Ultra Prize Money Doesn’t Change Why They Run
AJW explains why prize money hasn’t changed ultras for the worse, but how it could.
Abby Hall and Caleb Olson won the Western States 100! Read our 2025 Western States 100 results article for the full race story. Watch Abby and Caleb’s post-race interviews, and enter now for your chance to win Altra Experience Wild 2 trail shoes.
Andy Jones-Wilkins
Title: AJW’s Taproom Columnist
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Social Media Links
Expertise
- Topics of Expertise: Trail running, ultrarunning, run coaching
- Amount of Expertise: 22 years trail running, 30 years ultrarunning, and 12 years coaching running, along with more than 500 articles published in the AJW’s Taproom column.
Education & Certifications
- Education: Bachelor of Arts, American Studies, Hamilton College; Master of Arts in Liberal Studies, Villanova University
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Years of Professional Experience Relevant to iRunFar: 11 years writing AJW’s Taproom
- Club Memberships: Aravaipa Running, Virginia Happy Trails Running Club, Charlottesville Area Trail Runners Club
- Other Relevant Positions, Current or Past: Senior-level coach with CTS, frequent contributor to Trail Runner Nation Podcast, Koopcast, and the Adventure Jogger podcast.
A Word from Andy Jones-Wilkins
I aim to inspire and motivate others about and through trail running and ultrarunning by providing thoughtful and provocative columns. My personal interests include trail running, ultrarunning, gravel cycling, and pizza making.
Course Records & Their Relative Difficulty: Men’s 100 Mile Examples
AJW takes a look at some of the most impressive course records in ultrarunning.
Temperament and Disposition
AJW, the ultra philosopher, takes a look at the temperaments and dispositions that go into making a successful ultrarunner.
Supply and Demand at the Western States 100
A look at the Western States 100 lottery problem and what to do about it.
