The Bandera 100K is the most physically and mentally challenging race I had ever competed in. This was my second Ultra, the first being the Sunmart 50 miler just one month before, and WOW was this a challenge!
The race really began at the dinner the night before the competition. It is there you will meet the people whom you will share you life story with, motivate you to finish, and hug at the finish line. I’m also very happy to have stayed for the briefing on the course description and markings, so that I didn’t get lost along the way. This briefing saved a lot of pain and suffering especially when darkness fell upon us. One item I found both funny and true was when the park ranger, who was to ride on horseback during the race, stated during the course briefing that “we would be running on trails even his horses wouldn’t walk up.” After he said that I looked at my daughter and said ”I hope he is kidding.” He wasn’t! During the race I found his statement to be totally accurate.
On race day this competition started promptly at 7:00, so make sure you get there early so that you have enough time to check in and use those port-o-potties, if you planning to start on time. The course was just as Joe Prusaitis described, rocky, hilly, and full of Texas Sotol. But I loved every minute of it. All of the aid stations were “Great” as well!
One story I must mention is the one about my legs ceasing up on me after running for eight straight hours. I wasn’t quite to Nachos Aid station; the second time around, when my legs cramped up so much that running was no longer bearable. I was determined not to quit. I walked to Nachos and the crew there gave me great service. They really cared about how I was feeling and asked what more could they do for me. Well, for me just them being there was ecstasy. We said goodbye and they watched me hobble off to Chapas Aid station. At this point I was walking at about a 15 minute pace and feeling pretty good. With Chapas in my sights I felt a real sense of accomplishment. Once there they, could tell I was in pain, offered me a seat, filled up my Camel-Pak and we talked for a while. It was time to leave but my legs didn’t want to move. My motivation at this point came from a retired marine; I wish I could remember his name, who was working the aid station. Just talking with him and after him finding out that I was active duty Air Force I couldn’t possibly show him my weakness. Thank you United States Marine Corp. So off I limped to Cross Roads Aid station. At this point I started to calculate, if I continued to walk at a 15 minute pace, how much time it was going to take to finish this battle. I predicted 17 hours. On top of my legs not being able to run my stomach also started to cramp up and I had this kind-of nauseous feeling. I started to have difficulty walking and wondered if I would even make Cross Roads at this point, let alone finish. After what seemed like eternity I finally reached Cross Roads. I now was truly in heaven. They sat me down by the fire, put a blanket around me, gave me some chicken soup, Tylenol, and some Coke. After being there a good half-hour I tried to stand up. I almost lost my lunch/dinner. I crawled away knowing that I would only loop six miles around just to be back where I started, at Cross Roads. But the most remarkable thing happened to me five minutes after leaving Cross Roads. My legs came back! The crew at Cross Roads gave me a new pair of legs. Now I could run again after 2 1/2 hours of walking. I was able to catch up to another runner who had passed me earlier, I found out his name was Scott Wood. When Scott had passed me earlier in the race he stopped and asked how I was doing. Not too many people in a 26.2 mile marathon would do that. But this wasn’t a marathon it was an “Ultra.” Scott helped me get through the last 15 miles and especially the pitch darkness from Last Chance Aid station to the finish line. We finished in 14:12:26! Well under the 17 hours I earlier expected. What a magnificent feeling…………………
What got me through this competition were all the personnel who were working the Aid stations, the other competitors, thinking about my three children and wife, and the will power/drive to never quit. Thank you Joe, all the people who volunteered at the Aid stations, my three children: Sarah, Kimberly, and Gary Jr., my wife Beth, and Scott Wood. I could not have finished this challenge, and tested my limits without all of you!
Sincerely,
Gary J. Moroney
Recommendations:
1. Have more port-o-potties at the start/finish area. There were only four port-o-potties at the start/finish line. I noticed that there was a long line just before and during the start of the race.
2. Have a way to keep track of each runner’s progress, at base camp, as they proceed through each aid station so that families and crews are able to predict finishing times. For example, runner #54 just passed crossroads at 5:00pm. Each aid station can call back to base camp, base camp in turn updates runner advancement on laptop or large map.
3. Have the last five miles of the course, from Last Chance to the finish line, lit up like a Christmas tree on an aircraft runway. It was a little difficult to navigate, especially when you’re tired, through those last five miles. I probably would have gotten lost had it not been for Scott Wood. A few people I spoke with at the finish line became lost in-between these two points.