Patrick McEnaney wasn’t the fastest finisher at the Western States Endurance Run 100-miler on June 28-29, but his feat may have been the most impressive. On a weekend where some of the world’s best ultrarunners took on a 100-mile journey from Olympic Valley to Auburn, Calif., and some of the fastest times in its 49-year history were turned in, McEnaney accomplished a massive milestone that will benefit countless other people.

The 2025 Western States Endurance Run isn’t until June 28, but the journey to the starting line of the 49th running of the historic 100-miler began Saturday, Dec. 7, for six New England residents whose names were drawn in the Western States lottery.

Joseph D’Alessio, Patrick McEnaney, Lance Doherty and Christopher Lay of Massachusetts, Austin Black of New Hampshire, and Yuichiro Hidaka of Rhode Island were among the lucky few selected for one of ultrarunning’s most exclusive events.

Katie Schide lives in France and spends most of her time racing in Europe, but the 32-year-old native of Gardiner, Maine, returned to the U.S. for her debut performance at the 2023 Western States Endurance Run and made a major splash, breaking the long-standing course record and finishing second in the women’s race to world-class mountain runner Courtney Dauwalter.

This year, Schide returned to Western States as the women’s favorite at the 51st edition of the race on June 29-30, in Olympic Valley, Calif., and she made more history.