I signed up for Superior 50 lottery with a group of 6 women from Wisconsin. Many of us are familiar with the Ice Age Trail along the Southeastern section of the state. We feel comfortable with these trails, but decided we were ready for a new challenge. I knew before signing up that Superior had some good climbs, but to be honest I didn’t realize that the elevation change was 25,000 ft. for 52 miles. Once we got confirmation that we were in for Superior, I made sure to get some extra stair climbing in and strength training.
To prepare for Superior 50, I was not expecting much crew support. My boyfriend is my #1 crew. But his brother lives just north of Lutsen, so I didn’t want to detract from family time. I made sure to have 2 drop bags ready with everything and anything I could need. I read some race reports and knew that a spare pair of shoes and socks would be helpful with how much mud was expected. I also packed some extra sandwiches with almond butter, so I could have some solid food that I knew would sit well with my stomach.
We arrived at Caribou Highlands Resort early on Friday. The hotel staff was very nice and allowed us to check in a couple hours early. Right before the course talk I brought my drop bags to check-in since they don’t allow same day drop off. I got my bib and t-shirt and chatted a bit with the volunteers. At the course talk it started to rain, so I headed back to my room to spend the rest of the night barely sleeping.
The morning of the race, I jumped on the shuttle bus around 3:45 am. My friends had saved me a seat. Luckily they know me well enough to let me use the 45 minute drive to close my eyes and try and relax a little bit more before the race start. Once we arrived at Finland, we met up with the rest of our girl gang. Everyone’s nerves were crazy, especially after hearing about how bad the bee situation was on the course for the 100 milers. Two of our friends had to DNF due to multiple bee stings…yikes! Everyone filed out of the building and got ready for the start – which was the race director yelling 1,2,3,GO!
Finland (start at 5:15 am) to Sonju Lake Road (7.5 miles)
The first couple miles were a long road section. It had a slow progressive uphill which helped spread the crowd out considerably. It was still dark so we all had headlamps. After about 2 miles it finally funneled into single track trails. There were still big clusters of people so there were a few times we bottle necked on the course. I was probably around mid pack when this happened. I kept in a good rhythm with a group of people for several miles as everyone settled into the morning. The sky started to lighten up fairly quickly since sunrise was at 6:30 am. I was still lower on a hill so I saw the sunrise through the trees. Because I knew this was going to be a long day, I made sure to start eating already 45 minutes into the race and shot for 200-300 calories an hour. After 7 miles the trail opened onto a long flat access road to the aid station.
Sonju Lake Road to Crosby-Manitou (4.2 miles)
At Sonju Aid Station no crew was allowed. I made the mistake of not having a drop bag at this stop. I could have used it to drop my headlamp and long sleeve shirt. So instead I grabbed some food at the tables and stashed my headlamp and shirt in my Orange Mud Endurance Pack. I ran alone for a part of this section until I met up with a group for the last 2 miles that were going a good pace. This was helpful to have company along Horseshoe Ridge, where we hit some elevation.
Crosby-Manitou to Sugarloaf (9.4 miles)
This next stretch seemed to scare a lot of people because it is almost 10 miles without an aid station. I made sure to fill my hydration bladder full and settled in for a long stretch. This section had some considerable muddy sections. I started to get some rubbing on my left forefoot. I normally try to get through aid stations as quickly as possible, but I decided half way through this section that at the next aid station I would stop and apply some bodyglide to my foot Hopefully this would be enough to make it to the half way point where I had shoes and socks in my drop bag. I hooked up with another group of people during this long stretch which helped the time pass quickly. One thing I especially liked going into the Sugarloaf aid station was the signage with pictures of what food was available. This was helpful because we chatted about what food sounded good and I was able to decide early what food I wanted to eat.
Sugarloaf to Cramer RD (5.6 miles)
Before leaving the aid station, I lubed up my feet with the free stuff they had at the race. Thanks to the volunteers who had some extra glide available. I’m so happy that I took the time to do this because this next section was by far the muddiest section of the race. There were planks set up in the marshy areas, but they were covered in mud making them slippery and almost impossible to use. After a while, I learned that running through the mud in some sections was safer than trying to slowly balance on the planks. During this section I ran some time with a girl from Washington D.C. We both blamed our friends for convincing us into this muddy race.
Cramer RD to Temperance (7.1 miles)
I was so happy to finally make it to the Cramer Aid Station, knowing I was half way done with the race. I quickly found my drop bag and a volunteer found a free chair to sit in. The volunteers were THE BEST I’ve ever met during a race. They helped take stuff out of my bag, they offered sunscreen since I looked a bit red, and even took my pack and filled it with more water. I can’t thank them enough for their help. I did a complete change of my shoes and socks. I loaded my pack with sandwiches and extra Clif blocks. I asked the volunteer how the mud and hills were in this next stretch since I started to worry about cut off times (I was an hour ahead of cut off but I new the major elevation would slow me down at the end of the race). They were honest and told me it was still a bit muddy due to all the rain they got that week. The hills are rollers, so I should be able to pick up some speed. I has happy for the honesty and course update.
Well the volunteers didn’t lie. There was definitely mud in this section. At one point I tried to jump into a plank that hovered over some muddy marsh. The plank must have broken at some point and was not fastened to the support. This caused me to slip off the plank and fall into a lovely pile of mud. At least it was a soft landing, but I wasn’t happy about being covered in mud again. I got through this mud patch and the trail started running along the river. This section was very beautiful and I loved the rolling hills and views in this section. During this section I also started running into more and more 100 milers. Some of them were in rough shape so I tried to give them some cheerful words before heading on. At the end of this stretch was a solid downhill section. I picked up considerable speed the last mile or two before the next aid station.
