This was my second Bandara 100k, 15 hours 35 minutes. Last year I ran it with a stress fracture that put me out for 8-weeks.
Was happy with my run. 33% finish. Of the 71 finishers, I was 24th. Half an hour better than last year and no broken bones!. The winner was 11-hours and the slowest was 22. This all probably sounds really slow for 62 miles, but it's pretty treacherous. The guy who puts it together has a goal to make it as tough as he possible can. he incorporates every hill he can find.The weather was rough. Mud caked shoes felt like 10lbs weights. Temp dropped a lot at around my half way point and the rain and wind picked up for a while. A lot of people got stuck with just a short sleeve shirt, in the second loop, which I think was the reason so many dropped. Luckily, I picked up long sleeves and a light shell so I was in good shape. Fell twice coming down the rocks but nothing to show for it. It was actually a pretty cool experience.
Joe Prusaitis
The guy that puts the race together is a real Leader. Every person working the race was first class and the only common denominator I can deduce, other than being Texan's (impossible), was Joe's influence. At the aid station, where I had a drop bag, they would actually be waiting out font, yell my number forward and then someone would hand me my bag before I even entered the tent. Another person would grab my bottles from me and start filling them. Another would start firing questions: "want soup, need electrolytes, Vaseline, hammer gel, Heed, coke, etc. etc." They were above and beyond. One lady actually said "do you want my gloves?" She didn't say "do you need your gloves from your drop bag" she actually offered hers from her own hands!
At the finish, I think 10 people congratulated me. I'm not talking the perfunctory "take a number, congratulations, how bout this weather?" I mean they grabbed my hand, arm or shoulder, looked me in the eye and meant it. Then they would go about doing whatever they could do to help. Giving me soup, offering me a blanket, finding me a chair, helping me sit, help with my shoes, more food, etc. etc. etc. Unbelievable people. You haven't seen anything like it.
Ben Holmes
Ben, I haven't run one of your races yet but this guy Joe Prusaitis is a role model for any race organizer.
