2026 Zumbro Endurance Run Course Sweeping Team – Photo Credit Steve Hennessy
To each and every one of you that volunteered at this year’s Zumbro Endurance Run, we cannot thank you enough. Thank you for giving selflessly of your time, energy, and resources. If for some reason you did not get a t-shirt please let us know and we will put on in the mail for you.
Ever since I have known her; my wife, partner, best bud, and co-organizer of these races Cheri, has loved coloring books. With the bold outlines fixed in place the task is to choose your pallet and make the picture come to life with color. What begins as a basic black and white outline, becomes a vibrant and engaging work of art when complete.
While out doing my ‘once over’ of the Zumbro start and finish area, aid station locations, and the entire 17 mile racecourse this past Monday, a parallel occurred to me. Cheri and I, via ‘Rocksteady Running’, get the privilege of working year-round (and overtime in the weeks leading up to a race) creating the outline for these special experiences that we call races. While the outline is important, providing structure and order, these events do not come to life until each and everyone of you adds your color to them.
Cheri and I are feel honored getting to provide the outline and framework for several of our areas most historic and well regarded events and are grateful for the exceptional community that comes together year after year to create these vibrant and colorful experiences.
I would like to share a note I got this week from a frequent volunteer and runner with us, that has struggled with cutoffs at a few of the races in the past…
“Zumbro Endurance Run volunteers this weekend – THANK YOU! This was the first race for me that I knew/recognized many of you and I could feel all the good vibes! I can be laser focused, and also verbal communication gets **seriously tough** for me, so apologies for not being too social. I saw you and appreciated you all so much! My fave moment was at the end I was just sitting there staring at the medal in my hand in disbelief. John came up and basically patted me on the head, said that he saw me coming through the loops and that I did a good job. All I could get out was “and I did it on time”. I was in that state where you are totally devoid of emotion but that moment meant a lot, and to feel the support of the community is a huge scoop of icing on top. Thank you to each and every one of you out there, you are absolutely the best volunteers out there. I can’t wait to come up to the Superior Spring Trail Race and spend the weekend volunteering and cheering folks on – it feels like a special treat to get to turn around and be positive support for the next one. I got into this running thing for the challenge, but the people are what pull you in forever.”
In my full race recap HERE https://www.zumbroendurancerun.com/2026-zumbro-endurance-run-recap/ I muse about the importance of running races as ‘third spaces’, I encourage you to read it as your efforts are what make theses events and these important ‘third spaces’ possible.
As always, if you need anything, please reach out. We are excited to have started another season and look forward to seeing everyone more as the season progresses.
Thank You,
John Storkamp
Race Director
Zumbro Endurance Run