Big Bend is such a special place and we just can’t wait to get back out to the remote back country for the 5th Annual TPU2019 next November. We’ve already made some pretty special announcements with our $10k prize purse, up to 6 UTMB qualification points, as always our VIP race experience - limited to 75 participants. Now we’re giving you one more reason to make this your #YEAROFADVENTURE.
With Event Registration Protector™ from Allianz Global Assistnace, a participant who misses an event for a reason, such as a covered injury, illness, job loss, transportation delays, military/family/legal obligations, and more, can get 100 percent of their registration fees reimbursed — up to $10,000*. Plus, they also get our 24/7 service and assistance benefits, and all customer service and claims activity, without risk or management resources from event organizers.
What does it cover?
You may be eligible for reimbursement in the following situations:
Illness or Serious Injury - if the participant is prevented from participating in the event due to a covered illness or injury, or if a family member is hospitalized or requires care by the participant
Employer Termination - After being employed by the same employer for one continuous year, the participant is laid off
Traffic Accidents - if you are directly involved in a traffic accident and unable to get to the event
Mechanical Breakdown - if the participant’s car breaks down no more than 48 hours before the event
Airline Delay - if the participant’s plane or other Travel Carrier is delayed (includes bad weather) while going to the event
Home Issues - if the participant’s home is uninhabitable due to fire, flood, vandalism, burglary or natural disasters
Jury Duty - if the participant is required to serve on jury duty on the day of the event
Military Duty - if the participant is required to miss an event as a result of military orders
It’s time. Give yourself the gift of adventure by signing up for TPU2019 today. Click here for Course Info & Rules or head over to our Registration page to sign up.
*Please review declaration of coverage and certificate of insurance/policy for specifics about the policy that you purchase.
Everything about the 4th annual Trans-Pecos Ultra 2018 was très bien.
Formidable, even. That’s because it was dominated by a highly experienced French multi-sport athlete, Démétrio Fernandez, a 10-hour Ironman and veteran of many stage races in exotic venues. He led every stage in the 6-stage race, finishing with a total time of 36 hours, 26 minutes for the 163 miles, just an hour off the course record. At 55, Fernandez is nearly twice the age of the record-holder, Adam Harmon, who set it in 2017. Fernandez had high praise for the friendliness of other runners and volunteers, which managed to communicate itself even though some language challenges.
Race Director Chris Herrera greets first-place finisher Demetrio Fernandez at stage finish
In overall second place, with a final time of 46 hours, 23 minutes, was Stephane Lorre, another Frenchman whose position at the embassy in Washington DC has given him a facility with English, making him the de facto translator for Démétrio. The two Frenchmen have been traveling together for years to ultra endurance events, mostly in Europe.
Second-place finisher Stephane Lorre showing off the desert landscape
Third place overall belonged to an American runner, Doug White, with a time of 49 hours, 2 minutes. Despite a cranky knee that developed mid-week, Doug held on to some early speed and finished just a few hours off the second-place winner. As a TPU volunteer from 2017, Doug was very familiar with the course and the self-supported ethic of the run.
Doug White shows off his skills, dancing over volcanic rocks
Stage racing is a still new phenomenon for most American runners. It has a longer history overseas, so it is not terribly surprising to have experienced European stage runners in the lead. The international website, StageRaces.com, lists over 100 trail running stage races in the world, but only 4 are expedition-length (week) events in the US.
TPU features up to 6-stages in 7 days of self-supported running or hiking. New in 2018 was the 4-stage option (81.9mi) for those who couldn’t get away for the whole week.
“Self-supported” means that racers carry their own safety gear and food for the whole 163 miles. The only elements supplied by the organizers are water, shelter and medical aid. That is typical for multi-stage races overseas, like the iconic Marathon des Sables in the Saharan desert.
With no crew to schlepp your gear, racers have to smartly plan their nutrition, recovery and sleep needs to give themselves the best chance of success while minimizing the weight on their backs. It’s a logistical problem that many racers love puzzling over (and creating spreadsheets for.)
Adding to the challenge, participants have no cellular or internet connection in Big Bend Ranch. Communications are handled as necessary by race staff via satellite phone.
The experience of being far removed and unplugged from modern life is one of the greatest gifts of being at TPU for a week.
