark Hammond as been M3, 2 years in a row..Browning and Sharman are somewhere between 4-10

Western hasn't been the kindest to Dave Laney, he had a top 10 performance in 2015, but really just hasn't been his race thus far in comparison to what he's done at UTMB..which is odd truthfully bc Western is quite runable and he proved that with a win at Rocky Raccoon, and UTMB is obviously very mountainous..maybe it's his year to be a threat at Western?

Tom Evans won CCC and took 3rd at Sonoma..I don't think he's threatening Jim though..he could be top 5 or so if he's dialed in..

I definitely don't think RS will win this year. There are too many faster runners coming into their ultra prime, even if Jim does blow up. Although I think if Jim is rested and on song, it will be hard to beat him.

Jared Hazen. Has previously podiumed (very young) so can go the distance. He won a competitive Lake a sonoma this year and seems to be well trained/rested. I expect him to give Jim the biggest trouble being one of his cowboy training buddies and knowing his strengths and weaknesses.

Tom Evans. Surprised nobody is mentioning him. He won UTMB CCC last year, and 3rd world trail championships (80k). He is a sub 30min 10k guy so has some significant speed and, while debuting 100m distance, he has been 3rd at marathon de sables, a gruelling 250+km six day race through the dessert so he can definitely go the distance (also ex army). He also beat a speedy Hayden Hawks at the coastal challenge, another 250km multi-stage race.

Then you have Pat Reagan more of a road ultra guy (but western is relatively flat - ask Kilian) and Matt Daniels sub 4min miler and had a dominating 100k win earlier this year.

Going to be a good one!

I'd agree on all ends. The fan in me really wanted to see Hawks duke it out this year at Western but he opted for UTMB after a lot of back and forth earlier this year. I think a course like Western plays well to his strengths. I think Jim scares runners like Hawks and Tollefson at a race like Western, hence why they haven't ran it yet in their ultra prime, same with Sage (beyond 2016) and Zach Miller. UTMB levels out the playing field which is much more mountainous.

I do believe this group of runners, at least a few won't be afraid to test Jim though.

Jim might fartlek it like he did at utmb, run to the aid, wait for next runner, run again. He didn't pull it off at utmb because of the terrain and weather but here if he just wants to secure the win, he could do it. He's so much faster over 100 than the rest. Of course those who haven't ran 100 yet, who knows their potential...