Back With a Capital Vengence!

Run & Nordic ski at Manitowish.

UP Ski.

Boulder Junction run.

Flew back from Wisconsin and went straight to Millcreek to run the Pipeline w/ Roo.
 

Road run through the neighborhood.

Great Western.

Porter Fork

BST to the Twin Peaks w/ Roo

 

#powderdog

A video posted by Roo (@kangaroothedog) on Jan 10, 2016 at 9:16am PST

One fast Great Western lap (PR!) because I forgot my headlamp :(

BST from Morris Meadow

AM: Porter Fork w/ Roo

PM: Porter Fork solo

Zoo BST w/ Hollie & the dogs crew.
 

Millcreek yurt.

Avy Class Day #1

Avy Class Day #2

Avy Class Day #3

Wasatch SkiMo Race #5 in the most BRUTAL conditions I have ever done anything in. Did one lap including a 200 foot booter, for reals, and then went to the bar for coffee and kahlua followed by super yummy UpSlope Belgian Ale growler in the parking lot brought back from Jackson by my new best friends!

Total freezing ass white-out on the BST.

Lovely sunrise. Ran into E & M literally and ran a few miles with them, got howled at by a lone coyote, and then saw a herd of elk! Then post-holed a bunch and ran in circles on the packed trail trying to get to 10 miles until I gave up at 8...

 

First time a herd of elk has ever passed in front of me on the trail. They all stopped to look at me before bounding down the powdery slope. I really, really want to get a small camera with a good zoom to run with for times like these. Any suggestions? #citycreeksouthridge #elkpowderrunning

A photo posted by Amiee Maxwell (@amieemaxwell) on Jan 21, 2016 at 9:50am PST

Thank goodness for running!

Please feel free to judge my 2016 overzealous race schedule...

To the top of Millcreek w/ dog, who did not chase any skiers today - yay! The miracle of beef jerky in my pocket.

Three hours of slogging through the snow on the BST. Zoo to the top of Dry Creek via the Red Butte hill. 

Rest day.

Set a goal for myself to do a sub 40-minute ski to the top of Great Western (~1700 feet) by the end of season and got it tonight so now I can retire :)

My ski plans for this morning fell through so I headed out to Antelope Island for the sunrise. Very cold and I am a getting a little tired of trudging through the snow and want to actually run to see if I can do it!

Rest day. Tapering for Crowbar :)

Sunrise Pipeline w/ Roo.

Crowbar Backcountry Event!
 

Recovery post-holing on Mark's Hill. Feeling pretty good after Crowbar. No soreness.

Windy, drifty, post-holey Pipeline.

Rest day. Going to re-attempt long run tomorrow.

Another failure of a long run. Too much post-holing and cold and wet everythings. I'm calling it good on training for the Red Hot. Three hours and 12 miles, Red Hot is going to be easier than this!

One quick GW lap via new route.

Roo's loop.

Antelope Island hiking with my aunt!

Sunny shoreline to Twin Peaks.

Casual hike up to the top of Baby Beacon w/ Roo. Lots of fresh animal parts scattered everywhere. 3 miles, ~1000 feet.

SkiMo Citizen's Race #6.

Super fun course w/ a really, really long booter. Only did 2 laps because I'm trying to take it easy...

Pipeline.

Rest day.

Corona Arch hike and then lazy coffee drinking, bookstore browsing, and napping before race tomorrow!

Ran far. It was fun.

Hiked Little Wild Horse Canyon and didn't feel too terrible except when I tried to go downhill. My low back, abs, and arms are almost as sore as my quads. Did not want to leave desert...

JART neighborhood walk to get coffee followed by a little yoga. Feeling surpirsingly good after the 55K. Shins and ankles still achy.

Sushi and red grape rest and recovery day. Lower legs are still really achy!

Very, very easy Millcreek ski w/ Rooster.

Knew it was going to be a gorgeous sunset so I headed up to my favorite knoll after work. Did too many steeps and then my hip FREAKED out after.

 

I fried my retinas getting this photo, but it was worth it! Nights like these make me think Salt Lake is one of the most beautiful cities in the world! #inversionamnesia #visitsaltlake #saltlakesunset #sunsetlovers #utahgram

A photo posted by Amiee Maxwell (@amieemaxwell) on Feb 18, 2016 at 8:32pm PST

Massive right leg pain day. Tight glute, piriformis, hamstring, quad, calve, and ankle pain.

Long hike on the BST making a new loop out of seldom used trails. ~1000' and then climbed the afternoon at Momentum. Hip is magically better. Climbing stretchies felts really good!

At least two hours of walks, hips & ankles, 1.2 mile run around the hood in clown shoes (felt good!) and then Yin Yoga.

JART hood run through secret trail with moonrise and wine break :) Road running is fun! And I feel good and ready to get back at it!

