This past weekend I had an opportunity to run Bandera 100k in attempt to get a qualifier for the 2020 Western States lottery.
So why Bandera?
Getting into Western States is a goal of mine and I know it is going to be "long game" in attempting to get in since the race is so popular. I applied this year with my single ticket from completing Vermont 100 this past summer. I thankfully did not get into WS with my less than two percent chance from a single ticket, which I was very happy about since I wanted to take 2019 as a year to work on speed and shorter distances.
Bandera is one of the very few races less than 100 miles that qualify for a ticket for the lottery. I knew I was going down to Texas for Christmas and I was already pretty well trained up from such a jam packed year in 2018. The race was scheduled for January 5th, so I knew I could just stay an extra week with family and just drive down to Bandera for the race. This made logistics very easy. Just completing the race wasn't going to be good enough for a ticket, I had to complete the race under 17 hours. Bandera is also a Golden Ticket race which means the top two men and women finishers get an automatic entry in Western States, no lottery required.
Back in early November, I had a fantasy of trying to attempt to get a Golden Ticket. HA! I thought it would be neat to hang out with the elites for the first lap, just to see if I could. But then Sugarloaf got dumped on with feet of snow and my focus and free time shifted from running to snowboarding. In all honesty, I was getting pretty burned out from running after spending the last year training and racing with no real break and spending the last month on the treadmill. As the race got closer and a DNF at Millinocket Marathon in early December, my new goal was just to finish under 17 hours so I could take some time off from running and not having to worry about getting a qualifier the rest of the year.
On December 25th, Catalina and I caught our flight down to Dallas to spend a week with family and to enjoy the warmth of Texas. It was nice to see my family, especially my grandmother, for a week and just be able to relax before the race. I got a couple of runs with my oldest brother and was feeling good about the race.
Everything was going great, until I received an email form the race director, five days before the race, informing me the location of the race had been changed! Well, I already had all my gear with me and there wasn't anything I could do about it now. I booked my lodging at the new race location, Camp Eagle in Rockland Springs, and that's all I could do about it.
Catalina left on New Years Day and it was now time to focus on the race. I sorted out the few logistics that were left: pick up some Untapped maple syrup from a local running store and figure out what vehicle I was going to use to get down to the race.
Race Prep:
Bandera 100k is a two 50k loop race. I was really hoping to have a pacer that could serve as my crew for the first loop and pace me for the second. Unfortunately, things don't always go as planned and I ended up arriving at the venue with no crew and no pacer. I took this as an opportunity to prove a couple things for myself. I was going to treat this 100k race like two back to back 50k races. During the first loop I would just use a handheld water bottle and take my hydration vest with more storage, fuel, and fluid on the second lap.
I attended the pre-race briefing Friday night to hear the changes and get an idea for the new course layout. There would be less miles between aid stations, less aid stations that we would hit multiple times, and the elevation profile was unknown. Tailwind would still be served on course which was a big thing for me since that's been my primary fuel during longer races. One less thing to worry about. I grabbed a black bean burger and fries from the food truck at the venue coupled with a miller lite and headed to my bed for the weekend in the hostel yurt on the venue.
