219 Hardy Runners Finish 30th Annual San Juan Solstice

Warm temperatures and at-times gusting wind on the Continental Divide failed to deter hardy endurance runners in last Saturday’s 30th annual running of the 50-mile San Juan Solstice.
In addition to wind and warmth, 292 runners who began the race pre-dawn at 5 a.m. Saturday also contended with a total of seven bracing creek crossings on Alpine Gulch at the race start and, further along on their precipitous trot, slogged through knee-deep patches of snow.
The race concluded in Lake City Town Park at twilight, mere seconds before the mandatory 9 p.m. cutoff, as Megan Davey — the last of the 219 runners who finished the race — was wildly cheered as she sprinted across the finish line.
On her third San Juan Solstice attempt, Davey finished the race just after 8:59 p.m. — a mere nine seconds before the 9 p.m. cutoff — and once again received cheers as she nimbly accepted the Andrew Kuziuk Award at the celebratory awards ceremony on Sunday morning.
Also wildly cheered at both finish line on Saturday afternoon, June 21, and awards Sunday, June 22, was the lineup of three first place men and women Solstice runners, led by Becca Bramley, first among women athletes in the race with a finish time of nine hours, 46.16 minutes, and repeat Solstice contender Ryan Sullivan who was first to cross the Town Park finish line just eight hours, 12.05 minutes after the race start.
Sullivan is a well known sprinter from past San Juan Solstices, the Grand Junction, Colorado, runner also finishing first in 2023, eight hours, 39.17 minutes, and third place among men, time eight hours, 37.32 minutes, in 2022.
Close on Sullivan’s proverbial heels on Saturday were Matthew Vira, second place with eight hours, 38.10 minutes, and third place male finisher — and again a runner intimately acquainted with the Solstice — Carlo Ruibal, with a nine-hour, 3.24-minute finish time.

Ever-exuberant, Ruibal, from Colorado Springs, makes a near-annual appearance at the San Juan Solstice.
Gingerly walking to the podium at Sunday’s awards, first place women’s finisher Becca Bramley was joined by Isabella Poulos, second place among women, finish time 10 hours, 12.15 minutes and, in third position, Kaela Gaylord whose town park finish line time was 10 hours, 25 minutes. Poulus, from Telluride, was also a familiar runner on the Solstice trek, finishing last year’s race in third place, time, 10 hours, 47:35 minutes.
Runners with a local association in Saturday’s Solstice were Logan Rhodes (finish time 11 hours, 34.16 minutes), Wade Wandrey (paced final portion of the run by Sarah Poet, finish time 12 hours, 14 minutes), Maddie McClure (12 hours, 26.48 minutes with pacer and past Solstice competitor Isaac Borchers), sister and brother combo Megan Levine and Bennett Levine (Megan 12.20:31 with boyfriend, Devin Paredes, 10.56:33, and Bennett, paced part of the way by former schoolmate Jaden McNeese, 14.15:03), Journey Fleishman (13.54:17), Gunnison journalist Chris Dickey (11.52:15) and Medical Center EMS Director Avery MacKenzie (13.36:38).
Local runners starting the race but not finishing were Sarah Eby, Seth Withrow, Titus Humphreys, and Patrick Woods.
Top men and women runners were cheered by family and fellow racers who were seated in the park while chowing down on a delicious awards breakfast on Sunday, and amiable announcer Amanda Hartman.
Cheers repeatedly erupted as Hartman categorically coordinated impressive lineups of, first, runners who had crossed the finish line under 10 hours, followed by applauded lineups of runners who finished the race under 12, 13, 14, 15 and, finally, 16 hours.
Hartman also presided for awards presentations on Sunday, including Davey for the Kuziuk Award, Sibling Award to local sister and brother runners Megan Levine and Bennett Levine; Jonathan Shaw who received the Persistence Award for finishing the race despite dislocating his shoulder on Alpine Gulch, and Nicholas Fender who received the coveted Marriage Saver Award after acknowledging running is easier when not accompanied by his wife, Amanda.
