Volunteer positions with start, “first runner” and finish times along with a detailed description and “report-to” locations are listed below:
Packet Pickup – Start: 4:45 AM, Finish: 8:15 AM
Report To: Coordinator (see volunteer assignments) - Visitors Center, Volunteer Location: Afton State Park Visitors Center – Adjacent from parking lots / Start – Finish line. Responsibility: check runners in on race morning. The most important thing while checking runners in, is that we confirm that we have their age & division correct as this is very important in gathering and publishing race results – one runner listed as the wrong age or division, can throw off hundreds of results / places. Their number and chip will be issued to them and we will give them their race bag and the size T-Shirt that they asked for as listed on the spreadsheet you will be provided. Once packet pickup is closed, those who are not moving on to another position or have time prior to moving on to that position will help to clean-up the visitors center as we are primarly finished using the building for the day.
Positions Available: Packet Pickup (8), T-Shirts (4), Merch (2)
Parking – Start: 4:45 AM, Finish: 7:30 AM
Report To: Coordinator (see volunteer assignments) – Visitors Center, Volunteer Location: Parking Lots Adjacent to Start-Finish line and Visitors Center. Responsibility: Direct traffic as it enters the parking area – close off the lot directly in-between the visitors center and the start finish area and mark for Afton Trail Run volunteers. Temporarily close off other lots near the start / finish area and work on filling up parking lots furthest away first. Help by guiding people to park cars as closely together as possible, if this is not done, people will park too far apart and we will run out of parking. IMPORTANT: Meet in visitors center @ 4:45 and look for the race director, please bring a flashlight and headlamp if you are doing this job – the race will provide a reflective vests.
Positions Available: Parking (5-8)
AM Aid Station Stocking – Start: 4:45 AM Finish: 6:30 AM
Report To: Visitors Center, Volunteer Location: Race-Course / Aid Stations. Responsibility: Stock final items at aid stations on race day using ATV. All major items will be stocked on the day before the race except perishable items – those will be brought race morning. Have the following aid stations stocked by the following times: Aid station 1/2: 6:00 AM, Aid Station 3/4: 6:20 AM, Aid Station 5: 7:00 AM (aid station captain from Aid Station 5 will get items from visitors center themselves as you can drive a car or truck right to the aid station.) If there is space on ATV – aid station workers may also be transported to AS with the AS items.
Positions available (2-4)
Aid Station 1 / 2 – Start: 5:30 AM, AS Setup by: 6:15 AM, First-Runner: 6:50 Finish: 1:00 PM
Report To: Aid Station Captain (see volunteer assignments for name) | Aid Station, Volunteer Location: Aid Station 1/2. | Responsibility: Setup, work and tear-down Aid Station 1&2. Aid station will be positioned at the “entrance” into the back 40 loop, Immediately after the long gravel downhill. Position the aid station in the middle of the 4 way intersection to separate incoming runners from outgoing runners. DIRECTIONS TO AID STATION: Take 70th Street to the intersection where you can either enter the state park or go into Afton Alps Ski area. Follow the road into Afton Alps and down the long hill into the ski area. Once at the bottom of the hill, find a place to park (see map). Park off to the side at the bottom of the hill and look for the spur trail into Afton State Park. Once you reach the end of the spur trail, take a right onto the main trail and walk to the aid station. In total, this walk will not take you more than 4 or 5 minutes. You can find a MAP HERE (3 Page .PDF) All aid station materials will be delivered to the site – you are only responsible to get yourself and any personal items or personal touches for the aid station that you wold like to bring – A complete list of what is provided at the aid station can be found HERE. First time working an aid station at a trail race / ultramarathon? Learn the basics HERE. IMPORTANT: Do not park your vehicle in front of the trailhead into the woods – we need this open in order to get an ATV through.
Positions available (6-8)
Aid Station 3 / 4 – Start: 5:45 AM, AS Setup by: 6:40 AM, First Runner: 7:10 AM, Finish: 3:15 PM
Report To: Aid Station Captain (see volunteer assignments for name) | Aid Station, Volunteer Location: Aid Station 3/4. | Responsibility: Setup, work and tear-down Aid Station 3&4. This is the first aid station that you come two once you come down from the Africa Loop to the river. The first time you encounter this aid station it is considered aid station 3. After leaving AS 3 you climb out of the valley via the very long gravel hill, you then loop around come back down via the Far North Hill, loop under the bridge, climb to Campground, run down campground hill for your second trip to the aid station (Aid Station 4). You then proceed south on the rail trail following the river. The position of the aid station is very important in seperating incoming and outgoing traffic – this will be setup for you, do not move the tables. Directions: Follow 70th Street into Afton State Park, drive past the park office and past the visitors center to where the road ends / the far parking lot. Park and follow the paved biking path and signs that direct you to the Beach. Aid Station is setup just prior to the beach. A map to the Aid Station can be found HERE. All aid station materials will be delivered to the site – you are only responsible to get yourself and any personal items or personal touches for the aid station that you wold like to bring – A complete list of what is provided at the aid station can be found HERE. First time working an aid station at a trail race / ultramarathon? Learn the basics HERE.
Positions available (6-8)
Aid Station 5 – Start: 6:45 AM, AS Setup by: 7:30 AM, First Runner, 7:50 AM, Finish: 4:30 PM
Report To: Aid Station Captain (see volunteer assignments for name) | Aid Station, Volunteer Location: Aid Station 5. | Responsibility: Setup, work and tear-down Aid Station 5. Following the rail trail from aid station 4 runners come to Meatgrinder Hill and climb out of the valley. Shortly after reaching the top of the hill runners will arrive at aid station 5. Aid station captain will pick up perishable items from visitors center in AM. and deliver to AS. Directions to the Aid Station can be found HERE. All aid station materials will be delivered to the site – you are only responsible to get yourself and any personal items or personal touches for the aid station that you wold like to bring – A complete list of what is provided at the aid station can be found HERE. First time working an aid station at a trail race / ultramarathon? Learn the basics HERE.
