Nancy can be found helping runners at Oberg during both the spring and fall races – Photo Credit Howie Stern
Dear Friends,
There is no shortage of things in our day to day lives that we both ‘get to’ and ‘have to’ be a part of. There are a myriad of family, work, civic and social obligations competing for our time and attention. We have learned that when an extracurricular or volunteer commitment presents itself, we must be selective in order to maintain our sanity – we simply cannot do everything. We want to commit our time to something we believe in, with an organization we are proud to support, we want to feel well supported in the roles we take on, we want to know we are making some kind of a difference, and we want it to be fun. As time goes on I find myself evaluating the things I volunteer for, based on this criteria. When all of these attributes align, it is a rewarding experience. My sincere hope is that volunteering at Superior is checking all of these boxes for you. If there is ever anything that Cheri and I can do to better support you, please let us know.
Superior is always a special weekend. Get perfect weather and one of the greatest pain points is eliminated. The other one (lack of sleep) is hard to get around in an event that goes 38 hours (more if you help with setup in the days leading up to, or cleanup after). This year however, I noted folks doing a good job of coordinating with their fellow volunteers to get some rest during or in between volunteer shifts. I personally do not get a lot of sleep over the weekend, but sneak in just enough to take the edge of, and importantly, stay safe while driving and doing other critical tasks. After starting the 50 mile and marathon, then visiting some aid stations, I spend the second half of my Saturday at the finish line / finish area. One thing I personally wanted to do better at this year (and I communicated this to my fellow volunteer leads) was to make sure the last couple of hours there were as fun, light, and uplifting as they could be, knowing that the entire crew is always at risk of ‘hitting the wall’ in those final hours. We did a little better job of scheduling some shifts and making sure we had enough folks well rested for the final push. Rather than get impatient the last couple of hours, we just savored them, and really did not start any cleanup until after the sweeps were in. We got everything done as quick, more orderly and efficiently, and in better spirits than ever. It felt like a real win.
Sunday came too quick. I was happy to get to linger and visit with several volunteers for a while, but of course, we all had to get on our way to those other important life commitments. I can honestly say, that with each passing year my appreciation grows for this incredible weekend spent together. It is such a blessing being able to connect with all of you in this special and unique way. It is like two days in a beautifully alternate universe. Thank you all for coming along.
A Testimonial:
As always, I get to field countless personal interactions, emails and hand written letters from participants, raving about the event, which as I know, is raving about you. I always try to share at least one.
“Thank you for another great event. It’s been 11 years since I last joined you all for this race – my body is slower, pretty sure the hills were bigger, but the positive energy and care that infused the event were as high as I remember from 2013. Everything was well communicated and well executed, and as always, the volunteers were so positive and generous. I found myself wishing there were more aide stations – not because I needed food or water but because the energy of the crowd was so uplifting. I wish you all well as you recover from the big event and I thank you, again, for working so hard to build this strong, respectful and positive community that brings us together in the North Woods. – Kris”
Housekeeping:
Our aid station captains do a great job of getting the giveaway out to volunteers (hats this year), but sometimes things stay just busy enough at the aid stations and a few don’t get passed out. If you did not get your hat for volunteering at an aid station, or another position, please email us and we will get one in the mail for you ASAP.
Aid station captains and other volunteers, if you have expenses for aid station food or other extras that you provided and would like to be reimbursed, please email us your receipts.
A note about aid station food. Each year we publish a list of what we are providing, 2024’s list can be found HERE. We realize that these are relatively basic offerings, but between these items and the special nutrition items that runners carry, and put in their drop bags, the bases are covered. Anything beyond this, we ask aid station captains to coordinate directly with their volunteers, procure, and bring along. We do this for a number of reasons but I am not sure that I have done a good enough job communicating the whys. The big ones being a.) you can get much more creative and do a much better job of this than we can, b.) we have to load and transport food, equipment and supplies so early (trucks get loaded up to 10 days before the race) that you can do a much better job than we can transporting perishables c.) when we buy real food / perishables for all 13 aid stations, in bulk, we invariably end up with a staggering and unjustifiable amount of waste. You as aid station captains have a much better sense of what works at your aid station, and how much you will go through, can buy smarter, transport better, and end up with less waste. So, if you want PB&J, fresh fruit, supplies for grilled cheese or anything more exotic we ask that you provide it. This year I saw chocolate chip pancakes, bacon, hamburgers, pot stickers, rice, mashed potatoes, and more. I heard rave reviews from runners about the aid station offerings. Captains, if this has been a struggle at all, consider recruiting a ‘food captain’ to work with you. While a few of the ‘sponsored’ aid stations cover the costs of these additional items, for individuals captaining and volunteering at aid stations, we will of course cover 100% of the cost. Please just save your receipts and email them to us and we will mail you a check.
Next Year:
In addition to thorough preparation in the months leading up, the hands down, single most important element of a well executed race is having a core group of the same volunteers return, year after year, roping in a friend or two, taking ownership of, and mastering the finer points of their specific assignments / jobs. We are blessed to have many volunteers contact us in the weeks after the race to say – “count on me next year for the same exact thing, I / we will handle it” – this is an absolute boon when putting together the following years event. For those of you who have made that kind of multi-year commitment, please keep coming back as long as it is still fun and rewarding. For everyone else we invite you to do the same. If and when you go to sign up to volunteer for the 2025 race, please be sure to mention where it was that you helped in 2024 and if you would like to do the same thing again. If there is something new you would like to try, there is a lot of value in that as well.
In Closing:
Maybe it was the perfect weather that put it over the top, but I cannot stop thinking about how great of a year it was. Cheri and I cannot thank all of you enough for all that you contribute to the event. We hope to see most of you again next year for the 35th annual. As always, if you need anything, please reach out.
With Gratitude,
John Storkamp
Race Director
Superior Trail Race
‘Next generation’ volunteers at the County Road 6 Aid Station (Soren, pictured right was the third place finisher at this years Spring 12.5K) – Photo Credit Christine Armbruster
The extremely early 50 mile morning check-in in Finland – Photo Credit Scott Rokis
Beaver Bay aid station volunteers. Captains Jim and Teri Stocco. – Photo Credit Teri Stocco
Communications / HAM Radio volunteers at the Sugarloaf Road aid station, Jason is a runner, and a ‘Hammie’ – Photo Credit Christine Armbruster
Temperance River / Mill-Saint City aid station volunteers – Photo Credit Christine Armbruster
Christine and Jen, staples at check-in and race starts, at Superior and many other RSR events as well – Photo Credit David Markman
Todd competes annually for the most volunteer assignments / jobs, this year he achieved 10 – Photo Credit Scott Rokis
Brook handing out medals at the finish line, while Mike takes photos, all day, and all night – Photo Credit Mike Wheeler
“The Mom’s” as in John and Cheri’s moms (and often times other helpers) put in countless hours washing dishes after Superior – Photo Credit John Storkamp