We are inside 100 days before the race. Hopefully your training has been going well and you're ready for the big training months ahead. This is your second runner update email.
Bibs and General Information Form
As you may have seen, bib assignments have been made. Check out the entrants list to see what yours is. Then please take a minute to fill out the general information form. This is used by Tropical John Medinger, WSER President and our finish line announcer, as you run the final 250 meters around the track. It's a great opportunity to thank your crew, pacers, or anybody you'd like TJ to acknowledge. This is a special thing we have been doing at Western States for decades so please give TJ something to say about you, or he may just make it up.
Snow
After many years of drought, California has finally had significant snow and rain. 70 inches of rain has fallen in Foresthill since October 1. It has also snowed a lot in the mountains. While the ski resorts are touting this as a record year and that we'll be skiing well into July, the snowpack considerably lags the rainfall. As recently posted on Weather West, as of March 18, while the Northern Sierra watersheds are at 202% of average precipitation, the snow water content in the snowpack is "only" at 145% of average (it has dropped to 138% of April 1 average as of today). What does that mean for us? It means the snowpack is not at record levels but still well above average. Consider the graph below for the Northern Sierra Watersheds. We are nowhere close to the record snowpack of the 1982-1983 season.
Below is historical data from one of the stations we watch very closely. It is at 8200' near the top of Squaw Valley at about 4 miles into the race. April 1 is generally considered the date when the snowpack no longer increases. On average that is the peak and after that date the snowpack melts. The years that may be most relevant to us are 1997 and 1998. In 1997 the 79 inches of snow water content we had on April 1 melted to 1.8 inches on June 1 and 0 on June 10. The following year, the 80 inches of water content on April 1 was still at 66 inches on June 1 and 51 inches on June 10. The temperatures and storm tracks in the next two months can make a huge difference, despite what has fallen to date.
We will exhaust our options to stay on the regular course. If we can't, we may employ one of our two snow courses. If we are unable to get into Lyon Ridge and Red Star Ridge aid stations but we can get into Robinson Flat we may use our Snow Route A which drops us out to lower elevations along French Meadows before joining the normal course at Duncan Canyon. Suffice to say, we are watching this closely and will make decisions as the snow situation becomes clearer.
Clif Products on Course
CLIF will be providing on-course nutrition for the race again this year. CLIF SHOT products are part of a great-tasting sports nutrition line for performance athletes that deliver essential energy and hydration using organic and other nutritious ingredients. These products will give you only what your body needs most while training and competing. There will be BLOKS (available in a caffeinated option if you need a little extra kick), SHOT Energy Gel, and Hydration Electrolyte Drink at the Aid Stations. Unless you plan on carrying your own and/or using drop bags, I suggest you train with these products. Check out www.clifbar.com for complete nutrition information about these products.
Memorial Day Weekend
There is still space available for the remaining three training runs over the final 70 miles on Memorial Day Weekend. Sign up at ultrasignup.
As always, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me.
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