Writing with a protracted runners high! Thirty six hours ago beneath the stars over the hill country of Texas I crossed the finish line of the Bandera 100k, shook Race Director Joe Prusaitis' hand, held on to it, and exclaimed: "That was awesome!" The 6th Bandera 100k was run on 5 January, a day after my 7-year-old, Miles', birthday. It's put on by Hardrocker Joe Prusaitis who also directs Rocky Raccoon 100 and Cactus Rose 100. He works as hard as every runner to put on a wonderful race experience. Along with the 100k there are 50 and 25 K events. The 100k course is rocky and gravelly and has a reputation as being tough. All three races began at 7:30 AM with early-morning light in locations separated by a few hundred meters. The 100k course is a 2-loop 50k course and follows a majority of single-track, rocky and hilly trails, peppered with a minority of grassy, wooded and dirt flats. The race began in foggy conditions; I wore sleeves and carried two hand-held water bottles. Aid stations were 4 to 6 miles apart and were more than Texas friendly. I left a drop bag at Crossroads (approximately mile 17, 22 and then again at 48 and 53) but really didn't need much except lube and turkey and sharp cheese hoagies that I made the night before. One hundred and twenty of us began the 100k at Joe's shout, "Go!" and we hit the first "Big Nasty" after a few minutes on the trail. This first climb provides a rocky ascent to get you warmed up for a foggy circumnavigation of Sky Island peak. Then down and up more rocky trails to Ice Cream Hill. I found it difficult to find a rhythm during the first few miles as I started too far back and was having to stop and start the descents on the rocky ball-bearing-to-grapefruit-sized rock-strewn single-track trail with too many runners in front of me. Next year I'll start closer to the lead pack! Descending Ice Cream Hill you hear the wafting music from the Nachos aid station beckoning the train of runners. The Nachos-Chapas-Crossroads portion of the course - about 10 miles - is eminently runable and a place to make up lost time in the hills. But, I prefer the hilly single track to the somewhat monotonous flats. Joe, you need to get rid of this section for the next 100k ;-) By now it was fairly warm - temperatures were predicted to be in the mid-70?s, which is fine with me - and I dropped my shirt, sleeves, and refilled at Crossroads. I then headed out for a warm and, to my utter surprise (!), rocky "inner loop" that returns to Crossroads about 4.5 miles later. Give me more rocks, Joe. Coming down the rocky hill back toward the Crossroads aid station I thought, ?Why does this guy use the term "Rocky" for the name of some 100 miler north of Houston that follows a flat trail through pine needles??? The inner loop was warm but my preference for heat made this stage of the race pleasant. Leaving Crossroads I met up with the first of a group of Hill Country Trail Runners that I enjoyed immensely: Chris Chandler. We struck up a nice conversation over the gentle hills before arriving at the, you guessed it, rocky hills of Lucky Peak where I picked up the pace during the ascent. Chris and I talked a little about the ridiculousness of ultra running; wondered why we subject ourselves to this ironic act of paying someone to run ultra-long distances (it was her fourth time running the Bandera 100k!) and she expressed this notion that once you've passed a certain point, the end of the trail has a sort of gravity that pulls you through when your body, or worse, your mind wants to stop. Before Lucky Peak I increased the pace and enjoyed a delightful climb; I realized that with my minimal training for this race I was excelling at the hills. I became inspired by the notion that perhaps my real strength in ultras is the climbing. Chris and I reach the Last Chance aid station together, enthusiastic and excited, although I think Chris' stomach was bothering her. Turns out that Chris is a geologist as well and a wonderful companion on a long run. I note that every time I run an ultra, I meet the finest people. I hurried through and hit the next stage of the race: Cairns Climb. Expecting to see numerous Cairns I found none and then met up with a fellow who had run this course many times. He asked how I was doing and I said, "great!", and he said, "well, you're motoring through Cairns Climb just fine!", and I thought, "killer, this isn't nearly as bad as I thought it'd be!" Feeling solid about the climbs and the energy I still had in the bank I began to think about my goals for the day; I knew I'd finish, and probably better than the 18 hours I was predicting given my poor training over the past 6 months. One of the beautiful things about ultra running for me is the cyclical physical and emotional highs - and lows - that we enjoy, fight, and wrestle during a long run. And of course, the high came crashing down. Toward the end of this first loop I began having problems with my right ITB/lateral collateral ligament - a belaboring sort of dread emerged and clouded my enthusiasm: "you may have to walk the last loop?.", "you may have to drop" From Last Chance it's 6 miles back to the Lodge and the completion of the first 50k loop with a 6:57 split. Ok. Regroup, get some food, drink and send a message home indicating I'm half way there. Of course, I know that I'm only half way there in mileage. As much as I love negative splits, it won't happen on this course, especially with my flippant training. After 13 minutes at the lodge I head out for loop two speed walking, delicately altering my gate, experimenting with stride variations, trying to find that subtle