2023 Event Updates [Last Updated Nov 28]:
RESCHEDULED TO JANUARY 6-7, 2024:
DUE TO WEATHER AND TRAIL CONDITIONS THE STATE PARK HAS RESCHEDULE THE EVENT TO JANUARY 6TH AND 7TH. REGISTERED RUNNERS CHECK YOUR EMAIL.
This section will continue to be updated as we get closer to race day:
We need volunteer to make this event happen, please see the online signup which has been updated, here: BB100 Signup Genius. We are looking for clubs and teams to do Aid Station Takeovers.
Weather & Park Advisory 25-Nov:
We have been notified by the State Park that there is concern over trail damage with the current forecast of rain from Thursday through Sunday. We have proactively begun planning for many different alternatives to allow the races to continue. Proposed options include course changes, start delays, venue, trail work commitments, and more. We expect a final decision on Tuesday (Nov 21) and will make an announcement (please do not inquire further, we will share information as it becomes available).
START TIMES:
Saturday: 100M 7 AM / 100KM 8 AM
Sunday: Marathon 7 AM / Half Marathon 8 AM
Sunrise is at 7:17 AM / Sunset 5:36 PM (headlamps if starting loop after ~3:30 PM)
New maps and course updates below with interactive map.
Join our TROT Chat Live Wednesday, Nov 29th at 7PM for discussion and Altra shoe giveaway.
Vehicle numbers and parking will be limited: Start planning your carpools now. All runners should plan on carpooling. Crew and support will be limited per runner.
Packet pickup and personal area setup at Elm Lake will be on Friday - you can NOT camp around the start/finish or anywhere in the park outside of reserved camp grounds. Additional packet pickup options see below.
You will be able to enter the park prior to receiving your pass at Elm Lake, please have your passes pre-purchased to save time or you will be asked to purchase at the entrance. Park gates will remain open Friday thru Sunday.
Brazos Bend RV & Mud Park across from the park will have an open field for primitive camping and overflow parking. This is a great option if you do not have a state park reservation to camp (required for overnighting). Thanks to BBRVTX for their support of the Brazos Bend 100! See them for all your ATV and Trailer needs.
Event Description
This is the December (rescheduled to January) edition of our popular Brazos Bend races with the marquee event being the 100-mile.
The Brazos Bend course is the fastest trail in Texas trail running. The course is 99.9% flat, and the only hill is 10 feet. Other than that you will be running on flat surfaces that move from hard crushed rock, soft hiking trails under tree canopy, and easy horse trails. Conditions in December can have a mix of anything but are typically great conditions for running. Brazos Bend is a spectacular State Park located just South of Houston/Sugar Land and is most known for its abundance of birds and American Alligators among other wildlife. The gators are a part of our race, there has never been an incident in the park. Enjoy them on your run, from a distance, and you may get some unique race photos!
Western State Qualifier
The Brazos Bend 100 miler distance has been an official Western States Endurance Run qualifying race for over five years. Since BB100 is held in early December, around the same time as the WSER lottery, our race will earn you a raffle ticket to the following year's lottery for the next years WSER. Example: If you qualify in 2023 you will earn a 2024 raffle ticket for the 2025 WSER lottery. Must finish under 30 hours to qualify. Official letter from WSER:
"We [WSER] are pleased to inform you that the 2023 Brazos Bend 100 has been selected as a qualifying race for the 2025 Western States 100. Runners who complete the race within 30 hours will qualify to enter a lottery where the runners for Western States will be selected. You do not need to submit anything to us, we will obtain the results directly from your website.
The qualifying period for the 2025 Western States will be from November 6, 2023 through November 3, 2024. The lottery will be held on December 7, 2024 and the race itself will be run on June 28-29, 2025."
Registration and Waitlist
Registration is currently sold out and closed for the 2023 event. Stay tuned for rescheduled registration options (January 2024) and December 2024 registration opening. Brazos Bend 50 in April is open here.
2023 Schedule [JANUARY 2024]
TBD Packet Pickup sponsored by Altra Running and Good Times Running Co.
TBD at Good Times Running Co,
22764 Westheimer Pkwy #650, Katy, TX 77450
Friday, January 5th, 2024
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Packet Pickup & Merch: Noon to 7 PM at the Elm Lake Pavilion
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Personal Support Area Setup (no overnighting) at Elm Lake Pavilion, set up your canopies, chairs, gear, etc. and can leave it setup overnight (no camping here).
