San Juan Solstice 50 miler 2.0

Race week; somewhere during this week they announced that the course would be the usual course and that we should prepare for lots of snow and high creek crossings.  The creeks are on the first climb, you climb 4500 feet and cross the creek 7 times.
6/23/15 - Ran the 6 mile loop and 2 mile cool down.
6/27/15 - San Juan Solstice 50m
We got out to Colorado on Thursday and drove to Lake City, where the race is headquartered.  Lake City sits at abut 8600ft elevation.  We hung out and tried to stay hydrated for the high elevation adventures that we had in store.
Coming out to do this race in 2013 gave me the impression that I should be able to run quite a bit better than the 12:37 I ran that year.  I felt good and my training was going great.
The race starts with a gradual climbs up a dirt road before heading off on the Alpine Gulch trail that climb climb climbs.
Due to the rapid snow melt the race had volunteers at each of the 7 creek crossings.  At the deepest ones they had rope assists.  I think it was the 3rd one where I went down waist deep and by the 4th my feet were frozen and numb.  Things came back to life as we climbed up to 13000 for the first time.  Once to the top the course rolls up and down before a huge 4000+ft drop into William's Creek Campground at mile 16.  I started to think something was off as I descended down to the campground and began getting passed by a number of people.  The legs didn't want to turn over like I thought they should.
At the campground they had the 2nd Water Stop set up.  I met Gina and refilled my water before heading out on a gravel road that would take us to the Wager Gulch Jeep Road and up to the Continental Divide.  Gina hung with me for about 3.5 miles before the course became too steep.  This is the second spot that I felt like something was off.  When things got to their steepest I didn't feel like I had the usual power I have for steep hiking.
At AS #3 you can use a drop bag.  This is where you decide to take your winter gear up to the divide.  From year's past you can experience any sort of weather to roll in, from heavy snow with zero visibility to hail and lightening.  This year looked to be a good one so I took a small packable jacket, a buff and gloves and headed up up up.  I really hit a wall on this 13 mile divide section.  Physically I felt good but just couldn't make my legs run for any length of time without taking a break and hiking.  I still don't know if it was the elevation or something else or a combination of the two.  Somewhere in there I decided the race was over and it was time to just enjoy the scenery and time on the trail.  From then on I didn't pay any attention to my watch and just made consistent forward progress.
The day ended with me running a little over 13 hours and enjoying a great day in the high Colorado Mtns.  Gina didn't get to run this one due to an injury, so we'll have to go back sometime.  That may be my opportunity to put it all together for a decent run and time.  You can't beat running in the San Juan Mtns.  I recommend it to anyone wanting a rocky mtn experience.

I took a bunch of pics and have them uploaded here - https://www.facebook.com/josh.gilbert.31/media_set?set=a.10204464627718609.1073741839.1319401914&type=3 

It's been awhile, let's catch up III - Road to the San Juan Solstice 50Miler

There are now two months until the San Juan Solstice.  Particular attention needs to be focused on recovering, ramping up mileage and then tapering.

5/1/15 - Marked the Trail Nut Course at Falling Creek Park for 3 miles
5/2/15 - Cleaned up the course for another 3 miles
5/3/15 - Ran Peakwood and Chestnut Ridge Loop for a 10 miler.
Total for the week following Promise Land - 16 miles

5/5/15 - Ran the 6 mile loop and 1.5 mile cool down.
              Ran another 4.4 in five fingers at night.
5/6/15 - Ran 6.25 miles in a downpour in the neighborhood and greenway.
5/8/15 - Ran a warmup and did a MAF test - Running at a 142 HR I ran the following mile splits on the track - 7:19, 7:40, 7:41, 7:49, 7:50.  Not that good.  Times not only were high but got substantially slower.  Normally my pace holds steady for the 5 miles.  Total run was 10 miles.
5/9/15 - Ran 9.5.  Did the 6 mile loop and winding way.
5/10/15 - Ran 13.5 cleaning up many of the trails of the CtC 25k course.
Total for the week;  51.1 miles running

This week I'll be headed out of town for Continuing Education to the Homestead and will have a tough time getting in miles.
5/12/15 - Ran the 6 mile loop and 2 mile cool down
5/13/15 - Ran 10.5 on the Bridge Street Loop
5/15/15 - After work on Thursday I decided to run from 220-311 starting at 7pm.  This was a nice run but got a little fatigued toward the end.  Made for a long day but good training.
5/16/15 - Cycled from the Homestead to Lake Moomaw and back for a 28.5 mile hilly ride.
Total for the week; 38.5 miles running and 28.5 cycling

5/18/15 - I purchased the BSX Insight lactate threshold measuring device and did my first test tonight on the treadmill for 5 miles.
5/19/15 - 8 miles running the 6 mile loop and cooldown.
                Ran another 4.6 miles of the fishburn loop that night.
5/20/15 - Ran 10.75 on the bridge street loop.
5/22/15 - Ran 6 miles on Dragon's Tooth
                Mtn Biked on N. Mtn for 11.25
5/23/15 - Ran the Lewis Gale Loop for 11.25
5/24/15 - James ran with me for a birthday long run of Greenway, Woodthrush, Chestnut Ridge, Fern Park and then Greenway back home.
Total for the week; 66 miles running and 11.25 mtn biking
This was a big week and everything feels good.  

This was going to be a stressful week of setting up for the Conquer the Cove races and timing the Roanoke City Triathlon on Saturday.  Not sure what I was thinking but everything went well.
5/26/15 - Ran the 6 mile loop and 2 mile cool down
                Cycled to Green Hill Park and back for 19 miles
5/27/15 - Bridge Street loop 10 miler
5/29/15 - Conquer the Cove course marking for 27 miles
Total for the week;  18 miles running, 27 mtn biking and 19 cycling

This is the last building week for the SJS50, then I'll go into taper mode for 3 weeks.  I was getting reports about how much snow was on the course and that they may need to do the snow route.  Reports were that they couldn't get to the Continental Divide due to waist deep snow.
6/1/15 - Ran 5 miles on the treadmill doing a lactate threshold test and 1.5 on the stepmill
6/2/15 - ran the 6 mile loop and 2 mile cool down
6/3/15 - Greenway run without Bridge Street for 9.6 miles
6/5/15 - Ran 21.5 up Poage Valley Ext to Poor mtn and back
6/6/15 - Ran 5.85 from home and on the Fishburn loop
6/7/15 - Ran 14.1 from Day Creek, up to the BRP, AT, Spec Mines, and back up and down BHG.
Total for the week; 65.5 miles running

6/9/15 - Ran the 6 mile loop and 2 mile cool down.
              Cycled the Roselawn loop.  Up Roselawn, down cotton hill, Keagy, Apperson and back home.
6/10/15 - Bridge Street 10 miler
6/12/15 - Ran 6.75 in Fishburn Park
6/13/15 - Ran 6.75 on Mill Mountain for our RNUTS social
6/14/15 - Ran the Elevator Shaft loop trying to get in less miles but lots of steep vert - 8 miles.
Total for the week;  39.5 miles running

6/16/15 - 8.15 miles running the 6 mile loop and cool down.
6/17/15 - 9.3 miles on the bridge street loop.
6/20/15 - 9.4 miles of running in the hood and fishburn
6/21/15 - Random hood running for 7.6
Total for the week;  34.45 miles running