During competition for Ugliest Feet Award, Solstice, Inc. Chairman Jerry Gray closely inspected a variety of bruised and bloody feet, torn toenails, etc., before declaring Mike Patrizi the most unfortunate in terms of painful foot injuries.
In addition to custom embroidered Black Diamond jackets, caps and other colorful blind, top winners were presented with custom contour maps of the race route by Olson Designs. 197th place finisher Tom Feore, from Phoenix, Arizona, thoughtfully studied the wood contour map on Sunday, thoughtfully pointing out, “oh, I hated this spot” and, “oh, here’s another spot I especially hated” before concluding that in his mind only the finish was “awesome.”
In accepting their awards, each of the top place men and women finishers were highly complimentary of the well-oiled San Juan Solstice organization for precision and enthusiastic volunteers from start to finish.
Among the seated audience on Sunday was Mark Wing, Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Preservation Officer and leader of the Red Sky Drum Group, from Towaoc near Mesa Verde, Colorado, who spoke at the Solstice runners’ orientation in the Amory on Friday afternoon, June 20, and performed individual aromatic smudge ceremonies for the runners’ benefit.
Wing was accompanied by his wife, Rita Pensoneau-Wing, Mrs. Wing’s brother and sister-in-law, Vincent Jacket and Nelia Naha, and their daughter and granddaughter, Madeline Jacket, 36, and Kaitlin Koinva, 16, who live on the Hopi Reservation near Flagstaff, Arizona.
Madeline Jacket was among the 292 runners who lined up pre-dawn at the start of Saturday’s San Juan Solstice but returned to Lake City with a fellow runner after a severe head to toe dunking in Alpine Gulch. Jacket describes the creek crossing as “shockingly cold” but, on a brighter note, “the scenery was glorious.”
Sixteen-year-old Kaitlin is a champion cross country runner at Hopi High School and was wide-eyed at her mother’s description of chilly Alpine Gulch but, with her mother, vows to return to Lake City and plans to compete in a future San Juan Solstice. During Mark Wing’s remarks at Friday’s runners’ orientation, he noted that Lake City and the Solstice race route are located within ancestral Ute Indian lands and urged runners to be buoyed by the spirits of his Ute ancestors. The spirits of those ancestors, he said, “still remain in these mountains,” Wing advising runners to ignore unexpected sounds or the glimpse of slight movement which they may encounter while running.
Wing and the Red Sky Drum Group return to Lake City as part of the town’s 150th anniversary celebrations on August 16 this year and at Trustee Henry Woods’ suggestion will perform a Snow Dance in Lake City Park.
At last Friday’s Armory orientation for runners, race organizer Jerry Gray asked for a show of hands from past race participants. The apparent record was Fruita, Colorado, runner Kyle Stone who was the sole hand raised when Gray asked for runners dating back 15 or more years.
Stone, who was in Lake City with his wife, Lori, said his first San Juan Solstice was in 2003 following an initial introduction to Lake City dating back to 1972 when he rented a 4-wheel jeep from Bob and Linda Matthews.
Stone was looking ahead to his 16-year-anniversary but began to feel unwell just after the Carson aid station and withdrew from the race. He told race organizer Jerry Gray “sometimes you’ve got it and sometimes you don’t.”
A positive for Stone, however, is that he definitely plans to return to run in the 2026 San Juan Solstice.
On behalf of SILVER WORLD, Gianna Morera and Jodi Linsey conducted interviews with locals and top place finishers, as follows:
Ryan Sullivan First Place Winner 34 year old Grand Junction resident Ryan Sullivan was greeted by family, friends, and canine companion as he ran into first place with a time of 8.12:05.
This is his second win and the fourth time he has run the SJS50. When questioned immediately following his victory, Ryan stated that the Solstice Race is his favorite race, citing the stunning beauty and great town volunteers. The moment that stood out on the course was a close call at being over taken by second place finisher. The moment was the subject of much lively discussion between the Grand Junction contingency as they recuperated under the same tent.
Second Men’s Matthew Vira said that although this was his first race of the season he feels that his time training at altitude led him to put in his best performance above timberline. He particularly loved the snow along the Continental Divide. Matthew took a moment to offer some advice to aspiring runners, “Do your miles, work your strides, and you’re 80 percent to your goal.”

