Nueces 50 Mile

The past three winters I have made an annual excursion to Texas for the Bandera 100k. This year, I still got a winter break in the lone star state, but not at Bandera. Instead, I headed off to the 50 mile National Trail championships at Nueces. This would be better named the off road championships, because some places did not resemble a trail at all! Nueces has all the rocks of Bandera and then some! 

Yeah, that's the trail

Technical trail is not my forte,  but that doesn’t keep me from enjoying it and I like the opportunity to do something different. At least that’s what I keep telling myself. Why else would I keep going back??

The course was three loops of 16.7 miles. I finished up the first loop as third female and Olga wildly gesticulated as she told me Melanie looked terrible and was in the bathroom and that I would totally take her. 

Nueces River at daybreak

Well, Olga miscalculated the restorative power of the Port-a-potty, because when Melanie jumped out, she was looking fresh and upbeat. I stayed close for the next loop and a half, but my legs aren’t used to all that stepping and jarring and I just faded a bit too much in the end while Melanie stayed strong. But then neither of us were anywhere near the winner, Michelle Yates, who went out fast and just kept getting faster.

(photo: David Hanenburg, Endurance Buzz)

My favorite part of the course - stepping stones across the Nueces

Finishing up (ph: David Hanenburg, Endurance Buzz)

Overall, I was pleased with my effort for the day. I do wish I had been a bit more consistent with the splits - 2:24; 2:33; and 2:42 - but hey, at least my “rate of slowing” was consistent at 9 minutes slower per loop. Haha.

Like Bandera, Joe and Joyce Prusaitis do an amazing job of orchestrating four simultaneous distances. And the courses are so well marked, it is like running a dot-to-dot! I am planning to head back to Texas in 2014, but I am thinking next year it'll be Rocky Raccoon. Despite the name, I hear those trails are fairly smooth. All those rocks around San Antonio are great fun, but I think I am ready for a break! And thank you, La Sportiva, Garmin and Honey Stinger for your support.