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On the Trail: Online Exclusive Trail Blazing the West: Then and Now |
endurance \in'd(y)ú:r-en(t)s\ n 1: permanence, duration 2: the ability to withstand hardship, adversity, or stress 3: suffering, trial (from Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, ©1986)
In 1846, a group of 89 immigrants dreamed of reaching the golden hills of California. They sought adventure, wealth, and a new beginning. But what they encountered was anything but that. Instead, they came to be known in history as the ill-fated Donner Party of 1846. Crossing the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the throes of winter, only 45 survived, and of those survivors, several resorted to cannibalism as a last measure against starvation.
If the routes were so strenuous and perilous, why did so many, in the words of Horace Greeley, "Go west, young man"? For the same reasons people do now. The pay-off of pushing the envelope was greater than the risks involved. Although we speed on six-lane highways today in Los Angeles, and in cyperspace we have the information super highway (thanks to another Western brainchild--Silicon Valley), the pioneer spirit that built the West lives on.
Modern trail blazers still are taking to the mountainsides, roads, and open waters of the West, in search of new tests of the mind, body, and spirit. The best example of this is the granddaddy of the modern ultra endurance running world--the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run.
The 100-mile endurance run, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, is rich in history. Based on the Western States Trail, which begins in Salt Lake City, Utah, and ends in Sacramento, California, this steep, traversing mountain route was originally used by Paiute and Washoe Indians. Later it became a popular trail for the gold-seeking '49ers between the gold camps of California and the silver mines of Nevada. While it served as the most direct route through the Sierra Nevada (there were two others: the Pony Express route and wagon route which came to be known as Donner Pass for the unfortunate expedition), it was by no means the easiest. Extremely narrow and rocky at many intersections, it climbs up over 18,000 vertical feet and drops 23,000 feet. Only single parties traveling on foot or by mule or horse could cross it. Thus, only the bravest, most independent, and tenacious of souls took the Western States Trail to the Golden State.
The same can be said of the trail today. Born out of the inspiration of Wendell T. Robie, founder of the Western States Trail Foundation, Robie challenged a group of friends to ride on horseback from Squaw Valley, Nevada, to Auburn, California in one day's time. They accomplished it in 1955. It became an annual event called the Trevis Cup Ride, and the 100-mile stretch covered a portion of the original Western States Trail.
In 1974, a Trevis Cup rider named Gordy Ainsleigh tackled this goal again, minus the horse. He ran the Squaw Valley-Auburn trail in 23 hours, 42 minutes. The gauntlet was thrown, and other runners joined him.
The Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run now involves 400 runners, over 1,000 volunteers, and 29 aid stations. Much of the trail is the same as it was in the 1800s, with an exception of three miles of pavement and a few parts that follow dirt roads. Special awards are given to the first man and first woman to finish under 24 hours, as well as for age group winners broken down into 10-year segments. Course record holders are Mike Morton, 15:40:41 in 1997 and Ann Trason, 17:37:51 in 1994.
Since the inception of the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run, other ultra endurance (50 to 100 mile) races and mountain (shorter distance but high altitude) events have formed elsewhere in the West. These include the Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii and the Leadville 100 in Leadville, Colorado in the ultra category. Mountain events cover the Pikes Peak Marathon in Colorado Springs; the Imogene Pass Run from Ouray to Telluride in Colorado; and The Three Peaks Run and The La Luz Trail in New Mexico, just to name a few. Each race varies in distance and difficulty but all carry on that same unbeatable Western spirit.
Western States 100
The 26th annual Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run will take place Saturday, June 26, 1999. Ultrarunning is extremely strenuous, and definitely not for everyone. There are strict regulations for qualifying times, and those with health problems should consult their physicians first. In addition, there is a $175 application fee.
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Copyright ©1998 Cowboys & Indians
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The author running the nine-mile, 4,000-vertical-ft. gain at the La Luz Trail Run in July 1998.