We got in Bandera on Friday just before 5:00 p.m.; enough time to pick a tent site and get over to the race check - in, pre-race dinner,Ê and meeting.Ê Dinners are normally $10 each but since Crystal and I were volunteering all the meals that weekend were free.Ê Talked to a number of people from out of town, including some from Tenessee, New Mexico and Florida.Ê The guys from New Mexico come every year and know what to expect. I knew thatÊ member of their group, Ken Gordon won the 100k last year and has the record in the 50k.Ê He was running the 50 this year.Ê The others were mainly running the 100k and wanted to finish in under 14 or 15 hours... we shall see about that.

After dinner, we got our tent setup and came back and helped turn the mess hall into the "lodge" aid station.Ê It also is home base and the finish for all three races.Ê Run Far does the timing so they were all setup and check in was all ready to go for the morning.Ê Joe Prusaitis, the RD told us a few stories about people that come in from out of town to run this race, get to the pre race dinner and say, "I thought you told us this was going to be a tough race".Ê From the lodge, a four bedroom house with running, non-potable water and a kitchen, it looks fairly flat with a few hills.Ê The nasty stuff is all out of sight.Ê After their race they strangely don't say another word about it or DNF.

Race morning was getting up at 5:00, eating a bagel and couple hard boiled eggs, having some coffee and then prepping.Ê Crystal was off to the "Crossroads" aid station were she would be volunteering all day.Ê The first two times I went to the portable toilets there was little or no lines, but the third (15 minutes before race start), it was 75 yards down the dirt road.Ê Plan B - find some trees, dig a whole and bury it.Ê This is a little easier to do and a whole lot more acceptable at a trail race in the woods.

Then I made my way to the 50k start.Ê The 50k and 100k run the same 50k loop, but start at different points.Ê The 25k obviously is a little different course and also starts a different point, but is run on much of the 50k course.Ê I was hoping to find out what Ken Gordon looked like but never did find anyone who knew, nor did I see Yancy Culp but I did recognize Jamie Cleveland and his wife from Texas Iron.Ê Also some of the trail regulars.Ê For the record, many of the fast runners were in the 100k.

My plan for the race was to start very fast for 3/4 mile to the first brutal hill which I would walk.Ê I figured a lot of the fast, street guys would barrel up this and I then count how many passed me and try to pick as many of them off.Ê I also thought I could figure out who Ken Gordon was.Ê As I was walking very quiclkly up only Jamie Cleveland passed me and he was going pretty fast.Ê Where was everyone else?Ê I think Jamie walked a little bit of it, but not much.Ê A mile later I would not see him again.

There are 5 aid stations, and you hit "Crossroads" aid station twice for a total of six.Ê Therefore the course is broken down roughlyÊ into 6 five mile sections.Ê Ê I figured I should get to each in roughly 50 minutes or less. Other than that I just decided to run my own race an not pay attention to the time.Ê I also had decided not to worry about the rocks or the hills but to just let it go.Ê This was God's race I was just along to enjoy it.

I hit the first aid station, "Boyles", after a nasty descent, filled up my water bottle and was off.Ê The next section hit's you in the face with "The Big Nasty", which is just a steep, rock filled ascent that goes on forever. But after that you get into some rolling sections that had big hills but were mellow enough to run.Ê I started passing the slowest 100k'ers during this section.Ê One last ascent and then the last mile or two were fairly flat into "Nachos" aid station.

Filled up with gatorade at Nachos and was off.Ê This next section followed a river bed so it wasn't too nasty but there were a bunch of rocks popping up in the trail so you had to watch it.Ê I love this stuff so I knew I needed to keep up the pace through this section.Ê Again, I pushed it but I also had a lot of fun.Ê Passed several folksÊwho I knew who said "hi, you're in second place the first guy is about X minutes ahead of you".Ê As X increased I knew I wasn't going to catch Jamie.Ê The thought of where the guys behind me kept creeping in my mind but I kept telling myself to run my own race.Ê Always nice to see Robert and his great attitude on the trail.Ê

After hitting "Chapas" aid station you are presented with the easiest section on the course.Ê Very easy rolling hills which are all completely runnable.Ê I passed a lot of 100k's in this section and knew quite a few. They all told me how far ahead Jamie was - thanks I know that already. Ê I passed Barbara Hitsfield on this section who I paced when she won the Cactus Rose 100 miler in this same park.Ê She thanked me a lot for helping run through the dark that night and that made feel good.Ê The trail running community is all about helping eachother out, and I was happy that I made a difference that night.