Gear:
1st loop
Shoes: Hoka Speedgoat 2 (always my go to trail shoe)
Socks: CEP long compression (originally packed them for the cactus at original race location)
Shorts: Patagonia Strider Pro shorts (5 pockets to hold nutrition and trash)
Top: BM50k Crop top with long sleeve Maine Marathon over the top
Watch: Garmin Forerunner 35 (watch died after 11 hours)
Other: North face closefit goretex tricot glove, UV Buff, Salomon Bob Hat, Nathan exodraw softflask, Nike sunglasses
2nd Loop:
Shoes: Hoka EvoJawz (might have been a bit aggressive for this course)
Socks: CEP short compression socks
Shirt: NB Fleet Feet Singlet
Hat: Brooks running cap
Vest: Salomon S/lab 8 with 2 20oz soft flasks
in vest:
hat: REDD beanie
jacket: Brooks Hideout Jacket
Headlamps: Black Diamond and Petzl
Nutrition: Tailwind, Untapped Maple Syrup, Blueberry Crisp Clif Bars,
2nd loop: quesadillas and ramen in addition
Race morning:
Woke up around 6:15am for the 8am start time and headed to the start/finish area. I got my ankle timing chip and ran into my fellow Mainer, Chelsea Peterson! Chelsea ran this race before, at the original location, and so I had been picking her brain about it leading up to the race. We nervously chatted and got ready to run. I checked in my single drop bag and she checked in hers. We both were aiming for that sub-17 hours and we had discussed running the first loop with each other. It was a nice and chilly 34 in the morning, but we knew it would heat up quick!
The race started and we were off like a conga line. The first mile or so was on single track so things got backed up pretty quick, which was fine. This was going to be a long race. Things opened up a bit and I ended up in front of Chelsea and had the space to run a bit. I soon realized how technical this course was going to be. There were rocks everywhere. Small rocks. Big Rocks. Small rocks on top of big rocks. Big rocks on top of small rocks. I rolled into the first aid station just over 5 miles. The only thing I needed to do was top off my bottle with tailwind and take off that long sleeve shirt. The sun was finally out and it was only going to get warmer! Chelsea caught back up and we exited the aid station going uphill. I knew it was early in the race, but I was feeling great and happy to be running in the warmth knowing back home was covered in snow and freezing temps!
And then the hills started. I knew I had to take advantage of the downhills and I was confident in my ability to due so, even on technical terrain, especially with fresh legs. I felt like a mountain goat tackling the rocky terrain! I kept reminding myself that these sections were not going to be as easy the second time around!
I rolled into the next aid station at mile 10.32 at the same time the elites were coming through on the other side at mile 16.77. It was awesome to see Chris Mocko and some other fast boys going in and out of the aid station so efficiently. It was another quick aid stop for me as I just topped off on tailwind and sucked down another maple syrup packet. I wanted to be as self sufficient as possible on the first 50k by carrying all the nutrition I needed on me, besides tailwind.
I left this aid station that was the highest point of the course and prepared for the downhill running. Once again, it felt great flying down the technical rocky downhill.
Next 10 miles were pretty uneventful minus rolling my ankles a bit. The speedgoats just had to big of a footprint for the amount to small stepping that the course required.
At mile 21.72 I ended up running with a couple of guys from Kansas city for a bit. We started talking about how technical this trail is and that we don't have anything this tough back where we are from.
I look down at my watch and realized I wasn't going to be able to finish the first 50k in 6.5 hours like I was hoping for. It might sound soft, but I wanted to finish the first loop in enough time that I knew I would be able to walk it in the second loop if I needed. It was going to be my safety net.
I rolled into the start/finish in 6:47:58. The last few miles before rolling in I had already sorted out what needed to get done. I knew I had some blisters and hot spots going on. So, I grabbed my drop bag quickly, found a seat, and threw off my shoes and socks. I used scissors to pop some blisters and rubbed some trail toes over my feet and put on some new socks. I changed shirts into one that wasn't soaked in sweat. I changed out buffs and but in a more appropriated hat knowing that nightfall would be coming soon. I had to prepare for the next 31 miles. I checked ton make sure everything I needed was in my pack: 2 headlamps, extra syrup and cliff bars, water bottles, beanie, and jacket. A quick check that my gloves were still in my shorts pocket and an application of body glide and i was good to go!
The shoe change was definitely a big help! The jawz were so much lighter and smaller than the over cushioned wide outsole speedgoats. My heavy legs really appreciated the lighter shoe choice.
Over the next 10 miles my legs came back to me I felt like a brand new me at mile 40ish! This was also when I started seeing the elites pass me the other way on the single track. The highlight was seeing Kaci Lickteig pass me looking very happy and bubbly. It always amazes me to see elites running with such ease in ultras.
