Frisco, Texas – Race production and running outreach company The Active Joe moves into its ninth year as a sponsor of the Western States Endurance Run and is excited to announce Phyllis Stanley of Montesano, Washington as its 2023 sponsored athlete.
Phyllis Stanley running Cocodona 250 in May 2022 with her pacer Angela Wilder. Photographer: Howie Stern
The Western States Endurance Run is the oldest and most well-known 100 mile race in the United States, running along the Western States Trail from Olympic Valley, California, to end in Auburn, California. The Active Joe owner Libby Jones attended and volunteered at the 2012 race and fell in love with the event. A race producer herself, Jones was also impressed with the mission of the non-profit Western States Endurance Run Foundation. In addition to helping set standards in the organization of 100-mile endurance events, they promote trail stewardship and emphasize their role through maintenance and support of the Western States trail. The WSER Foundation also supports medical research into ultrarunning that helps the sport and the community.
As part of the sponsorship, The Active Joe chooses a sponsored athlete each year from the qualified runners who apply to the lottery, and the chosen individual receives an automatic entry. For 2023, Phyllis Stanley, of Montesano, WA, will be representing The Active Joe.
2022 Dino Valley Endurance Run. Photographer: Peter Walle
Phyllis Stanley, age 47, grew up on the Navajo reservation in northeast Arizona in a rural area far from an urban environment. She ran growing up because part of the Navajo culture included morning prayer runs with the rising sun. While she took a break from running through her college years, eventually running found her again as an outlet to help her cope with the death of multiple family members over several years from cancer and other health issues. Phyllis found trail running especially grounded her and gave her strength to get through the rougher parts of life.
In honor of her late loved ones, Phyllis takes part in positive things and gives back to her local trail running community. She's a part of her local running group OlyTrailRunners, she participates in trail work parties to recover and maintain trails, and she has worked all aspects of trail races, from serving soup to marking the course to handing out race bibs to course sweeping!
Training run in the Olympic National Park with running buddy (photographer) Staci Whitsell
Phyllis has run Javelina Jundred, Rocky Raccoon 100, and Badger Mountain Challenge 100 in the last few years. She has also completed longer races, including Bigfoot 200 last year (23rd overall female) and Cocodona 250 earlier this year (18th overall female). This November, Phyllis completed The Active Joe's Dinosaur Valley Endurance Run 100K in 16:19 as part of a 20-person BIPOC running team called Dirtbags Run, organized by the Dirtbag Runners group.
Phyllis celebrating her new 100K buckle from the 2022 Dinosaur Valley Endurance Run. Photographer: Cody Meador.
Phyllis was chosen from a large pool of qualified runners who all wrote essays too for consideration for the spot. "I always thought Western States was always going to remain a fantasy for me as I know it seemed nearly impossible to get into this historic race. So, I am still in shock that I will have this amazing opportunity to represent The Active Joe!"
"It's one of the highlights of my year to get to choose a trail runner to receive this automatic entry,” The Active Joe owner Libby Jones said. “Phyllis is a solid runner and a positive force in our community, and I'm really looking forward to seeing her race at Western States Endurance Run in June as a representative of The Active Joe!"
Info on Past Sponsored Athletes:
June 2022 event: John Farris of Fort Worth, TX
June 2021 event: Luke Bateman of Dallas, TX
June 2020 event: Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
June 2019 event: Kelli Coleman of Dallas, TX
June 2018 event: Pam Smith of Salem, OR
June 2017 event: Jess Mullen of Seattle, WA
June 2016 event: Michael Wagner of Albuquerque, NM
June 2015 event: Robert Lopez of Seattle, WA
June 2014 event: Jennifer Kimble of Dallas, TX
The Active Joe was founded in 2008 with the mission of providing running outreach to the local community. The organization produces 3 trail events, including a 100 mile running event, the Dinosaur Valley Endurance Run 100 Mile, 100K, 50K, 25K, and 5 Mile each fall. The Active Joe produced the first organized 100-mile trail race in North Texas. The company also has 2 road events and between road and trail, the company helps thousands of participants achieve their goals each year. All events are located in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas. Owner Libby Jones has been an active member of the leadership of the Dallas-Fort Worth running community for many years and has many ultramarathon finishes herself. For more information go to www.TheActiveJoe.com.
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