With an average elevation around 4500′ and only 14,000′ elevation gain over 163 miles, TPU is not as beastly as some other ultras, but there is plenty of obstacles, with many varieties of cactus, some of which are unavoidable on the trail, plus sandy river bottoms and steep descents and ascents of an old volcano crater and several volcanic peaks.
As first-place Fernandez described it, it’s “a 6-stage race: a 5K prologue followed by four daily marathons, finishing with a 56-miler… and all that on very complicated terrain, with danger of falls and cactus thorns!”
The unusual rainfall in the rest of Texas this fall penetrated even to this normally-parched desert area. Stage 1, the prologue, and Stage 2 were completed under unusually overcast skies. Finally, on Stage 3, the clouds gave up the game, and let loose a downpour on the runners.
Stages 4, 5 and 6 enjoyed days much closer to the Big Bend norm: blue skies, with puffy white clouds and magnificent sunsets. But once the sun came out and turned the canyons into convection ovens, the runners got nostalgic for the rain.
As in prior years, both runners and hikers completed the race. The first-place female Rani Freeman, hiked an impressive pace throughout the week, without running at all. It was obvious how much fun she was having by the enthusiasm she displayed at each stage’s finish line. Rani had been to Big Bend many times before, and relished the opportunity to spend long days in her version of paradise.
Rani Freeman finished every stage with a big smile
Rani described her experience as, “over 160 miles through loose sandy river beds, up and down rocky hills, over miles of endless dessert and with days of rain and bright sunshine… all with no shower! Regardless of the aforementioned, I still highly recommend this event.”
TPU is as much a touring experience as it is a race. As last year’s female champion, Sereena Trottier, says, it was “incredible life changing experience for me.”
There are few unexplored areas like Big Bend left in the country.
Big Bend Ranch is not as well-known as its larger, national park sibling (Big Bend National Park), but the natural history and astronomy of the area is equally compelling. Such features are almost as much a part of the week as running and hiking. The Big Bend is a whole network of unique ecosystems, and home to species not found elsewhere in the world, as well as one of the world’s “darkest skies”. It gives one pause, as well, to look over to Mexico and ponder the significance of the border area. TPU racers go home with an experience that is shared by a very few people.
The remoteness and unique geology of Big Bend make TPU a true VIP getaway
The TPU race community is rich and diverse. This year, in addition to the Frenchmen, we had an Appalachian Trail thru-hiker, a first-time ultra runner and an endurance cyclist. The TPU race format attracts a great variety of athletes, to the overall advantage of the sport. Data analysts at Human Potential Running have shown that the growth in US ultra finishes is flattening out, primarily because more ultra races are being created than can be supported by ultra runners. The answer is to attract more runners to the sport, but how is that to be done?
One answer may be to explore differentkinds of ultra running. For example, many of our TPU finishers had never done a 100-miler or even a 50-miler ultra. But when the mileage is spread out over a week, when the cutoff times are generous enough for hikers, when the race is more of a VIP getaway to a remote destination than a one-day excursion… the market opens up.
Race Director Chris Herrera and family who help support the event are looking forward to welcoming more members to the TPU Tribe in 2019, the fifth anniversary of TPU, with a $10,000 prize purse, UTMB qualifying points, and increasing word-of-mouth praise for the experience. For more information visit the website: Trans-PecosUltra.com)
TPU is a unique event that breaks people from the highly stressful 9-5 urban lifestyle to experience nature and the power of a shared purpose - food, shelter, and camaraderie. It has always been a dream of mine to start a charity but it’s only until recently that the pieces have come together. My vision is to create an annual outdoor youth leadership experience in Big Bend to connect, educate and prepare young minds for the future. The aim would be to connect local youth in the Big Bend area with their urban counterparts in a non-judgmental, outdoor learning environment.
As the youngest child of a divorced family, I struggled to find peers throughout primary school, carried a low-self esteem and developed a poor body image. In subsequnt years, this translated into alcohol abuse and eventually social anxiety. While these and other struggles remain a part of me, I’m blessed to have the support of a BIG and loving family, friends, and perhaps most importantly, the faith to find solace in the great outdoors.
