The last weekend in June is always a big one in the ultra running world, as the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Trail Run begins Saturday morning at 5am sharp from the base of Squaw Valley. The “Super Bowl” of ultra running follows a 100-mile route over rugged Sierra Nevada footpaths, and generally features over 18,000 feet of cumulative climbing (The course can change slightly in heavy snowfall years) as the race makes its way down to the foothills town of Auburn, CA.  

This is an exciting year for us here in Team Clif Bar land as we have an unprecedented number of TCB athletes starting the race. The Clif and Shot-powered Montrail team brings 2010 winner Geoff Roes, Ellie Greenwood, Joelle Vaught, Amy Sproston, Erik Skaden and a host of others, all of whom will most definitely be looking for podium finishes. TCB running legend Dave Mackey and local wunderkind Eric Johnson will also be in the hunt for top spots.

Team CLIF Bar athlete Geoff Roes gives us a taste of his incredible come-from-behind victory at the 2010 Western States 100 trail race. Props to our friends over at Journeyfilm for sharing highlights of their upcoming documentary entitled Unbreakable: The Western States 100.

Have you ever been on the road, in the water or among the trees and for a moment, everything slows down and becomes clear? We've all had that experience before, and we want to hear your stories! And so with that, we're super excited to introduce Meet the Moment!

At Clif Bar & Company, we're big on adventure and the rush of the Moment. We wake up excited for what the day might bring. We work hard, we play hard. We get up ready to Meet the Moment head on, every day. But enough

Over the years, we've always managed to put together an impressive Team CLIF BAR trail running roster. But, this year we really went above and beyond. While we're hesitant to pat ourselves on the back too much, let's face it: This year's TCB trail running roster is amazing. From internationally-competitive pro athletes to amateurs tearing up the regional scene, these guys will be filling up podiums with abandon in 2011. In fact, it's already begun. One of the things we love best about ultra running is the laid-back scene. Even though the athletes are getting prepared to dish out and endure several hours worth of pain and suffering, many races seem more like big family gatherings than super-competitive events.

A couple weeks ago, I received this email from Matt Hart, ultra-distance runner from the Montrail team: Hey Eric, Hope this finds you well. I just decided in the early hours of this morning (while pacing at the hardrock 100 miler) to have a go at the Colorado Trail speed record. I'm in the midst of planning it now. Everyone I've talked to that knows says the record is "tight." The 500 miles was done last year in 8 days, 12 hours, 14 mins. I'm wondering if you can send me a few special items for the adventure.