Carlos Ruibal, a Colorado native now living in Colorado Springs, is a lifelong runner and eight- time Solstice participant.
Ruibal was the third-fastest overall finisher at the 2025 race with a time of 9:03.21. His affinity for running began as a kid collecting firewood with the family on trails in Del Norte and continued on through his school years where he was a competitive track and cross-country athlete. Since turning to ultra running after graduating from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Carlos has stayed active with 50 mile and 100 mile races across the Mountain West.
In seven of his eight Solstice races, he has been a top ten finisher, and a top three finisher four times, including this year. With so much experience on the San Juan Solstice trail, Carlos has developed a good sense of where to burn his matches and where to ease up.

“I struggle with the downhills,” admits Rubial. “The race is typically decided going down into Slum and down after the climb at Vickers. If you’re strong on those downhills, you can do really well.” Ruibal’s 2025 racing season will continue with the Run Rabbit Run ultramarathon in Steamboat Springs this September.
Asked if he’ll be returning to Lake City for a ninth go at the Solstice, he said with a laugh, “Man, when I finish I’m like ‘ohh, never again,’ but I just finished my eighth one so, we’ll see…”
This year’s first place female finisher, 29-year-old Becca Bramley, made it through the banner at Town Park with an impressive time of 9:46.16.
Though a newcomer to the San Juan Solstice, Becca is no stranger to ultramarathons. She got off to an auspicious start in 2019 when she placed first among the female runners and ninth overall at the Sage Burner Trail Race 50k in Gunnison.
Contrary to what the non-runners among us may believe, Bramley says that longer races allow her to get into more of a flow state than a relatively shorter run. “50ks are really fast, but what I love about 50 miles and 100ks is that you don’t need to go so fast right off the bat,” she observes. “You can kind of get into a good rhythm.”
She credits her success at the 2025 San Juan Solstice to consistent nutrition and taking advantage of water crossings to stay cool and refreshed in the summer heat. Energy gels and hydration boosters provided a steady intake of easily digestible carbs and electrolytes, both crucial for fueling endurance athletes.
As a resident of Durango, the San Juan Mountains are Becca’s home turf and training grounds. “It was beautiful. The wildflowers were really cool. Being up high was amazing,” she said. Running through the high country surrounding Lake City afforded her different views of familiar sites like Red Mountain, which she can also see from home. The last part of the race on hot asphalt was hard going, but didn’t tarnish Becca’s appreciation for the experience.
“I’m not gonna lie, that last part on the road had me asking myself, ‘when are we done?’, but I actually really liked the descent. I really enjoyed the course.”

Isabella Poulos, women’s second place, is a resident of Telluride. She seemed to hardly be out of sorts as she caught up with her crew of fellow runners and supporters from the Telluride area. Isabella started out as a dancer in high school but moved to trail running for more of a challenge. Now she participates in five or six ultra runs a year. She laughed about the way the wind caught her trekking poles in the buffeting winds atop a ridge just after sunrise.
At 26 years old and with only one other ultramarathon under her belt, Kaela Gaylord was very pleased with her finishing time of 10:25.00, which made her the third female to complete the 2025 Solstice race.
How is she feeling at the finish line? “After running 50 miles, better than expected!”
For Gaylord, running is a social sport, and a great excuse to do her favorite thing – adventuring in the mountains. She grew up in Colorado Springs before moving out of state for college and began running casually while living in Vermont. It was only when she returned to Colorado and landed in Leadville that she entered the world of ultra running to keep up with her friends, including second place men’s runner Matthew Vira. “I love being outside. Just being outside is really great and I get to hang out with my friends when I run in town, so that’s sort of why I picked it up.” While she doesn’t have any more races lined up for this season, she says she’d love to return for a future Solstice.
Gaylord and some fellow participants noted how much they enjoy the small town feel of the race and the enthusiasm and engagement from the Lake City community. “I think the town does a really great job of keeping things local,” she shared, as opposed to other races that feel more commercial or like an inconvenience to the host city. Adventure-loving Kaela even partook in a whiskey shot at the final aid station at Vickers Ranch, a divisive choice among the runners. “It’s calories, right?”