Utah SkiMo Race #7.

Volunteered for an hour in the cold checking people in and then got to the start line with 2 seconds to spare and then my lungs almost exploded during the first climb because I was so cold. Did 2 laps of a rather steep course with a nice booter and an ice mogul descent. I'm trying to get better at skiing in awful conditions so this was perfect. I'm going to be so sad when these races are over, so much fun!

I was hoping the volunteering would provide some good juju and I'd win the spandex suit or new skis in the raffle, but I ended up with a free entry to Saturday's Alta ski event so that was nice :)

AM: Powder Park Puffs for breakfast. Snow was tasty!

PM: Hips & ankles.

Morris BST loop w/ Rels. Legs felt I was running through quicksand with 20 pound ankle weights. Sooooo tired this week.
 

I wasn't allowed to go to work this morning becase Joe Biden wants to hang out in my lab. I really like the guy and it's not everyday the Vice President comes to your office so I was sort of bummed I didn't get to be there. Apparently there were going to be snipers in the hills behind Huntsman so I went for a run up and over Red Butte and Van Cott, but I didn't see a single sniper or person, just a herd of deer, but I guess that is the point of snipers. No vice president, no snipers, disappointing morning.

Catherine's ski. Very, very tired blarghhhhh!

Dragged Fritz out into the backcountry with me this morning since he made me go to Costco on a Saturday! I think he even had fun :)

Ave's Twins from I Street for spectacular sunrise!

Sunrise Wire w/ Wheels & pups. First Wire of the year and it felt very, very hard!

Red Butte loop from work.

Salt Lake Overlook w/ Roo.

Half Keg Powder Keg ice fest. I decided today that skimo is just way too dangerous for my comfort level and that I want to just do it for fun on fat and heavy skis. I got to see Rob Krar in person today, which was cool and I'm sure I was bigger than him.

I just felt like running... back and forth on the BST with E and then intercepted JT for a bit!

45 miles of running this week and a SkiMo race with a total of 13K of climbing. Good week. Feel good!

AM: Roo's loop in the snow!!!

PM: Hips & Ankles.

 

A photo posted by Roo (@kangaroothedog) on Mar 7, 2016 at 7:20am PST

AM: Hour walk.

PM: Hour walk.

Wire fail. Got absolutely pounded with graupel and then it turned into a total whiteout a few hundred feet from the summit and I wussed out and turned around. By the time I got back to the car the peak was as clear as can be and if I had food and water I would have gone back up. I ran a few errands afterwards and the clear summit taunted me everywhere I went!

Wire #2 - Had planned on running my Red Butte loop, but then sensed it was going to be a fantastic sunrise (which it was!) so I ended up doing Wire instead making up for my bail yesterday. Ran into Teledog halway up so I pleasantly had company for the rest of my run :) I am so ridiculously happy right now!!!

Wandered around the City Creek North Ridge this morning with Roo. I think the north ridge has some of the most amazing views in Salt Lake and I never see a soul up there besides some deerk, elk and a coyote! One side is totally desert and sage with views of the lake and Antelope and Stansbury Island and the other side is alpine with oak and pine and views of the Wasatch and Upper City Creek Canyon. At times you can't see any evidence of the city below and you have every sort of terrain imaginable in only a mile of ridge. So many places to explore!

The view west:

The view east-ish:

And a bunch of other ways:

BST w/ ANDREA!!!

City Creek Window's Loop w/ Suzanne, Wheels, and THREE puppies!

Three miles of leash tug-o-war with little shit!

Wire #3 from work.

Sunrise on the Ave's Twins.

Wire #4 before heading to Southern Utah! Went for a pipeline to summit PR, but missed it by 43 seconds. I have LOTS of work to do!

Hiked to secret ruins in the desert.

Hiked to secret ruins in the desert.

Liberty Park quickie.

Red Butte loop in a literal mud storm!

Road run around the new hood.

Up and down VanCott for sunrise and then up Dry Creek and Unkle Effer to the Twins and then back to Red Butte on the main BST.

All I could handle with Roo on leash at Liberty Park.

Work up at the Peruvian Lodge birthday morning, skied for a few hours with my Dad at Alta, and then got keys to the new house and moved a load before bubbles at the new house with friends and family before crashing on the hardword floor in front of the fireplace for the first night in the house. Best birthday ever by far :)

First run-ish in about a week after skiing, birthday, family visiting, moving week. I need to figure out a way to keep running when I have so much going on... but then do I really need to? Do I actually lose fitness taking off a week and even if I do is that more important than spending an extra hour with my parents that I never get to see? I think breaks like this are actually good for my body, but then my hips get so tight hmmphhh. 

Up Wire and then down along the Red Butte Ridge. I always wanted to follow that ridge so today was the day since I wanted to avoid the mudfest in George's. There was more of a trail than I had thought and just a little butt skooting. Really neat-o views!

