January Running

Badwater 267VR:

I am determined to have an amazing year full of positive changes, and fun adventures! I wanted something big and challenging to kick off 2024, and I found the perfect thing. I entered the Badwater 267 Virtual Challenge. You have to run, walk, hike, or snowshoe 267 miles in the month of January. That total is all three Badwater races combined. It averages out to be about 8.5 miles a day, or 65ish miles per week. I was 100% in, and I loved it! The animals even got in on it, and I walked them about 65 miles in January. I had let myself go a lot the last few months of 2023, so I was starting this in terrible shape. I was really surprised how well my body handled that big of a mile increase for so long. I felt great all month, and finished the challenge with a day to spare. I can't wait to get my medal and swag in the mail! What a great way to start the year!

Bonehead:

We kicked off the year with the annual Bonehead run up Sunnyside. We usually have miserable temperatures, but this year was very pleasant. Mark and I ended up going a half marathon distance.

I love that this event grows a little bigger each year.

We were almost to the top of Sunnyside right as the sun came up.

Great Teton views!

Love these crazy peeps.

Cress Creek:

Jenn was still off work the first week of the year, so she helped me get ahead on my miles. We did Cress Creek in the dark one morning. I loved it! A little creepy through the trees, just how I like it. 😅

Rigby Lake:

I needed 8 miles on very tired legs, so Joyce and Jenn did loops around Rigby Lake with me. Grateful for friends that join in on my suffering. 😄

Cold Spring:

We planned a Cold Spring snow shoe day, but the trail ended up being pretty good, so we just hiked and carried our snow shoes. This is such a pretty trail, but it's been cloudy both times I've done it, so I still haven't gotten to see the Teton views. Fun Day!

Jenn-Joyce-Tricia

We hit some deep stuff when we cut down from the ridge to the trail.

See the Tetons behind us? Yeah, we didn't either. 😆

Wolf Flats:

I needed 15 miles, and I figured it would be a struggle, so we made a group event for Wolf Flats. It's always easier to get the miles with other people. We did it, and it wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting.

A fun crew on Wolf Flats!

Jenn-Ashley-Becky-Tricia-Michelle

😍😍😍

I love running along the river in the winter.

Ririe Roads:

We had some crazy weather in January, which I knew would add an extra layer of 'fun' to my Badwater challenge. We had everything from -20* temps, to a blizzard! I actually had to do a 15 miler on the treadmill, because I didn't have it in me to run that far when it was -20*. But some days you just need to get outside. I bundled up and did an 8 miler on the backroads of Ririe. The temps were in the negatives, and the wind was crazy (school was even canceled), but I got it done!

Doesn't that just look bone chilling cold!

The Long Night:

I love The Long Night! This year I wanted to get a 50k. I knew that would be a challenge for me, but would also get me far enough ahead in the challenge that I could have a couple easy days afterwards. My goal was to run pretty consistent for 20 miles, and then just walk after that. I ended up running with Jenn for a few rounds, so I kept running until I reached 25 miles, and then I walked the rest with Steph. I feel really good about how I did. We had great weather this year. I didn't get cold until the last 6 miles when I was walking, and then I froze my butt off. 😅

Like always, we had a fun crew out there running for a good cause all night.

Mark filmed some of the start to show how many awesome people are in our running community.

😂😂😂

Steph-Tricia

Bigalow's Beast:

We took Steph up Bigalow's for our Tuesday night outing. It was a muddy, slushy, slippery mess on the bottom half, and lots of deep snow and post-holing up top. Mark fell on his butt and slid all the way down the steep hill at the end. I haven't laughed that hard in forever. I was doubled over trying to breathe, with tears streaming down my face. Oh my gosh the commentary during the slide was hilarious. He tried hard to stop, but there was nothing he could do, so he just embraced the ride. 😂

Kelly Heart Loop & Bigalow's:

I was finally able to make it on a group run for the Kelly Heart Loop. I really liked it! Adding on Bigalow's was perfect, and I'm excited to use that loop as a training run in the summer and fall.

Fun group!

It was a really foggy morning!

The part through the trees was pretty!

Blury picture, but the 4 of us added on Bigalow's.

Bigalow's Beast X2:

Joyce had never climbed Bigalow's, so we did it as our Tuesday hill workout. We climbed it twice, and then ended coming down Little Kelly's. We saw a really big heard of deer, with a buck included.

Joyce's first time on Bigalow's!

Women's Runs:

We had some cold women's runs in January! 

Our first one was on the Sunnyside Canal. The snow was a lot deeper than we thought, so it was a tough run!

Becky-Tricia-Cheryl-Nora

Next, Amanda and I did the canal path through town. We had negative temps that night, so it's no surprise that it was just the two of us. Once we got moving, we stayed warm enough.

I missed the taco run, because I was giving myself a rest day after The Long Night.

The final run was at Community Park.

I covered a lot of miles in January, and it was just the jump start into the new year that I needed. I did a lot of treadmill miles too, but considering the crazy weather we had, I'm proud of how many times I was able to run outside. I can do cold, but I hate the wind, and we had a lot of that.