BUFF® Provided the Power Boost at Western States!

The day prior to the race was hot, and anticipation hung thick in the air. Racers, pacers, and crew members swarmed the village at Palisades Tahoe to pick up their race packets and a mountain of swag. BUFF® staff played trivia with the crowd, gave away a bunch of running caps, CoolNet UV® neckwear, and a bunch of other BUFF®-branded merchandise. Trivia was a hit with lines forming the width of the village expo for an attempt to answer questions about Tahoe, Western States, or BUFF®. Racers also filled out note cards that we would read to them at mile 62 during the race.

The next morning, we cheered as the starting gun went off and hundreds of runners braved the summer heat up a grueling starting climb of nearly 3000’. The rising mountains and Lake Tahoe against the warm tones of the sunrise provided a truly epic beginning to the race. We made our way via tram to the top of Palisades and watched the runners crest the first major climb of the day, on their way to ascending an additional 15,000’ before reaching the hot floor of the Auburn Valley.

Mid-day we set up another activation at mile point 62, known as Forest Hills. There we had our big yellow BUFF ® arch, a cooler full of frozen neck gaiters, and a sign that encouraged runners to tap for an instant Power Boost! We had music playing and ran with the runners and read their motivational notes back to them as they passed. Most runners were still in high spirits as they came through our zone, and we loved cheering them on.

Bright and early the next morning we made our way to the finish line at Placer High School. This is where we witnessed the true magic of Western States. Runners take one lap around the high school track to a packed house. Racers that finish in under 24 hours receive the coveted silver belt buckle. Those that finish in under 30 hours receive a finisher belt buckle. Racers that finish in over 30 hours, brutally, do not receive an official time. It’s a bittersweet arena of emotions watching runners limp across the finish line in a mixture of sheer agony and pure joy, knowing that some have waited upwards of a decade to achieve their goal of completing the run.

The final hour of the official timed race, called Golden Hour, brings out the big drum line and the anxiety of hoping everyone will finish in under 30 hours. Spoiler alert- some do not make the cut and it’s heartbreaking to see them realize that they’ve missed the cutoff despite completing the course. Regardless, there wasn’t a dry eye in stadium as runner after runner trudged their way across the finish line. Some collapsed having given it every ounce of energy. Some cried. Others just stood their absorbing the energy of the crowd. BUFF® was there to hand out root beer floats to racers and crewers, and we provided big squishy chairs for people to take a load off.

Our goal throughout the race was to provide motivation, inspiration, and relief, and we feel we were there when we were needed, and we brought just the right energy to the event. We can’t wait to come back next year to show off more of our running caps, neckwear, and bring more BUFF® stoke to Western States!