It’s Monday morning and I’m running through the airport with my Bandera buckle on.  You know the drill, shoes off, laptop out of it’s case, belt off etc.  I put the belt with the Bandera BUCKLE on the conveyer.  It’s makes a nice resounding THUD. The TSA agents look up like I trying to sneak in an Uzi.  They look at it on the X-Ray and then take a reaaaaaaal good look at it when it comes out.  They start to say they’ll have to keep it; but I give them a “you’ve got to be kidding me, this is Texas for God’s sakes and that can’t be the biggest buckle you’ve ever seen” look and they let it pass.  I think we have found the upper limit of what TSA will allow in buckles.  And yes, on the end of a belt, it probably would make a great weapon.   It’s about 12:30am on Thursday before the race.  I’m in Las Vegas for the Computer Electronics Show.  Basically that amounts to 200,000 people eating, drinking a lot and seeing a little technology.  I had originally planned to come back Friday afternoon and do the 50K “fun run” on Saturday but with the early finish I decided get to Bandera and see how I felt.  I got up at 4:30am, head to the airport and wrangle two standby seats in Vegas and Dallas and make it home by mid afternoon.  It IS good to be Executive Platinum.   I throw a bunch of supplies in the Explorer and take off.  I’m not taking it to seriously; but I always overpack for runs so the explorer is full of camping and running gear. Mind you, I’m still thinking I’m doing a 50K, but at least I’ll get to start with everybody.  My longest runs have been a 22 miler followed by a 15 miler and I’ve got a nagging heel issue to deal with.  It’s probably Plantars Fascitis; but I’m in denial still.   Once I hit the hills, I’m rationalizing trying the 100K “just to see what happens”.     Top 10 reasons: 10. Whatever happens, it’ll hurt less than a 100 miler. 9. I really do need a long training run. 8.  After CES, I need to “cleanse” all the heavy meals with customers 7.  If I’m going to call myself an ultrarunner, I do need to run an ultra occasionally 6.  It’s ONLY a 100K and I can walk most of it if I need to 5.  What else do I have to do Saturday night? 4.  Bandera is a tough SOB and I love “leaving it all on the trail” there 3. Where else can you hang with people that will PAY for this much abuse? 2.  Did I mention the cactus? Ouch!  That’s gonna leave a mark! 1.  This is called Hill Country for good reason.   So, I roll in and, of course, Joe puts the buckle in my hand.  I feel the weight of it and KNOW a finish is in order.  This thing is going to look very good on a belt.   The race starts around sun up.  I camp at the start line and wake up an hour or so before race time.  I’m well rested but still feeling the affects of CES.  We start and amble out slowly.  For the first few miles I get my legs under me and shuffle along.  My heel is really not having a good day.  Feels like someone sticking a screw driver right in the ball of my heel.  It’s doesn’t get any better; but it’s tolerable and I just ignore it.   The first few aid stations Nacho and Chapas float by without incident and I start feeling better.  Ice Cream hill is the only significant climb in this section.  Rock trails filled with wet loose rock and sotol cactus make for an interesting descent.  Paul Stone and team are manning Chapas and we chat for a few minutes.  My “plan” was to “do what feels right on the first loop” and then “do what I could” on the second.   Didn’t spend a long time overthinking it either.   I’m taking in Gatorade and GU for primary nutrition and hydration supplemented by PBJs and whatever else got in the way at the aid stations.  It’s about 70 degrees and very humid so this works well. I figure out that my camelback will last about two aid stations so I make some time not stopping as much to fill it up.    I make it to Crossroads which is always a big party and figure I’m on track for about a 7 hour first loop.  Not my best run; but for not training, it’ll do.  Now we start the serious part of the loop. First there’s a five mile loop to Three Sisters and back to Crossroads.  Three Sisters are three tough hills that are back to back on the trail.  The views are beautiful and the climbs are nasty with no rest between them.  Once, we’re through Crossroads,  we hit Lucky’s Peak which is the most treacherous hill out here.  