TRAIL2SPARTA​

12 Hours. 3 Movies. 50k+ on a treadmill (or alternative torture device). 

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In Mid-December we meet up for an unexpected journey of torture and suffering. Beginning at 2pm we watch the Extended Edition Lord of The Rings movies while accumulating 50k of running or running equivalents. (For example 2 miles on an assault bike=1 mile on a treadmill). 

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The person to accumulate the most distance wins the Title of "Lord of the Rings." 

We've heard that you should wake up early and get in a run so that you can guarantee that your day won't get any worse.

In true "Bad Idea" fashion, we've taken that to the extreme. We get up early on the first day of the year, meet up at Hawk's Landing on the edge of Idaho Falls and the trudge through snow, negative temperatures, and wind and head toward Bone as far as we can stand before running back to our vehicles. Those that make it all the way to Bone and Back get in a 50k. 

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By running something this dumb on the 1st day of the year, you can basically guarantee that the rest of the year will be better. 

One of the two "Cowbell Races" put on by Jeff Fullmer and Jeremy Smith, this one takes us to Soda Springs, Idaho in early January, for a backcountry 10k-ish race like no other. Snow shoes and skis are prohibited. This race involves a solid climb for a mile or so, followed by a lollipop loop through deep snow where the track is made by those who are "winning" the race. Then we bomb back down the last mile to the start. The course has over 1,200 feet of gain. After the race there is a potluck lunch for all participants. 

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Registration is on ultrasignup here: https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=89770

In Mid-January the Idaho Falls Trail Runners team up with Coming Home, Incorporated, an Idaho Falls non-profit to raise funds to support veterans and their families by running all night at Freeman Memorial Park in Idaho Falls. 

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We start at 8:00pm and run 4.2 miles on the hour, every hour until 8:00am for a total of 50 miles. To ensure that no one runs alone all night long, runners show up through the night to run 1, 2 or however many hours they want supporting those facing the whole long night. 

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Donations are made to Coming Home, Incorporated, which are used to provide services to veterans and their families so that the veterans and their families know that they are not forgotten and not alone. These services include cleaning, shopping, mental health, suicide prevention services, monthly activities and more for veterans and/or their families when the veterans are deployed. Over the first 4 years of the event we've raised over $4,500 for charity!

Second of the two "Cowbell Races" put on by Jeff Fullmer and Jeremy Smith, this one takes us to Palisades Creek Trailhead, Idaho in early February, for a snowy race to lower Palisades Lake. Once you make it to the bridge by the lake, you do a pushup on the bridge and then race back down. Snow shoes and skis are prohibited.  After the race there is a potluck lunch for all participants. 

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Registration is on ultrasignup here: https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=89771