Maddie McClure (time – 12 hours, 26 minutes, 48 seconds), was paced by her boyfriend, Isaac Borchers, and was met by an ecstatic group of locals and visitors as she crossed the finish line. One of her friends took the opportunity to present her with a sign stating that “Therapy Was Also an Option.”
Megan Levine (time – 12 hours, 20 minutes, 31 seconds), ran into thunderous applause from her extended family, with plenty of time to refresh herself and relax before greeting her younger brother Bennett Levine (time – 14 hours, 15 minutes, one second), as he finished his first Solstice Race.

• Ryan Sullivan, bib number 251, 8 hours, 12.05 minutes
• Matthew Vira, 270, 8 hours, 38.10 minutes
• Carlos Rubial, 221, 9 hours, 3.24 minutes
• Drew Antonisse, 10, 9.12:43
• Ryan Smith, 239, 9.18:59
• Timothy Shepard, 233, 9.38.21
• Seth Wealing, 280, 9.41:35
• Van Wallace, 274, 9.42:47
• Murphy Jeason, 173, 9.44:21
• Becca Bramley, 33, 9 hours, 46.16 minutes
• Max Robinson, 213, 9.46:21
• Jeff Hern, 112, 9.50:05
• Brian Babyak, 14, 10.06:32
• Matt Lenagh, 145, 10.08:33
• Alex Kellman, 133, 10.09:34
• Isabella Poulos, 200, 10 hours, 12.15 minutes
• Brian Peterson, 192, 10.17:42
• Taylor Ross, 217, 10.20:39
• Jessee Rosales, 216, 10.22:41
• Kaela Gaylord, 95,10 hours, 25.00 minutes
• Matthew Bernard, 23, 10.25:00
• Mason Osgood, 182, 10.25:08
• Jeff Randall, 207, 10.28:30
• Nathan Haley, 106, 10.30:35
• Dylan Baldassari, 16, 10.30:35
• Robert Kehoe, 132, 10.37:12
• Steve Doll, 69, 10.51:36
• Ryan Kaiser, 129, 10.52:04
• Ted Schultz, 228, 10.53:24
• Cullen Weisbrod, 282, 10.53:45
• Devin Paredes, 185, 10.56:33
• Caitlin Jones, 128, 11.03:55
• Alex Harris, 109, 11.16:14
• Katie Kammer, 130, 11.17:23
• Nikki LaRochelle, 140, 11.20:42
• Jessee Rickert, 211, 11.24:05
• Grant Roper, 215, 11.25:07
• Steph Nicols, 178, 11.26:28
• Zachary Alexander, 2, 11.26:50
• Codie Muthig, 175, 11.29:03
• Jeremy Gilbertson, 98, 11.29:08
• William Kent, 134, 11.33:30
• David Stuart, 250, 11.33:51
• Logan Rhodes, 11 hours, 34.16 minutes
• Joseph Deptula, 64, 11.37:20
• Mickey Davis, 59, 11.37:20
• Garrett English, 75, 11.38:19
• Byron Yoder, 297, 11.41:24
• Justin Andrade, 9, 11.42:50
• Mari Gobitz, 100, 11.45:05
• Ian Giocopuzzi, 96, 11.46:51
• Charles Andre, 15, 11.50:05
• James Neilson, 176, 11.50:09
• Chris Dickey, 66, 11 hours, 52.15 minutes
• Ryan McKinley, 166, 11.52:21
• Jack Wilkinson, 287, 11.55:25
• Sarah Ostaszewski, 183, 11.56:17
• Kelsey Lakwowske, 138, 12.03:23
• Josh Brink, 35, 12.11:48
• Charles Mayer, 158, 12.12:47
• Wade Wandrey, 276, 12 hours, 14.00 minutes
• Andrew Poland, 199, 12.17.34
• Jeff Dolan, 68, 12.17:49
• Ben Lefevre, 143, 12.18.48