Positions available (6-8)
Aid Station 6 (Race Start / Finish Area) – Start: 7:30 AM, AS Setup by: 7:50 AM, Finish: 11:00 PM
Report To: Aid Station Captain (see volunteer assignments for name) | Aid Station, Volunteer Location: Aid Station 6. | Responsibility: Setup, work and tear-down Aid Station 6. The start finish area serves as the halfway point for the 50K runners. This is a full aid station, however many of the runners have drop bags with their own aid items. Aid station closes when the last 50K runners are through. Leftover aid items are put in the finish line / food tent to get used up. Volunteers from this area can stay to help at the finish area and at the food tent. A map of the aid station location can be found HERE. All aid station materials will be delivered to the site – you are only responsible to get yourself and any personal items or personal touches for the aid station that you wold like to bring – A complete list of what is provided at the aid station can be found HERE. First time working an aid station at a trail race / ultramarathon? Learn the basics HERE.
Positions available (6-8)
Finish Line – (Timing, Chips, Awards, Medals, Etc.) Start: 8:15 AM, Finish: End
Report To: Race Director – Finish Area, Volunteer Location: Finish-Line. Responsibility: We contract out chip-timing but still doing manual timing as a backup for the race. Tasks here include but are not limited to; Writing down runners numbers / finish times, working the stopwatch, taking tearoff tags, handing out medals, removing chips from shoes etc.
Positions available (6-8)
Food Tent (Cooking / Food Coordination / Helper) – Start: 9:00 AM, Finish: End
Report To: Race Director – Finish Area, Volunteer Location: Food Tent. Responsibility: There will be two dedicated / professional cooks – Other volunteers at this area will make sure food is stocked, drinks are available and cold and will clean-up and help out wherever they can.
Positions available (2 cooks + 2 helpers)
Course Marshall – Start: 6:30 AM Finish: 11:00 AM
Report To: Position Coordinator or Race Director (see volunteer assignments for name), Volunteer Location: Misc. Responsibility: Control Traffic at area of two way traffic intersection. Need to be in position by 6:30 as this is around Mile 1 of the race. Will provide further clarification. This is a good spot for volunteers who likes to take photos of the runners.
Positions available (2)
Floaters (Start / Finish Area) – Start 4:45 AM, Finish: 5:00 PM
Report To: Race-Director – Start / Finish Area, Volunteer Location: Misc. Responsibility: Needs always arise throughout the day, and things always come up. These individuals have not been assigned a specific position for the entire day – but we will do so race morning when we see where we may have gaps in where we have help.
Positions available (4-6)
Final Clean-Up (Teardown / Demobilization Crew) – Start: 1:30 PM Finish: 5:00 PM / End
Report To: Race Director – Finish Area. Volunteer Location: Finish Area. Responsibility: We encourage anyone who wants to stay until the end of the day do so and help clean up and tear down. Some volunteers will be at the park until about 8:00 pm. The objective of this position is to bring in a few people that are fresh to help energize and expedite the process as everyone who has been at aid stations all day are baked and spent! The more hands we have, the quicker this will go.
Course Marking – Thursday and Friday Prior to Race
This task is for those who are extremly physically fit, can carry weight and can travel long distances on foot. Marking will be done during the daytime hours on Thursday and Friday.
Course Sweeping – Start: 10:30 AM, Finish: 4:30
Report To: Sweeping Coordinator (see volunteer assignments for name) - Start / Finsh Area. Volunteer Location: Race Course. Responsibility: The cutoff for 50KM runners is at the 25KM mark or aid station 6 which is just adjacent to the start finish area. Course “Sweeps” will start closing down the course starting at 10:30 AM, any runners ariving to this point after 10:30 will be pulled from the course / DNF’s. Course Sweepers follow behind the last runner(s), picking up flags, garbage, looking for lost or injured runners and providing assistance wherever is needed.
Photography / Video Start: 5:30 AM to Finish:
Report to Position Coordinator or Race Director (see volunteer assignments for name)Photographer – Take photos and or video from anywhere on the course he or she see’s fit. We have ATV’s on the course, so the photographer can arrange a ride to any location and arrange for a pickup as well if needed.
HAM Radio Operators: Start: Fri Finish: Sat
Report to: Ham Radio Coordinator. Handle all communications for the event.
Medical / Emergency Start: All Day
Primary medical support provided Hastings Fire and Rescue. EMT’s will be onsite at the start / finish area. There will be an additional medical volunteer on staff as well.
(Friday before race) Shopping Start: 9:00 AM Finish: 11:00 PM
Meet at SAMS Club in Woodbury at 10:00 am on the day prior to the race to purchase all the items needed for the aid stations and for the post race barbeque. There will be a shopping list for each group – fill up your carts and meet at the front of the store. Deliver the items to Afton State Park and prep for distribution to the aid stations and finish line.
Positions available (3)
(Friday before race) AS Sorting & Race HQ Setup Start: 12:00 AM Finish: 4:00 PM
Separate food items and aid station supplies into bins for distribution to the aid stations and the finish line. Setup race headquarters. Everyone is welcome to come help on the day before the race – this is just a list of persons who have already given a firm commitment. We will go out to dinner or order in after the work is done and relax once done with the work.
Positions available ( 6 to 8 )
