"I grew up very sickly. I had asthma. I had pneumonia, bronchitis. ... I never thought I'd be running because I just was not the person that would be running. I was told to stay inside, not go outside."
The race, in its 12th edition, is often considered a trial run of sorts for Western States, as a large chunk of the middle section traverses the iconic Western States Trail, including the notorious Devil's Thumb climb, Deadwood Cemetery, and Cal Street.