• Jeffrey Arbeit, 12, 12.12:19
• Megan Levine, 146, 12 hours, 20:31 minutes
• Erik Born, 29, 12.24:34
• Ben Thieme, 258, 12.25:07
• Jeff Rice, 209, 12.26:25
• Tyler Hudson, 301, 12.26:26
• Scott Big, 269, 12.26:31
• Madalyn McClure, 163, 12 hours, 26.48 minutes
• Leora Wallace, 275, 12.33:14
• Dustin Simoens, 236, 12.35:09
• Kevin Kaucher, 131, 12.36:10
• Whitney Barrett, 19, 12.36:11
• Vince Mazzuca, 159, 12.36:15
• Kelly Brophy, 38, 12.37:23
• James Fenwick, 81, 12.39:49
• David Bisenius, 24, 12.44:28
• Mallory Brooks, 37, 12.46:13
• Cameron Rickard, 210, 12.46:50
• Paul Doyle, 71, 12.47:38
• Clinton Straughen, 247, 12.48:50
• Sean Hoolister, 118, 12.53:41
• Aaron Gonzales, 101, 12.53:41
• James Roach, 40, 12.58:26
• Joel Shores, 234, 13.00:09
• Andrew Johnson, 125, 13.00.36
• Richard Czaikowski, 55, 13.00:37
• Vince Casboro, 299, 13.01:20
• Cory Linfield, 149, 13.02:57
• Scott Hanley, 108, 13.03:23
• Dan Barger, 18, 13.04:05
• Jonathan Shaw, 232, 13.06:28
• Truman McGee, 164, 13.11:16
• Austin Buhnerkemper, 41, 13.13:22
• Alexandra Schlavoni, 224, 13.13:29
• Dan Yeager, 296, 13.14:19
• Zach King, 212, 13.14:41
• David Regan, 154, 13.15:48
• Ali Tanguay, 255, 13.21:02
• Matt Simmons, 235, 13.21:26
• Julia Connors, 50, 13.23:25
• Kenny Garner, 94, 13.26:43
• Stan Ferguson, 83, 13.28:44
• Ashish Premkumar, 202, 13.30:58
• Mike Aparicio, 11, 13.33:58
• Bryan Williams, 288, 13.34:25
• Jeff Burks, 42, 13.33:58
• Mark Smith, 238, 13.34:05
• Kayla Moden, 170, 13.34:35
• Teddy Jamieson, 123, 13.36:00
• Avery MacKenzie, 153, 13 hours, 36:38 minutes.
• Janae Pritchett, 203, 13.38:18
• Mike Patrizi, 187, 13.39:19
• Alex Beckman, 22, 13.40:52
• Scott Ortlip, 181, 13.41:20
• Jay Hunt, 120, 13.42:42
• Rowan Henke, 111, 13.42:59
• Kian Hartley, 110, 13.42:59
• Jeff Pierce, 194, 13.45:47
• James Webber, 281, 13.46:33
• Ryan Plantz, 197, 13.47:13
• Darcey Piceu, 193, 13.47:38
• Joshua Gonzales, 102, 13.47:40
• Jon Teisher, 257, 13.48:00
• Alicia Sutphin, 253, 13.48:00
• Jon Teisher, 257, 13.48:00
• Kylie Collins, 49, 13.49:21
• Jay Meservy, 168, 13. 49:45
• Bryce Mackino, 171, 13.50:42
• Amir Erpz, 76, 13.52.22
• Rich Desch, 65, 13.52.46
• Journey Fleishman, 86, 13 hours, 54.17 minutes
• Cristal Hibbard, 114, 13.55:59
• Jon Wheeler, 285, 13.57:52
• Liz Weiss, 284, 13.58:21
• John Sharp, 231, 13.58:58
• Shawn Walker, 273, 14.00:38
• Savannah Perdue, 190, 14.00:48
• Daniel Hickstein, 300, 14.03:43
• Kylie Rowed, 219, 14.06:19
• Chris Dobbins, 67, 14.06:35
• Kenny Jolley, 126, 14.08:33
• Luke Kernell, 139, 14.10:52
• Will Anderson, 8, 14.12.49
• Braden Snead, 241, 14.13:47
• Bill Cottrell, 51, 14.13:55
• Dalton Barton, 20, 14.14:19
