In this episode of The Mile 99 Interview, we sit down with Mike Dimond, a hometown ultrarunner from Auburn, CA, who just punched his ticket to the 2025 Western States 100—not in the main lottery, but through the exclusive M45 Automotive Auburn residents raffle!
A Sacramento Metro firefighter, father, and long-time runner, Mike shares how living in the shadow of the Western States finish line shaped his dream, and how his name being drawn at the post-lottery raffle changed everything.
🔥 In This Episode:
- 🏠 Auburn Roots – Mike’s journey from where he grew up to making a home in the Endurance Capital of the World.
- 🚒 Balancing the Firehouse & the Finish Line – Insights into life as a Sac Metro firefighter and the delicate balance of career, family, and ultrarunning.
- 🏃♂️ Running Journey – From school sports to long miles on the trail, and how he first discovered the magic of Western States.
- 🎟️ The Lucky Draw – How the M45 Automotive local raffle gave him an unexpected shot at 100 miles in 2025.
- 🏋️♂️ Training Talk – Who’s helping him prep? What does his training look like? And how do work shifts factor in?
- 🧠 Mental Grit – How Mike deals with setbacks and tough races, and the mindset he’s building for the big day.
- 🥾 The Support Squad – Crew, pacers, and the power of local running groups and training partners in the Auburn area.
This episode is a testament to perseverance, community, and what can happen when preparation meets a little bit of lottery luck!
🔗 Resources & Mentions:
🎧 Whether you’re a Western States hopeful or just love a great story from the trail, this one will leave you fired up!
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Intro/outro music: Joseph McDade - Elevation: https://josephmcdade.com/music/elevation
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