Rocksteady Running 2021 Races Update 5/10/21

May 10, 2021 | Uncategorized

[ This is a copy of an email that was sent out to our mailing list on May 10, 2021, the subject of the email was ‘Superior Spring Trail Race registration closes on Wednesday May 12!  and other RSR updates.’. It contains updates for all of our events including the Afton Trail Run. If you did not receive this as an email and would like to join our mailing list, you can do so HERE https://www.aftontrailrun.com/join-our-mailing-list – as always, the best way to stay informed is to visit our website as we will not always email. Thank you. ]

Hi All,

I just wanted to give you a quick heads up that registration for the 2021 Superior Spring Trail Race will close on Wednesday May 12 at 11:59PM. We are holding the Covid-modified event over four days, May 20-23, so you can choose to run the 12.5K, 25K or 50K any of those days. There are only a few spots left for the Saturday races, but plenty of space left on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Please review the complete details prior to registering. https://www.superiorspringtrailrace.com/superior-spring-trail-race-2021/

For those of you who have your eye on the Afton Trail Run and the Superior Fall Trail Race, it is safe to say that you can kick training into full gear. While we are still working through the details with our permitting agencies, the Afton Trail Run will likely be held over two days, Friday July 2 and Saturday July 3, while we hope to run the Superior Fall Trail Race on Friday September 10 and Saturday September 11. Again, more details forthcoming on both of these events.

Endless Summer Trail Run Series. We are hopeful that we will be able to host at least one, if not a few days of racing at Spring Lake Park in Hastings sometime later this Summer – we are working with Dakota County to come up with a plan that works for everyone (our runners, volunteers, and other park users) – we will keep you posted!

Thanks everyone, we hope to see many of you at Superior, or on the trails later this year.

Thank You,

John Storkamp

Rocksteady Running
john@rocksteadyrunning.com
Zumbro, Superior(S), Afton, Superior(F), ESTRS

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.