Thursday, January 7, 2010

Bandera Field

So the goal is to secure a spot at Western States in June by finishing top two at Bandera, which has been designated a qualifying race and Montrail Ultra Cup (MUC) event. Not surprisingly then, the field looks a little more competitive this year than it has in years past.

The race director, Joe Prusaitis, appears to be fully on top of things down in Hill Country Texas and offers a website jammed full of easily accessible and relevant information on the race, the area and all the happenings surrounding the weekend. In addition to the 100k race, there will be 50k and 25k races being held in the Hill Country State Natural Area on Saturday. 50k runners are eligible for MUC points but no WS spots.

Joe has been staying on top of the entrant list with regular updates, so I figured I'd offer a quick pre-race primer on the guys I think will be in the hunt in the 100km event.

While the field doesn't appear to be particularly deep, there are definitely some talented guys who are going to make a serious race of the top five or six spots, and I'm pretty sure that Matt Harrington's 2004 course record (9:25) will go down. If I were a bookie, there would be two guys I'd pick as favorites based on their form at big races across the years.

Probably the most proven guy is Zach Miller who has finished second at the JFK 50 twice, finishing in the low six-hour range. In addition, he ran sixth at Western States last year in an impressive 17:34 and second at the USATF 100k Trail Championship (and WS100 qualifier) in Oregon, coming in 29 minutes behind Erik Skaggs. There'll be no WS-qualification pressure on Zach, so I assume he's heading down to Texas to rack some points for the Ultra Cup.

Chikara Omine has been tearing up the Northern California trail running scene for a few years now, winning numerous events - typically against weaker fields - and finishing well in bigger events. He was third at the American River 50 mile last year (ahead of Tim Parr and a few seconds behind Dave Mackey), and ran an impressive eighth at the North Face Endurance Run a couple of months ago in San Francisco, finishing five minutes ahead of Mackey in 7:22, but 50 minutes off Steidl's blistering course record pace. He was among the favorites going into Western States last year, but I believe he ended up dropping.

I would probably insert myself as the next guy down the list, followed by Colorado Springs resident Dan Vega, who ran second at Leadville the year Matt Carpenter destroyed the course record.

Jamie Cleveland is a former Canadian National Ironman champ and has previously won Ironman Florida. He won the Bandera 50k last year, but seems somewhat unproven over longer distances - a definite wild card.

Glenn Mackie is back defending his title, but I think he'll have to improve on his winning time of 9:53 from last year if he's gonna get the job done this weekend.

I've definitely got my work cut out for a top two, but the nature of the course should slow things down a bit. The short, yet sharp ups and downs, combined with the technical nature of the track will make it more of a strength runner's course than a speedster's, which should play in my favor, and while I don't much enjoy running loose rocky trail, I tend to do well on it.

Sixty-two miles is a long way to run, and typically in these longer races there tend to be some blow-ups among the faster runners, so while I'm not going in as a favorite for the top two spots, it is well within the realms of possibility. I'm fit, confident and ready to race.

24 comments:

  1. Good luck! Look forward to seeing the report and seeing how the race develops.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You never know what type of form people are in this time of year and you seem to be going good so I would say you have a good shot for a spot at states. Just run a steady race and hope for some carnage...

    Good Luck!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Good luck, Nick! I'll be watching from afar with interest.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Love the confidence. That, along with your fitness, will go along way. Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Forgot to mention - keep an eye out for Scott Eppelman. He has run some 14-15 hr 100s in the past and held the 24 hr treadmill record (I think). Doesn't seem to be going as fast in the last few years but clearly has the potential to be up there.

    ReplyDelete
  6. "I am fit, confident and ready to race."

    Now that is what I am talking about.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Run hard! And don't forget to hit Cowboy Capital Pizza and the Bandera Saloon when you're done...

    ReplyDelete
  8. Did Bandera last year. You have a good chance. Lots of climbing. The only possible disadvantage might be that the climbs are too short, comparing your climbing advantage to others. There are a couple of long climbs, but compared to CO, they aren't bad.
    Rocks, rocks, and more rocks. Did you know rocks are invented in TX? The Rockies were actually manufactured in pieces in TX and reassembled here. You don't believe me? You will.

    ReplyDelete
  9. That post got ME all excited for you to race. Looks like your ready to leave it all out there, go for it hard and smart!

    Grrr!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Good luck at the WS bid.

    Does this mean you have to start dressing up at races?
    http://www.teampearlizumi-smith.com/

    Todd

    ReplyDelete
  11. Nick,

    Your strong enough AND smart enough for one of those two top stops - go get it! Good luck! And congrats on the sponsorship! Welcome to the team! Let's try to coordinate our 'outfits' at races for Gangels...

    ReplyDelete
  12. Scott,

    That would only be cool if you both wore the green socks.

    -TG

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thanks for the well wishes all.

    Todd - it'll be a big change from my usual dirt-bag look, but even I won't stoop to the Jaime-designed socks ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  14. What! C'mon those socks are COOL! Day glow green is in! That's it - I'm sending you 6 pairs! And you too Gangels!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Go get em Nick! I'm guessing the competition hasn't been toughened as much as you in this winter we're having so far... Oh, and make sure to remind the Texans that our beer is better :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Good luck mate. Good job you left when you did - British airports are to-day at a standstill because of a few snowflakes.

    Dad

    ReplyDelete
  17. Have fun! Go and put the winter training in the English mud to good effect.

    Matt

    ReplyDelete
  18. Rumor has it Nick won in a course record time...

    ReplyDelete
  19. And so all roads lead to WS, then?

    ReplyDelete
  20. Assuming the above is true - Congrats Nick!

    Now make it 2-for-2 next weekend...

    ReplyDelete
  21. Congratulations Nick. Well done. Very pleased. M&D

    ReplyDelete
  22. Looking forward to hearing about the run, as well I assume the above is true, big congrats! Way to kill it...

    ReplyDelete
  23. Nick. Really nice work. Very impressive. Can't wait to see what you can do at the Big Dance. Lottery? You don't need no stinkin' lottery. Cheers.

    ReplyDelete