Road running. Blarghhhh! Stopped at Emigration Market for sushi :) Eighth trip to the market in like 2 days - I looooove my new neighborhood (and salad bar)!

Roo's loop. First western sunflower sightings!

A photo posted by Roo (@kangaroothedog) on Apr 5, 2016 at 7:18pm PDT

AM: Wire #? I've lost track... Ran into a Fritz a third of the way up the mountain and then Roo abandoned me to run with the faster guy :(

PM: Ran home from work. 3.4 miles.

Climbing gym.

Stansbury ridge run of sorts. The flowers and views were off the charts! I'm planning on doing the entire Stansbury Island traverse in a few weeks so I wanted to go scope it out a bit. One of my favorite places in the entire world!!! 2003'

Home to Wire and then bushwhacked post-holed on the ridge until finding way down to the bottom of Emigration Canyon on what is probably the steepest trail in the Wasatch . Ran down Emigration Canyon and the smell of Ruth's pancakes about killed me. Tired. 2986'

Emigration on BIKES from the house with Josh and Fritz. Homegrown cappuccinos after!!!

Mt. Aire from Burch Hollow trailhead. Planned on an easy Pipeline, but then decided to trudge up to Aire in the mud and play in the snow! I always forget that Aire is like doing Wire at a higher elevation on a super crappy trail. #leastfavoritepeakinwasatch

Work to home commute. HCI up and over Red Butte to the Zoo and then to Emigration Market!

Morris Meadow to Roo's Hill and then followed the Pipeline to City Creek and then back up. Mostly walking and taking photos of fowers.

Ran up a bunch of mountains in the foothills for a long time. Forgot to eat for the first 2 hours because I was frozen solid and then felt the worst I have ever felt running and almost gave up to sit on a knoll and call for a rescue. My legs didn't work and my hands were so swollen I couldn't see my knuckles and they were really painful - I obviously had done something wrong.

I somehow made it back from the dead and rallied back down to City Creek and up to Morris Meadow where I ate a bunch of potato chips and drank some coke and picked up Fritz and Roo who happily paced me to the finish.

I've done pieces of the course before, but never the whole thing so I'm just happy I survived. It was actually a good experience to feel that horrible and be able to make it back. I was a mental basketcase and was afraid I was actually going to pass out and then I would feel stupid because somebody would have had to help me...

Dumbest thing I did was leave my jacket and gloves at the first aid station because as soon as I turned up Dry Creek the wind hit and it couldn't have been more than 30 degrees with windchill and I was in a tank top and shorts! My hands were so cold they were totally numb and I hiked up uncle effer shivering with my hands on my bum for reals. 

I then ran the downhill too hard just to warm up. Climbing up from City Creek I noticed how swollen and painful my hands were and then I freaked out when I realized I had only had one GU and 2 sips of water in the 2 hours and 45 minutes I had been out there. So began a serious mental battle where I honestly thought I was going to die so I slowed to a crawl and ate and drank until I felt better. And amazing as it is, it worked!

The last 5 miles, with Fritz and Roo, were the most fun! I felt good and actually ran my fastest Dry Creek time ever. This was the first time ever I didn't get angry with Fritz for running ahead of me :) It was nice having someone push me and it made me happy to see Fritz and Roo bounding around on the trails together!

I finished and stuffed my face full of chips. I obviously needed salt! I took this race a little too casually (over 12,000 feets of ups and downs should not be taken lightly!) and if I'm really going to run a hundo I need to take this fueling and electrolyte thing seriously! And layer, I'm still cold!

Climbing gym and arms and core workout! Not at all sore from yesterday. Stoke!

Sunset hike with Roo.

~4 miles, 1000'

Walks, yoga, and arms and core. Left leg is super tight!

Back 8 of BoSho course up and over Meridian Peak. Feel mostly good except for tight left piriformis and IT band. 2000'

Lost of stretchies, arms, and core.

Major yoga sesh and then bikes to downtown.
 

Van Cott w/ dogs. Hot!

Goal is to take 48 seconds off today for a Van Cott PR next week. Can probably do that if I don't have to stop and scoop poops. 

Exploring new trails (deer trails?) on the City Creek north ridge. Took about 8000 photos of the wildflowers. Cloudy skies were perfect for photos. Very little actualy running. 1836'

I set myself a silly VanCott climbing goal and I went for it today with Fritz and 2 dogs as pacers. I would have bet money I sent the crap out it, but I didn't and I was super frustrated. Can't wait until I can try it again!

Urban trailz in a downpour.
 

This run would be classified as a walk.

Run test after almost a week off to try and resolve shooting sciatic nerve pain. Really tried to run with my glutes, which seems to help the funk.

Bailed on Unkle Effer because of lightening, experienced downpour windtunnel in Dry Creek, and then frolicked in the sunflowers in Red Butte before heading back to the car. 