• Tina Anderson, 6, 14.14:58
• Nicolette Schoenfeldt, 226, 14.15:01
• Bennett Levine, 147, 14 hours, 15.01 minutes
• Kent Warlick, 278, 14.18.21
• Craig Bingham, 39, 14.21:49
• Jesse Sweeney, 254, 14.22:20
• Abigail Otoski, 184, 14.22:22
• Jason Morgan, 172, 14.23:36
• Rick Hessek, 113, 14.23:31
• Maya Ramsay, 206, 14.23:54
• Sage Galloway, 92, 14.26:17
• Matthew Bandelier, 17, 14.28:05
• Dan Findley, 84, 14.28:21
• Carlos Solomon, 244, 14.28:56
• Justin Wright, 295, 14.30:04
• Nicholas Fender, 80, 14.31:21
• Madeline Bochlke, 26, 14.32:34
• John Chapman, 48, 14.35:09
• John Fegyveresi, 79, 14.37:00
• Jake Buzaid, 43, 14.39:03
• Katherine Lemasters, 11, 14.39:03
• Jody Nelson, 177, 14.39:53
• Jason Doyle, 70, 14.44:10
• Ryan DeVries, 60, 14.44:10
• Peter Solis, 243, 14.05:20
• Daniel Long, 151, 14.47:19
• Lindsay Brisko, 36, 14.47:47
• Clay Mansfield, 157, 14.49:43
• Coryanne Mansfield, 156, 14.51:35
• Miranda Williamson, 289, 14.51:41
• Jacob Rowberry, 218, 14.52:11
• Walker Llewellyn, 150, 14.53:10
• Josh Bonkowsky, 27, 14.53:37
• Miranda Baker, 21, 14.55:31
• Tom Ralph, 205, 14.57:51
• Andrew Frieder, 90, 14.58:46
• Jack Schultz, 22, 15.00:15
• Jackson Tomchek, 259, 15.01:31
• Pete Miller, 169, 15.01:57
• Jeff Strickland, 248, 15.04:55
• Matt Flaherty, 85, 15.05:50
• Sawyer Johnson, 124, 15.06:29
• Brian Sullivan, 252, 15.08:35
• Ivan Kriakov, 137, 15.11:33
• Amanda Bonnie, 28, 15.12:11
• Ben Lewis, 148, 15.16:30
• Becca Hadeed, 105, 15.21:18
• Tom Feore, 82, 15.27:15
• James Carpenter, 45, 15.28:08
• Leonard Strnad, 249, 15.28:34
• Derek Taussig, 256, 15.29:00
• Eric Whewell, 286, 15.31:38
• Corrie Cupples-Wiley, 54, 15.34:18
• Brian Emmons, 74, 15.34:33
• Ron Dean, 62, 15.34:34
• Nicole Fox, 88, 15.35:15
• Genevieve Trettel, 261, 15.35:55
• Diego Plata, 198, 15.36:47
• Shannon Meredith, 167, 15.37:19
• Justin McCaffrey, 161, 15.41:21
• Kyle Gamba, 176, 15.42:09
• Scott Gilpin, 99, 15.42:09
• Kaden Anderson, 5, 15.44:27
• Thomas Gannon, 93, 15.47:35
• Chris Roche, 214, 15.47:35
• Thomas Gannon, 93, 15.47:36
• Jason Denton, 63,15.52:07
• Lindsay Deacon, 61, 15.56:12
• Matthew Wimmer, 291, 15:57:01
• Ben Dailey, 56, 15.57:53
• Megan Davey, 58, 15.59:51
• Lake City Paramedic Brad Jones snapped these photos of bright-eyed San Juan Solstice runners as they lined up on Silver Street for the start of the race at 5 a.m. Saturday, June 21.
• At start, a total of 292 runners lined up for start of race, with 219 runners finishing the Solstice prior to 9 p.m. cutoff Saturday.
• No. 251, pictured in orange and yellow, far left, is Ryan Sullivan who would complete the 50-mile mountain race in first place after continuous eight hours, 12.05