Finally I could tell I was approaching "Cross Roads" aid station.Ê Was I happy that section was over?Ê It's funny but I wanted to get out of those rollers and back into the nasty, steep stuff.Ê The rollers just keep going on forever.Ê Also I was super, totally stoked to see my wife, Crystal. Ê She would be there with a fresh bottle of Accelerade, some additional gels and a Starbucks Double Shot with Cream.Ê It's always great to see my wife during a race.Ê Downed the Double Shot and was off for a five mile loop through the peaks of "Three Sisters".Ê This is a beautiful canyon area with 1000's of Sotol Cactus.Ê They all bloomed this summer and still had there 20' flowers reaching to sky.Ê Many times they are so thick in the trail you can't avoid them and invariably they cut your legs.Ê All the runners sported bloody legs although they were minor.

I couldn't quite pass this one 100k guy, he just kept motoring every time I would get close.Ê After I finally pass him it turns out he's George Hitsfield, Barbara husband.Ê He kept sticking with me for a couple of miles. I thought to myself he shouldn't have been trying to stick with me - he's running 62 miles after all.Ê But it was nice to talk to him for a while, they are really nice people.Ê Even though I love that section I was psyched to get it over with because at this point it was getting hot and this section was brutal.Ê Back into "Crossroads" and got another Double Shot and a water bottle refill from Crystal.

Last section starts of nice and flat in a lot of shade which was very welcome at this point.Ê I was starting to feel my hamstrings cramp.Ê I had felt this in the last section and took an extra electrolyte tablet so I was trying to stay hydrated.Ê I knew I couldn't slow down nor speed up or my legs would completely cramp up so I just tried to keep an even pace. Ê My water was running low, and despite the shade it was hot now.Ê Every minute or so I could feel one of the two hamstrings start to cramp and then it was my quads... this wasn't good and could really destroy my race which happened in Palo Duro.Ê I just kept keeping on at an even pace trying not to lift my knees too high less my hamstrings contract too much and cramp.Ê While focusing on keeping feet and knees low, *bam* I tripped on stump and nearly fell over.Ê Trying to right myself I cramped all up but quickly it went away.Ê After about two miles or so the cramps went away and just in time because now comes "Lucky Peak".Ê Lucky starts off nice and easy but goes on for about 3/4 of a mile and then drops down hard - you really have to watch your step and then goes straight backÊ up.Ê Not the tallest ascent but long enough to really hit you hard at this point in the race.Ê Almost as soon as you get to the top, you descend again, and this side is as bad as the other. Really have to watch yourself and had to scramble down some of it.Ê The worst part was I was out of water, but I knew I was just a couple of miles from the end which were nice and flat if not downhill a little.Ê There is an aid station 1/2 mile from the end which normally wouldn't be used by the 50k runners but is by the 25k and 100k runners.Ê I needed water and of course they weren't expecting me.Ê But after we opened another gallon and I filled up my water bottle I was off.Ê I was flying now and cruised into the finish, knowing that I was second - 4:39!

Jamie set a course record at 4:06 and Ken Gordon came in third - I never saw him.Ê Jamie's wife also set a course record.Ê I think it was a 4:56 or 4:58.

After I toweled off and got some food Crystal and I went back over to Crossroads aid station to help runners.Ê I had a great time running but had an equally good time helping out the runners coming through.Ê It was particularly hot and I knew what they were going through.Ê The 100k'ers will stop in for a little longer than you might expect and graze at the tables and sit down.Ê At night we fed them chicken soup, ramen noodles, and the favorite - grilled cheese sandwhiches.Ê We'd make sure their water bottles were filled up, they were hydrated, had enough electrolytes and food, lights for night running and then send them on their way.Ê If you looked in good shape it was in and out as quick as you can.Ê If you weren't looking so good we'd sit you down and work with you until you looked better and get you back out there.

Crystal and went back to our tent at around 8 and I put some running gear back on hitched a ride out to Last Chance aid station.Ê Got there just in time to see Barbara come running up and she was surprised to see me.Ê I knew she had dropped her partner who couldn't keep up with her and she hated running in the dark alone.Ê So I paced her last 5 mile section and she came in fourth.

Next day we got up, had breakfast at the mess hall andÊ saw the 100k awards ceremony.Ê Crystal and I broke down the Crossroads aid station, packed up the tent, ate some of the food we brought and off we went.

Can't wait to do it again next year.Ê The whole experience was a lot of fun and I would definetely volunteer again if I wasn't running the 100k.Ê The volunteers help make this event great and if you get a chance I highly recommend taking the opportunity.Ê