Cactus Rose Required Reading

Required Reading
Cactus Rose 100 Mile & 50 Mile Trail Run
Hill Country SNA near Bandera Texas
October 29 & 30
(start) 5:00am Saturday - (36 hours) - 5:00pm Sunday (stop)

Well, I am keeping the race as much the same as possible, but there will be two minor changes. The aid stations at Equestrian and Lodge will have a few volunteers there to provide some small amount of service and food. There will not be any candies or snacks, but they will provide a few basics such as cold foods during the day and hot foods during the night. It's minimal but its enough to take care of your needs. As always there will always be water and ice. The other two aid stations at Nachos and Boyles will remain as is without support, but still with plenty of water and ice.

Another minor change is with the use of the login books. Because the crowd all comes into the first few stations all at once, and it gets backed up, there is no need to sign in until you have covered 15 miles. So, you start to use the books at Equestrian at mile 15. Then you continue to sign in at every station after that.

I mark the hell out of the course and set up each aid station. The aid stations are one every 5 miles. The aid stations are large enclosed carport tents. I set up a few tables, set up a few large water coolers, and put a large coffin cooler full of ice. I make sure there is always water and ice during the run. Before the race, I show each and every runner where each station is so that you can put what you want at each. Some people set up a chair, ice chest, food bag, and clothes bag at each. Some people use only the main aid station at Equestrian which you hit twice on every loop. The loop is 25 miles to run, but is a very short drive to get to all of them by car. It might take 20mins to get to all of them. For record keeping, I leave a pad, with pen & watch at each station. Every runner must write down your name, bib#, and time so that we can keep track of where you are at all times. For 2011 Olga Varlamova has agreed to manage Equestrian again and it might just be her and Larry, so the support will be in the Olga Way... minimal with a Russian twist! Nachos and Boyles are empty and quiet aid stations, which most of the runners have acquired a very strong liking for. Nobody is there, so you can carefully take care of your own needs without being pressured or harassed. A great place to really take a peaceful break. Equestrian is a big Busy & Loud full service aid station that is serviced by your friends and everybody else's. It really is amazing how the runner's crews make a better full service aid station than a planned station. It is spontaneous and really very good. The Lodge is where the race staff, timing, medical and everybody else sits and waits for you to finish each loop. It also has become a great service station of sorts. Anyway, it might be more than you think. Still, it's wise to plan your own food and supplements.

DIRECTION: The race starts in the clockwise direction, but you change direction with each loop. So, every runner will get to check on every other runner as you pass and repass each other as you make all four 25 mile loops. Equestrian, Nachos, Equestrian, Boyles, Lodge, Boyles, Equestrian, Nachos, Equestrian, Lodge. Each loop is exactly 25 miles. Loops 1 & 3 are CW, so loops 2 & 4 are CCW. There is no distinction between the 50 mile and 100 mile races.... except, 50 milers run 2 loops while 100 milers run 4 loops.

VOLUNTEERS:
Of course, some things we cannot do without, and these are what we need help with. Medical, Glow Stick hangers, course markers, checkers to make certain every station always has water and ice, and also to cross check names, bibs, and times at every aid station. And there is always some grunt work, but really not all that much. So if you want to help and can... please call or email and note the day(s), time(s) and means to contact you (name, phone, email, when to call) I plan to arrive in the park early on wednesday to start marking the course.
Thx/Joe Prusaitis-RD Email:
Phone: 512-294-6456

4 AID STATIONS: (every station is self-serv)
Here is how it works. I set up five aid stations prior to the race. Each will be a large tent that is enclosed via tarps. You will be given the details of each location so that you can place your own necessities at each place that you want to use. All the stations are an easy drive within minutes of the start and directly off the park roads, such that you could drop gear at each of the stations in a very short amount of time. This is the method we have used for 3 years and it works great. A pad and pen will be left at each station for you to write down your name, bib#, and time so that we can keep track of where you are at all times. We will put water & ice at each station and a table, with a lantern. If you want, I can even escort you to each aid station before the race so that you can make certain you know where each one is. We will a few volunteers at Equestrian and Lodge to cook a few not things during the night and a few cold things during the day.

Equestrian	5mi on the run	5 minute drive from the Lodge
Nachos	10mi on the run	10 minute drive from the Lodge
Equestrian	15mi on the run	5 minute drive from the Lodge
Boyles	20mi on the run	A very short walk from the Lodge
Lodge	Start/Finish	You are there

Equestrian Aid Station: This location has always been difficult to mark and manage to keep runners from going the wrong way when they leave it. But, now that it is TWO separate aid stations instead of ONE, it is less confusing. If you dont know the course, you need to pack TWO separate drop bags and deal with it as if it is TWO different stations. That is how it will be laid out and marked. For those of you who know your way around this course, you can set up right against the fence that separate the two and use it as one. I highly recommend you do NOT use this as one drop bag if you dont know the course. Check out the map layout on the maps page for a picture of it. (called Equestrian Map)

Pacers: pacers are allowed AFTER 50 miles or AFTER it gets dark. As many as you want, but only one at a time. Only start from Aid Stations. If a runner is over 60, then a pacer is allowed the entire 100 miles. No muleing is allowed. Please carry your own stuff, whatever it is.

Bathrooms: There will be a few portojons at the start/Lodge and also at Equestrian, but there are none at Boyles or Nachos.

