Crosstimbers has a reputation. Its reputation tends to scare runners away. Maybe that’s why after 24 years it remains a small event. On a difficulty scale of "1 to 10", some consider it a "10" - equal with the Bandera trail races. Since Bandera does not offer a 50-mile race (they offer 50K and 100K), that makes Crosstimbers the toughest 50-mile race in Texas. However, it might easily be the most beautiful too. The beauty of the trails along the southern shore of Lake Texoma near Denison, Texas should be seen and appreciated by all trail runners and hikers. Crosstimbers was a wild dense woods considered impenetrable in the 1800’s. Now it is a unique recreational area with an incredible variety of scenery and plants. The trails traverse rocky cliffs and hills above the lake. Crosstimbers Race Director Tony Bridwell offered 5, 13.1, 25 and 50 mile races this year. I chose the 50-mile because I had already done the 25-mile two years before.

Why did I do that?

Mark Henderson agreed to drive me up for the race. I’ve had so much sciatic pain in my right hip lately that I have not been able to drive long distances. During the drive, I got to know this most unusual guy. He is the only human who has ever finished the Wickam Park Florida 200-mile, 4-day stage race on a course that leaves only the alligators smiling! His longest single run ever was 267 miles. His March racing schedule included two 50 mile events on consecutive weekends, partly in preparation for running the MS 150 (180 miles normally done on a bicycle) from Houston to Austin in April. A 45 year old animal, and one of the USA’s best ultrarunners!

We arrived at Crosstimbers about dark – too late to take the 5-mile "warmup" hike "Mom" (Mariela Botella) had planned for me. Gee, too bad! Eight of us Houston Trail Runners Extreme were packed into a cabin just a few yards from the start/finish pavilion. Two couples – Sylvia and Homero Gonzales, Leslie and Tim Hale were staying with Mariela, Fred Ward, Tim Neckar and me. Mark set up a tent outside. We all ate the pre-race pasta meal which Tony and his wife Mary prepared, and went to bed. I found out there were about 34 registered for the 50 mile which started at 6:30am. Fred, Mariela, Mark and Leslie were in the 50-mile with me. All four races totaled only about 90 participants - many returning every year. The "family" atmosphere I felt was a comfort to my nerves.

I blew reveille on my bugle at 5:00am. I didn’t have to – everybody was already stirring and the ladies were starting to make breakfast. It was not long before all the 50 milers were assembled on the starting line. What a great morning! It was cool (40’s) and dry. As I stood there I thought about my goals for the day. "Just finish under the time limit of 12 hours – this is mega-tough," I said to myself. The past two months had not been good for my training. I caught the flu just after the Houston Marathon in January and had seen four doctors for back, foot and respiratory problems in the last few weeks. I had not felt good about running in all that time. Now I really felt good! Could I hang with Mariela? I definitely needed to beat Fred – golly he is like 62!

Tony started the race clock and we hit the trail. I was carrying a bottle of Hammer "Perpetuum" in 28 oz of water and a flask of Hammer Gel. I figured that with the cool temperatures one water bottle on my belt was enough. There was an aid station every 3-4 miles. I dropped extra Perpetuum and Hammer Gel with extra clothing at the start/finish station. We were doing two 25-mile loops but would pass the start/finish three more times. Much of the course is like a wild roller coaster – the uphills make your quads scream and the downhills are so steep that you have to keep braking hard to stay in control. Then you must jump a little stream at the bottom of each hill. In addition, there are the "featured" sections – the "Golden Staircase" (a sandstone cliff), "Cripple Creek" (a ravine of boulders), the trestle with nails sticking up, the "Lost Loop" (you can get on but you can’t get off), "SOB Hill" and "SOB’s Daddy"! Then there are the rocks, roots, prickers, holes, obstacles, and branches that slap you in the face. All justify the reputation and the adage "No runner leaves without a limp!"

The first 25 miles went really well. I ran most of it with Lynn, who I had run with at Rocky Trail (Burnet, Texas), and later was joined by Mariela and Fred. Our group of four challenged each other and everything the trail dished up. My time at 25 miles (4:53) was well ahead of my expectations – in fact it was almost as good as my 25-mile race time two years ago. I started on the second loop all pumped. About mile 26 I felt something in my sock. I thought, "Toenails are rattling around in my shoe". It’s happened before. Those downhills jam your toes against your shoe and they come off (the nails). I did not bother to look at my feet. I fell once, then again, on a root. Each time I rolled and was not badly hurt. I skinned an elbow. I got up and ran. The third time I was hurt. My thumb was jammed and my back hurt. I lay on the trail a few seconds before getting up.

What was happening to me?

By mile 30 I realized that I was in trouble. I was alone. My energy was dropping fast and I was losing the ability to focus, and even to run. The day was warm now. I tried to think – was I dehydrated? Electrolytes out of balance? Blood sugar too low? Did I need fuel? Salt? Water? Glucose? I took more of everything I had but I kept getting weaker. I prayed for strength. I recited a favorite Bible verse:

"Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;

They will mount up with wings as eagles;

They shall run, and not be weary;

They shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31

Within a mile I saw another runner going off the trail in the wrong direction. I yelled at him and he got back on the marked trail, very grateful to me for having set him right. His name was Dennis and he was 57 years old (I'll be 56 next month). He was in bad shape – stomach problems and low energy. As we walked and commiserated he told me he had done the "Grand Slam" of ultrarunning – four 100 mile mountain races in one summer! He was an elite of the elite and he was "running" with me! Dennis inspired me. We pulled each other along – running the downhills and walking all else. When the Race volunteer’s truck pulled up next to us on a jeep road and the volunteer asked if we were okay, we said, "Oh yeah, we’re fine." We were dying, though. At one point I think I fell asleep on my feet because I dropped my water bottle for no reason. I was angry. I felt like crying. I was a mess. Dennis walked off the trail to use the "bathroom". His feet went out from under him and he slid entirely back across the trail on his back! Left some hide there. He was also a mess!

Gradually there was a change – a little more energy. I figured out that dehydration was most likely and started to drink more. The Gator Aid cups at the aid stations were covered with yellow jackets but I shook them off and drank anyway. Nothing tasted good but I ate. The sun went lower and the heat began to lessen. Just in time! We were at about mile 40.The last 9 miles were the toughest part of the course. We began to run longer sections and walk faster between. We finally entered the final five miles – a really tough out and back (to Juniper Point) containing SOB Hill and SOB’s Daddy. The scenery in this section is spectacular. We decided to stay together and enjoy this part as a reward for completing all that we had finished. Dennis and I sprinted side by side through the finish line in 11:10 and collected our finisher’s medals. We had finished before dark, before the cutoff and, most important, before dinner!

Back at the cabin I found out that Mark was the overall winner at 7:53. About an hour before I finished, Mariela won the female trophy, with Lynn not far behind.

Fred and Leslie had finished a little before us. Oh, well. While we were enduring the day, Tim Hale had made a big pot of black bean chilli and salad. The Bridwells were deep frying turkeys, too. I was really hungry now, and we all had a feast!

The next morning the ladies made us a huge breakfast. We ate it with the Bridwells as our guests. Afterward, Mariela, Sylvia and I hiked the 5-mile Juniper Point Trail to pick up the trail markers. I was very sore – I’m still sore as I write this two days later – but I think the hike helped me loosen up. I told my story to Mark as he drove us back home. I think the best part of the whole experience was the camaraderie with old and new friends. Will I do it again? Yeah, sure! I know what I did wrong and I won’t do that again! It will be something else next time! How about doing it with me?