Back 8 of BoSho. Shooting leg funk appears to be resolved.

AM: Finally got a chance for a run break when the big thunder clouds were directly overhead. Got torrentially downpoured on within minutes of my run and then hid under a tree to avoid the hail. Ran back to work completely drenched and then of course the sun comes up and so I said F it and went back out there. Ran up Red Butte mud river and then up and over Van Cott for a Van Cott PR FINALLY!!!

PM: Dug dirt for hours and put in second garden box all by myself :)

Gardening has to count for something!

AM: Morris to Twins and somehow managed to lose my keys. Re-traced my steps and actually found them in an Iris patch while I was waiting for the locksmith. Could have been a really bad day!

PM: Several hours of shoveling dirt.

Terraces to Elbow Fork Loop. Roo found snow.

 

A video posted by Roo (@kangaroothedog) on May 13, 2016 at 11:33am PDT

Bikes to Little Dell.

Pipeline w/ E and dogs in the rain followed by homemade Beligan waffles of joy.

Rest day. I have no energies :(

Another rest day. Moved a bunch of dirt and planted my zucchinis and pumpkins :)

AM: Timpanogos Cave hike with a bus full of 5th graders for reals.

PM: Emi bikes with Emi.

Wire #8 with Roo. Sunrise and flowers were glorious. Downhill PR without trying. Don't quite understand why I am suddenly able to crush the downhills.
 

The Grandeur "Fun" Run and my first DNF anything!

The race started pleasantly, comfortbale temps, a nice breeze, and a light sprinkle. I felt fantastic the first 1500 feet of climbing or so and then the wind picked up and it started to rain harder. And then the wind really picked up and I huddled behind a rock to put on my wool longsleeve that I thankfully stashed in my pack and this is where Karl Meltzer passed me... 

Then sh!t got real. It was blowing and sleeting so hard that I could barely think straight and had I been thinking I should have turned around. I thought going down the west face would be worse and that Church Fork would offer more protection, but both sides were awful. It was sleeting at the top and completely disorienting cloud-covered that I actually went the wrong way down, but quickly realized it (unlike Fritz) and climbed back up and tucked in between some guys to avoid dying alone.

I ran as hard as I could down the trail without slipping. I have never been so cold and scared ever. I just needed to make it down to the road where I planned to flag down a car for the rescue. I caught up to some runners that bailed from Pipeline and had a car at Rattlesnake and they graciously offered to drive me back to the West Grandeur trailhead. 

I was soaked to the bone and trembling so hard I couldn't even make conversation. When I got back to the trailhead I assumed I would see Fritz, but he wasn't back yet which freaked me out because he should have been back and he had the keys! Jennilyn nicely wrapped me up in jackets and towels and I shivered uncontrollably warming myself over cooking bacon. And then some guy told me they had seen Fritz head off the mountain in the wrong direction and I was like oh no. But I will let him tell the story. And he better tell my favorite part! 

Now I'm home and the sun is coming out and I'm bummed that I bailed. But I had never been so cold, I didn't really care at the moment and it isn't a real race :) 

Oh and I forgot to mention that I wiped out running uphill and totally pancaked it. Fun run. And then it took an hour of sitting huddled on the bathroom floor (Fritz was in the tub, he was worse off than me) with the space heater on and the room temp 83 to finally warm-up.

And one more thing... a Grandeur PR!

City Creek ridge to Dude and Rudy's Flat. Effed up and came down North Canyon instead of Mueller Park (again) which was a blessing because a migraine vertigo puke fest hit me towards the end of the run. First time that has ever happened DURING a run. The hypothermic trail fest on Saturday is the likely trigger and in hindsight I should have done something mellow today. My brain is too sensitive for the world :(

Still feeling wiped and unbalanced from the migraine. I managed 6 hours at work and 4 meetings like this, which is probably my biggest accomplishment of the year!

Bird run. Could barely manage 10 minute pace. Post-drome is real!

Wire #9-er!

This puts me over the 100,000 feet of climbing mark for the year so far, which also means I have gone downhill 100,000 feet - yikes! That's like running down 50 Wires!

Roo's loop.
 

Bowman Fork to the snow line. Took a yoga break just below the Alexander Basin cutoff and enjoyed the cappuccino I stashed in my pack - for reals!

Little Dell to Swallow Rocks with J and M. First time on these trails and some serious hero dirt!  Felt pretty darned fantastic :)

Recovery Wire with Roo and Fritz and then down the Red Butte Ridge and Fritz whined a lot :)

Work Red Butte loop. Hot and injured. Awful leg shooting pain again. Son of a....

TRAGNAR!

Got asked to be on a Trail Ragnar team in Aspen with one of my running ultra-heroes. We DNFed and went to bed at 1am. I drank a beer between runs and scarfed a bunch of pizza before run #2 so this was good hundo practice.