Saturday, January 6th, 2024
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Parking Shuttle Buses Begin: 4:30 AM (see below shuttle schedule)
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Packet Pickup (Ultra Runners Only till 8 AM): 5 AM to 8:30 AM
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Start 100M : 7 AM
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100k : 8 AM
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Packet Pickup & Merch Reopens (for Sunday race pickup): Noon to 6 PM
Sunday, January 7th, 2024
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Parking Shuttle Buses Begin: 4:30 AM (see below shuttle schedule)
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Packet Pickup: 5 AM
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Start 26.2M : 7 AM
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Start 13.1M : 8 AM
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Finish Line Closes (all events cutoff): 3 PM
Cutoffs
Finish Line Closes (all races end): Sunday 3:00 PM
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32H 100MI
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31H 100k
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8H Marathon
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7H Half Marathon
Race Director will assess each runner leaving for their final loop and has the ultimate decision, along with the Medical Director and Park Staff, throughout the event for runners to continue.
Note that runners must be under 30H for WSER qualification.
Dropdown & Event Change
You may change your registered event during open registration on UltraSignup per the TROT policies. To dropdown please go to your UltraSignup account and edit the order. To cancel your registration please complete this form.
Aid Station and Support
WE RELY ON VOLUNTEERS, PLEASE REGISTER HERE.
Brazos Bend 100 will have a total of four fully stocked aid stations on the course.
ALL runners must carry a form of hydration (bottle, flask, bladder, etc.) there will be NO cups at the aid stations.
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Start/Finish Main Aid Station
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40 Acre
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Gravel Pit (visited twice on the loop, closer to road than old Windmill Aid)
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Sawmill
Runners, family, friends, and crew are encouraged to set up their own hang-out support area around the large grass area at Elm Lake Pavillion for extended rest periods, personal gear, and preferences for food and hydration. It is common for clubs, teams, and families to have a tent (no camping) set up to enjoy the day. No overnight camping in this area.
Aid Station Separation Distances for each loop depend on the distance you are doing, standard distances for the 100mi race are roughly:
Elm Lake Start to 40 Acre Aid: 3.1mi
40 Acre Aid to Gravel Pit Aid (after Hale Lake Loop): 6mi
Gravel Pit Aid to Sawmill Aid: 3.2mi
Sawmill Aid back to Gravel Pit Aid: 3.23mi
Gravel Pit Aid back to Finish: 1.2mi
Aid Station Items (subject to change/while quantities last for non-critical items):
Fluids: Water, Ice, Gatorade, and Base Performance
Soda: Coke, Ginger Ale, Orange.
Electrolytes: Base Performance and Table Salt
Bars: Base Performance Bars
Sweet: Cookies, Candy, Peanut Butter, Nutella
Salty: Pringles, Trail Mix, Chips
Food: Sandwiches (PB&J, Nutella, PB, etc), Bean burrito rolls, fruit (bananas and oranges)
Medical: Bandages, Vasoline, Band Aids (limited), etc. ( NO NSAIDS e.g. ibuprofen) , Feminine Care Products.
Trail Toes at all aid stations with tape
Cooking (evening only): Grilled Cheese, Quesadillas, Soup, Noodles, Coffee, Hot Chocolate, Ramen, Potatoes, and other "fun ultra concoctions".
Other: Cooling bucket, Gatoritas (hot weather), and other surprises!
We will have everything you need at our aid stations and usually throw in something extra at each event to make it fun. It's not uncommon to see cakes, pies, watermelons, etc… You never know what the surprise will be!
Aid stations are for registered runners only, during the event (not before). Serving is by our volunteers and staff only. Crew members are not to use aid station supplies. Runners and crew are encouraged to have their own supply, especially for particular items or certain diet requirements. You must bring your own cup/hyrdation device.
Drop Bags
You can have a drop bag at all of the aid stations for the 100k and 100 mile distances.
There will be drop bag locations marked at the Elm Lake Pavilion starting Friday at packet pickup. We will take them out to the course at 5:30am Saturday morning.
We will return the drop bags around 3 pm Sunday as we break down the aid stations and leave them at Elm Lake Pavilion for pickup.
