Truly one of the most important volunteer jobs at Superior – Photo Credit Tone Coughlin
Dear Friends,
I get the pleasure of writing these volunteer thank you letters a number of times a year. With these letters I have two primary goals 1.) to express my sincere gratitude to you for giving selflessly of your time and resources and 2.) to attempt to illustrate how important these experiences (races) are to our runners, crew, pacers, family, friends, spectators, fellow volunteers, and trail running community as a whole. This week, a close friend of mine who started running the Superior Fall races in the late 1990’s sent me the following note. His message perfectly encapsulates how important the experiences we create are to so many people and why they are a great use of our collective time and energy.
“I have spent many hours this year helping others get ready for the day. And I have spent many years year after year participating in and volunteering for the event. I have watched its evolution. I have experienced its effects on me and my life and my healing. I have watched it crack others open as well and begin to heal them. Most who cross paths with the Superior fall races will never fully appreciate what [those that make them possible] have done. Perhaps I cannot as well. It really just sunk in this year how important this event is. How important the community is. One friend said to me this week, through tears and a cracking voice, that they had never experienced in their life so many people loving on them. And they were so broken down by the miles of trail behind them, that they just had to let people love on them. And that Superior is not about paces and finishes and time. It is about experiencing people helping and loving people. And getting to a place where we can let others love us.”
There is nothing I can or need add here so I will just say once again, thank you for all that you do to make this what it is.
Testimonials:
Before, during and after each race I get to field countless emails and hand written letters from participants, crew, pacers, friends, family spectators and volunteers, raving about the event, which as I know, is raving about you. I always try to share at least one, if not a couple.
I just wanted to pass along a big thank you to everyone involved with putting this race together. I had heard great things, but to experience it firsthand – wow. It was my first time doing this race and I did the 50 miler. The pre-race being at the Finland Community Center was great – I anticipated standing outside in the cold waiting for the start and it was a nice surprise to be able to stand inside. The course was incredibly well marked, there was never a doubt about where I was going – and I know that alone is a huge feat. What amazed me the most was the volunteers. At every single aid station I was greeted with a swarm of volunteers ready to help in any way. I was thankful to have a crew that met me at most of the aid stations, but at the Oberg aid station my crew had not arrived yet and the way that the volunteers took care of me, refilled my water and gave me a pickle shot, food, and checked in on me – it was incredible. I also loved seeing all of the other runners on the trail. I passed a lot of 100 milers and Marathoners, and every time I tried to do so respectfully and wait for a good time to pass. The encouragement and kind words exchanged with all of the other runners was a highlight. The trail community is special and the MN trail running community really comes together (both runners and volunteers). The course itself was incredible. Hard, to be sure, but beautiful. One of my favorite races I’ve ever done – I will be back for sure. I cannot thank everyone involved enough for such a well done race. Happy trails. – Tim
Now that I’m home and have had a chance to process what the heck just happened to me this past weekend for my first 100 miler, I wanted to reach out and say thank you. I’ve raced several of RSR events – Afton, Superior Spring races, and now the 100 miler. I volunteered at last year’s 100 miler at Finland aid station. What I have seen is just a tremendous community of runners and volunteers who come together each year to help put together an incredible race experience out on the Superior Hiking Trail. This was my first 100 miler, but from what I’ve heard from more seasoned ultra runners who have raced around the country, you won’t find a more perfectly executed race of this magnitude outside of what you do at Superior. Based on my own experience this past weekend, I wouldn’t doubt that for a moment. I was amazed at every aid station the care and attention to which the volunteers gave each runner. I felt like I was being pulled forward to the finish line by the encouragement and love that I felt out there on the trail. I honestly get teary eyed when I think about how much everyone gave to the runners this past weekend. This was definitely a life changing experience for me. Superior was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. But with all that you put in place to make this a spectacular event, it was also the most joy-filled, inspiring, and life affirming event, too. Kindest regards. – Kim
Housekeeping:
Our aid station captains do a great job of getting the giveaway out to volunteers (t-shirts 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 t-shirt 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.
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 2026 race, please be sure to mention in the notes section where it was that you helped in 2025 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:
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 36th annual. As always, if you need anything, please reach out.
In Community,
John Storkamp
Race Director
Superior Trail Race
Course marking volunteers – photo credit Scott Rokis
The logistics crew transport 10’s of thousands of pounds of water, food, equipment and DROP BAGS on race weekend – photo credit Eric Hadtrath
Volunteers helping with check in / re-check in at the marathon start – photo credit Christine Armbruster
Just about all of the Beaver Bay aid station volunteers – photo credit Teri Stocco
Some of the many Temperance River Aid Station volunteers – photo credit Christine Armbruster
Lots and lots of water bottles filled, this one by Darcie – photo credit Tone Coughlin
Some of the many Oberg aid station volunteers – photo credit Anastasia Wilde
A five person course sweeping crew between Silver Bay and Tettegouche, this year we had 28 sweeping volunteers in total – photo credit Scott Rokis
Rick handing out medals, buckles, and hugs on the finish line – photo credit Jamison Swift
Michael announcing finishers in the timing tent, it is always a nice touch when you hear your name and number of finishes announced as you cross the finish line – photo credit Tone Coughlin
“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