Western States 100 runs from Olympic Valley to Auburn, California. 100.2 miles. About 18,000 feet of climbing. The field holds roughly 369 runners. Thousands apply every year.
Getting in is its own project. There are two paths: the lottery and Golden Ticket races. This covers both, plus what you need to do before the 2027 application window opens this November.
Step One: Get a Qualifying Race
You cannot enter the lottery without a qualifying race on file. WS100 publishes an official qualifying race list at their website. It is updated annually and includes hundreds of events worldwide. Most recognized trail ultras of 50 miles or more appear on it, but check the official list before assuming your race qualifies.
Looking for a qualifying race? Our race directory has a WS100 Qualifier filter that shows every qualifying race in the directory, with dates, terrain, and registration links.
You need to complete the qualifying race within an eligibility window before the lottery. The current window requirements are posted at the WS100 website. If you ran a qualifying race this year and it is on the list, you are likely eligible to apply in November. If your last qualifier was more than a year ago, verify it still falls within the current window before applying.
Do not assume your race qualifies. The WS100 official qualifying race list is the only source that matters. A few popular trail ultras are not on it. Check before you sign up if WS100 entry is your goal.
The Lottery
Once you have a qualifying race, you can apply during the lottery window each fall. For the 2027 race, the application window runs November 1 to November 21, 2026. The draw is December 5, 2026, held at Placer High School in Auburn. Selected runners get a short window to confirm entry and pay.
The field size is fixed. Many spots are pre-allocated before the lottery draw: past finishers who volunteered, medical personnel, pacers who earned entry, sponsors, and a small number of past champions. The remaining spots go to the lottery.
First-time applicants have low odds. The exact numbers vary by year based on how many people apply. In recent years, first-timers drew single-digit percentages. That is not a reason to skip applying. It is a reason to understand the ticket system.
How Tickets Work
Each year you apply and do not get selected, your ticket count doubles. Your first year, you get one ticket. One failure gives you two tickets the next year. Two failures give you four. Three failures give you eight. The odds improve fast once you have a few years behind you.
This is the formula: 2 raised to the power of (years applied minus 1). The current rules are published at wser.org. The general principle has been consistent for years: the longer you have been trying, the better your chances get.
This is important for planning. If you are hoping to run WS100, start applying as soon as you have a qualifier. Every year you wait is a year of ticket accumulation you are not building.
Your tickets carry over as long as you continue applying. If you skip a year, check whether your ticket count resets. The rules for this are on the WS100 website.
The Golden Ticket Path
If you are competitive at the front of trail ultra fields, there is a faster way in. WS100 designates a set of races each year as Golden Ticket events. The top finishers at those races receive automatic entry to Western States. No lottery. No waiting.
For the 2027 race, the confirmed Golden Ticket races are:
- Javelina Jundred: Oct 31, 2026, Arizona (100M). Top 2 men, top 2 women
- Black Canyon 100K: Feb 13, 2027, Arizona. Top 3 men, top 3 women
- Tarawera Ultra-Trail: Feb 13, 2027, New Zealand (102K). Top 2 men, top 2 women
- Chianti Ultra Trail: Mar 20, 2027, Italy (120K). Top 2 men, top 2 women
- The Canyons 100K: Apr 24, 2027, California. Top 3 men, top 3 women
CCC at UTMB (August 2026) was also a Golden Ticket race for 2027, but that window has passed.
If you finish in the top spots at any of these races, you have two weeks to decide whether to accept. If higher-placed finishers decline, the ticket slides down to the next finisher. If you are running in the front few percent of competitive trail fields, these races are worth targeting. If you are not, the lottery is the realistic path.
Javelina is worth calling out specifically: it is the only fall 2026 Golden Ticket race and also a qualifying race for the lottery. If you finish but do not podium, you still have a qualifier for the November application.
The 2027 Timeline
The Western States 100 runs in late June each year. Here is what the entry process looks like for 2027.
What the Training Looks Like
Getting in is step one. The training is a different problem. Western States is a point-to-point course with serious heat in the canyons, a lot of descent, and a finish that comes after 90 miles of accumulated damage. The common mistakes are going out too fast on the downhills early, underestimating the canyon heat, and not practicing race nutrition for the final 30 miles when appetite typically shuts down.
A WS100 training block typically runs 20 to 24 weeks. It requires long runs with significant descent, heat adaptation if you do not live in a warm climate, and back-to-back weekend running to build fatigue tolerance. A finish-focused training plan looks different from a time-goal plan. The race rewards conservatism early and falls apart fast for runners who do not pace the first 30 miles correctly.
Build Your WS100 Training Plan
Upload your Garmin data and get a 20 to 24 week plan built on your actual training load, heart rate zones, and race-specific terrain. No guesswork.
Build My PlanA Few Things That Catch People Off Guard
The qualifying race requirement has a time window. Completing a qualifier three years ago may not be enough. Check the dates before assuming you are eligible.
The lottery is not random in the simple sense. The ticket accumulation system means repeat applicants have better odds. A first-time applicant and a five-year applicant are not in the same pool. This is by design.
Not getting selected is normal. The majority of applicants do not get in on their first try, or their second. Building tickets over time is not a failure mode. It is how most people get in.
The official source for all current rules, qualifying race list, dates, and ticket counts is the Western States Endurance Run website at wser.org. Rules have changed over the years and may change again. Read the current rules before each application.