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Congratulations on your entry into the 2017 Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run.

This is the first of several updates you will receive from me leading up to the pre-race meeting on Friday, June 23 up at Squaw Valley. These are important updates that will also be posted to the WSER website. To stay up on the latest news you may also wish to follow us on Facebook and Twitter.


Participant Guide
Please read the online participant guide which contains information that you must be familiar with, including medical and other risks; performance, pacer and crew rules; aid station and drop bag information; race week agenda; lodging info; and a course description. Please read it carefully.
Course and Aid Station Changes
In the Participant Guide you will see we have made a couple of minor course changes and two aid stations changes. I will repeat them here so you are not surprised if you have run the race before.
  1. The USFS added switchbacks between Red Star Ridge and Duncan Canyon aid stations which added .8 miles of single track trail. In order to make up that distance we are taking a more direct route up the climb out of Squaw (.2 miles shorter). And, after Robinson Flat we are taking Forest Rd N43 for 2.8 miles, going around Little Bald Mtn, before joining the existing trail before Millers Defeat aid station (.6 miles shorter).
  2. Brown's Bar aid station (formerly at 89.9 miles) is moving down to and is renamed the Quarry Rd aid station at 90.7 miles.
  3. Hwy 49 aid station (formerly at 93.5 miles) is moving up to and is renamed Pointed Rocks aid station at mile 94.3 miles.
For the complete list of aid stations, including cutoff times, see our aid station web page.
Refunds and Wait List
After decades of overbooking the number of entrants at the lottery and hoping our guess at how many will DNS gets us close to the allowed 369 starters, we have adopted a wait list model to ensure we start 369 runners. You can view the wait list here.

If you must withdraw for any reason, the next person on the wait list will be taking your place on the start line. Also for the first time ever at WSER, we will refund part of your entry fee if you must withdraw:

75% if you withdraw by May 1, 2017
50% between May 2 and June 9, 2017
25% between June 10 and June 20, 2017
no refund after June 20, 2017
Service Requirement and Trail Work Days
Since 1998, WSER has required eight (8) hours of volunteer service by each entrant, no matter where you live. The WSER Board has a strong preference that runners perform their service in support of an ultra or doing trail work on a trail used in an ultra, but will accept service provided to any organized running event or trail work done on any trail commonly used by runners. Please submit the SR form to us by June 1, 2017. Please don't wait until the last minute to submit your form. Look here for confirmation that we have received your form.

One of the more rewarding ways to fullfill the service requirement is to join one of our work parties on the WS trail in the spring leading up to the race. We have eight days scheduled in April, May, and June. Signup at wstrail.org.
Western States Store and WSER Logo
Branded merchandise is available at the WS Store. It is always available online and will be physically setup at Squaw Valley before the race.

If you are planning on making your own crew shirts, you may use the WSER logo as long as you don't sell the shirts. Please respect our intellectual property. 
Training Runs
There are four training runs scheduled before the race which offer an opportunity to get time on the final 70 miles of the course. On Feb 11  we'll run the last 20 miles. On Memorial Day weekend we have three training runs on three successive days over the final 70 miles. These runs are open to anybody. If you are planning on doing them, sign up early as each of them fill to capacity.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me.

Train smart,

Craig Thornley, Race Director
RD@wser.org
PO Box 99
Auburn, CA 95604