2013 Bandera 100k

Retrospective Race Report

I went into the season not knowing if I would run the Bandera 100k.  I had never finished an ultra at the start, but completing Rough Creek 40 Miler, Cactus Rose 50 Miler, and Texas Endurance Run 50 Miler gave me confidence.  I hoped to earn my first belt buckle and, best case scenario, a Western States qualifier.

Before the race, my family and I stayed at the Flying L Ranch.  A couple of cowboys heard I was running. "Not 100k?" one said.  "Have you every been up in those hills?" one asked.  I mentioned Cactus Rose.

It was muddy in the race, and my shoes were caked in mud bricks, which I tried to scrape off on rocks.

At about 40 miles, I hit a low.  I remember saying to another runner, "My legs are good, but my mind is gone."  I hiked a bit.

But I rebounded at around 50 miles.  I remember it being very exciting running through the hills.  Running atop a plateau, I kept waiting for the drop back to the lodge.  Finally, I made it.

I was in 14:17, I was 55th out of 186 finishers, earning a Western States qualifier.  This was one of the best races I ever ran.  In one sense, it was my peak as a competitive runner.

The high of this race is one reason why Bandera is always special to me.