Solstice Slog IV

So this idea of a run that hits several of the local establishments that first started in 2013 has continued on for its fourth year.  Each year gets a little bigger in regards to participation.  We had as many as 18 folks in the mix this year.

Thankfully, nobody lost their phone or got stuck in trying to climb a link fence or was hit by a car (it was close) or passed out in a bathroom.  There was a dog found and returned to its an owner, a pull up contest where a Nolans finisher could not do a single pull up, and a showing of donkeys.  The round trip of 20 miles and 7 stops was finished by four.  Along the way there was the usual good dishing of trash talk, laughs, surges, discussion on how I have an old man stride, consideration of next summer race plans and memory of races long ago. 

I feel pretty fortunate to know so many wonderful people that I can share some miles and beverages with.  Chatter is that there could be a summer edition of this event, but it seems the desire there is with less miles but more stops per mile.  Hoo boy.

Tuesday 10NOV15

Mid day – I met up with Shad and Bob.  Easy they said.  8 minute pace at the fastest they said.  This is what I saw as I was running low sevens. 
Sunsabeeches … but good smack talk and catching up.  Even some chatter if the solstice insanity will come back around this year.  8.8 miles.

Evening … headed out with TZ for a bit and ran into Ray and did some with him.  2.8 miles.  Running into Ray on the same day may be the universe telling me that I need to do the solstice thing after all.

Wednesday 040115

How long do you think it is before we see this sort of thing in Boulder OSMP?

You’d think without running yesterday I’d have a suppressed appetite.  It was the opposite and I seemed to eat the doors off the cabinets.  I slept well though.  At least I thought I did.  But I did feel like a lug today.  Go figure.

Mid afternoon – got out on Death Hill – that is what I call my little local stupid steep hill here -- and did 10x on it.  I thought maybe going into it I’d do 20 but my stomach was catching up to me (remember all that overeating?) and the shoes I was wearing were rubbing my lawn mower foot funny after a bit so I threw the towel in (gladly) at 10.  Swung back home (which brought me to five miles), played the porcelain punisher, changed shoes, did a quick business call and headed back out.

I was just chugging through the hill – nuthin’ super hard but just up and down keeping steady.  Apparently I ran about the same I did as I did last June, but a little faster.  Not expecting that, but I will take it.  As this is a good local hill crank, I will revisit, and look to up the ante both in terms of time and count.  The 5 mile loop with the repeats on this hill amount to just over a 1000 feet.

The weather had changed dramatically in my rest period and the winds had really picked up. 


It was one of those winds where you could feel the bits of dirt hitting you in the face, on the arms and legs.  I saw Ray off in the distance, chased him down and ran with him for a bit.  It was good to catch up on Leadman, what he is up to, etc. Second loop was good for 6.1 so 11.1 on the day.

Sunday 122114

Apparently this solstice thing of a long run where we visit several establishments of fermented repute is interesting and fun enough that we decided to do it again.

Six souls started the Second Annual (and I still think the last ever) Solstice Grog Slog, celebrating days now get longer, a good solid long run (with ridiculous surges in pace just show we can try to move a little bit), and local microbreweries.  The whole thing is only a thing because of the laughs had along the way and the smack talk delivered throughout.

No need to name the parties here  … if you know em, you know em.

Post – full house a buzzin’ even on a Sunday AM.  They do a brunch that is apparently quite popular.

Liquid Mechanics – they opened a bit early for us.  New place with a great vibe and good brew.

Crystal Springs – they opened for us.  They in fact were going to be closed but when they got word we were coming, they decided to let us have in.  We even picked up a cyclist.
Three of these would probably be a good day in terms of mileage and beverage, but that only is the half way point.  The haul back down to places down south packed up another half dozen miles pretty quick.

Four Noses – someone got their 365th on the year, and more fun support started coming out.

A few shots from the guy who is way better with the camera than me and has a kick ass beard.
Next stop was a short jaunt over the rarely visited Westminster Brewery.  More shots from the good photog.
Had a good crew in tow now

Finished (well sort of, we still ran back to my place afterwards) with the stop over at Big Choice, and just escaped the rain that then came in.


My watch put the day at 30 plus miles.  That might be a bit high.  It was certainly north of 20 though.  A good run, a lot of fun with good guys.  Thanks to all of you that came out and shared a few miles and picked up a round. Thanks to TZ and the crew that swung through with us at several points to make sure we were still breathing.