Where to start? I'll start with the stars. After the moon went down they just popped out of the sky they were so bright. That alone was worth the effort. The other thing I'll never forget are the wonderful people I met. The other runners and volunteers were all friendly and interesting. Many of the people who volunteered for the late night shifts did so after running the 25k or 50k. That really says something about Texas trail runners. But lets get to the start of the race.

At 7:30 AM Joe Prusaitis the race director blew a horn and we shuffled off down the dirt road. The 25k'ers took off at a good clip but winning pace in the 100k is around 12 minutes per mile so most of us took it fairly easy. The 25k bunch split off fairly quickly and we start a 300 foot climb, the first of many on the course. I am running with a fellow HTREXer, Richard Lynn and several other people whose names escape me at the moment. We climb Ice Cream Hill and then a steep descent down to the first aid station known as Nachos. The volunteers are fantastic. They refill my water bottles, one with Gatorade, the other with water. I grab some chips and head on out. 4.7 miles in the bag.

We do a couple of small climbs and then a long one before we get to the Chapa's aid station. Chapa's is at about the 11 mile mark on the first loop. I have a drop bag here but it is early in the race and I don't need anything so I get fluid refills and grab hands full of snacks. Mariela Botella from HTREX is there and makes sure we take some E-caps. Becky is there too and I get a hug and a kiss from her. The day is warming up, there are no clouds and almost no shade on the course. We get out fairly quickly.

The trail to Cross Roads (in) is much smoother rolling hills, some loose rock in the trail but very runnable. Based on the info from my heart rate monitor, I think we have been going a bit hot so I make the decision to slow down and let Richard go. Cross Roads (in) is about 17 miles from the start and I still feel pretty fresh. I am walking the up hill bits and running the flats and some of the down hills. I like running fast down hills but these trails are covered with loose rocks and large drop offs. Prudence wins out and I slow down on the really treacherous stuff. This is also the longest stretch between aid stations at 6.2 miles. I am wearing Montrail  Hardrock trail shoes. They are one of the few brands of trail shoes that come in wide. The do not have as much toe room as my road shoes so I bought another pair 1/2 size larger for the second loop. I can feel my toes hitting the end of the shoe on the steep descents. I think they'll do for now.

From Cross Roads (in) there is a large loop that goes over two hills of 200 feet ascent each and then back to Cross Roads (out) The two aid stations share the same area but they are separated so no one gets confused and misses the inside loop or does it twice. Shortly after I leave Cross roads (in) I come upon a trail where people are riding horses. A man and a woman stop to wait for me to cross the road despite the fact that horses have the right of way on a trail) and ask how far I am running. I tell them 100k and keep on going. The trail is a large rut in the ground about 1 foot deep. I look back over my shoulder at the couple and "Prang" I land on the outside of my left foot and a screaming pain shoots up the left side of my body all the way to my ear. Panic shoots through my head too as I try and assess the situation. I don't stop but continue walking down the trail trying to see if the pain will go away. I can live with it for now but a lot of the fun just went out of the race. I remember what I posted on the discussion board. "I will bring the buckle to the pasta dinner." Not "I will try" or "I might," I will. I repeat to myself "I will finish this race. As I walk the pain lessens and I start to run gingerly at first then a little faster. I am going much slower now but finally make it into Cross Roads (out) and the 21.5 mile mark. Becky is here too and gives me a nice big hamburger to eat. I sit and eat it. I tell her about my ankle and she starts to worry. I tell her that as long as I can land my left foot flat or rolled slightly in there is very little pain. I take some electrolytes and fluids and head on out. It is about 1:30 in the afternoon and I have been going for just over 6 hours.

