AJW’s Final Thoughts on the 2026 Western States 100

Another Western States 100 has come and gone, and the 2026 edition was a doozy! The third-coolest temperatures in race history, combined with no snow in the high country, yielded course records for both the men and the women. In addition, the 87% finisher rate was the highest in race history, and the 136 sub-24-hour finishers were second only to the 148 silver buckles awarded in the 2012 event.

I walked away from the 2026 event with three observations.

Jennifer Lichter crossing the American River on her way to winning the 2026 Western States 100. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi

Pre-Race Predictions Versus Reality

My pre-race predictions turned out to be quite wrong. In the men’s race, from my top six runners, only one made it into the top six, and two others made the top 10. Three of my picks didn’t finish.

1. Jim Walmsley – DNF
2. Jeff Mogavero – 7th
3. Zach Miller – 5th
4. Hayden Hawks – DNF
5. Hans Troyer – DNF
6. Will Murray – 9th

Zach Miller runs to fifth place at the 2026 Western States 100. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi

I only fared slightly better on the women’s side of the ledger, with two of my picks making the top six, and two others making the top 10. One of my picks did not start due to injury, and another did not finish.

1. Abby Hall – DNF
2. Jenn Lichter – 1st
3. Tara Dower – 6th
4. Anne Flower – DNS
5. Fu-Zhao Xiang – 7th
6. Hannah Allgood -10th

Tara Dower on her way to sixth during the 2026 Western States 100. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi

Evolving Competitive Density in the Men’s and Women’s Races

One way to measure the competitive density of Western States is to look at the spread in times between the first- and 10th-place finishers. Using this metric, the smaller the spread, the more competitive the race for the top 10.

For Western States between 2022 and 2026, the spreads ranged from 1:05 to 2:42, with the smallest being the 2024 men’s race. The largest time difference was during the 2023 women’s race when Courtney Dauwalter set a new course record in 15:29:33. That year, the spread between Katie Schide in second place, who also went under the previous course record, and 10th place was 1:28, which would have placed it as the most competitive women’s field until this year.

Courtney Dauwalter setting a then course record at the 2023 Western States 100. Photo: iRunFar/Meghan Hicks

Looking at the time differences over time, it would appear that while the men’s race has become less competitive since 2022, the depth of the women’s field is increasing. Of particular note, using this statistic as a measure of competitiveness indicates that in both 2025 and 2026, the women’s race was more competitive than the men’s.

Here is the data from the results listed on the Western States website:

Sponsors and Coaches of the Top 10 Runners

With the sport’s increasing professionalization, the range of corporate sponsorships available to elite athletes has grown exponentially in recent years. In the 2026 Western States, there were 13 different companies represented among the men’s and women’s top-10 finishers. Hoka led the way with four top-10 finishes, and Nike ACG and adidas each had three. Salomon, Brooks, Altra, Arc’terex, On, Kailas Fuga, Janji, Kiprun, The North Face, and Mount to Coast each had one.

Hannah Allgood running for adidas on her way to finishing 10th at the 2026 Western States 100. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi

On the other hand, one endurance coaching company clearly dominated the elite field at Western States: Colorado-based CTS Endurance Coaching. This year, five of the top-10 men and four of the top-10 women were coached by four different CTS coaches. John Fitzgerald coaches Lichter, Adam Peterman, Mogavero, and Murray. Jason Koop coaches Montgomery, Canyon Woodward, and Xiang. Cliff Pittman coaches Allgood, and Adam Ferdinandson coaches Riley Brady.

Ryan Montgomery, who is coached by CTS, climbs to third during the 2026 Western States 100. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi

And with that, a historic year at Western States comes to an end. I, for one, am already counting the days until next year when more magic will surely be made.

Bottoms up!

AJW’s Beer of the Week

This week’s Beer of the Week comes from Tree House Brewing Company in Charlton, Massachusetts. Moment of Clarity Milk Stout is an American milk stout brewed with coffee, chocolate, and maple syrup. Smooth and hearty, Moment of Clarity is a delicious milk stout perfect for a chilly summer evening in Northern New England.

Call for Comments

• How did your Western States 100 predictions pan out?
• What are your thoughts on the competitiveness of the fields over the past few years?

*AJW is an independent contractor coach who works for CTS, primarily coaching mid- to back-of-the-pack athletes.