Western States 100: Inside America's Most Iconic Ultra with Lee Dunstall & Rebecca Parker

What does it really take to run the legendary Western States 100?

This week on Trails, Tales & Fails, we're joined by Lee Dunstall, who began his ultra running journey in 2019 before earning his place on the start line of the world's most famous 100-mile race. Alongside him is his partner Rebecca Parker, an ultra runner who crewed and supported Lee throughout his Western States adventure.

Together we dive into everything you need to know about the Western States Endurance Run—from qualifying and navigating the lottery system to race-day strategy, crewing, pacing, the atmosphere on the trails, and what makes this race so special.

We also chat about how both Lee and Rebecca got into ultra running, the highs and lows of the sport, and, as always, finish with our fan-favourite segments: Steady Pacer, Guilty Pleasures, and the Quickfire Round.

Whether you're dreaming of running Western States 100, love ultra marathons, or simply enjoy hearing incredible trail running stories, this episode is packed with insight, laughs, and inspiration.

Topics covered:

• Western States 100
• Western States lottery and qualification
• Crewing and race-day support
• Ultra running training and racing
• Trail running adventures
• Celeb Pacer
• Guilty Pleasures
• Quickfire Round

If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a rating, follow the show, and share the episode with your friends. Every share helps us reach more runners, inspire new adventures, and grow the trail and ultra running community.

⁠⁠⁠Coaching enquiries⁠⁠⁠⁠

Support the show via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and buy us a coffee.

We’re proud to be supported by:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Protein Rebel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — get 15% off with code TTF15

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Beta Outdoor Sports⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, where you can get 10% off ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BV Sports⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ compression and apparel, plus 10% off ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Näak Nutrition⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ products to fuel your adventures using TTF10.

⁠⁠⁠⁠Trailskin⁠⁠⁠⁠ get 20% off with TTFS_20

Don’t forget to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to join our Strava club to connect with fellow trail lovers and celebrate your own achievements.

👉 Join our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Trails, Tales, and Fails Facebook Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to continue the conversation and connect with fellow trail and ultra runners.