Pacers & Crew
100k runners may have a pacer for the final two loops only.
100 milers may have a pacer for the final three loops only.
No pacers allowed in the half marathon or marathon events.
You may only have 1-person pacing you at a time. Pacers can only start/finish at the Main Elm Lake Pavilion Start/Finish after check-in and must be on foot.
Pacers will register on UltraSignup the same way participants register, stay tuned for pacer registration opening by November 15th.
Crew is allowed at any aid station in limited amounts. All of them you will need to shuttle, walk, or bike to access (there is not stopping a vehicle at an aid station). You may access the Sawmill Aid Station via car which you will need to exit the park, go north to Sawmill Road and head West 3 miles. The aid station will be at the end on the right.
Crew, pacer, and support numbers will be limited by vehicle, support for individuals should carpool in a single vehicle. Excessive amounts of vehicles per runner will not be permitted to enter the park (there will be no parking available). All individuals associated with the race, including crew, support, pacers are permitted to ride the parking shuttles in the park for access to Elm Lake pavilion,
Passes, Parking, and Camping
Every person 13 and over entering the park will require a special events state park pass for the weekend which includes park entry, parking shuttle, trail and facility use. This fee goes directly to Brazos Bend State Park. Receipt of digital payment should be shown at packet pickup in exchange for wristbands for the weekend. You may pick up pre-purchased wristbands for others with a digital receipt. All passes are available on the TROT store online.
Family support may enter with annual state park passes at the gate during open park hours. All runners and pacers or anyone entering during unmanned gate hours requires a special events pass purchased via the online store or at packet pickup.
Camping spots must be reserved directly with the State Park online reservation system. There is NO car camping in the parking lots. There is NO night camping at the Elm Lake Pavilions Start/Finish area.
Overflow camping and parking can be found across the street from the park entrance on Beard Rd at the Brazos Bend RV & Mud Park.
SHIRT & 100M HOODIES
The ugly Christmas sweater designs are back for 2023 with a very soft shirt for the marathon and half and awesome hoodies for the ultramarathoners. Extra shirts and other swag will be available at the merchandise table. Thanks to our sponsor Altra and apparel supporter Recover Brands.
MEDALS & BUCKLES
Buckles for 100M and 100k based on finishing time as well as a general finisher buckle.
Woodalions for Half Marathon and Marathon.
COURSE & MAPS
Note that new for 2023 we will be connecting from Elm Lake over to the Nature Center on the Pilant Slough Trail and using a single road crossing to/from a new section around Creekfield Lake. This will help eliminate two-way traffic, remove a road crossing, and make more accurate distance.
100MI: 6 Loops of 16.7mi
Elm Lake Pavilion -> Horseshoe Lakes -> 40 Acre Lake -> Hale Lake with inner oxbow -> Sawmill out-and-back
100KM: 1 small 5mi loop, 4 x 14.2mi Loops (five loops total)
Short Loop: Elm Lake Pavilion -> 40 Acre Lake -> Elm Lake Pavilion
Big Loop: Elm Lake Pavilion -> Horseshoe Lakes -> 40 Acre Lake -> Sawmill out-and-back (same as 100mi minus Hale Lake).
Marathon/Half Marathon: 13.1 mile loop
Big Loop: Elm Lake Pavilion -> 40 Acre Lake -> Sawmill out-and-back.
This route does NOT do Horseshoe Lake or Hale Lake.
SHUTTLE INFORMATION
Saturday:
Two school buses will begin shuttling between the Start/Finish and the parking areas - Nature Center, 40 Acre, and Overflow/HQ) from 4:30 AM to 8:30 AM.
One school bus will continue from 11 AM to 7 PM.
Sunday:
Two school buses will begin shuttling between the Start/Finish and the parking areas - Nature Center, 40 Acre, and Overflow/HQ) from 4:30 AM to 12:30 PM.
One school bus will continue from 5 AM to 3 PM.
Outside of the normal hours above we will have a vehicle for transport by request from Elm Lake.
Note that the Nature Center is a few minutes walk if you prefer not to wait..
VOLUNTEER
Earn future race credits, race swag, free park pass, food, and volunteer hours (as needed). Club support options are available as well for team aid station takeovers.
See more info on our volunteer page: VOLUNTEER WITH TROT
SPONSORS
