Welcome Superior 100 Mile Runners!
We are just under one week away from the 27th Annual Superior 100 Mile Trail Race – one of the toughest, most scenic and oldest 100 mile trail races in the country! We are very excited to be hosting another extraordinary field of runners at this years Superior “Fall” Trail Race – represented are runners from 34 states and 4 countries! We have recruited around 260 volunteers to make this a truly world-class event and help you in achieving your goal of completing one of the most challenging and beautiful trail races anywhere!
Listed below are a few important reminders and a few changes from years past – we will not overwhelm you with all the details that are readily available on the website under the https://www.superiorfalltrailrace.com/100-mile-info/ and https://www.superiorfalltrailrace.com/maps-and-data/ sections, rather, we will hit a few key points and then let you explore the website in more depth on your own.
Please take the time to read through this email and all of the information on the website in its entirety and print any information, maps, directions etc. that you or your crew may need as cell and Internet service is intermittent on the North Shore and you will most likely not be able to access the website on your phone much of the time. We will NOT have these printouts for you at the race.
This is your race and your responsibility to know this stuff – if after reading this email and reviewing everything on the website should you still have questions please contact us.
Packet Pickup and Pre-Race Meeting (Mandatory):
Thursday, September 7th, 5:00-8:00 PM
Lake County Fairgrounds 4H Building
1381 Fairgrounds Road, Two Harbors, MN 55616
Packet Pickup: 5:00-8:00 pm
Pre-Race Briefing: 6:30 pm, lasts approximately 45 minutes
Spaghetti Dinner: 5:00-8:00 pm
100 mile race start:
Friday 8:00 am Gooseberry Falls State Park, MN
Shuttle Bus Time:
The shuttle bus from Caribou Highlands / Lutsen (race finish) to Gooseberry Falls State Park (race start) on race morning will depart at 6:00AM. It is approximately 1 hour to the race start so you will arrive at 7:00AM for the 8:00AM start.
Know Your Bib # at Packet Pickup:
Please know your Bib Number when you come to packet pickup on Thursday and check back in on Friday / race morning – your bib number can be found HERE https://www.superiorfalltrailrace.com/2017-bib-assignments/
Check-In & Re-Check-In:
Even if you have checked in the night before the race at packet-pickup you must “re-check-in” on race morning so we know who is starting the race.
Warmups
You will have the option of sending “warmups” / clothing from the race start back to the finish – please place in a plastic bag with your name, race distance and race number. No valuables please.
Drop Bags:
Reminder, we do not accept drop bags on race morning, drop bags must be left during packet pickup on Thursday night. All drop bags must be marked with the runners distance, drop bag location, runners name & runners bib number – drop bags without this information will not be delivered. Drop bags will be delivered to the finish line on Saturday after 8:00PM.
2015 Course Change Still in Effect:
The Superior Hiking Trail re-route that had an effect on the early miles of last years Superior 100 is still in effect, as a result the first approximate 4.5 miles of the race will again be on the Gitchie Gumi (paved) bike path, believe it or not this was met with great reviews from most runners last year as a nice relaxed start to the race. If you care to read more about this you can find info HERE https://www.superiorfalltrailrace.com/2016-100-mile-course-reroute/
Split Rock River Bridge Out – Course Change:
The Split Rock River Bridge is out / no longer there, if the water is low enough on the day that we mark the trail (Thursday / one day before the race) we will mark to the approximate location of the old bridge and there will be a wet river crossing, plan for shin to thigh deep water. If we get a lot of rain in the days leading up or if the forecast for Thursday overnight is for a lot of rain, we may skip the Split Rock River Loop all-together and make up the distance before getting to the Split Rock Aid Station. You will be notified of the route that will be used during the pre-race meeting on Thursday night. More in depth information about this course change can be found https://www.superiorfalltrailrace.com/2017-split-rock-river-bridge-outage-and-associated-reroute/
Beaver Bay Aid Station – Potential Crew Access Change
Due to road construction there is the potential that we will have to prohibit crew access to the Beaver Bay Aid Station at the last minute. Lax Lake Road out of Beaver Bay is going to be closed to through traffic for a planned county road work project but the race has been given permission from the county to use the road to access the Beaver Bay Trailhead and setup the aid station. We have also been given permission to allow crews to visit the Beaver Bay Aid Station and park on the shoulder of the road as usual but this is contingent on the road work being on schedule and the county having the majority of the disruptive work done by the time of the race. Given the variables associated with the project, there could be a last minute change and as a result we are asking that all 100 mile runners who are planning to utilize crews at the Beaver Bay Aid Station have a contingency in place by either having what they need with them or packed in a drop bag for Beaver Bay. Runners and crew should also keep in mind that when considering these changes that there is no crew access allowed at the previous aid station Split Rock – there is however crew access at the next aid station, Silver Bay which is at mile 25. You will be notified of any crew access changes at Beaver Bay during the pre-race meeting on Thursday night, again, please come prepared for either scenario. More in depth information about this course change can be found https://www.superiorfalltrailrace.com/2017-lax-lake-road-construction-potential-beaver-bay-aid-station-crew-access-impact/
Bees, Hornets and or Wasps!