Temperance to Sawbill (5.7 miles)
At the Temperance aid station no crew was allowed. I tried to skirt through this section as quickly as possible to keep up my momentum. I think this section of trail was some of my favorite views of the entire race. The path ran along the Temperance River. We got to see several waterfall sections as well. There were a lot of other hikers along this route, and they were all very supportive and cheered the runners on. 
However, then came some of my least favorite parts of this race, Carlton Peak. There was one initial climb and I thought it was done. But then it just kept going! I’m usually ok with climbs, but for some reason this one sucked the energy out of me. Probably because this climb comes at around mile 37 and I needed some extra calories to keep going.
Sawbill to Oberg (5.5 miles)
At the next aid station I was so happy to see Steve and his brother. I knew I only had 13 miles left to go. I quickly drank down some chicken noodle soup, reported to Steve that I was doing ok, and headed on my way. This section had a ton of rolling hills and was so tree covered in sections, it felt like the sun was setting. I saw more and more 100 milers. I got a little nervous because at one point I saw a 100-miler sitting on the ground. He had a pacer with him, who seemed to have it covered. I was just hoping they could get going in time to beat the cut off.
Oberg to Caribou Highlands (finish) (7.1 miles)
At the Oberg aid station, I knew this was the last check point before ascending Moose Mountain and Mystery Mountain. It would also be the last time I’d see my boyfriend before the finish. I had my 2nd drop bag at this point so I could throw on a light long sleeve and grab my headlamp. I loaded up on some coke and pretzels and tried a piece of quesadilla. I knew I would need extra energy for the climbs ahead. I said good-bye to Steve and Ben, and told them I’d see them a couple hours. I thoroughly expected Moose Mountain to be the worst climb of the day, but to be honest it wasn’t too bad. I did notice that my watch was not reading the switchbacks especially in this section, so I wasn’t completely sure how much mileage I really had left at the end. When I got to the top of the Mountain I could see that the sun was setting in the distance. The sky was a beautiful shade of orange and blue along the ridges. Unfortunately I couldn’t find a good opening in the forest to take a picture. At the only good opening on the ridge, there was a guy peeing and I wasn’t about to interrupt that. After reaching the top, the darkness started to set in.
It got dark very quickly at that point and I could have used more than just my headlamp. I hit the descent, which confused me since I thought I’d have another climb ahead of me. The descent was very muddy and hard to comfortably pick up any speed. I took it nice and easy, which made me happy to have some extra buffer time from the cut off. During this section I started running with a guy who was going to complete his second Superior 100. He was going a good clip for someone that had already run 98 miles. We were both complaining about the continued mud in this section. We could hear the finish line party even knowing we were at least 3 miles away still. This was comforting and frustrating at the same time. We were probably going at my fastest pace of the day at this point. The single track finally opened up to a gravel road. We were happy to finally have room to relax our stride a bit and get out of the mud. We picked up the pace even more. At one point the guy I was running with was making sounds that he was struggling but he kept running. I told him, that I’d stick with him to make sure he finishes. He thanked me and told me his wife’s name, in case he passes out at the finish line. We were now going at around a 10 minute mile pace knowing there was just a half mile left down the road. We entered the last stretch of trail around the back of the Caribou Highland Resort. The lights were all lit up around the finish chute. The announcer yelled our names as we came towards the finish line. And we were done!
FINISH (52 miles, 25,000 ft elevation gain)
I was so happy to be done with the race. The relentless tree roots and mud took a toll on me mentally and physically. Steve and Ben found me at the finish and skirted me off to a place to sit inside. They handed me a beer (and my protein drink) so we could cheers to finishing the hardest 50 miler I’ve ever ran. I want to say one last time how thankful I am for all the volunteers on this course. They helped me more than I could have imagined. I also want to thank the Race Director and his crew. Every aspect of this race was well thought out and organized. I’m not sure I’ll ever attempt the 100 mile distance, but I would love to run these trails again in the future.
This was the best decision, since I worked 8am to 7pm almost every day the week before the race. The tech shirts this year are great! They are nice and long too, which is always a perk for a tall girl.
Before the start of the race, there was a short Memorial ceremony. This ceremony put a tear to my eye and truly helped me remember what this weekend is all about.
At mile 5, I made the decision to just keep the pace steady and not try to push it. This decision paid off, because I got to relax and enjoy the Chicago skyline view the last few miles. The last mile the course did more winding around as we approached Soldier Field. The crowd started to build which raised my excitement. Then as I entered soldier field and ran through the tunnels, I saw a bit of light ahead. All of a sudden the space opened up and the Finish Line was right on the 50 yard line! Such a great experience!
I also really appreciated that the post-race goodies came pre-packaged in a baggie. No need to fumble around with a water bottle and 5 other things. The post-race party was a great addition to the whole race experience. The band was awesome and enjoyed Revolution Brewing giving out free beers.
This month we are shooting for a 10k! Cooper has run a 10k before, but it has been well over a year. That is why Cooper and I have a training plan. Feel free to join!
often does a forecast work out perfectly for a race…not often. Saturday has a high of 73 degrees and partly sunny. Sunday is a high of 78 degrees and mostly sunny. Sounds ideal for Wisconsin summer.
trailgaters anonymous 