nuanced cadence that will get me through my ITB issues. Crossing the Big Nasty again, but at least alone, was nice. In fact, I realized that I was actually going faster than the first time through this section because I wasn't caught in a train of shuffling runners. Somewhere in this interval I met a fellow named Dmitry; he was a little beat from the heat and I gave him some of my water. Really pleasurable guy and one with whom I had played leapfrog earlier in the race. We chatted a little, he looked rejuvenated with a little H2O, and then we dispersed. Soon I heard the music of Nachos and an endorphin-rushed cycle of joy overcame my mood. I reached the aid station in the afternoon sun and was offered a perfect brisket burrito. Fricking yum! And then I had the pleasure of meeting another fine Hill Country Trail Runner, Diana Heynen. She had a fast speed walk/run pace that I watched for a while and tried to emulate. Following her, I struck up some conversation and she seemed happy for the company and I thank her for getting me through the toughest part of my race with her no-nonsense descriptions of her finish of the Cactus Rose 100 Mile the previous November, and her interest in my thoughts about races and training. I also thank her for her quickened pace outta Nachos. I hope I can reciprocate in a future race. Like Chris, Diana is a veteran Bandera runner, this being her 5th (!) running of the 100k. I was really charged running with her and her quick pace got me back on target. Thanks, Diana Heynen.  Another Hill Co. dude whose name escapes me met up with us. He was out here with the best wishes of his wife, who lost her father a few days before. I barely new this guy or Diana, but felt connected and concerned with their well-being as if they were close friends. Eventually, I picked up the pace and cleared through Chapas aid station where the lovely aid workers made sure I knew that I was going to be benighted before the race ended. "What"! You mean I'm not in first place!" How far am I from the leader? They put up with my ridiculous jokes and sent me on my way. From here through the flatlands and gentle hills before Crossroads I put on my iPod and a shirt. Sang some outrageously loud songs and watched day turn to dusk as I ran most of the flats. Got to Crossroads, picked up my headlamp and headed out for round two of the inner loop. A fella behind me said "howdy" and we struck up a conversation while walking and eating. His name was Scott Wood and wouldn't ya know it, he, too had run this thing before. Not 4 or 5 times but 6! Yes, this was his 6th! How cool is that. He said he was struggling during the day with the heat, but the coolness of the evening had recharged his batteries. The stars were brilliant. Back to Crossroads and a quick refill, I headed for Last Chance - the last aid station before the finish. Cool. I'm gonna finish this 100k; and judging by my watch and pace chart, I may even break 16 hours. Very cool. What am I learning? That I run with not through pain; that I am mentally tough - contrary to my inner doubts; hell, I'm singing out loud and each split is getting faster. This rocks. I run through the flats out of Crossroads and reflect on meeting Chris in this stretch. Then it's over Lucky peak and into Last Chance. And this is where things really picked up. I started passing people, boat loads of people, I started running more of the hills, I started to recognize that I was 13 hours 53 minutes into the race and if I keep pace, I can make it to the finish sub 15! Yes. I thought of my running pal Don's mental toughness. I can do that? I?ve only got 5 miles to go. Ten-minute mile pace and I'm there. Over Cairns I passed a train of headlamps and green lights who asked if I was "Scott"; "No, sorry to disappoint!" Like all the runners I encountered on the trail, they were cool, jovial, and gracious. Onward over the ridge of Cairns and passed another train led by this enthusiastic gal. As I passed them I said, "we're almost there guys! I'm psyched! C'mon!" She picked up the pace but I think the rest of the train was content and so our lights slowly dispersed. Then, the last few hills and final descent where I passed 3 more runners. One guy stepped aside as he heard me running and said something like, "strong finish!" It was a real boost of a compliment and I thanked him and urged him on. At the base of Boyles Bump I reached the final flat and raced to the finish. The endorphins were kickin, the adrenaline was surging and I crossed the finish line in 14:54:24, shook Joe's hand, and said, "That was awesome!" I finished 26th out of 89, but really, I won my race. The men's race was won by Josue Stephens in 11:05:44 and the women's by Melanie Fryar (4th over all) in 11:25:46. Melanie was an inspiration to everyone cheering all of the runners who finished - I joined her and other Hill Country Trail Runners but finally succumbed and went to bed at 2 AM. I could still hear Melanie yelling, "Go Runner!" as I crashed in my sleeping bag. Thanks, Joe, Diana, Chris, Dmitry, Scott and Robert Heynen for a wonderful experience. Next up Jemez 50 and then Cactus Rose 100 in November. Bandera beckons! Technical details Aid stations are well-stocked with PBJ, salty snacks, Gatorade, H2O, sodas at approximately 5, 11, 17, 22, 26, 31, 37, 42, 48, 53, and 57 miles. In the evening hot foods such as brisket burritos (yum!), noodle soup, rice and beans, and mac and cheese are available. Drop bags can be left at Chapas (miles 11, 42), Crossroads (out and back, miles 17, 22, 48, 53) and the Lodge (mile 31). Two hand-held bottles are sufficient even in the heat.