There is a long slow 350 foot climb coming out of Cross Roads the second time and then a very steep descent to the Last Chance aid station. There are only 5 miles to go in the first loop. The volunteers are very helpful and encouraging. They are making a lot of noise and having a good time. The full name of the aid station is Last Chance Saloon. I notice several liquor bottles and some shot glass sized Dixie cups. I decide against it. I settle for more Gatorade, water and E-caps. I also scarf down as much food as I can hold in my hands. I take some beef jerky that Randy recommended as a protein source. Protein is important in a long race. Many runners drink Ensure or Boost but I can't stand the stuff. I like the beef jerky and have some in my drop bags for the second loop. Rolling my ankle has left me pretty low and wondering why I ever signed up to do any of this running stuff.

The last 5 miles into the Lodge aid station contains the two highest hills on the course. two steep climbs and two steep descents. I start to feel my toenail in my left shoe. It feels like it has come loose in my sock. Oh well, should have worn the size 11s from the start. Part of the trail is lined with little piles of rocks known as Cairns. Joe the race director offered to take 15 seconds off our time if we stopped to build one. I just press on to the Lodge and the half way point. I run it in to lots of cheers from the volunteers. I think it is about 5:00 PM or so. They have seats set up in the dining tent. I sit down and Becky brings me a plate of barbeque brisket, potato salad and some tossed salad. There is also a chocolate chip cookie. I change my shoes and socks. Despite the gaiters I am wearing to keep rocks out of my shoes, my socks are filthy. It turns out my toenails are all still attached but both big toes are throbbing. On with new socks and shoes, finish dinner, put on my head lamp and back out on the trail.

Many people say starting the second loop is difficult. Not for me. I have new shoes, a full belly and a much brighter outlook. The difference is remarkable. I keep telling myself; I will finish this race. I trudge on over Ice Cream Hill, so named because it looks like the top of an ice cream cone, and down into Nachos aid station. These people are having a great time. They get my race number and call out my name. They are very helpful but the best part is their enthusiasm. Their energy level is high and it transfers to me. I head on down the trail to Chapa's.

Between Nachos and Chiapas the trail is easier but it gets dark. It gets very dark. The moon is already low in the sky and is often behind the hills. Every once in a while my left foot lands wrong and pain shoot up the left side of my body. I try to focus on the trail in front of me and foot placement. Most of the time this works but every once in a while @#$!!%& it gets me. One drawback of the headlamp is that to keep my eyes and the light focused on the trail 3 feet in front of me I have to hold my head and neck very still. I have a hand held light at Chapa's that I might pickup. I finally make it to Chapa's. Becky is there and seems very happy to see me. It has been a long time since the lodge. Becky tells me a lady wants company on the trail. I'm really happy about having some company. Now that it is dark the aid stations are serving hot food. I take some chicken soup which is wonderful. Very thick with chicken and, I think, potatoes.

The lady's name is Deborah Sexton and she says she will run or walk whatever pace I want. We head out on the 6.2 mile trail to Cross Roads aid station. She tells me about having stomach problems earlier on. I have never had such. I have something of an iron stomach. She says she never has before either. We have a very nice chat along the way and the time seems to pass quickly. We are having such a nice chat that we look up to find a t in the road with no markings. We must have missed a turn. We hike back quite a ways until we see the "Wrong Way" sign we walked right past. We head on down the trail looking much closer at the glow sticks that have been placed on trees etc to mark the trail. We can hear the music at Cross roads long before we get there. Becky is supposed to be sleeping in the car there and I can't imagine how that is possible. It helps us keep focused on the goal though so it doesn't bother me. We finally make it. They have Christmas lights up. I look in the parking lot for our car but don't see it. Becky must have stayed back at the lodge where it is quieter. Deborah says that I should head on out by myself while she wakes up her pacer, Linda. They will catch me because she can still run. I get some soup and water and head on out.

