All right, we are back. This is long run archives number 28. I made a mistake last episode. I said it was the 26th edition. It was the 27th. I've just lost track of how many of these we've done. Also, noticeably absent is trusty longtime co-host, Brett Hornig, who I believe is on the road hanging out with the team at running warehouse down in San Luis Obispo. So dearly missed, but on a pretty cool mission down there

hanging with some of the coolest people in the shoe game. I think we start with Western

States. There's been quite a bit of news that has transpired just in the last three or four

days around it. It was being billed as perhaps the deepest field in this race ever and maybe the most competitive

race on American soil this year across distances, but the men's field in particular is taking

a hit. Jim Walmsley, John Ray, Hayden Hawks are now officially out. Jeff, reactions. What did you,

what did you think when you first heard this news?

I think it's worth noting that Dan Green is in.

And, you know.

And it's specifically the replacement for Jim, right?

Like, yeah.

I like that they show that.

I think that's new, isn't it?

That they show who's replacing from the wait list when people pull out.

Yeah.

Yeah, I think, uh, I think it changes the dynamic of the race significantly.

And I'm of the opinion that it was Jim's race to lose.

I think it's hard to bet against the four-time returning champion.

Hayden Hawks, obviously a contender in that as well, having come second and third and shown some amazing fitness earlier this year.

I'm great friends with John Ray, really bummed about the news on his end with his injury.

But at the front of the race, this in a lot of ways blows it wide open because there was only

one runner, I think, really,

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