USATF Minnesota Championship Race

We are proud to announce that the 2020 Afton Trail Run 50K has been selected as the USATF Minnesota Association Ultra Championship Race – https://minnesota.usatf.org/Events/2020-Events/2020-USATF-Minnesota-Ultra-Championship.aspx  The championship is held concurrently with the 50KM race and is open to USATF Minnesota Association Members only who’s memberships are current at the time of the race in 2020.  To clarify, you do not have to be a USATF Minnesota member to run the Afton Trail Run but in order to be eligible for USATF Minnesota titles or prizes you must be a registered USATF Minnesota Association Member and have submitted your USATF number to the race (either on your race application or after) before the start of each respective race.  You can join USATF Minnesota HERE

USATF Minnesota Association Ultra Championship Race
2020 Afton 50KM

Eligibility:
Must be 16 years of age and older on race day
2020 USATF Minnesota member as of the start of the race

Divisions:
Open: 16-39 years of age
Masters: 40 years of age and older
Male and Female

Awards:  
For each division winner
Title: USATF Minnesota Ultra Champion
Prize Money: $125

For open and masters second and third place winners – Male and Female
Prize Money
2nd: $75
3rd: $50
No double dipping

More information can be found HERE

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.