BB100, again.

Brazos Bend [Again]

My 5th run around the Brazos Bend State Park

It has been a few years since I have been back here as the past couple years I have taken the opportunity to have run Loup Garou (2023, 2024) since these 2 races fall on the same first weekend in December every year. With a week to go I got myself onto the waitlist for 2025 and RD Cal was nice enough to send me an entry off the waitlist and so I registered with a "whole 48 hours to go" (plenty of time). I have run Brazos Bend 100 four times prior (2017, 2018, 2019, 2021) and so I was very familiar with the event, the park, and the course. TROT (Trail Racing Over Texas / Cal Neff) always puts on first class events and so there was no logistical worry.

Just 30 minutes from my door step I took off fairly early after sleeping in my own bed. I got to the park early enough to have a prime parking spot right across from the start/finish arch and so I simply had my gear bag ready and enjoyed my hot cup of coffee my amazing wife had pre-made for me all ready in my rabbit/YETI insulated cup. It was a nice crisp December morning in Texas (high 40s/low 50s if I recall) and so the starting loop was a little cooler before the sun would come out. I chose to wear my light rabbit Elements jacket to help keep my core temperature during that first 16.65Mi loop. It worked well and did its job - also served a second purpose of keeping me from running too fast by ensuring I did not heat up & sweat. 

BB100 - The Start. Photo: Trail Racing Over Texas | JJustisPhotography

Finishing up the fist loop of the State Park brought me back to all the familiar trails I had run many times over in my previous 4 attempts. I kept my pace up and finished that first loop and was war enough to ditch my jacket and my long sleeve shirt and just go with short sleeves now that the weather was warming up. (I did keep my running gloves for the second loop just because my hands get cold fast).

Photo: Trail Racing Over Texas | JJustisPhotography

Loops 2, 3, & 4 were very solid! No real issues, no problems, just steady consistent pacing with I kept under 3.5 hours (that was my internal goal per loop). Overall, I though this was too good to be true as my legs slowly began to ache with the mileage accumulating but it was very gradual decline in my pace on the later half of the fourth loop heading into the evening dark hours. 

My grit and determination were going to be need for the last third of the race, this much I knew for sure! My interloop break was a little longer but I was enjoying some warm soup and potatoes trying to get the calories in (my ultra staples!). I brought out my special trick I have been doing lately and played some podcasts while I was out on loop 5 to keep my mind distracted. The weather slowly cooled down but it was not as cold as the morning of the start of the race. I swapped into my running vest as well which helped keep my core slightly covered so I just stuck with my short sleeve rabbitELITEtrail shirt still - no need for the long sleeves just yet. 

After my fifth loop I can in and saw my good friend Victor whom was helping out volunteering at the finish aid station. He came over and we chatted it up for a good 15 minutes while I was downing some more warm mashed potatoes. I used the time to enjoy the sit and also as a slight excuse to just relax for a little longer. I gave myself a time limit to leave at the top of the hour - which would give me 4 hours to be back for a 22 hour finish - simple right? ...right? Well loop 6 was not exactly a victory lap as I slowed and had a lot more walk breaks than I wanted. My legs were just not cooperating with what I wanted them to do. I could feel the 22 hour time slowly slip away as the loop grinded on. I got a bit sleepy as well, with my headphones out of batteries I no longer had he distraction of my podcasts, so it was just me and the sparse population of runners out there. The long out & back section of the Bluestem/Riverview trails seemed endless. Somehow the more times you run it, it feels a just a little bit longer each time.

Leaving that final aid stop and knowing "only" 4 Mi-ish was left between me and another buckle is always a great feeling! I was able to run with the high of my thoughts on the finish. Not a lot of people were awake and around but I crossed the finish line and got a few golf claps from some volunteers and crew of other runners. 

I had done it, another buckle chased and captured! I'm closing in on 50....not my age, but that is coming soon too.

Results & Stats.

#ChasingBuckles #48 = a nice new Texas-sized sub-24 hr BB100 buckle to add to the collection.

• 22:27:26 | 100.55 Mi (161.82 km) | 1,010 ft+ (308 m+)
• 33rd overall | M27
• My 130th ultramarathon run total & my 9th of 2025.
• My 48th 100Mi(+) completed
• STRAVA:  Brazos Bend 100 (33rd overall), Needville, TX | Run | Strava
• Run Signup Results: Brazos Bend 100 Results

my own nerd data MS-Excel style for my loops.

Gear Used

• Lighting setup - kogalla RA Adventure Light (waistlamp) & Nathan Sports Halo Fire (headlamp)
• Shirts - rabbit SS & LS rabbitELITEtrail team kit
• Shorts - rabbit speedsters rabbitELITEtrail team kit
• Headwear - rabbit/BOCO rabbitELITEtrail team kit
• Eyewear - TIFOSI
• Shoes - ASCIS GEL-Trabuco 11
• Socks - rabbit/rnnr
• Hydration - NATHAN 18oz insulated soft flasks (first 4 loops), & NATHAN VaporKrar 2.0 12L race vest with x2 20oz soft flasks (last 2 loops)
• Gloves- rabbit/BOCO
• Jacket- rabbit elements jacket (for the 1st loop only)
• Watch - Garmin fēnix® 6X - Pro Solar Edition
• Anti-Friction Lube - Vasoline

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Thanks for reading my race recap. 

Make sure you join a TROT event soon if ever in Texas!

Next up: Fierce Dragon H9 (2026-Jan-13) -- I think, have not registered quite yet.