Your plan in four answers
Set for January 9, 2027, about 11 weeks out.
- Distances
- 100K, 25K
- Terrain
- Hilly
- Taper starts
- December 22, 2026
Course
The Bandera course
Bandera is run by Tejas Trails in the Hill Country State Natural Area outside Bandera, on a 50 km loop run counterclockwise. The 100K starts Saturday at 7:30 a.m. and covers two laps; the 50K starts Sunday at 8:00 a.m.
Read the full course notes
(with limited non-competitive Saturday slots) and the 25K starts Sunday at 8:30 a.m., sharing the first part of the loop before cutting over after the Equestrian aid station. Each 50K lap brings about 3,300 feet of climbing and the same of descent, about 6,600 feet for the 100K, on technical, rocky trail lined with spiky sotol. The hills are short and steep, and almost all of the course is either up or down; the one real flat stretch is the Race Track near the YaYa aid station. The 100K has a 25-hour limit and counts as a Western States qualifier for finishers under 18 hours, and pacers are allowed after the first lap.
- Terrain
- Hilly
- Distances
- 100K, 25K
- Weather on race day
- January in the Texas Hill Country usually brings cold mornings around 30–40 °F that warm to the high 50s or low 60s by afternoon, often under clear skies. That swing means starting in layers and shedding them by mid-morning, and the open, rocky terrain can feel warm in the sun, so keep drinking even when the start feels chilly. 100K runners should pack warm kit and a headlamp for the second lap after dark.
What to train for
Bandera rewards strong ankles and confident footwork more than raw speed.
Spend as much time as possible on rocky, technical trails, and practise short, steep climbs and descents: 8–12 x 1 minute up a steep hill at hard effort, walking down carefully, then running the descent fast with quick, light steps.
Build long runs that match the climbing rate of about 100 feet per mile: 3–5 hours on hilly trail with 2,000–3,500 feet of gain, power hiking the steepest pitches. Add ankle and hip strength work twice a week, and for the 100K rehearse a night run with your headlamp.
Sample week
A sample Bandera training week
A week from the middle of the build, about six weeks out. Your plan sets the real distances and paces from your own fitness and adjusts them every week as you train.
- Monday
- Rest, or 20 minutes of mobility
- Tuesday Key session
- Hill repeats: 10 × 2 min up a steady grade, jog back down
- Wednesday
- Easy run, 6 mi
- Thursday Key session
- Goal-pace run, 8 mi with 4 mi at race pace
- Friday
- Recovery run, 4 mi, or cross-train
- Saturday Key session
- Long run, 18–20 mi on trail, with as much climbing as you can find
- Sunday Key session
- Second long day, 10–12 mi easy on tired legs
Your build to race day
Taper
Tapering for the Bandera
Start the taper two to three weeks before race day. Cut your weekly volume by about a third, then by half in race week, and keep a few short efforts at race pace so your legs stay sharp. The course is hilly, so keep one short hill session in the first taper week to keep the climbs familiar. With the race on January 9, 2027, your taper starts around December 22, 2026.
Also in Claude
Ask Claude for this plan
Add AthleteSpace to Claude once, then paste this prompt and put in your own numbers.
Build me a training plan for the Bandera Endurance Trail Race (25K) on January 9, 2027. I run [distance] a week, [days] days a week, easy pace [pace].
Bandera training questions
How long should I train for the Bandera?
Most runners give a 100k twenty to twenty-four weeks of focused training on top of an existing base. The plan above counts back from your actual race date, so if you have less time than that it builds the best plan the remaining weeks allow rather than pretending you have longer.
Is the Bandera course hilly?
Hilly. Bandera is run by Tejas Trails in the Hill Country State Natural Area outside Bandera, on a 50 km loop run counterclockwise.
What is the weather usually like at the Bandera?
January in the Texas Hill Country usually brings cold mornings around 30–40 °F that warm to the high 50s or low 60s by afternoon, often under clear skies. That swing means starting in layers and shedding them by mid-morning, and the open, rocky terrain can feel warm in the sun, so keep drinking even when the start feels chilly. 100K runners should pack warm kit and a headlamp for the second lap after dark.
When should I start tapering for the Bandera?
Start the taper two to three weeks before race day. Cut your weekly volume by about a third, then by half in race week, and keep a few short efforts at race pace so your legs stay sharp. The course is hilly, so keep one short hill session in the first taper week to keep the climbs familiar. With the race on January 9, 2027, your taper starts around December 22, 2026.
Do I need an account to get a Bandera training plan?
No. The plan above builds in your browser with no account, no email, and no card. Make a free account only if you want to keep it, log your runs against it, and have the coach keep adapting it as your training goes.