Mountain masochists
With the bears, rattlesnakes, and cougars on the trail, giardia in the water, hypothermia from the snow, poison oak in the canyons, heat exhaustion at 109 degrees in the shade, and the altitude sickness from 17,000 vertical feet of climb, the 20th Western States 100 Endurance Run is a real character-builder.

1997 Western States 100

Results
Twietmeyer wins fourth Western States in five years
With only 23 miles to go, it looked like the Western States icon was going to fade away. But as always, the course sifted through the field and plucked out those running beyond their ability. And the door opened wide.

Final race standings

Introduction
A race for the soul
It all started when one man decided he could do what his horse couldn't: run 100 miles through the Sierra Nevadas.

Profile
Glass ceiling is awfully thin at this race
Since 1992, Ann Trason been closing in on that gender barrier. Can she finally beat all the men?

Profile
A humble hero for a humble sport
As his career winds down, ultrarunning legend Tim Twietmeyer takes a look at his own legacy.

Runner's-eye view
Dopey, dithering, and demented
A first-timer's firsthand account of the Western States 100.

Cougar country
Mountain cats pose threat to runners
The controversial mountain lions of California have roamed the Sierra Nevadas since long before there were endurance races. And they aren't too pleased about sharing the trail.