She is no stranger to the Western States Endurance Run but Heather Jackson believes this year’s race is going to be her toughest yet.
Jackson, 41, has raced Western States twice already, finishing the course in a time of 17:16:43 last year to come in seventh, and is looking to improve on that time when the 2025 action gets under way on Saturday June 28.
But the former triathlon star reckons the women’s field this year is the deepest she’s ever faced in the world’s oldest 100-mile trail race – which is not for the faint-hearted.
Rollercoaster
Jackson told RUN247: “I feel like this year is way more competitive than the last two. This year there’s 10 or 20 women who could be at the front. You don’t know. It’s so deep. It will be interesting to see what happens and that’s why it’s exciting.
“All the people who have returned from last year who were in the top ten. All the women who have run well this year. You just can’t tell what is going to happen.
“Some people are better climbers and they be gone on the climbs but then you have all the people who are amazing descenders who come flying by on the descents.
“That’s why trail running is so crazy. In triathlon it’s all slow gains. In trail running you can pass ten people going up but then on the descent someone comes flying by, so it’s more of a rollercoaster.”
Ultimate challenge
While no former winners are returning this year, eight of last year’s top 10 women are back, including Fu-Zhao Xiang of China, who recorded the third fastest time ever in her debut to finish second, third-placed Eszter Csillag of Hungary, and fourth-placed Emily Hawgood of Zimbabwe, who won the Canyons 100K race on April 26.
Tara Dower, who holds the Appalachian Trail record, and in-form Riley Brady, who has won her last two races at Javelina and Black Canyon, will also be ones to watch.
Billed as the ultimate challenge for the long-distance runner, the race ascends to an elevation 8,750 feet, a climb of 2,550 vertical feet, in the first 4½ miles.
Rugged and remote
Runners then travel west, climbing another 15,540 feet on a trail that is rugged and remote before descending 22,970 feet to reach the small town of Auburn in the heart of California’s historic gold country. They must reach the finish line no later than 10:59:59 a.m. on the following day in order to be eligible for an award.
Jackson, who spent years chasing her dream of winning the IRONMAN World Championships in Kona before ditching triathlon to focus on ultra trail running and gravel-bike racing, brings a unique perspective to the event.
The Oregon native, who warmed up for the race by winning the UNBOUND XL gravel bike race in a record time at the end of last month, said: “Western States is one of the races I knew even when I was doing triathlon.
“It always seemed to me like the Kona of the sport. It is to the sport what Kona is to triathlon. This is the race. It was the first one I ever wanted to do coming out of triathlon.
Western States a special weekend
“I’ve raced it twice now. This will be my third year. Every year it’s special to be there and be a part of it. Only 300-something runners get to race it and I don’t take that for granted. It’s a special weekend that everyone here in north America looks forward to.”
Heather, who will be running in an upcoming HOKA trail racing shoe that will be revealed post-race and available for sale this Autumn, added: “Any time I race I’m trying to be up there for sure. But hundred-milers are tough. Anything could happen. Anything!
“You could be feeling good to mile 90 and something happens. I think I’m going to try to be as close to the front as I can, know my strengths and weaknesses and push those when I can. I ran 17-something last year. I will see if I can better that and stay near the front.”
