Running
Ann Trason on Western States, Aging, and What Endurance Means After the Records
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Episode Notes
Ann Trason won Western States 100 fourteen times. Fourteen. 14 time western states winner!
Long before live streams, social media, sponsorships, and modern ultrarunning, Ann was redefining what was possible in endurance sports. She wasn't just competing against other women. She was competing with the best runners in the world, period.
In this conversation, we don't spend much time reliving race results or championship performances. Instead, we talk about the stories behind the sport, the evolution of ultrarunning, aging, recovery, community, curiosity, and what endurance means after the records become history.
Ann shares thoughts on Western States, staying active later in life, finding joy in new challenges, and why curiosity continues to drive her decades after becoming one of the greatest ultrarunners of all time.
If you're newer to trail running, this is a chance to hear from one of the athletes who helped build the sport. If you've been around a while, it's a reminder of where many of the traditions and stories we love today came from.
Topics:
Winning Western States 14 times
Ultrarunning in the early days
Competing in a male-dominated sport
Aging and staying active
Recovery and longevity
Community and friendships through running
Cocodona and modern ultrarunning
Finding purpose after peak performance
Why curiosity never goes away
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"Ann Trason on Western States, Aging, and What Endurance Means After the Records" is an episode of Free Outside. Runtime 1 hr 12 min. Published June 25, 2026. Hit play above to stream it here, or open the free Spot Sports app for background play and offline downloads.
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- June 25, 2026.
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- 1 hr 12 min.
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