The Background
I had intended to run the Across the Years 48 Hour Race in Phoenix over the winter break. Then my wife got COVID-19 and her son broke his wrist on Christmas day. It was definitely the best thing for me to stay in town and take care of the family.
Luckily, I had the Bandera 100k as my next race a week later. Originally, I was not going to be able to run this because of a TCTELA board meeting, but the date of that got changed. I was fortunate to get into Bandera on the waitlist.
Big picture, I had failed to finish the full 100k distance three times in a row: 2015, 2016, and 2018. Not finishing one of my favorite races was something I hoped to fix.
I drove up straight from work and set up my tent. It was in the 40s but not super cold.
The Race
My scheduled race start time was 8am, but they told me to go right after the first wave at 6:30. This was great because it meant finishing earlier, less hours in the night.
Race Start
It was foggy in the morning; the view from the hills was just blank white. I headed out at a 11-13 minute pace, hoping to perhaps finish under 17 hours, Western States qualifying time. I gave myself maybe a 5 to 10% chance of reaching this goal. After 6 miles, my pace fell and I wrote off Western States.
A few miles into the race, I noticed my timing chip was gone! There had been another timing chip on the trail previously, not mine. This had never happened to me in a race before. I knew that there would be no chance I'd be disqualified; they'd figure something out to help me and there is only one timing mat at the end of the 50k loop. But this lowered my spirits and my pace slowed a bit.
I rebounded and pushed, running to marathon distance, then continuing a good pace (for a slow runner like me) to finish the first loop. The field section of the race with relatively smooth trails also helped.
Luckily, at the aid station they had my chip. It had fallen off a few feet after I crossed the starting line! I made sure to cross the timing mat. I was thankful to God.
I finished the first loop in 8:46. By the time I headed to my tent to get my running pants (which I never used) and started again it was nearly 9 hours.
I was a bit lazy on the first section of the second loop, hiking slowly. I began to run again, but my running was more like 15-17 minute miles. But that was better than hiking at 20+ minutes a mile so I pushed on.
I continued that for the rest of the race, never hiking only for miles on end.
I never got sleepy and it wasn't that cold, my two big fears. Mentally, I was in an okay place, not feeling the despair I did at Cactus Rose. I kept telling myself the time will pass, the magic of grinding it out will work, then I'll be finished.
I got it into my head to run 2 miles straight for miles 57 and 58, remembering my daily runs and treating it as a test. I finished those in 15-minute miles.
I slowed a bit, then ran in the last mile.
At the finish line, they said that the buckles were stuck off the coast of California in a shipping boat. I understood; COVID-19 has caused far worse problems for people. They'd mail it later.
At the end of the race, I saw a runner I know, Jimmy, which was great.
I poured water on myself in the cold and dark to wash off, then slept a couple hours before driving home.
Belt buckle arrived 3 weeks later. I love the green!
Reflections
I felt so happy to finish the Bandera 100k. This race is so special to me and to redeem those previous failures was great.
I am going for the Tejas 300. I've finished the Cactus Rose 100 Mile and Bandera, so this leaves Rocky Raccoon 100k. The Tejas 300 was a goal going back to 2013 that I never finished, so I'm excited about trying.
Also, now I have 400 miles at Bandera...next year might be the 500-mile fleece.
I think I am capable of finishing Bandera in under 17 hours, but I'd have to train better to do that. I've been focusing on just finishing many long races and training very lightly to avoid injury, but next year I might train harder.
Thanks to Chris McWatters, Tejas Trails, the volunteers, and Terri!
