I Stayed Up for 24 Hours at an Ultramarathon. Here’s What I Learned About Why Runners Go Long.

So, he stayed up all night at California’s Western States Endurance Run interviewing athletes, race crew, and fans. He’s just run 100.2 miles to complete the Western States Endurance Run, the oldest, most prestigious ultramarathon in the U.S., and his body is broken, torn, confused. Roman Trach celebrates his finish at the Western States Endurance Run (Photo: Courtesy Roman Trach)Trach had started screaming when he learned the good news. “You don’t have to run Western States to be a part of Western States,” Topher Gaylord, the event’s board of directors president, tells the crowd. Participants cross 100.2 miles at the Western States Endurance Run (Photo: Luis Escobar/Western States Endurance Run ) Our author spent 24 hours at Western States checking in at various points along the route (Photo: OBYN BECK/Getty Images )The next morning, as I stumble to the starting line just before the start at 5 A.M., the wind barrels down the mountain.