Dear Runners,
Please read the following in its entirety for extremely important race course, trail conditions, and driving directions updates.
Race Course:
In my email to you on Monday April 3 I put you on notice regarding a potential course modification due to flooding on the Zumbro race course. Thankfully the water level has been going down since Monday afternoon and we are able to proceed with a full 17 mile loop. This year’s course will be very similar to the 2021/2022 race course with the following modifications due to some lingering high water in isolated areas:
1.) Just after the start of the race, runners will still ascend ‘Rock Hill’ but will no longer proceed to the ‘Phone Booth’, instead you will immediately descend ‘Richie’s Mountain’ to the ‘Iron Bridge’.
2.) After crossing the ‘Iron Bridge’, outbound runners will stay straight on ‘Zumbro Bottoms Road’, as opposed to turning left / northeast onto ‘Bridge Trail’ through the river bottom. This will create a much longer stretch of two-way traffic with inbound runners on ‘Zumbro Bottoms Road’ than in years past.
3.) Outbound runners will take a left off of ‘Zumbro Bottoms Road’ and proceed to ‘Highwater Trail’ and the eastern portion of the race course.
4.) After coming down Ant Hill, runners will no longer turn left / head southeast up ‘Paddy’s Trail’ / hill, instead we will bring you in more quickly and directly to Aid Station 2 / Central Assembly.
5.) After crossing the ‘Iron Bridge’ for the second time on the loop, inbound runners will still take a left / head south on ‘Rail Road Bed Trail’, but after 1/4 mile will detour off of ‘Rail Road Bed’ up to ‘Pine Trail’, eventually coming down ‘Sand Slide’ back to ‘Rail Road Bed Trail’ and then into the Start / Finish / Aid Station 3 area.
I am providing this level of detail specifically for the benefit of those that have run Zumbro before / within the last two years, so they are not taken by surprise by the changes. For those of you that have not run Zumbro before, it will all be new to you and everything will be very well marked. Same as always, the only “decision point” in the race where you really need to know what to do in advance is at the Iron Bridge… if you remember to “always cross the Iron Bridge / Zumbro River” when you see it, you will stay on course. This will also be very well marked.
HERE is a revised course map for the 2023 race.
Course Conditions:
Course conditions remain the same as I stated in my welcome email on Friday March 31 “Be prepared for very challenging conditions including a mix of some dry trail, mud, snow (possibly deep in places), ice (possibly significant stretches of) and standing water… you know, Zumbro.”
Driving Directions / Getting To Zumbro:
If you are coming to the race from the North / the Twin Cities and are using Google Maps it will likely bring you into the Start / Finish / West Assembly / Horse Campground via 60 to 13 to 653rd to 86 – DO NOT GO THIS WAY. There is a hill on one of the minimum maintenance roads that is in very very poor shape – YOU NEED TO COME IN THROUGH THEILMAN. We provide directions HERE https://www.zumbroendurancerun.com/getting-to-zumbro/ – please review this, and also take the time to look at a map prior to departing. Drive very slowly through Theilman.
In Closing:
The following is how I closed my last update and it remains 100% true so I will just copy/paste it here. “As we all know, Zumbro is going to Zumbro – welcome to, or welcome back to the Zumbro Experience. The weekend weather is looking great (knock on wood), we have some super cool beanies packed in the trailer, have enough ingredients to make 350+ pizzas, have an awesome playlist and more than enough coffee and firewood to last two days. It’s going to be great to get together after a long Winter.”
We will be down at Zumbro setting up all day tomorrow, and getting the 100 mile race underway on Friday – if you contact me it may take me a little while to get back to you. See you all soon!
Thank You,
John Storkamp
Race Director
[email protected]