Hi All,
We are just days out from SUPERIOR. Whew, what a trip it has been. We cannot wait to see you all up on the North Shore! We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the 275 volunteers making this year’s race possible!
Below are a few final notes, changes, updates and reminders:
100 Mile:
All runners will be allowed pacers from the County RD 6 Aid Station this year, no matter what time you get in. Note that pacers / crew cannot (never could) leave vehicles overnight at County Road 6, i.e. pacers need to get dropped off.
For this year’s race there will not be crew access at the Finland Aid Station, those reasons (and the consequences of) are detailed HERE https://www.superiorfalltrailrace.com/superior-fall-trail-race-september-3-wildfire-update-race-to-proceed/ towards the end of the correspondence. If you have crew or pacers you need to review the information provided in that link.
Please note that the changes regarding County Road 6 and Finland have NOT been updated on the aid station chart, maps, etc. – This is an “audible” and it is your responsibility to update your and your crew’s notes on this.
There will be no coffee this year at the start of the 100 mile race… believe me, we are sad about it too. We hope to have it back in 2022. That said, our good friends at Fika (pro tip, their shop is in downtown Lutsen, just a short drive from the finish) will be providing coffee for us to brew up at the aid stations.
50 Mile:
For this year’s race, morning check in and the start of the race will be completely outdoors. Make sure you are dressed for it. There will be toilets, but no drinking water. Make sure you have a headlamp, it is dark at the start of the 50 mile race. The reason for this is detailed HERE https://www.superiorfalltrailrace.com/superior-fall-trail-race-september-3-wildfire-update-race-to-proceed/ towards the end of the correspondence.
Marathon:
You have pretty much been spared from any changes! Please remember that if you have spectators coming out to see you, that they may only visit Sawbill and Oberg, not Temperance.
All Distances:
Packet pickup: You will get your t-shirt and bib number but there will be no pre-race meetings this year. Myself, Cheri, Todd Rowe and a few others will be there to answer any final questions you may have.
Shuttle buses to race starts will pick up in a new location this year, rather than in front of Caribou Highlands, shuttles will pick you up in the large gravel parking lot right across Ski Hill Road / adjacent to Caribou Highlands as detailed HERE https://www.superiorfalltrailrace.com/wp-content/uploads/caribou-highlands-lodge-finish-diagram-rev-8-22-21.jpg
Covid:
MASKS: For all race distances, masks are required for those riding the buses to race starts. You need to bring / provide your own mask.
Runners, spectators, volunteers and staff are required to stay home if they are Covid positive, have been exposed to someone that is Covid positive in the past 14 days, are not feeling well or are experiencing any of the symptoms listed HERE https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html
READ!
Remember, there will be no pre-race meetings this year (besides a couple of minutes at the start line of each race) so make sure you take the time to review the website one (or two) more times this week. Crews / pacers should be doing the same. You should be reviewing the ‘Race Info’ page associated with your distance, the ‘Maps and Data Page’, the ‘Crew Info’ section if you have crew / pacers, and the ‘News / Updates’ section.
Results / Runner Tracking / Photography / Stick Around:
Links to results and 100 mile runner tracking can be found on our website. We will have a few less photographers than normal this year, but after the race be on the lookout for photos. We do not have overall or division awards and thus won’t have an awards ceremony this year, but we will be at the finish line until the very last runner comes through – please stay and celebrate everyone’s accomplishments with us!
In Closing:
A personal anecdote, sorry, maybe I share too many. I spent much of the last ten days dealing with the complications related to wildfire and a potential cancellation, while trying to get everything together for the race. I would start at about 5AM, Cheri would join me after her work day at about 4PM, and we would go until about 10PM, grab some dinner (read; fast food – the fridge is barren) and watch the news. The news has been of hurricanes, Afghanistan, wildfire, Covid and the corresponding human, and ecological suffering. I will admit, there were a couple of nights where it was getting to me, I questioned what I was doing and how important any of this (running / races) is in light of all of this really heavy stuff. Unsatisfyingly, I did not come up with any answers. Wow, what an analog for rest of life though isn’t it? The proverbial “why do bad things happen”. When we ask why, and we don’t get an answer. But then, thankfully my training kicked in. My running training, my spiritual training – the two inexorably linked. (list) When you are going through hell, keep going. When you are hurting the most, find things to be grateful for, and maintain your sense of humour. Take the focus off of yourself, don’t give in to self-pity, and find ways in which you can be of service to others. Keep the faith. This too shall pass. I hope your run this weekend is fun, this is one of the main and worthy reasons that we do this after all. I also hope that the experience provides a contemplative space for you to ponder past lessons learned. and I hope it pushes, prods and stretches you into learning some new ones.
Be well this week, safe travels, and we will see you soon.
Gratefully,
John Storkamp
Race Director
[email protected]