Afton Trail Run Volunteer Email 2 2018

Date: Monday June 18, 2018
Subject: Afton Trail Run Volunteer Email 2 2018

Hi All!

Thank you very much for volunteering for the 2018 / 25th annual Afton Trail Run on Saturday July 7th, 2018! This email is intended as a quick note to convey three things…

1.) We have received your volunteer signup / information, thank you!

2.) We have started preliminary volunteer assignments and they can be found HERE https://www.aftontrailrun.com/volunteer-assignments/ – if I have assigned anything incorrectly based on the times / info you provided or have assigned too much or too little, please let me know ASAP – I have been known to make a mistake or two!

As usual, we are very fortunate to have such a great volunteer turnout, to say we are in “need” anywhere would be an overstatement, but listed below are some notes regarding where we could / would take additional help or skills – let us know if you want to or can help with any of the following along with what you have already been assigned to.

• Work with experienced course markers on Thursday 7/5 at 8AM until about 3PM to mark the entire race course (position is best for those that are interested in learning to and continue to do some course marking in the future).

• Help setup the aid stations and finish area on Friday 7/6 from 10AM until about 3PM.

• If you are already assigned to help on Friday and you have a pickup truck that you would be willing to use to deliver supplies to the aid stations, let me know.

• Stay until the very end of the race on Saturday helping with final cleanup / load out.

• Help us with cleanup at our house in Hastings on Sunday from 9AM until approx 3PM (likely will get done earlier).

• If anyone assigned to work an aid station is a good photographer and would like to work as a photographer at / near your aid station let me know.

• If anyone assigned to work an aid station or the finish area and are a social media guru (takes good pics with their phone, does a lot of Facebook / Instagram posting already and has Verizon and unlimited data) and would like to make posts on behalf of the race, let me know.

3.) A final / and more comprehensive email to volunteers will be going out mid-next-week so keep your eyes peeled for that.

That is all I have for now, should you have any questions before I send out the next email, please drop me a line!

Thank You,

John Storkamp
Race Director
Afton Trail Run
racedirector@aftontrailrun.com

Afton Trail Run
50KM & 25KM Trail Races
Afton State Park – Hastings, Minnesota
Saturday July 4, 2020
• 50KM 6:30AM
• 25KM 7:30AM

Registration:
Opens Wedneday January 1, 2020 at 12:01AM CST
Closes Friday June 26, 2020 at 11:59PM CST
*Or once the field limit has been met
Complete Registration Details HERE

Directions to Race Start:
Afton State Park
6959 Peller Avenue South
Hastings, MN 55033
Hastings, Minnesota
Google Maps Directions HERE
Approx 25 minutes East of St. Paul, MN and 40 minutes East of Minneapolis, MN

Terrain / Course Description:
The Afton Trail Run consists of a hilly 25K loop (two loops for the 50K), winding through Afton State Park’s trail system. The race is held 100% off road, primarily on very runnable / not very technical single double and single track. There are 7 long climbs per loop, rising from the river valley and down again with a good mix of rolling and flat terrain between the hills.  Be sure to see maps, elevation charts and stats provided on this website HERE.

50KM:
2 x 15.5 mile loops =  31 miles
Elevation Gain 4,670 FT
Elevation Loss 4,670 FT
NET Elevation Change 9,340 FT
11 Aid Stations
9 hour time limit
Complete 50KM Info HERE

25KM:
1 x 15.5 mile loop = 15.5 miles
Elevation Gain 2,335 FT
Elevation Loss 2,335 FT
NET Elevation Change 4,670 FT
5 Aid Stations
8 hour time limit
Complete 25KM Info HERE

More About the Race / Area:
The Afton Trail Run is one of the most challenging and beautiful trail races around.  The race was established in 1994 and is now one of the oldest, largest and most competitive trail races in the country and routinely draws runners from all 50 states and beyond.  The race takes place entirely within the borders of Afton State Park.  Afton State Park lies on a glacial moraine, scribed with deep ravines running down to the St. Croix River.  The 169 mile St. Croix River was one of the original eight United States rivers to have significant portions placed under protection by the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968.  Within the park sandstone outcrops have been exposed in some of the ravines. The vertical drop from the blufftop to the water is 300 feet.  A few patches of remnant prairie survived the decades of farming that took place on the blufftop. Today the former fields are being restored to prairie and oak savanna. The ravines leading down to the riverbank are thickly wooded with oak, aspen, birch, and cherry.