June 30, 2026
6:00 AM MDT
Vincent Bouillard and Jennifer Lichter each set course records to win the 2026 Western States 100 on Saturday in Olympic Valley, California.
Bouillard won the men’s race in 13:46:15, lowering Jim Walmsley’s 2019 course record by more than 23 minutes. Lichter captured the women’s title in 15:28:05, breaking Courtney Dauwalter’s previous course record in one of the fastest editions in race history.
Cool temperatures contributed to fast times throughout the day, with several athletes finishing under previous benchmark performances. Pre-race favorites Jim Walmsley, Hans Troyer, and Kilian Jornet all recorded DNFs after withdrawing before the finish.
Essay: Molly Seidel, Western States, and the Good Kind of Starting Over,
Podcast: The Race that Built Trail Running is Being Forgotten,
Film: The Zion 100 Miler Broke Me,
Almanac: Kiprun Kipsummit Race Review
The 2026 edition featured one of the deepest elite fields in the race’s history and marked the 53rd running of the world’s oldest 100-mile trail race.
