Not THAT Lucas: Western States 100 2024 - Last Chance Aid Station

For the last 12 years while volunteering at the Last Chance aid station, I have put up a few signs for various runners I know (plus recently, for other runners that friends know and request a sign for). There are also a few general purpose signs to distract the runners that may not see a sign specific for them. These are placed a bit after the runners leave the aid station - there is a small hill that I start putting them on. I've also recently added a couple sets of "Burma Shave" style signs just before the aid station's entrance.

Also recently, Oscar has started making some signs of his own that I pick up on Friday morning and put up for him. In the end there are about 60 or so signs total.

I've had runners totally miss seeing their sign, while others will actually stop and take a selfie with theirs. I can imagine they can be a little overwhelming after a bit, but hopefully they are mostly a nice momentary distraction from what they are facing - the first of the really hot canyons and the climb up to Devil's Thumb.

Fun thing: In 2016 Billy Yang made the movie "Life in a Day" about the race that year. If you haven't watched that movie, you really should (it's free on YouTube). The really cool thing, and one of the things that inspires me to keep making these signs, is a bit in that movie that starts around 33 minutes in with Devon at the Last Chance aid station (we are almost never shown in any WSER clips since we are really remote, but that year Billy chose to meet up with Devon here and go with her from there.) Devon is in a really low spot at this point. She's walking out with Billy and really dealing with a race that is not going how she expected. And then she sees the signs. And even better, she sees a sign for her (actually made by one of the other volunteers - I bring supplies so others can add signs if they would like). That moment is glorious. (Devon ended up finishing in well under 20 hours in third place, and I credit that sign for some of that!)

Coming into Last Chance

The runner's view heading into Last Chance.

I created the ones on the left four or five years ago - I thought it would be fun to have a set of signs that harkened back to the old Burma Shave signs that used to appear along the highways.

The ones on the right were created in 2021 when Tony "The Endorphin Dude" was running the race. (Originally, the last one said "Crush it Tony!" I changed it to "Crush it Runners!" to make it more generic so that I could keep putting them up.) Tony is infamous for making a "joke" when he comes into an aid station about how the previous aid station threw a soda at him. (A couple years ago a runner came up to me and asked if I was responsible for those signs - after being assured she wasn't a lawyer, I confessed, and she confessed that they really made her laugh. Runners are odd.)

General Purpose Signs

These are signs that are not specific to anyone that get put up every year. Most are just mixed in with the specific signs, but a few end up in the aid station itself.

Here is a shot showing some of the signs along the trail after the runners leave the aid station.

Last year I put the signs up way too bunched together - it was not possible to casually walk and read them all without stopping. Runners don't like to stop. So I spread them out this year. A lot.

Specific Signs I Made

These are the signs I made specifically for the 2024 race.

I asked Jasmin if she had any thoughts about a sign for Sam (from Brazen Racing) this year. She suggested that it had to somehow mention the recent Fiandaca family DNFs at this event.

Dave was the designated runner for the Last Chance aid station (all aid stations get to supply a runner). Sadly, he did not get to see his sign.

About a month before the race, Baldwyn managed to fall off Fergie the horse, and break three ribs. The smart money was on Baldwyn not being able to run this race. The smart money lost. (The drawing was done by Baldwyn, and I thought it was too good not to add to the sign.)

I had several people ask for a sign for Soren. He finished in just over 29 hours, and was the first "Golden Hour" finisher! (Fun thing: He actually ended up getting this sign after the race. Runners are always welcome to take their sign if they want, but that doesn't happen very often for a variety of reasons. I have a large stack of old signs hanging around for just in case though!)

Katherine mentioned that John likes haikus, so we worked together to come up with this. I think it is genius. Fun thing: After the race I noticed the sign had folded over in the sun, so I doubted he saw it. He sent me a picture proving he saw it, and responded with a slightly illegal haiku himself:

I am too tired
For responding in haiku
I must recover

I was born in Kansas, and so have always considered Kaci to be a kindred spirit from Nebraska. I always make a sign for her. Above is the second sign that was made for her (and the one that was used). The first sign I made for her I decided was was way too cluttered and hard to read.

I wanted to make the "10th finish" bit be a subtle background, but it just turned into a mess.

Katherine and Diane provided input on this - particularly the "Race hair don't care 'till you get there!" bit.

This was requested by Michael.

This was requested by Janeth and Miki.

This was requested by Kiran. I tried to draw a pair of gloves, but wow are those awkward gloves! (Baban is known for often wearing enormous gloves!) And it is super cool that Baban not only saw this, but took a selfie with it!

Mandie requested this sign.

Alison's squeeze Chris provided input on this sign. (If you are wondering, that stick figure is Chris and next to him is Trixie, their dog, sitting. I have never been accused of being an artist.)

Josam requested this sign - he had sketched how it should look, but I did not do a great job of replicating that sketch. Still…

For the first time since 2019, we had a runner get their tenth finish. And wouldn't you know it, there were three that did it (including Kaci!).

There were seven runners that got in with 256 tickets! That's nine years of qualifying and sitting through the lottery! These people persevered!

Josam suggested something like this for Loren.

Pen started out as number 43 on the wait list. A lot of us spent the winter and spring watching her slowly move towards the top of the list. In the end, she was number five, and did not get in. I put the sign up anyway, so all the runners could marvel at the word "Pentastic!" (Josam helped with this one too.)

This one was requested by Andrea. I didn't get any ideas for it, but Instagram provided enough info to put this together.

This also came from Andrea (from Youa). I thought the Long Island line was funny. Probably it was just confusing.

From Michael and Josam.

Franco got in with 128 tickets! Eight years of qualifying before finally getting drawn!

Signs Provided By Oscar

Oscar and I don't talk about who we are making signs for beforehand, so there ends up being some duplication, although they generally end up with very different looks and themes, so it's all good! (And I believe it's his wife that's the artist.)