North Downs Way 100 DNF: Reaching Limits Is Part of It

Welcome to the fifth-year anniversary of me trying to get into Western States 100! Yes, it’s already been that long. What started in 2021, when I was fresh off the pandemic and eager to experiment with mountain ultras, now has become a real tradition. Getting one of the 369 tickets for arguably the most popular 100-mile foot race in the world is as difficult as it’s ever been. So far I haven’t succeeded and the chances are not exactly doubling like the doubled ticket count each year would suggest. 🎟️ What ticket count, you ask? Explanation follows! Quick reminder: the Western States 100 Endurance Run is one of the oldest races of the 100-mile (160.9 kilometer) distance and takes place at the end of every June in California, in the area between Lake Tahoe and Sacramento. It’s beautiful, legendary, and many ultra runners really want to take part one day such as many triathletes would like to go to Hawaii one day to race there. The local environmental conservation efforts have prohibited…