Nature

I went out this evening after work and ran 7 miles on the trails. It felt alright but there was certainly some lingering pain in the IT Band area. I’ve started to incorporate some different stretches before and after runs along with more cross training. I’m hoping that all of this creates a situation where my body can correct itself. It sure felt good to be out in nature again for a little over an hour.

“There is a port-a-cactus just up the trail” — Paul Stone

Bandera kicked my butt, no doubt. I’m thinking it’s slightly due to all the fantastic peppermint ice cream I’ve been eating this past month, yet it’s almost all due to the killer hills and rough terrain.

I left my house to pick up Debbie for a night in San Antonio. We ended up in SA, TX at about 8pm, had dinner (Mi Tierra), and went to our hotel to sleep. We got up at 4:30 and and left SA for Bandera about 5am. It was dark outside so I didn’t know what the terrain was around me after we were west of SA. I’m glad I didn’t know.

I picked up my packet, used the restroom, and found my way to where the 50K and 25K were starting. Bandera does a good job of having each of the three races start at different points. the 25K had the joy of starting the race with the Lucky hill and ending it with Lucky. The 50K also started with a killer hill but at least it wasn’t Lucky. Meanwhile, the 100K started a little different direction and joined up with the 50K shortly after the start of the race. The race started promptly at 7:30 with a light fog and the sun rising.

The first section of the 50K was probably the most difficult. The initial hill is something unlike any hill I have had the pleasure of running. I walked most of the uphill and tried to run the downhills. Even that was dangerous as it was steep with lots of big and small loose rocks. Even hiking this would give you a major workout.

I ran for awhile with a guy who told me that he had ran quite a few Bandera races and let me know I was in for a day of fun. About a half mile before Nachos, I saw him again as he was hobbling to the aid station with a broken foot. He didn’t want any assistance from runners though. I also ran with and talked to [--updated with name -- John Sharp] who trained out there. He let me know that once I made it to Nachos, I was in the clear. That was about 10 miles into the run, so I had some good news as I passed over those very difficult sections.

Bandera was very well marked. I had thought about carrying a map because I wasn’t sure how it would be. There was a lot of crossing over different trails and changing up the direction. However, the marking was great. They only marked the intersections instead of the entire trail. I think this worked well as you knew once you were going the right way nothing would change.

After Nachos, I was out there with just a few groups of people for much of the race. I did a lot more walking than normal because I wasn’t properly trained for the race. It didn’t help that it was a little over 70 degrees without any clouds. I didn’t get enough sodium, so I was bloated and dehydrated pretty soon into the race. I wasn’t ever able to shake that.

After the Chupas aid station it was onto an area that was more open pasture. I got some delicious Clif Bloks from a guy named Phillip who was out there for fun and to run with his friend through the Nachos section of the race. I also ran with a couple other people for a little while.

Once I made it to the Crossroads aid station, a guy from the Hill Country Trail Runners let me know that I wasn’t taking enough enduralytes with the current temperature. I was taking one an hour and he said I needed at least two, so I grabbed a couple and took them with a bottle of Heed and headed out. This section that went out around the two sisters and came back in was one of the worst for me. I wanted to be done and I was tired of climbing these hills. My calves were completely thrashed, so I had a difficult time climbing.

Once I made it back to the Crossroads a volunteer who had finished the 25K let me know what I was in for with the Lucky section. He said about 2.2 miles was covered and flat with good trail and then 2 miles of lucky was left where it would be brutal. Taking that advice, I ran the 2.2 miles almost the entire way. Then when I got to lucky, I climbed it as quick as I could and descended it slowly so as to not hurt myself.

Once I made it to the Last Chance aid station, I got some gatorade and water and ran the last .5 mile to finish in about 7 hours and 27 minutes.

All and all, this was the most difficult race I have run. I look forward to running the course again as it was a lot of fun. I loved the nature surrounding me even if the hills were pretty rough. Next year I will come more prepared!

The weather has started to change enough in Texas that I’m not finding snakes. Last week, I think I ran into my last one of the season. Unfortunately, I actually stepped on it. It was a long green snake; I just wasn’t paying enough attention. I ran into it and saw that it wasn’t hurt or being aggressive. As I ran on, I saw a turtle at the side of the trail.

It’s weird that something that can at once be so beautiful can also be so terrifying. I think most humans love fire — assuming it’s controlled. When you see something like what’s happening in California, it’s quite chilling. I know there are plenty of fellow runners in that area — my thoughts are certainly with you.

Aside from the typical rolled ankle, the only thing that regularly upsets me about trail running is all the cobwebs I have to break. I don’t like pulling sticky webs off my clothes, face, arms, legs, etc.

Every now and then I pull out my iPod to take with me on my run. I never enjoy it, yet I still get the urge to run with music. Why?

A year ago I was running roads most of the time. I really wasn’t able to run more than 2 or 3 miles in a shot. I forced myself to run miserable long runs in the range of 8 to 12 miles, but I never enjoyed it. The only thing that made these runs bearable was my music.

If I ran without music I had to endure the noise of the city. There were cars whizzing by with thumping bass, parents yelling out of their front door to their kids,  and the sound of my feet pounding pavement. Even though the running was peaceful, the benefits of that were outweighed by the external stresses surrounding me. Music helped to keep that incessant buzz away.

Now that I run out on trails I don’t need music. The noise around me helps to supplement the peace that running brings. I hear birds chirping; insects buzzing; deer bounding; rabbits and armadillos foraging; and the sound of leaves, pine needles, and occasional water below me.

Why ruin nature with noise that I can hear all day?

I took my friend out to the trails for his first time to run them. He did cross country, so he wasn’t completely in foreign territory. But he had fun and enjoyed how much wildlife is around you on the trails. We didn’t see anything besides trees and water but you could hear all the birds and breath the pure air. It was a good, laid back run.