About this episode
Western States 100 needed an awards show—so we made one. I’m joined by Allison Mercer for the first-ever Westees, a highly serious, extremely prestigious, and entirely made-up award show for the 2025 Western States 100. We hand out awards like: BDE : Big Dad Energy Michigan "Bluff" Award (for premature blowups Scuba Steve Award I’m Not Back, I’m Better Award The Cougar of the Field The Zach Miller Lookalike Award ...and of course, Jeff of the Day We also break down the biggest performances, the carnage, the drama, the livestream chaos, trail fashion disasters, questionable pacing decisions, and how Killian somehow still looks fresh after 100 miles. If you like trail running, roasting, fashion critiques, or just hearing someone talk trash about professional runners while wearing Janji shorts—this episode is for you Janji – The best running shorts in the game (and yes, I’m literally wearing them right now). Use code freeoutside for a discount. 👉 janji.com GarageGrownGear.com CSinstant.coffee Montana Meltdown – Our very own fixed-time race in Bozeman, Montana. 4, 12, and 24-hour options on a beautiful loop course. 👉 Sign up on UltraSignup – just search Montana Meltdown Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Westees Awards 06:08 The Women's Race Highlights 11:58 The Men's Race Highlights 21:45 Awards and Recognitions 28:55 Reflections on Performance and Training 30:25 Celebrating Chris Myers and Brooks' Impact 33:05 The Performance of Hoka and Unsponsored Athletes 39:24 Mo Money, Mo Problems: The Pressure of Sponsorships 42:53 The Rise of Women in Ultra Running 47:00 The Need for Better Storytelling in Ultra Running 51:58 Age is Just a Number: Inspiring Performances 54:58 Consistency and Experience: The Legacy of Jeff Browning 55:57 Hans and His Journey 01:00:00 Sponsorships and Their Impact 01:05:00 Awards and Recognition 01:10:03 FKTs and Trail Challenges 01:15:07 Reflections on the Appalachian Trail Subscribe to Substack: http://freeoutside.substack.com Support this content on patreon: HTTP://patreon.com/freeoutside Buy my book "Free Outside" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/39LpoSF Email me to buy a signed copy of my book, "Free Outside" at jeff@freeoutside.com Watch the movie about setting the record on the Colorado Trail: https://tubitv.com/movies/100019916/free-outside Website: www.Freeoutside.com Instagram: thefreeoutside facebook: www.facebook.com/freeoutside