My nine-year old is good at chess, so he would appreciate the metaphor ...

Anyway, I have been much less active lately on the forum (and training) due to work (and an ankle injury) over the last 5 weeks or so.

The result is that my training for some supposed cycling event this Saturday, and especially a 50-mile trail run the following Saturday (Marin Ultra Challenge), are woefully inadequate. Assuming it is not 100+ degrees (it was last year), I can probably muddle through the cycling event. The 50-miler seems doubtful to me, and the result would likely be depressing.

That is fine, except I was counting on that 50-miler as Leadville 100 test, so it leaves me in a quandary.

In my fantasy life I would run the Leadville Silver Rush 50 on July 14, but I am not sure that is in the cards. I do not see many other 50-mile races in the time frame (first two weeks of July)

Opinions from the peanut gallery welcome ...

Why is the Silver Rush off the table? I would strongly suggest running that race prior to the LT100 if at all possible. If you're concerned about your fitness for a 50 miler in June, you should really be thinking hard about your preparedness for Leadville in August. It's a huge leap from 50 to 100 and Leadville is hard enough without having a head full of doubt. The Silver Rush would really help isolate where your weaknesses may be for the race in August.

 

So says the peanut gallery.

Lace,

More of a cost and time-off issue. I can see if we can squeeze the funds (time-off is harder). If it is a Sunday run, perhaps I can do it on the weekend.

Without going too much into detail as to the background:

I was in shape for a 50-miler in April ... did well, at least for me. Two weeks later I set a PR on probably the toughest double century in CA, if not the nation. Then, the wheels fell off for May through injury (ankle) and lack of training time. Not the best time to tackle a very tough double century this weekend (200 miles with 16,000 feet of steep climbing), and then do a very hilly 50 the next weekend. If I had a horrible run I think my motivation would tank unless I can convince myself it is just a nice training run, which may be hard to do.

Silver Rush would be great and if I cannot get myself turned back around by then, it's pretty much over in terms of doing the 100 this year ...

I will just mention as you may have read that I completed a 70 mile ultra basically with little more than hobby jogging during late April and May. So while your training may be down as long as your injury is healed and does not rear it's ugly head you likely have the fitness to move forward with your plans.