10 Days till the track meet and my duties

Just a stroll through Volcano Creek..heading up to Bath Road and FH School..

Only 10 Days till this years addition of Western States 100! I have been off travelling the midwest for a week and it is good to be back near the Western States excitement. Right now it appears that below normal temperatures will the biggest thing facing runners this year. It has been COLD in relative terms here in NoCal...This should make it easier for all runners and push the leaders to a new course record.
Now who would I look to placing in the top 5? In no real order...

Mike Wolfe, Jasper Hakelas, Michael Wardrian, Eric Grossman and Graham Cooper.

For the women..I see Nikki Kimbell being the one to beat. Jenny Cappel and Caren Spore may suprise and crack in the top 5, Bev Abbs will race well and Jenn Shelton will fade to a finish in the top 6-10.

Of the locals I hope that Skaden can pull off a top 5 but the fied is deep. Pulling for Mark Lantz to beat out the dreaded Dean Karnazes...(YUCK!) Do not get me started on him and how he got into this years race what a piece of work. I hope that he is not in 2010! Lantz has been running great all year and seems poised for a great race..He will be challanging Andy Jones Wilkes and others for top mens masters it is a deep field..

So many others to mention...John Nichols, Charley Jones, Mike and Karyn Hoffman, Marty Hoffman, Ken Crouse, Karalee Morris, Wayne Miles, Bill Finkbeiner who the heck is not running????

Well I will be pacing Rena Schumann for the third time and picking her up at Foresthill Mile 62 for the final 38. Rena has been doing fine this season and is poised to finish her 9th meaning next year is an automatic entry to go after her 10th finish! We have not talked specifics but I am guessing that she will arrive about 7 or 8pm in Foresthill and from there off we go. I want to keep her pace easy as we move through the early evening towards the river crossing. So about 4hours would be in my mind the right pace..though she can easily hit 3:30 to the river I would like her to start really knocking off runners between green gate and Auburn Lake Trail Aid Station...She could pull a sub 24 if things are on we will see..
Rena running up from NoHands...



Here are two pics from Western States Training Camp Runs..images by Joe McCaddie