With Jim Walmsley dropping out of this year's Western States, Kilian Jornet's chances for another win are looking better than ever, and now the Spanish ultra runner has a unique opportunity for someone who thinks they can keep up with him.
Posting to Instagram this week, Jornet announced that he's seeking a runner to pace him for one 20-mile section of the iconic 100-mile California race. Jornet says you need to be fit (which seems an understatement) and "up for the challenge," and to be considered, you'll need to fill out this form and supply your Strava profile along with details of your two best race results.
In return, the lucky runner will receive a two-night stay at the race, from June 27 to 29, and a full running kit including shoes from NNormal, the brand co-founded by Jornet. If you think you've got what it takes and want the chance to keep a running legend company on the course, applications close Thursday, June 12th at 23:59.
Jornet punched his ticket to the WSER at the UTMB Chianti Castles 120k in March, where he came second to Walmsley after running an average 12k/hour pace. His return to the race has garnered a lot of excitement in the running community – he debuted at WSER in 2010, taking third place, then returned for the win the following year.
With Walmsley out of the way, 2024 silver medalist Rod Farvard is now being billed as a favorite on the men's side, while China's Fu-Xhao Xiang, who took second place last year, is the runner to watch in the women's race.
The action kicks off at 5am on Saturday, June 28, and yo'll be able to watch the race live on YouTube.