1: 4:58PM - Hot and sucky.

2: 7:35PM - Got lucky with a fantastic sunset on Snowmass Rim and bombed the downhill like a crazy person.

3: 11:12PM - Another Sucky. I kept getting scared by deer and I really, really had to p@@p

Maroon Bells Rike.

Smuggler Mountain in Aspen solo because I couldn't keep up with the cool kids :( Rickey's donuts made up for it after though!

Last speedy speedersons before the Steeplechase which I'm not convinced I'm runing because my left leg feels like ass monkey :( Up to the Salt Lake overlook as fast as I could and then hobbled down grandma style grrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Missed my sub-3 again bargghhhhhhh #nemesisrace

Honestly felt horrible for the last few weeks and again wanted to bail on this race. Felt horrible on the climb and even worse down Smuggler's. Compared to last year I was stronger climbing the first few miles, much slower and awful feely on the big climb up Black, got slowed down on the ridge again by slow ridge peeps, much slower on the descent from Smuggler's, but more steady and a little faster on the 6 miles down City Creek. Overall ended up 20 seconds fast than last year which is a shocker and something I should be proud of I guess.

Seriusly hadn't run much leading up to the race because of IT band and SI wonk! If I could only train leading up to this race.... hrmphhh! Next year!!!

Wildflower Hike Before Flying to Francelandia

Riking around Mt. Ventoux!

Chamonix en la pluie!

More Chamonix!

Had planned on taking the ski lift down so after a baguette and cheese and a tiny beer I went to the ticket counter and saw that the ticket seller was on siesta. The sign said please buy ticket in Chamonix which is 3000+ feet below wtf? I really didn't want to go down and destroy the progress I'm making on my itband, but I didn't want to wait 2 hours because this is my only day in Chamonix and there are many mini cakes to eat! If this didn't destroy me for the Cortina Trail I should be good to go!

 

Slightly overstoked with the views during this morning's run! Tiny wildflowers everywhere, plenty of vert and technical single track, clear skies, views that made me audibly gasp at every turn, and a mountaintop baguette and beer break. Only in France!!!

A photo posted by Amiee Maxwell (@amieemaxwell) on Jun 20, 2016 at 11:52am PDT

Gorgeous rike to the Nuvolau for a cappucinno with a view. #taperfail

 

After existing almost solely on cappuccinos, Proseco, and croissants these past 11 days, sleeping on trains, planes, and couch cushions, and pretty much zero taper on a crabby SI joint and IT band... This is what I came here for and I'm going to earn my "finisher's trinket" no matter how hard or hot it is tomorrow! #cortinatrail2016 #lut2016 #segafredoforlife

A photo posted by Amiee Maxwell (@amieemaxwell) on Jun 24, 2016 at 10:12am PDT

Cortina Trail Race Report.

 

This photo sums up my entire European adventure! The kindness of absolute strangers. I met this man when I caught the giggles on the 2nd to last climb of the #cortinatrail2016 we have to go up what?!? I couldn't stop laughing and then I'm pretty sure he called me looney, but also that I am very strong. We had an entire conversation in different languages. We leapfrogged the last 10 miles and then when I was 400 meters from the finish he ran up from behind me, grabbed my hand, and made me sprint to the finish the whole time I'm laughing and screaming I'm going to die. I obviously was so confused at the finish that I smiled at the wrong camera and I never did get all that sunscreen rubbed in and oh then I ate meat, but it was very thinly shaved! #lostintranslation

A photo posted by Amiee Maxwell (@amieemaxwell) on Jun 25, 2016 at 11:02am PDT

Jetlag from hellllllzzzzz. Took Roo up Bowman Fork and my legs are not sore after Satuday and that is freaking crazy. Then I went to Pierre's becuase I miss croissants and I'm sad to be back :(

Little jaunt up Hidden Peak to try and get stoked for the vertical mile next Friday!!!

OMG cannot run at all no energies how am I going to run a half marathon tomorrow oh geeze I'll just have another beer.

Second half marathon I've ever done and way harder than last week's 50K because I was freaking wiped and some girl was on my ass at the turnaround and I really needed some gold coins! Tried to run a moderate-ish pace the first half and then picked up the pace the second half. Fritz met met with about a mile and a half to go and I was freaking out afraid I was going to get passed, because how lame would it be to lead a race for 12.8 miles and then get passed and I'm not even very competitive. I just needed the money to pay for my last minute flight to Wisconsin since my grandmother died yesterday :) The only thing that kept me moving through the race was imaging her and gramps (born on the 4th of July) cheering me on from the sidelines with their American flags :) Love them both so much.
 

