My 100k race before my big summer races was cancelled because of the huge snowstorm and I wanted something to give me peace of mind, but didn't want to pay/taper/recover for another race so I decided to do another FKT. LCW is pretty much my backyard and I love the shorter Goose Creek Loop so I decided to do the larger one unsupported. I contacted Allisa who currently holds the unsupported FKT and let her know my plans and we chatted about it a bit. I got up on Sunday, drove out to the trailhead and started the adventure! I'm very familiar with all but about 10-12 miles of this loop so it was pretty straightforward, but unsupported is HARD. I kept getting squirreled by views and thoughts and the new to me sections of the loop and there were moments I had to remind myself I was supposed to be pushing myself. The high point of the loop was amazing - just when you think you've experienced all the terrain Colorado has to offer, it dropped that in my lap and I spent a bit too much time just looking around!
I saw a few random people in the beginning, quite a few in the middle and a few people at the end but I ran this solo and that again brings an element of safety/self preservation that supported doesn't have when you either have someone with you, or someone waiting for you at some point. I relied on my inreach to send messages to my family that I was still alive and just focused on the miles. Honestly it went by really fast. I filtered water around mile 22 I think and that was it. Took photos at most of the trail junction signs and by the end I was ready to be done. Overall this loop is amazing - as said before I've done the shorter one in Spring, Summer and Fall and it just doesn't disappoint any time of the year. I've been thankful the traffic out at LCW has remained somewhat small but it seems since the pandemic that has changed and there are more people out there - I hope they take care of it, it's just a great wilderness area!