Date: Tuesday May 9, 2023
Subject: Superior Spring Trail Race Volunteer Communication 2 2023
Hello All!
Thank you again for volunteering for the Superior Spring Trail Race on Saturday May 20, 2023. We have an impressive group of 100+ volunteers helping this year’s race! We could not put on such a great event without your help. We currently have the following number of registered runners: 50KM = 270, 25KM = 382, 12.5KM = 328, Total = 980. Runners are coming from 2 countries, 24 states and 200 Minnesota cities.
This is Volunteer Email 2 – if you did not see Volunteer Email 1 you did not miss anything, this was just a recruitment email.
RE the Potential Course Modification:
Due to conditions, there is still a chance that we may not be able to hold the race on the Superior Hiking Trail. If that is the case we will use THIS modified race course https://www.superiorspringtrailrace.com/superior-spring-trail-race-backup-race-course-information/ – If we have to modify, we will need the majority of you, and we will still want all of you! If the change happens, it will happen early(ish) next week / the week of the race. I will send an email with reassignments at that time – please note that these assignments, if they happen, will not be air-tight. I will be relying on you to be creative, chip in where needed and be laid back in the areas we are over-staffed – this is a great opportunity to cheer on runners and create good vibes (many hands make light work!)
Volunteer Assignments:
Volunteer Assignments have been made and are available HERE https://www.superiorspringtrailrace.com/volunteer-assignments/ As always, I do my best to review and integrate the information you provide in the ‘notes’ section of the volunteer signup form – that said I have been known to make a couple of mistakes and take a few liberties along the way! If you see anything that does not work for you, please let me know and we can easily adjust. Please keep in mind that you may have been assigned more than one job or shift, so please search both by name and job (you can type your name into the search box or you can sort the table by clicking any of the column headers.) There could be a few minor tweaks between now and race day, so please be sure to check the list again the week of the race. Info on each specific volunteer job can be found HERE https://www.superiorspringtrailrace.com/volunteer-jobs/
Additional Volunteer Needs:
• We have exceptional volunteer coverage for race weekend but If anyone that does not work on Monday wants to help us clean-up at our home in Hastings between 9AM and 3PM, just shoot me an email – we will not turn you down!
• If you are a photographer (have a friend, family member or significant other you could drag along etc.) we could still use a couple more folks taking pictures on course, please let me know!
Review the Website:
Please take the time to review our website in its entirety prior to race day – https://www.superiorspringtrailrace.com/ There are specific links / resources for volunteers in addition to the general race information for runners. Reviewing and knowing this information prior to race day will make you, the volunteers, the best resource possible for the runners, their crew, family and spectators as well as your fellow volunteers!
Aid Station Captains and Event Leads:
Trail Marking & Sweeping 25K / 50K Course – Paul Hasse
Trail Marking 12.5K Course – Todd Rowe
Trail Sweeping 12.5K Course – Steve Hennessey
Volunteer Medical – Chalayne Palmgren (Roving), MD Luke Midlo (Finish), MD Dimitri Djrekonja (Finish after 12:00PM)
HAM Radio Coordinators – Rick Johnson & Jayne Johnson
Check-In (Friday and Saturday) – Cheri Storkamp & Craig Yotter
Oberg Aid Station Captain – Sam Olson
Oberg Parking and Traffic Control Captain – Bill Pomerenke
Sawbill Aid Station Captain – Dale Immerfall / Immerfall Family
Sawbill Parking and Traffic Control Captain – Josh Rouse
Supply / Resupply – Scott Radke & Kit Grayson
Finish Line – John Storkamp and Brook Wheeler
Finish Area – Cheri Storkamp and Lisa Kresky-Griffin
Timing – Craig Yotter, Tim Lupfer, Jon Toomey, Carl Bliss
Medical:
Our direction to our volunteers with medical training who are acting as good samaritans is that they can go ahead and help with anything that is very minor (bumps and bruise kind of stuff) while anything that they are not comfortable addressing and certainly anything major will be called in to local emergency services by our HAM / Amateur Radio Operators. We will have standby ambulance coverage at the finish throughout the event, who can respond quickly to incidents at the finish or at either of the aid stations.
Tracking Runners:
Ham Radio volunteers at aid stations may need a little help during the busy times writing down bib numbers, recording and tracking DNF’s. Non-HAM aid station volunteers may be recruited to help with this. Aid station captains and HAM Radio volunteers will coordinate this via a quick briefing in the morning and throughout the day as needed.
Road Crossing, Parking and Traffic Control:
How the race interfaces with non-race-related trail users, motorists, etc. is one of the most critical aspects to the long term health / success of our event. Aid station captains are ultimately responsible for parking and traffic control at each aid station. Specific parking and traffic control “leads” are also assigned. These leads will work with the aid station captains to execute the parking and traffic control plan(s) with the other aid station volunteers as outlined HERE https://www.superiorspringtrailrace.com/volunteer-jobs/#sawbill and HERE https://www.superiorspringtrailrace.com/volunteer-jobs/#oberg – The “leads” will work with the aid station captain to rotate aid station volunteers in and out of the parking and traffic control position throughout the day so nobody has to do it all day.
Name Badges:
There will be name badges available for volunteers. These allow runners to be able to easily identify volunteers and allows volunteers to be able to easily identify eachother. Similarly, runners’ names will be printed on their race numbers.
Lodging [ TIME SENSITIVE ]:
We have a couple communal lodging spots left for volunteers who need it, please review THIS prior to signing up https://www.superiorspringtrailrace.com/volunteer-lodging/ If you need lodging, please sign up ASAP/TODAY HERE https://forms.gle/2pPqttQLWzjBhrZX8
Trail Marking:
Those assigned to mark trails should plan to meet at Caribou Highlands townhome unit 504 at 7:15 AM on Friday May 19, ready for a 7:45 AM departure. Make sure you have enough food, water, clothing etc. to be comfortable on the trail in any conditions.
Beanies:
We are doing BEANIES year https://www.superiorspringtrailrace.com/2023-race-beanie/ . If you are volunteering at an aid station, beanies will have been sent out in the supply bins. Aid station captains will be getting these out to you, or better yet will delegate the task of getting them out. If you could, please make sure you get yours so we do not have to mail it. If you are working a volunteer position other than an aid station, you will pick up your hat at the finish area / same location where we sell merchandise – please seek yours out there.
Food, and After your Shift:
You are welcome to graze on aid station food during your shift but also feel free to pack a lunch if you think you will need more. After your aid station closes, please join us at the finish for chili, to watch the final finishers and help us get cleaned and packed up after the race!
As always, should you have any questions please contact me. We are looking forward to seeing everyone for another safe, fun and successful race!
Thank You,
John Storkamp
Race Director
[email protected]