I am very tired now but in pretty good spirits. It is very late on Saturday now. The moon has gone down and all of the stars are out. When I stop to pee, which is often due to not enough electrolytes, I turn off my headlamp and try and identify the different constellations. Orion is easy you can see that in Sugar Land. Big Dipper, the North Star. If I was a better star watcher I could identify lots of stuff. I do some calculations in my head and determine if I can maintain a23 minute average pace I should finish about 5:30 AM, 2 hours before the cutoff. This seems doable but the toughest part of the course is the last segment. I make it back to Cross Roads (Out) they have Christmas lights up too. A different color than the other side of Cross Road. More soup, hot chocolate, bottles refilled and I am on my way again. Deborah and Linda have not caught up with me yet.

I trudge up and down the long steep hill towards the last aid station, Last Chance. I am really getting tired by now and just stumbling from glow stick to glow stick in the dark. I'll look down the trail for the next glow stick and then back up the trail to see if I can see the last one. Often there will be a place where you can't see either one. I worry that I will get lost again. After a couple of hours I hear I am getting close to Last Chance. Hoo Yah! But the trail turns and I start going away from the sounds. Am I lost again? I keep heading down the trail hoping that I haven't gone off the trail. finally the sounds pick up again. I hear their generator. They have gone all out with the lights. They line the trails for 100 feet or so. The folks at Last Chance seem pretty subdued. I expect they are pretty tired at 4:00 AM or so. I sit in one of the chairs while the get me food, electrolytes and water. They ask about Deborah. She should be right behind me I tell them. The other people behind us have dropped. We are the last ones. I head out again. Only 5 miles to go till the finish at the lodge. At my now 30:00 min/mile pace this will take 2:30, 1 hour under the time limit. I can do it.

Just like on the first loop there are two tall steep hills on the last segment. Lots of loose rock and Sotol bushes. The Sotol is a relative of Agave and Yucca. It has long thin leaves that form a rosette from the base. Each leaf has a point on the end and teeth all along the edge. The leaves cross the trail and scratch your legs when you pass through. It doesn't hurt that much at the time but my shins will look like they were used for pin cushions when I look at them on Monday. I stumble up the first hill which doesn't seem to really end. Every time I think I am at the top I come around a corner to find another ascent. Finally I start going down. Sometime around here Deborah and her pacer Linda catch me. We walk together for a while but they I eventually let them go ahead. The little rock cairns have glow stick stuck in them. It is a cool effect. Sort of like the little lanterns you see in a fancy garden. Sadly it is mostly lost on me as I stumble along. The next hill is larger than the first and the descent is even steeper. I am traveling at about a 33:00 min/mile pace now stumbling along and just stopping from time to time. I am just about done and I keep going down and down and down. Finally the trail starts to level out. I must be close to the end. Robert Heynen meets me on the trail about a half mile out from the finish. He asks how I am doing. I tell him I am OK and making it. He says someone (Becky) is worried about me. We discuss finishing and what it means and how telling people that you will finish helps you keep going. It was a nice chat. I pick up from my trudge into an easy jog across the field into the Lodge. Becky is waiting for me. A race official give me the buckle. I am done. We are all done. Since I am the last runner the volunteers can go home. Final time is 23:20:59.

At the end I am pretty tired. I hobble over to a chair and sit down. One of the volunteers puts what seems like a horse blanket around me. I ask about breakfast and they say come back at 9:00. It is 7:00 now and I want a shower and a nap before we head back. We give Deborah and Linda a ride back to Cross Roads and their car. It was truly an adventure.

I would like to say thanks to all of my Fort Bend Fit friends who thought good thoughts while I was out there on the trail and who trained with me on the roads and trails. I wore my Fort Bend Fit Shirt during the race and spread the legend a bit farther.

I would like to say thanks to Joe and Joyce Prusaitis and all of the volunteers for putting on such an excellent race.

Thanks to Richard, Mariela and Paige from HTREX who helped me prepare for and run this race.

Special thanks to Deborah who really helped me through the long stretch from Chapa's to Cross Roads. I hope we can run together again some day.

Most of all I'd like to thank my wife and crew Becky for letting me do all of this running and for supporting me on the trail last weekend. Not to mention driving me home.