Jetlag from hellllllzzzzz. Took Roo up Bowman Fork and my legs are not sore after Satuday and that is freaking crazy. Then I went to Pierre's becuase I miss croissants and I'm sad to be back :(

Rode up Emigration before flying to WI. Just got back home from Europe and then went to West Yellowstone and now it is to Wisconsin for a funeral and then hopefully making it back for Jake and Andrea's wedding on Saturday - eek!

Rode with my mom, aunt, and cousin to Maxwell Road on the Wiowash Trail. Stopped for terrible beers on the way back at the Fox River Brewing Company. Seriously worst beers I have ever had!

Rode bikes with my Dad to my grandmother's burial :(

Much needed ridge top reflection to Flagstaff and down after 2 funerals and a wedding week.

To Dog Lake w/ dog. Felt absolutely freaking fantastic and ran the whole darned thing up!
 

Ran around the block testing out my new Krongvaras.

Emigration ride. Biking actually hurt SI worse than running. Hrmphhhh.

Ran to Caputo's for sandwiches for Josh Ritter in one zillion degrees.

Awful, incapacitating SI wonk.

Nada. Major SI issues with resultant shooting leg pain. Blarghhhh. Can't see SI guy for 2 more weeks... This issue has been going on and off since end of March and gets worse with sitting at my butt all day at work and usually gets better with activity. Annoyed. Totally inconsistent. Will be so painful I can't walk without a limp and then it will magically go away within hours and then back a few days later with a vengence. Super annoyed. 

Up Gobbler's from Alexander Basin and then down Bowman Fork to the connector trail to Alexander Basin, which is unmaintained and awful. Brush was so thick and rough that I had to carry my dog through some of it :(

Flower frolicking w/ Andrea up to Emma Ridge and over to Twin Lakes Pass.

 

#FrolickSeason 📷: @andrea.north

A photo posted by Amiee Maxwell (@amieemaxwell) on Jul 18, 2016 at 8:05pm PDT

Up Thaynes Canyon down Deslolation Trail with Wheels and pups.

Backpacking plans for the evening got derailed after sitting on the highway not moving outside of Montrose for over 2 hours due to horrendous accident so went for a short rike on the Bear Creek Trail ouside of Ouray, which had crazy steep dropoffs and awesome views. 
 

Ice Lakes Basin and Island Lake!

 

Had Island Lake all to myself this morning. That was nice 🌻😀

A photo posted by Amiee Maxwell (@amieemaxwell) on Jul 22, 2016 at 4:53pm PDT

To Wetterhorn Basin.
 

Hiked up Handies Peak in the San Juan's with Little Roo, his first 14-er and then ran down stopping only 1 zillion times for wildflower photos. Started at 5:15am and made it to the summit from American Basin in less than 2 hours. The flowers and clouds and crazy lighting was awesome! Didn't feel the elevation much which is awesome.

 

A photo posted by Amiee Maxwell (@amieemaxwell) on Jul 24, 2016 at 10:49am PDT

 

A photo posted by Amiee Maxwell (@amieemaxwell) on Jul 26, 2016 at 6:21pm PDT

Rest day after adevnture weekend.

Nada. 100 degrees and lazy.

Have fallen a bit behind, but I need to start getting serious here if I'm going to run a little race in September...

Eearly morning Old Red Pine Loop to the Crest and then down Little Water. Saw a gigantic bull moose in the field that I always think would make a nice place for a moose.

Dog Lake.

Brighton to Lake Mary to Twin Lakes Pass down to Michigan City up to Emma Ridge down Days Fork and then down Big Cottonwood Road and then up Mill B to Desolation Lake and then the Crest Trail to Guardsman and down the road back to Brighton. Felt way harder than it should :(

Early Dog Lake w/ dogs.

Finally posted a race report of sorts from The Cortina Trail I did in Italy in June. So much ridiculous fun!!!

Little longer Dog Lake loop with swim break for Roo. Today is one of those days that I couldn't get out of bed and then when I finally got running I felt like I could run forever which is good because I need to be able to run forever...

I'm looking for BEAR 100 PACERS if anyone is stoked to stay up all night and force feed me and keep my from laying down on the trail and dying. Honestly I'm excited and think it is going to be so much fun!!!

Pace gig includes food, beer, and weekend lodging in Bear Lake.

Emigration bike up to Pinecrest.

Up Old Red Pine Road to secret Crest connector trail. Love exploring new (to me) trails! Followed by long awaited PT appointment w/ SI guru. Was well worth the wait since he was totally stoked about me doing a hundred. First medical professional (and well maybe first person in general) to be supportive of me doing such a thing!

Roo and I tried to run up to the Continental Divide from the Hebgen Lake Road, but we got thundered and torrential downpoured on and had to turn around. I'm never going to get to go to the Lion's Head :(

About one mile of running and three miles of whining in my head.

No energy for running so walked Roo to ice cream shack and then to King's English for book browsing and then home where I blew up my million dollar blender :(

Pfeiffernoodle for breakfast. Legs were all noodle-y and I fell down at least 12 times. 