TPU has confirmed in me the concept that the outdoor world provides a living laboratory for adventure and personal discovery. It is with this in mind that I have set my goal for this event to give back to those around me by developing an outdoor youth leadership experience. After literally moving homes every 1-3 years since I was 5 years old, it’s with great enthusiasm that I announce Big Bend as my home. And it’s with even greater joy that I announce Big Bend as a place to reflect on life and connect with people for the greater good of humanity. Sometimes a simple existence is simply perfect. That is what TPU means to me and that is what TPU offers to those who participate and volunteer each year.
So this year it’s time to officially give back. Our goal is to raise a minimum of $5,000 through donations made on behalf of a TPU2018 participant or general donations made to this campaign by Aug 1st, 2018. With this message, I commit to give back 100% of these funds to launch a new annual outdoor youth leadership experience in Big Bend!
To support our youth leadership camp you can either 1) register for TPU and start collecting a minimum of $500 in donations through our Fundraising page or 2) simply make a general donation to this campaign by visiting our Fundraising page and clicking the ‘DONATE NOW’ link.
If you have any question or comments - or just want to chat about Big Bend - give me a call!
Sincerely,
Chris Herrera
Creator / Race Director
432.294.5284
hello[at}trans-pecosultra.com
Trans-Pecos Ultra has struck the tents for another year! The third annual race, according to racers and volunteers alike, was the best ever, all the details smoothly dialed in. From live, daily updates on social media to the full 10-day schedule of events with regional tours and chef-produced gourmet meals, TPU2017 lived up to its name - The Ultimate Big Bend Adventure. Also this year, race director Chris Herrera, brought another first to the US self-supported stage race community…Live GPS tracking - see archive link!
Among the runners, Adam Harmon, of Boulder, Colorado, ran out front from Day 1 and ended up shattering the course record by 4-1/2 hours, a huge chunk out of the record set last year. Adam had lately completed the Leadville 100, one of trail racing’s most challenging events.
The female champion, Sereena Trottier of Ottawa, Canada, also led from the beginning. Sereena is a veteran of many Canadian ultra races, and directs a few races of her own as a principal of 3badgers Racing.
TPU2017 international cast of characters included racers and volunteers from Great Britain, Canada, France, and Czech Republic, as well as the USA.
The terrain of Big Bend Ranch State Park, coined the “Other side of nowhere”, is extremely rugged and always challenging, but the temperatures this year added a few degrees of difficulty. Several days had registered temps in the low 90s, but there was also a morning when racers woke up to temps in the low 30s. The extreme changes in temperature can wreak havoc in muscle function.
The racers included many hikers who continued to persevere through blisters, joint pain, and sheer fatigue. TPU is unique it that it brings experienced ultra runners together with thru-hikers in one event. See the Results Page for accumulated timings.
This year were a cheerful bunch, full of enthusiasm for the rugged beauty of Big Bend. There was a race-ending slip and fall on the first day for one runner, and a lot of foot-taping for blisters as the week drew on, but no major injuries. Our fully-credentialed team of medics gave expert advice and care, staffing every checkpoint on the course, and sweeping behind the last runner - something we learned was a unique offering among other ultra events and “much appreciated”, said Shelli, an experienced ultra runner from California.
The staff and volunteers of TPU were elated for the runners who enjoyed the race so much and accomplished their audacious goals in Big Bend Ranch State Park. We look forward to showcasing the rugged beauty of Big Bend Ranch State Park to a whole new crew of runners, hikers, and volunteers in 2018. Join us next year for The Ultimate Big Bend Adventure!
DALLAS, Tex. - What is it like to complete a marathon a day for four consecutive days, followed by a 50 miler over 34 hours, then finish off the week with a 10k?
These were some of the questions that 25 runners from the Dallas area turned up to ask on Friday, Feb. 5 at the Dallas REI store, located just off I75 near downtown Dallas. Runners and would-be runners gathered to hear about stage races like Trans-Pecos Ultra (TPU), from race director Chris Herrera and his tribe.
After a brief welcome and introduction into the exciting world of international ultra stage races, Herrera introduced the winner of the 1st annual Trans-Pecos Ultra, Thomas Mullins.
Mullins, a Dallas native and frequent participant in ultra running events around the United States picked up his bright yellow pack, crammed full of gear and dropped it on the table.
“This is what I carried for the full seven days of the race,” he said, stripping off his sweatshirt, to just a pair of shorts and shirt. “And this is what I wore.” Mullins won last year’s event with a time of 37hr 58mins over the equivalent of 6 marathons, or 163 mile course that makes up the Trans-Pecos Ultra. He unpacked his backpack, pulling out carefully measured bags of foodstuffs, extra socks, stuff-sack with a light sleeping bag and down jacket.
