The Western States Endurance Run (or Western States 100) is the world's oldest 100-mile (100.2 miles) trail ultra-marathon. The Western States Trail originates with the Indigenous People who lived in Utah and moved across Northern Nevada and the Sierra mountains in California. During the Gold Rush period in California, portions of the trail were used as a passage between the gold mines near Auburn, California, and the silver mines in Nevada.
In 1955, six horse riders rode the Western States Trail from the post office in Lake Tahoe City to Auburn, proving that a horse could cover 100 miles in one day. This attempt was the origin of the Tevis Cup (or Western States Trail Ride), held annually since July. In 1972, a crew of twenty U.S. Army infantrymen attempted to cover the distance on foot one day before the Tevis Cup. Seven out of the twenty finished in times from 44:54:00 to 46:69:00.
In 1974, the legend says that after horseman Gordy Ainsleigh's horse became lame, he decided to cover the hundred-mile distance. He finished in 23:42:00, proving that a man could cover 100 miles in one day.
The run starts in Olympic Valley, near Lake Tahoe, and finishes in Auburn, near Sacramento, California. It is one of the races that comprise the Grand Slam of Ultra-running, making it a widely renowned international event. The race is held annually in June, and the entry method is by lottery, which makes it exclusive. Runners that finish under twenty-four hours receive a special award, while runners that finish under thirty hours receive a different prize. The race has a limit of thirty hours; after that, runners may finish but will not be listed as official finishers.
The race is run on trails featuring different terrains and biomes. The start line is at an altitude of 6,250 ft. From there, runners ascend to the Watson Monument at Emigrant Pass, the highest point in the race at 8,650 ft. After that, the trails slowly descend to finish at an altitude of about 1,100 ft. Runners get exposed to different weather systems and a wide range of temperature changes, varying from 20 degrees to above 110 degrees Fahrenheit. A notable point in the race is the American River crossing; at mile 78, depending on weather conditions, they may be able to cross it on foot/swimming, or if there's a lot of snowfall in the weeks previous, boats may be deployed.
This study will analyze the effects of climate change and extreme weather on finish times from this race, using the official data from 2010 to 2022.
CS 416: Data Visualization Report