SCOTT Athletes Head to Western States 100 Endurance Run

Saturday, June 29, three SCOTT athletes will face off on the rigorous Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run.  Ian Sharman, Meghan Arbogast, and Jeremy Humphrey all share a smiliar passion for the historic and intense course that winds through the Sierra Nevada Mountains.  Competing through rigorous climbing and descents and unrelenting trail and weather conditions, these three elite runners face obstacles both physical and mental as they race towards the finish line.

Western States 100

photo courtesy Western States Endurance Run

Considered the most important of the 100 mile races in the U.S., the Western 100 starts June 29 in Squaw Valley, CA.  Since its inception in 1974, the Western States 100 Miler has been attracting the most high level endurance runners.  The race takes top level competitors 15 to 16 hours to complete, with more than 18,000 feet of climbing and over 23,000 feet of descent by the time they reach the finish line in Auburn, CA.  The original course traverses the trans-Sierra portion of the Western States Trail, a trail originally used by Native Americans, then by Gold Rush pioneers of the 19th century and finally by the early inhabitants of the gold camps and silver mines.  The Western States Endurance Run has stayed true to both the history of the landscape and its own history.  Only deviating from the course in high-snow years, the course for 2013 is the same course used in 1974.

Ian Sharman

photo courtesy of Martin Paldan

2013 will mark Ian's 4th year participating in the Western States 100.  Ian has consistently finished in the top 10, each year improving from just over 17 hours to just under 16 hours in 2012.  Ian prepared for the WS 100 by competing in the Jungle Ultra in Peru last month.  The jungle course proved difficult and with exgtreme conditions causing his body to break down, Ian chose to withdraw halfway through to preserve his body and strength for the Western States.  Ian's 100 mile race goal extends beyond the Western States 100 for  2013, as he aims to complete the 100 Miler Grand Slam.  With four 100 mile races lined up for the summer, Ian has a long race season ahead to show what he can do.

Meghan Arbogast

photo courtesy of John Mackey

This coming Saturday, Meghan will compete in her 7th Western States.  Consistently finishing in the top 10, and placing 2nd in 2010, Meghan is a seasoned and accomplished competitor on this course.  Meghan's goal upon entering the race is to have all of the details of her race dialed beforehand; whether it is aid stations, clothing, or racing equipment, she wants her attention and effort to only be focused on her running on the day of the event.  With a focused effort, Meghan hopes to complete the course in 18 hours and 30 minutes, which would mark her best time.  The last few years have allowed her the opportunity to learn the course, giving her confidence that she will continue to improve over her last performance at Western States.

Jeremy Humphrey

This year will mark Jeremy Humphrey's first attempt at the Western States 100.  Earning entry into the prestigious race by placing 2nd in the Montrail Pinhoti 100 Miler in Alabama last November, all of Jeremy's training efforts have been pointed at the Western States race.  For Jeremy, at the "Superbowl" of 100 milers he wants to give his absolute best performance and best race possible.  Jeremy turned in a time of 17 hours and 41 minutes on the course in Alabama, after suffering in the heat and being edged out by eventual winner Neal Gorman.  While Jeremy is concerned with the possible extreme heat in California, with his focused training and natural speed, Jeremy could turn in an impressive time on the Western States course, and could very likely end up a top 10 finisher.

T2 Kinabalus on the Western States Endurance Run

All three SCOTT athletes will be running on the 2013 T2 Kinabalu.  With its maximum protection and traction, coupled with its minimal weight, the T2 Kinabalu offers the ideal balance to sustain the rigorous Wester States course.  Shaped for smooth transitions, the eRide™ technology offers a quick response for all foot strikes, while the AeroFoam midsole is 50% lighter than traditional EVA foams.  Altogether, the T2 Kinabalu will offer these athletes maximum protection and cushioning on the rugged terrain in a lightweight package built to sustain heavy mileage.