The race rules stipulate, the event audience learned, that each runner must carry his own gear and food for the entire race. That means, everything you’ll need for the seven day journey in the Big Bend State Park is carried from day one through day seven.
Audience members watched intently as Mullins explained how he carefully counted each calorie he would need throughout the race, commenting that you become incredibly aware of your food and fuel needs in prepping for an event like TPU. He measured his required fuel down to how many dates he would eat during each stage, knowing exactly how many calories and grams of sugar each tiny bit of fruit would give him.
Questions came about how much water was carried (Mullins carried two 16oz water bottles on his pack and refilled at each checkpoint, located along the course six miles apart): How and where to use the bathroom (cat holes are provided at each checkpoint, permanent toilets at camp); Where do you sleep at night (the race provides 10-person tepee tents and a campground at the end of each stage).
Mullins passed around his gear bag to allow everyone to feel its weight; about 20lbs. As he unpacked it, he explained each element, why it was important and how he packed it. Then he showed off the pair of shoes he’d worn.
Thomas Mullins demonstrates how he packed for Trans-Pecos Ultra during a talk at REI Dallas.
Making a cardinal sin for runners, he’d purchased them new just before the race. But they served him well; he had no blisters during the race, but the tough terrain took their toll on the shoes.
“I haven’t worn these since the last stage of the race,” he said as he passed them to the audience. With tears along the fabric sides and layered in dirt and sweat, the shoes looked like they’d been used for years, not just seven days. But with 163+ miles of hard trails and desert running, the lightweight runners were done.
One audience member asked Mullins what the hardest part of the race was. With obvious emotion, he said “Saying goodbye.” Then he was silent (obviously gathering his thoughts).
He then continued, and it was clear that among several of the the highlights of this unique adventure, was the camaraderie he felt with the other runners (nine started the race with six finishing), the volunteers and race director who all made the event possible.
These deep interpersonal connections are what stood out as unique to TPU compared to other ultra marathons and adventure races he had done in the past.
Herrera then introduced Micah Ferrell, a native of Alpine, Texas who had volunteered last minute to help with the race. An endurance runner herself, she gave the audience a volunteers’ perspective of the event.
Actually encompassing ten days in total, Trans-Pecos Ultra is an event not just for ultra runners seeking to test themselves in a new kind of race, but an event for volunteers to discover Big Bend and connect closely with runners and each other.
Micah Ferrell tells audience members about her volunteer experience with Trans-Pecos Ultra.
Ferrell related her story of helping with camp set up each night, working the various checkpoints throughout each stage. running just ahead of the participants to mark the trail, and more.
“My experience as a volunteer went beyond helping mark courses and cheering participants on the course. Trans-Pecos Ultra offered me a chance to stretch my limits as a person and ask the question, ‘what more can I give?’; a question that has filtered into my life outside of the desert.”
Overall, she, like Mullins, related a story of adventure. Both described what it was like to share a tent with strangers who have now become lifelong friends. Both participants and volunteers, it seemed, pushed beyond perceived limits to find a new self on the other side.
Volunteering again for the 2016 event, Ferrell has become TPU’s year-long marketing and social media coordinator. Though she joined in last minute last year, she has become a convert to the insane joy of multi-stage racing.
“We don’t say that Trans-Pecos Ultra is a race,” said Herrera. “Its an adventure - an open invitation for self-discovery in Big Bend.”
The level of camaraderie that TPU inspires was apparent as the event officially ended. Runners and would-be runners with experience at every distance from a 5k up through to 50mi ultras, gathered around to browse the photo book of the 2015 event, and talk to Chris, Thomas, Micah and Event Coordinator April McAnally, each of whom had been part of the inaugural event.
More questions about gear, about volunteering, about every tiny aspect of gear and food demonstrated an eagerness to understand what makes someone take off from work and family to spend ten days total and seven days out in the Chihuahuan Desert within the vast terrain of Texas’s Big Bend State Park.
Mullins summed it up when he said that, unlike many ultra-marathon events where runners complete the same loop multiple times, Trans-Pecos Ultra gave you new terrain, new perspectives, new challenges, and opportunities with every step. - Words by Rich Cook
