An hour-half out, two & a half back — day’s commute to Greenland Trail in Larkspur (whole lot faster cutting thru Denver at 4am).  Ironically, third time at this little trail run north of Colorado Springs. 25K twice; never finished all 4 loops of the 50K event.  Fair weather/sun-exposed/cold & windy — never know what ya gonna get in fringe season… not winter, not yet summer.

Arrived an hour early; bib pickup, strategically filled my pack for a full day of trail — electrolytes, water, snacks.  Beautiful pink sunrise.  Only miss — forgot gloves.  Arm sleeves pulled over the hands would have to do.  Fingers numbed but overall, wind jacket & sleeves got the job done.

100+ runners on single-track trail with long gaps of runnable ATV road.  Done the distance, vert miles & elevation — it’d be mental today.  Previous fail so once the sufferfest begins, doubt creeps in.  Plan A… imprint new memories.  Use recent run success/history/tactics to re-write the doubt.

Met a 100-mile finisher, David, this day.  Tag.  He’d certainly finish 50K.  I’d bang out a couple laps plus gather info/strategy for my own 100-mile attempt this September.  Wind picked up — 50 mph gusts — & I pushed on.  Lap 3, furthest I’d ever previously managed on this course.  Just a mile in & an overwhelming confidence returned.  Gonna finish this lap AND the final 8-mile loop as well.

3K feet of vert, altitude thousands of feet higher than my Colorado hometown.  And... for those final 8 miles of trail, SUNSHINE ☀️  2nd Colorado finish in two weeks & another 50K.

Dog walk/shower/intake calories/early to bed.  I’ve got a 4am bus to catch in Fort Collins.  The Colorado Marathon.  Place where I finished my first 50 State journey in 2016.  Whoop whoop!

Marathon weekend only half over!  May the Fourth be with you! 😆

Greenland Trail 50K