The bees / ground hornets and / or wasps are always bad this time of year on the Superior Hiking Trail, if you are allergic you need to be carrying your medication, ointment, EPI-Pen or whatever it is that has been prescribed to you, there are sections of trail that are 10 miles without aid (so you could be 5 miles / well over 1 hour from help) and if you get stung and have a reaction you need to be able to self medicate. * Do not consider starting this race if you have known allergies to bees, hornets or wasps if you do not have, are unable or unwilling to carry your potentially life-saving medicine.
VERY IMPORTANT Share / Email the following link(s) to Your Pacers Crews and Spectators:
It is unlikely that anything a runner does will ever put another participant, crew, pacer, spectator or the Superior Trail Race as a whole in jeopardy – more likely it would be a runners crew or a spectator inadvertently doing something in a vehicle near or at an aid station that could negatively impact the race – thankfully, to date, we have had very few problems! Please review the following link and forward this link on to your crew, pacers, family members and spectators. https://www.superiorfalltrailrace.com/crew-pacer-family-member-spectators-information/ – new this year, we are requiring that all crews, pacers, family member, friends, spectators etc. that are visiting the aid stations print and have with them the following document https://www.superiorfalltrailrace.com/wp-content/uploads/Superior-Fall-Trail-Race-Crew-Directions-V1-Revised-8-27-17-708PM.pdf
Cool Stuff For Sale:
As in years past we will have some cool t-shirts and sweatshirts, hats, buffs, posters, stickers and the new book written by Kevin Langton about the Superior 100 for sale at the pre-race meeting! Cash or check only.
Results, Tracking & Media:
Results will be posted live / in real time as all runners finish the race via the following link https://results.chronotrack.com/event/results/event/event-29027 – We will have live runner tracking through each aid station for the 100 MILE ONLY available HERE http://www.ultralive.net/superior100#tracking/overview – Leading up to the race and during the race we will be posting all kinds of great stuff on our facebook page HERE https://www.facebook.com/superior100/?ref=br_rs – follow the link and LIKE our page.
Sponsors:
Along with our volunteers, sponsors are the lifeblood of our event – we work with great companies and great individuals from those companies who are passionate about our event, please check them out and if possible show them your patronage. https://www.superiorfalltrailrace.com/sponsors/
SHTA – Superior Hiking Trail Association:
The Superior Hiking Trail is one of the premier long distance hiking trails in the country, without it, there would be no race. The Superior Hiking Trail Association builds, maintains, and manages the trail with the help of hundreds of volunteers and thousands of donors. The Superior Trail Race and Rocksteady Running make significant financial contributions and provide extensive volunteer support to the Superior Hiking Trail Associating each year. Please help by joining, donating or volunteering. If you use this trail in training or as a part of this race you should become a member for at least one year – it is the right thing to do. You can become a member of the Superior Hiking Trail Association HERE http://www.shta.org/ – there will also be a campaign after the race where will petition you, the runners to join or donate to the trail en’masse, please keep an eye out for that and join or donate if you can.
Enjoy your taper, travel safe and we will see you at Thursdays pre-race meeting / packet pickup.
Thank You,
John Storkamp
Race Director
[email protected]