For some reason, folks just don’t seem to have learned about switchbacks and it’s a steep, straight ascent and descent on wet, slippery limestone with loose rocks.   Just as I pull into Last Chance aid station, it feel a puff of wind that feels like you opened a freezer.  It feels refreshing for a moment and then it sinks in that it’s a cold front and it ain’t going away.  Last Chance aid station has the requisite Lone Star beer and full wet bar to supplement the normal ultra runner food.  I pass on the alcohol and press on.  Next we have Cairns Climb- so named because we cut the trail a few years ago and marked it with Cairns.  The Spider can be a bit unnerving at night at over 8 feet tall and a mix of stone and cedar branches.   The last hill is Boyles bump.  Not too steep; but it does seem to go on forever.  As I descend into the start finish area at the lodge, it starts raining and I’m getting a bit concerned.  My rain gear is at the Lodge and I have plenty of shirts; but I didn’t bring long pants.  The temperature is dropping rapidly and eventually reaches 40 degrees.   This isn’t too bad for short runs; but after being out all day and night; you can turn hypothermic in a heartbeat if you’re not careful   I pull into the Lodge around 3:30.  Roughly an 8 hour 50K.  My slowest ever, including 100 milers, but that’s the way it goes out here.  I take a little while to recover; put on fresh, mud free shoes, dry clothes, rain gear and head out.  I get a ? mile down the road and realize I’m missing my flashlight and turn back.  This was the only planning error on the run so I don’t feel too bad.  Ordinarily, I would have had a bag ready with all the stuff I wanted for the second loop so this wouldn’t happen.  Given my, shall we say, hasty preparations for the run; this didn’t happen.  Oh well.  A bonus mile.   One of my strengths for Bandera is the ability to walk fast. If you’re hurting; being able to keep moving is key to finishing. As I hit Nacho’s the second time the aid station is serving Sammy’s Rice and Beans which is to die for.  It’s now becoming all about the food.  Yes, strip away all the utra trappings and this is just a rolling buffet with a stiff cover charge.  Calories matter in the cold and I do my part to keep mine up.  J   Dark comes for me between Nacho and Chapas and I pull out my 14-LED light and plug on.  Paul is making grilled cheese sandwiches which I was down with some soup and move on.    It’s cold now.  I estimate 40 degrees.  In shorts, I’m not having fun; but as long as I keep moving it doesn’t feel dangerous. I keep my calories and hydration up to stoke the internal heat.  I know from experience to stay away from the heaters and fires in the aid station.  I’ve seen a lot of runners come in to aid stations feeling great and sit down for just a moment next to a fire and then never get up.  And if they do, when they leave they get hypothermic and it takes them out.   I walk on.  No more running.  I don’t need to for a finish and just don’t feel like it.  I’m focused on the buckle.  I mumble under my breath and wish Joe hadn’t shown it to me or let me hold one.  He always knows how to tweak me to get me going.    Crossroads comes and goes in a blur.  I hook up with Steve Williams and we hang out together to the finish.  It’s good to have the company and we plod on mostly quiet in our own thoughts.  We’re not setting any speed record; but, that’s not what this course is about anyway.   I feel lucky to get up and down Lucky’s Peak in the dark. One of the Rangers told me that he rides his horse on this trail.  I’d pay money to see that.  With all the traffic; it’s now wet limestone covered in a thin layer of mud that makes driving on ice with bald tires look inviting.    We trudge into the Last Chance aid station and it’s winding down now from the earlier ruckus.  I load up with hot rice and beans and some soup and move on.  Cairns Climb comes and goes and the cairns are quite entertaining at night.   I try to spot them up ahead and this takes my mind off of the pain I’m in and keeps me moving.   I know Boyles Bump is the last significant climb.  At night, I hate it.  During the day, it’s easy to tell where you are since it makes a crescent and you can see well ahead.   At night, it’s disorienting with numerous false crests and descents.  It seems interminable; but we finally make it down and to the finish.   Total time was 18:39.  My slowest race ever; but one I’ll cherish for a while.