Redemption at Western States - Nancy Jiang's 2025 mission

A Second Shot at Western States

Curranz Athlete Nancy Jiang, a New Zealand Ultra-Runner, is set to take on the brutal 100-mile Western States Endurance Run in California on June 28. 

Considered one of the ultimate endurance tests on the planet, Nancy opens up about her humbling debut at the world-renowned race that didn’t go to plan. Those hard-won insights have fueled her transformation and Nancy invites us behind the scenes of her renewed quest as she prepares for what she calls her “Redemption Tour”.

Nancy writes:

How boring would it be if I nailed my first 100-mile race?

Let’s be honest - there’s something far more compelling about a story where the hero stumbles hard before rising again. My debut at the iconic Western States 100 was more of a spectacular faceplant (figuratively, thankfully) than a fairytale finish. It wasn’t the race I’d dreamed of, but it became one I’ll never forget.

Looking back a year and a half later, I can finally say that I’m grateful for that experience. At the time, it was hard to process falling short of what I knew I was capable of. But as the commentator said while I finished my lap around the Placer High track: “Probably not the day she was expecting to have, but it’s a day that she will remember forever.” And they were right.

If I had crushed that race on my first go, I might’ve patted myself on the back, celebrated for a week, and moved on without much introspection. But that hard day out there taught me more than any podium could have. I knew then I didn’t want that to be the end of my Western States story.

Now, I’m heading back to Western States for what I’m calling my Redemption Tour.

A Different Runner, A Different Race

This time around, everything is different.

They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. And after my first Western States, I knew I had to completely rethink my approach.

The sport of ultra running has evolved, and so have the demands to compete at the highest level. That meant diving deep – I’m using metabolic testing to uncover my weak links, building a training plan tailored to those results, and applying the latest in ultra endurance science.

Training isn’t just about logging miles anymore. As well as training muscles and developing my fitness, I’ve focused on gut training to maximize fuel intake at high intensities, dialling in my hydration and calorie strategies, and will be implementing heat protocols in the lead-up to the race.

I earned my golden ticket at Tarawera 100km in New Zealand in February (below). And let me tell you - it came down to the wire. I secured my spot at Western States by just 15 seconds. That’s how fierce the competition is now.

Finishing touches ahead of the big dance

At the time of writing in mid-May, I’m in the midst of my training block for Western States and really enjoying the training process. Compared to this point two years ago, when I was preparing for my first WSER, I am in a completely different head space. Having raced it before, I know what to expect and what I need to do.

Recovering smarter

This time around, I’m not just training harder- I’m recovering smarter. Running 100 miles is as much about resilience as it is about fitness, and I’ve added tools to help my body handle the grind.

One of those tools is CurraNZ. I’ve been using the supplement daily throughout this build-up, and it’s made a real difference in how my body handles the impact and volume of training. Ultra running places immense stress on the body, and CurraNZ has helped me stay consistent, recover efficiently, and keep niggles at bay. It’s become essential in my approach: train hard, recover harder.

Western States 100, we’re not done yet. This is my redemption tour - and I’m ready.

Follow Nancy on Instagram: @nj.running_wild