Wayne Ball has been on a journey of constant personal discovery since completing his first trail ultramarathon as a 38-year-old when he crossed the finish line of the Vermont 50K in 2012. Since then, he has completed at least 50 ultramarathons and a dozen 100-milers. In addition to racing, he has been a frequent volunteer, taken over as race director of Seth’s Fat Ass 50K, and organized a run club to share his passion for running with others.

Nearly 14 years after completing his first ultra, Ball added another milestone accomplishment to his trail ultrarunning resume when he took part in the 53rd running of the Western States Endurance Run on June 27-28 in Olympic Valley, Calif.–and he his 100-mile run from Olympic Valley to the finish line on the Placer High School track in Auburn was a celebratory journey for multiple reasons. For one, Ball finally got to toe the starting line at the sport’s original 100-mile footrace and be a part of history. For another, he celebrated his birthday while making that journey.

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.