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.

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.

Wednesday 071812

 Tim has posted his race report from HR.  And Sean’s crew report with a bunch of photos.  Oh yeah, be sure to check out the real HR cafe.  And check out the post race interview with Joe G and Dakota.

I can say that the race did get in my head a bit.  On Monday, folks were doing the obligatory, “hey how was your weekend?” question.  I sort of wanted to say “well I had this natural experience that was equivalent to doing peyote, drinking a fifth of bourbon, and BASE jumping at the same time.”  But you know, folks don’t get that.  You just say, “yeah, had a good time in the mountains.  Thanks.  You?  Oh you went to a Rockies game?  Awesome.”   And then I poked around a bit later in the day looking at qualifying races for that nutbag event – going back and forth between saying “yeah, I can do this” to “you told yourself you would not do this without training for it” to “are you really going to screw yourself this way?”

100s are hard.  Maybe there are folks that they ain’t hard for, but for 99% of the mortals here on planet Earth they are really really hard.  And that is their allure.  You do them because you don’t know if you can.  Even if you know you can, you know you are going to get a baseball bat to the teeth with the challenge along the way.  So there is a draw to me to do that as crazy as that sounds.  But I am also cognizant of the drain they can have on you.  I am not ready to make those sort of sacrifices with the other choices I have made in my life.  And I am not a big fan of the overhead they require from other people in terms of them taking care of you before, during and after the event.  In illogical contrast to that, I really dig being the person who helps people on these journeys.

HR is certainly put some silly seed in my head, but hopefully it takes a while to germinate.

3 things you should bring on an ultra but most folks don’t.  Zantec?

While I was scurrying around in the San Juans, JZ was off canoeing with this Scout pals.

Shaking my head still at the nuttiness with the bike race.  But that is not even as close to stupid as is what Bill Lee is dealing with at Laughing Valley Ranch.  Then there is of course this disappointing decision.

Afternoon 7.5, 1 hour.  Hot.

Evening, 5.5 miles.  45 minutes.  Slow.

Wednesday 071112

Off to Silverton today.  Karl posted odds which includes Tim, so he will undoubtedly be freaking about that. 

Do I have enough gels?

Did I really sign up to hang out with these nut jobs all weekend?

The view for most the day

Great, we are here.  Now what?
 
Question answered …
  
A new rock.

Some guy that has won some 30 something 100s and Footfeathers

I guess we better figure out where we are going

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