Dogs to Dog Lake.

My rant about the trinketing of the Wasatch.

Ran from Brighton to a friend of a friend's house in Midway mostly along the Wasatch 100 course. Fell on my face 0.69 miles into the run, first faceplant running ever. Especially frustrating because it happened during the flattest, smoothest section of trail on the entire run. Then ran into an entire herd of moose that refused to leave the trail. Good thing they drained Lake Mary and we could get around them by cutting through the lake. The trails in American Fork were amazing and then I got stung by bees. Margaritas and chips followed at the Tarahumara and then our shuttle driver's car blew up on the way up Guardsman's Pass so we had to hitch back to Brighton. All is all one of those days that makes you feel super alive! 

AM: Run with Roo on the Flying Dog plus a half mile on the Jeremy Ranch Road which was about all I could handle of flat road monotony :)

PM: Sunday Superior w/ Mr. and Mrs. Krong. Totally forgot how long and hard that is!

Glorious Upper Milcreek run! Great Western to Crest to Sheep Shit and down secret crest connector trail. Felt amazing after 2 rest days!!!

Days Fork, Emma Ridge, Twin Lakes Pass, Patsy Marley, Wolverine, Tuscarora, Catherine's Pass, down to the Albion Grill for a grilled cheese thank goodness they are open in summer because I was starving, up to Cardiff Pass and down Cardiff Fork all the way to the Big Cottonwood Road and then up the road back to my car. That was my first time running the entirety of Cardiff Fork and I want to do more exploring there. Dirt roads and trails everywhere going to old mine crap. 

Flying Dog from Jeremy Ranch (actual running not slogging). Saw a bus at the start of Jeremy Ranch Road and wondered what awesome cross-country coach would bus his team up there....

Upper Millcreek with Roo and Fritz and the rest of Salt Lake!

Had planned on back to back 20 milers this weekend, but ended up with 40 miles across three days with 10,000 vert. I only have to do 2.5 times that in about 30 hours in 30 days.

I just get too darned tired (and hungry!) with this much activity and I'm sort of questioning what I am doing it for. I love being in the mountains, but I'm too tired to have much energy for anything but mountains and lying on the floor reading books.

BST trudge on a broken calf/shin. I have no idea what is wrong with my leg. My calf is super tight and I have this sharp pain between my shin and calf (not really on the bone) about a third of the way up my leg. It didn't bother me at all during my runs over the weekend, but came on Sunday night and just got worse over the last 2 days with no running. I thought it might loosen up with activity, but my calf got tighter and and shin spot more painful during my trudge ggrrrrrrrr.

I was just saying last week that I have never felt better in my entire life and was actually getting excited for the Bear :( I got taken out by a mountain biker on Saturday, but the tire hit me on the opposite side of the shin, but maybe this is some sort of delayed bike smashing pain and it will go away soon. Or maybe I was doing too much and it was about time my body blew up!

Sad run to bust over the 200,000 feet mark.

Legacy bike. Boring, but something. Lots of sunflowers.

Super duper run fail. Tibia pain came back after 3 steps. I threw a trantrum and cried.

Saw SI guru and got needled! My SI was super jacked beyond belief so he yanked on my leg until all my bones popped and then he stuck needles in my piriformis, glutes, and hip flexor and then electrocuted me. Apparently this is the new thing and it hurt like HELL!!! He then stuck needles in my calf and shin muscles and jiggled them around and told me to run tomorrow. I like him.
 

AM: 3 mile dog walk to Java Jo's

PM: Came home from work and crawled under the covers and read Grapes of Wrath for 2 hours, which I wasn't forced to read in high school like everyone else I know. It is too sad. Then I took Roo to the park and tried to run a bit in the grass. No stabbing shin pain. I then ran the 3 blocks home and again no stabbing shin pain. Stoke! Plank and glutes work out and then lots of stretching. 

Very, very careful run to Dog Lake. Hiked the uphills and took the flats and downhills at a very slow and comfortable pace. Was absolutely thrilled to be back on the trails, I was starting to take running for granted so this shin issue was a nice reminder.

My calf was still super tight and my SI a bit creaky, but nothing I don't think I can continue to work through. I'm still hoping I can salvage what is left of my Bear training without getting worse. Today I had an epiphany of sorts that this thing might actually be doable. I only have to do the run I did today 11.8 times in a row and for some reason that feels strangely doable at the pace I was going and that pace would put me at 20 hours meaning I have at least a 10 hour buffer to eat snacks.

I really didn't think there was anyway I could bounce back from this so quickly. I'm totally getting more needles!!!

Upper Milcreek to the Crest and the secret trail with Roo.

I WILL NEVER TAKE RUNNING FOR GRANTED!!!

