The Western States Trail Ride was first completed on foot by seven soldiers from Fort Riley, Kansas during the 1972 event, proving that the mountain course could be marched in less than two days. In 1974 Gordy Ainsleigh was the first to run it in under 24 hours. Ainsleigh had finished the Western States Trail Ride (Tevis Cup) in 1971 and 1972 on horseback, but in 1973 his new horse was pulled with lameness at the 29-mile checkpoint. In 1974, with the inspiration and encouragement of Drucilla Barner, the first woman to win the Tevis Cup and Secretary of the Western States Trail Foundation, Gordy joined the horses of the Western States Trail Ride to see if he could complete the course on foot in under 24 hours. Twenty-three hours and forty-two minutes later Gordy arrived in Auburn, proving that a runner could cover the Western States trail in a day. However, he did not run 100 miles. The course was at most 89 miles until 1980 when it was extended to 93.5 miles and in 1985 finally to 100 miles. Running 100 miles in a day was nothing new. About 1,000 runners worldwide had run or walked 100 miles in a day prior to 1974 on tracks, roads, and trails.
Given this paragraph, who was the first person to run the Western States 100 in under 24 hours?
In 1974 Gordy Ainsleigh was the first to run it in under 24 hours.