Aid Station Crews: It is ok to set up a stove and cook, but please do not disturb the peace and quiet at Boyles or Nachos. It is ok to go there, but be respectful of the runners desire for a peaceful and quiet rest station. Most people do pull up and camp at Equestrian and Lodge. each has become a big party of sorts, with lots of activity all day and night.

Aid Station Support: I will check on the aid station at intervals just to make sure nobody is making a mess of the station or themselves. Also to make certain no critters are getting into your food. I would suggest putting everything you own in a container with a lid, do not leave out your food or trash, as it will only attract bees, bugs, and other wild beasts. I will make certain we always have water and depending on the weather, ice too.

Aid Station Notes: Set up your own stuff where you want it and nobody will touch it. It remains where you put it. Nobody is to touch anyone else's gear. If anything is left on the table, it is available to everybody. This does not mean that you should leave your trash on the table because you do not want it anymore. There will be a trash can there for your trash: please use it. The stations that are unattended, do not leave anything with a flame (like a lantern) unattended. I have a few LED lanterns I use that give some light, but only a little.

DROP Bags: Well this is what this one is all about... your skill in providing for yourself, in your own drop bags at each station. You bring it, you clean it up, you take it home. Its all yours. But on Sunday at 4:00 PM, I'll tear down the stations and close the race, so if you leave anything behind, its gone. My crew and I clean up and clear out pretty quick after the race is over. We have it down to a science and will not be there soon after. Please note: we do not take home any items left behind. All abandoned items will be donated prior to our departure from Bandera.

TRASH: The park expects us to leave the park as clean as we found it. We would hope that you will help us to keep it clean by putting all your trash in the aid stations trash cans. Please do not leave any trash on the course. I hate to take about "disqualification" but this is one place where it could happen.

COURSE CONTROL: At this, I do plan to excel. We mark and manage the course. We use many course markers (signs, ribbons, trail blocks, wrong ways, glow sticks) and then tear down all course markings after the last runner. Every effort is made to make it so obvious that anybody can follow the route. Glow sticks will be hung at every intersection for the 5:00 AM start and again for Saturday night. We intend to over mark every turn but only the turns.

Wednesday-Friday	Flag the course & place signs & put up the aid station tents
Friday - Late	Hang glow sticks for first half of course
Saturday 2pm	Hang glow sticks for the entire course
Sunday - mid-day	start tearing down the course behind last runner

Set up and Tear Down: This will require some work. Would love to have some help. I'll attempt a rolling tear down following the last runner. This includes all course markings, blocked trails, trash, and aid stations.

Trail Guides: There will be no course guides or aid station volunteers. Still you should be fine. We have run this event 3 years with minimal issues. I will provide waterproof course maps to every runner, and you should keep this with you for the entire event.

KITCHEN STAFF: We will be cooking some hot food during the night for Equestrian and Lodge.

RESULTS & AWARDS: The top 3 male and top 3 females will each receive a metal rose that is very nice and does great in your garden, but is hell to travel with. Last year, it cost quite a bit to mail one to Alaska. All 100mile finishers will receive a beautiful belt buckle, all 50mile finishers will receive an excellent medal of the same design as the 100mile buckle. The shirts are always excellent technical quality shirts, but the only way to get one is to register on time. Late registration usually means you will not get a shirt. This may be a self-serve style event, but its still a full grown kick you in the pants 100 mile & 50 mile race, with timing, medical, awards, shirts, buckles, and one hell of a weekend in a very nice place.

TIMING: I will have somebody at the finish at all times to make certain your loop splits and final finish times are recorded. We are using chip timing. We will also make trips to each station to keep track of all your aid station splits. You MUST write down all your split times to get credit for each loop.

MEDICAL: yes... Medical will be there. The park does expect some sort of coverage. Otherwise, I'd let you duct tape your own wounds.

MAPPING & COURSE CERTIFICATION: As usual, Chris Matus has again made certain of the distances. The loop will be a 25 mile round-a-bout that we have made every attempt to avoid what is flat and to find what is nasty. That said, this is the Bandera 50km route minus the flat sections. Every year. there are a few minor changes due to trail maintenance, but we just ran the course on Oct 5 to verify that nothing major has changed.

THE 50 MILE OPTION: The 50 milers will start with the 100 milers. Same start, same course, same rules. The 100 milers cannot have a pacer until dark or 50 miles, so, this same rule applies to the 50 mile runners. thus, the only way you can have a pacer is to still be running after dark. Cutoffs. The 50 mile cutoffs are the same rules as the 100 mile cutoffs. You have 36 hours. I am giving medals for a 50 mile finish.

Under-Achievers: I am changing the rules a little for the 100 milers only. I am no longer going to allow an underachiever who starts as a 100 mile runner and finish with a top placing in the 50 mile race. You can still drop down an get credit for a 50 mile finish, but I will now place underachievers at the bottom of the list after all the 50 milers who ran what they registered to do.

Over-Achievers: A will still allow a 50 miler to overachieve... to go beyond 50 miles and finish as a 100 miler. In the past, few actually paid me for the extra miles. Now, you need make sure you have a check or cash ready to present to me before you start the 3rd loop. You should know before you start, so simply make your arrangements.

Halloween: I will be selecting an award for the best costume worn during the run. You need not wear it for the entire run, but must have it for at least one complete 25 mile loop.