I seem to have evaded major injury, but I'm not out of the woods yet. Need to be very, very careful...

Hike/run up to Silas Lake in the Wind River Range with Fritz and Roo. Tried to find Island Lake, but every trail we took dead ended in a marsh or stream. Lazed away the day at the Lander City Park and then dinner at the Lander Bar - my favorite place in the entire world!!!

Wandered around a big butte with Roo at the top of Sinks Canyon near Lander, Wyoming.

Wandered around some sagebrush near South Pass, Wyoming.

 

A photo posted by Amiee Maxwell (@amieemaxwell) on Sep 5, 2016 at 4:17pm PDT

I've never felt this fantastic on a long run! Old Red Pine Road to crest to Desolation Lake down to Big Cottonwood Road and then up Butler Fork Trail to Baker Pass down Bowman Fork to Terraces Trail and then up the Millcreek Road.

25 miles, 7000 feet of elevation gain, 5.5 hours, 13 min/mile pace, 5 gels, 2 liters of water, 5 elk, 3 deer, 1 moose, 4 people, 1 dog, 1 bloodied bum while trying to take a picture of leaves, for reals.

AM: Roo's zoo loop.

PM: Ran from Brighton over to Ant Knolls for the night

From Ant Knolls back to my car. Perfect sleep deprivation running practice.
 

 

Twenty four hours at the #wasatch100 's Flapjack Disco aid station (aka Ant Knolls) almost makes me think I can run a 100! Endless kudos to all the crazy strong peeps who kept moving though the night especially #112 and the guy in the banana suit 🍌👍🏼😄 #wellseein2weeks

A photo posted by Amiee Maxwell (@amieemaxwell) on Sep 10, 2016 at 6:09pm PDT

Zoop.

Van Cott!
 

Wire!

 

Sunrise adventures with little buddy! #wireseason

A photo posted by Amiee Maxwell (@amieemaxwell) on Sep 15, 2016 at 8:38am PDT

Baby Beacon.

Last huzzah before Bear. Upper Millcreek sunrise run w/ Roo.

Thaynes Desolation loop.

Zoop w/ Roo.
 

Slogged through the rain and mud for 50 some miles before calling it quits. Happy with my decision to call it quits while I still felt good, but bummed I didn't get to run a hundred. Considering running the Rio del Lago in November...

Deer Valley rike.

Roo's old BST loop. Feel pretty good running, but tried to take it easy! Was not very sore from 54.
 

Afterwork Wire. Felt good uphill and then like I was going to die on the downhill. #creakycreakersons

Early trek up to Baker Pass. I wanted to find some snow and had no idea the snowline was only a half mile up from the trailhead. It was way deeper than I anticipated and I had to turn around just short of the pass because I was seriously afraid my ankle's were getting frostbit. A total blast running down in all the powder!

Onion Creek.

Amasa Back.

Allie Birthday run in Fisher Valley with girls crew and Roo!

Quickie Roo's hill before darkness.

Quickie zoo loop. SI feels like sh!t.

A frosty Paintbrush Canyon in the Tetons!

 

A photo posted by Amiee Maxwell (@amieemaxwell) on Oct 13, 2016 at 5:40pm PDT

Up Snowking!

Rockefeller Preserve all to myself with some freshies on the peaks!

 

A photo posted by Amiee Maxwell (@amieemaxwell) on Oct 16, 2016 at 4:53pm PDT

Zoo zoop.

BST w/ Roo.

Dry Creek, Uncle Effers, Twinzees loop. Roo ditched me for boys, but found me in the end :)
 

Wire, Red Butte ridge, and Van Cott. What was I thinking?

Neighborhood run on the ROAD in the dark with Fritz, Josh, and Roo. I am going to be sore for dayz.

Oregon badlands!

Oregon high desert sunset running with Roo!

Tumalo Creek w/ Roo and Fritz.

 

A photo posted by Roo (@kangaroothedog) on Oct 28, 2016 at 4:11pm PDT

Along the river in Bend. Mostly watching ducks.

Bend trails and actual running. Smooth as a baby's bottom dirt with trails here and there everywhere - Rob Murphy would love this place!

West Grandeur ass kicking. This is the time of year I only go up and down steep things hoping it will get me in shape for ski season until I trip and sprain an ankle or knee and officially ruin ski season.

Holy sore quads after Grandeur... #electionfatigue

Van Cott quickie.

Uncle Effer loop with Roo. Felt fantastic. Yay!

A slightly icy run up to Baker Pass. Bailed on actually getting to Gobbler's so we could get to brunch faster :)

Half Grandeur loop. It was too hot for Roo so we had to turn around :(

Zoo BST finishing with 5 x 20 second hill sprints. I feel like a superhero for the first 15 seconds and then my legs get flooded with a strange and foreign substance and then I want to fall down :)
 

Ave's Twins.