I am a big fan of the Texas 10 series. Why? Because it is the most well organized series. Unfortunately the Huntsville event didn't quite live up to the expected A+ standards.

Packet pick up (available on race day) was a breeze, as was parking. The course was very hilly with only a few flat sections, and about a half-mile long (confirmed by the RD after the fact). The course went through parts of the Sam Houston State University campus, which was nice. I don't carry my own water because there are water/Gatorade stations at each mile. But today, I wish I had because they were out of water at one station on the second loop. The post-race food, or lack thereof, was also disappointing. By the time I was finished, there were no bananas and only a couple of non-veg kolaches.

This was my eighth race with this company, so I was surprised with the shortcomings. The best part of this race, and the series, was my entry fee--$10 (Bonanza pricing)! That includes swag--a tech t-shirt and choice of cap or visor. And the finisher's medal was nice. Other pluses: 1 free race photo and cash giveaway at the end.

Two months ago I decided to run the Habanero Hundred 50K. It was being touted as the hottest ultra in Texas. Not only would it be hot, the race was being run in Smithville—known for it’s hilly, rocky terrain. I knew that with a 30-hour cut off time, I could walk the 50K and finish. So I signed up. I spent the next two months heat training, which turned out to be the best idea I’ve ever had. As it turned out, many runners dropped out of the race because of the heat and humidity.

The event started at high noon, which made for a relaxed morning. My crew of one and I made it to the venue, Buescher State Park, around 11 a.m. I picked up my race packet and proceeded to prep for the 12:15 50K start time.

With my gear ready to go, I took a few quick photos and lined up at the start. After a short pep talk, the gun went off, and so did we. The 50K course consisted of five laps: one short 3.2-mile lap, and four full 7.5-mile laps. I started out walking, using lap 1 as a warm up. The course was a lollipop, so I was able to scope out the “stick” part of the trail (yes, it was runnable), and get oriented. The aid stations were placed at the start/finish and at the midway point (3.5 miles).

The stick part of the trail was a mix of hard-pack, soft powdery dirt, gravel/rocks, and sand. There were a few inclines and declines, but nothing major. The first half of the lollipop loop was mostly single track with terrain varying from sandy to rocky to soft, pine-covered trail. It was mostly flat with a few mild declines/inclines. Not bad at all. But the heat and humidity were relentless.

Thankfully, the volunteers at the aid stations were fantastic! As soon as you got in to the aid station, they would help refill your vests and bottles. There was plenty of food on the tables ranging from sweet to salty, gels, bars, and salt tablets. Plenty of ice and a choice of water, sodas, Gatorade, and Heed were also available. As the day went on, hot food was offered including ramen noodles, cheese quesadillas, and bean burritos.

At the midway point, the course changed. The back half of the lollipop was tough. It had elevation, “rolling” hills, and a lot of large, loose rocks. It made for a slow second half. The horseflies were the worst, though. I will say that I am relatively new to trail racing, and this was my first ultra. It seemed that the more experienced and stronger runners had no problem navigating the terrain.

I took a spill on the fourth loop, and ended up visiting the medical tent. It was very well stocked and the volunteers were very helpful. They had me patched up in no time, and on my way.

When I finally finished, 18 hours later (yes, you read that right), the race director handed me a beautiful medal and congratulated me. They were very good about making sure every runner was coherent and feeling well at the end of each loop (the longer distances had a mandatory weigh-in at every loop).

THE RUNDOWN
I had a great time at my first 50K. It took me six hours longer than I anticipated, but I learned a lot about running ultra marathons. I met a lot a great people and saw some trail regulars. I also came away with tips on how to prevent the horrible blister and chafing problems. And I learned that my two months of heat training definitely paid off. Now, I just need to work on those hills. I can’t wait until next year!

You can read my race report here: http://wp.me/p5QgLn-23

A few days before the event, race management sent out an email about parking. Because we had been having so much rain, parking at the brewery was going to be limited (it’s mostly grass parking and the ground was saturated), but they arranged for alternate parking at a nearby church. I showed up early and didn’t have any problem finding parking at the venue.

I made my way over to the starting line to wait for my cousin; I didn’t have to wait long because he was already there. We took our requisite before pictures and warmed up. Several minutes before gun time, we were warned about the potholes and loose gravel in the first and last quarter mile. Then we all walked to the start line. I bumped into some friends that I hadn’t seen in a while as I made my way to the start, and we chatted a bit. Then, we were off!

The course was nice and flat, and fantastically shady. This was great because, even with a 7:30 am start time, it was hot and humid! I ran this race last year, and I think the new course was much better and had more tree cover. After crossing the finish line, I talked to my friends and then waited to cheer on my cousin (it was his third 5K). He finished with a PR! The nice part about finishing was the MC announcing runners as we crossed under the banner. That’s always a nice touch.

We grabbed some water and then got in line for the finisher’s pint glass and beer. There were three beer lines—two outside and one inside the brewery. But with a sold out race, the wait was still long. Although, I have to say, it was an improvement over last year where the glass and beer lines were separate. This year, they combined the lines, so we only had to wait once.

More pictures, and then we settled down for the award ceremony and raffle.

The event was well organized and reasonably priced for what we got. Packet pick up was a breeze, and we had three opportunities—Thursday, Friday, and the morning of the race. The shirts were a nice soft tech, which I like because they feel more like cotton. And of course, the finisher’s pint glass was well done. Our bib came with four tabs for 8 oz of beer (two at a time gets you a full pint), and we had four beers to choose from. Other post race refreshments included bottled water, sports drink, and fruit. Food trucks (3) were on site at additional cost. The volunteers on the course were great! There was at least one active intersection that didn’t have police presence that I feel should have. Also, at one point in the first half police were stopping runners to let traffic through.

Overall, I had a great time at a great place with friends and family, and I will definitely be running this one again.