At dusk I threw on my headlamp and kept pushing. I wanted to create that buffer for me to walk in if needed. I kept rolling my left ankle and considered the possibility I might have to walk it in at some point. At every aid station for the rest of the race I sat down for 2 minutes and lifted my legs up. My ankle was taking a beating and the small reprieve every few miles was super helpful.
Downhill running was starting to get harder. I was going to have to dig deep to keep my pace up. Watch soon died after this thought entered my head.
I was exiting a section of single track with other runners coming the opposite way and there was a runner who stated something along the lines of "crap, my headlamp is dead." I quickly stopped and gave him my backup and told him we can sort it out after the race. I didn't have time to talk long.
I came into Windmill aid station at mile 47. Before this aid station there is a relatively steep and continuous uphill for .5-.75 miles. By the time I got to the top, I needed a seat and some ramen. I am so thankful for the volunteers at every aid station being great and positive and upbeat! I knew I was sitting pretty good as far as time went, but would still need to push it a bit to make sure.
I rolled into the Wall Aid station at mile marker 52 and the first questions i had were "what mileage is this aid station" and "what time is it?" I received my answers and knew I was good. I took a bit longer at this aid station than any other. I just needed a damn chair break for more than 2 minutes. I ate 4 or 6 quesadilla pieces here and small talked with the guys there. I got my butt moving knowing the next aid station was only 4 miles away.
I kept pushing knowing this is the last run for a long time for me. There is a reason I'm running this race. There is a point to prove to myself. I chose to be doing this, so I need to keep pushing and giving it my all.
Less than a mile after leaving the aid station I hit my head on a low lying branch. The branch had a reflective light on it and I even ducked to go under it. Problem is I didn't duck enough. HA! I felt foolish, but I was alright.
As I come into the next aid station I confirmed again on the time and mileage. I was golden. I could crawl in and still get a qualifier. I was smiling like a fool and joked with the aid station volunteers. I think I shocked one of the volunteers when I asked her if it was an uphill out of the aid station. She said she believed it was. I then promptly asked her for 8 quesadilla slices and hiked out of there with warm food in my hands. Once I finished stuffing warm cheese and tortillas down my throat, I got back to running. I came up behind a runner and her pacer. I announced my presence and that I had no intention of passing. My headlamp battery was pretty low and my eyes were tired. The last thing I wanted was to take a wrong turn or not see a rock. In the last mile I passed and pushed it across the finish line and grabbed my buckle.
I did it. I finished the damn thing with time to spare. 15:38:38
The thing was, there was no one there when I was done. I'm not talking about someone to high five or hug after I finish. I could care less about that. I'm talking about someone coming by to make sure I'm alright. I just ran for damn near 16 hours. What if I was severely dehydrated? What if I was having thermal regulation issues? I wasn't any of these things, but this has been the first race where I didn't have a volunteer or race staff check on me upon completion. This was something that left a sour taste in my mouth and the only downside of the whole ordeal.
I went back to the yurt and showered and changed into fresh clothes. I grabbed a Miller Lite and headed back to the start/finish. I found Chelsea had just finished and made sure she was alright. Her feet were wrecked and mentally she was pretty out of it. But SHE DID IT! She finished in 16:40ish and so she got her buckle and a qualifier as well! We both did the damn thing!
The next day I rolled out of bed after a couple hours of sleep and started the drive back to Dallas. I tried to get out of the car and stretch out as much as possible. I was stiff. I was tired.
This race was wayyyy more physically demanding than Vermont100 for me. Mentally, it was so much easier than Vermont. The course was so well marked and the distance wasn't daunting.
Once I got to my grandma's, I took a nap, woke up for dinner with the family, and went back to bed. The next day I caught my flight back to Portland. By Tuesday afternoon I was back at Sugarloaf snowboarding. No matter how sore I was, I'm not going to miss a powder day!
