Date: 3/30/2024
Subject: Zumbro Volunteer Communication 3 2024
Hello Friends!
You are receiving this email because you signed up to volunteer for the Zumbro Endurance Run, which is just two weeks away – Friday April 12 and Saturday April 13, 2024.
This is a very long email but it is important that you review it in its entirety. If you have signed up more recently / since I sent Volunteer Communication 1 & 2, there is no need to go back and review them, I cover everything you need to know, below.
Thank you all so much for volunteering for this year’s race. We have a really impressive group of 135 volunteers helping this year. We could not put on such a great event without your help. Race registration is still open for another few days but we currently have the following number of registered runners: 100MI=62, 50MI=100, 34MI=106, 17MI=349, TOTAL= 617
A list of volunteer assignments can be found HERE http://www.zumbroendurancerun.com/volunteer-assignments/ As always, I do my best to review and implement the information you provide in the ‘notes’ section of the volunteer signup form – that said I have been known to make a few 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 http://www.zumbroendurancerun.com/volunteer-jobs/
An important note about staffing and durations… first, the aid stations are really well staffed and many of the shifts are long – the intention here is that this allows you to take breaks as needed, please coordinate breaks with your aid station captain and fellow volunteers. Second, we are absolutely blessed with the huge number of volunteers we get. Few organizations are in the same position. For some that are, I have seen them limit the number of volunteer spots available… we do not as that is not in the spirit of our event(s). The result of this is that for some shifts, the aid stations for all intents and purposes, have more volunteers than are absolutely necessary. Those that volunteer with us frequently, know what this means; you split up tasks into smaller tasks, you find new and creative ways you can be of service to runners (and your fellow volunteers), you work together to schedule breaks and you do a lot of socializing. From time to time we find someone that does not like this dynamic because they do not feel busy or useful enough, and we understand. If for any reason this does not feel like a good fit, let us know. Again, it is a really unique and special situation we find ourselves in, but is truly something that we, and most of our volunteers love about these races, that communal / family aspect. Reach out if you have any questions or concerns about this.
Please be sure to review the website and specifically the volunteer section in its entirety so you are 100% up to speed on what is going on (saving, screenshotting or printing out anything you feel you will need on race weekend), where you are going, how to get there, what you are doing, what is provided and what you need to bring. Doing this homework in advance allows you to be prepared come race weekend and be the best resource possible for the runners and your fellow volunteers.
Additional Volunteer Needs:
If you would like to help with any of the following please let me know.
• Thursday Setup: We set up all day on Thursday starting at 10:00AM. We would take one or two more helpers.
• Photography: If you are a good photographer with a DSLR camera or similar, we would love to have you shoot photos (in addition to, or instead of working at an aid station).
• Cleanup / Loadout: If you want to stick around until the very end on Saturday and help us with final cleanup / loading please do. The bulk of this work takes place between 4:30PM and 7:00PM
• Van Back: If you are carpooling to the race with someone and are staying until the end on Saturday and are comfortable / willing to drive a van back (with Aid Station 2 / Central supplies and equipment) to Hastings.
• Sunday Cleanup: If you are interested, we will always take more helpers for this. 9AM to 3PM at our home in Hastings.
Other important things to note:
• If you are assigned to work the start / finish area, finish line, aid station 3, runner check-in, post race food, parking etc. this is all at the West Assembly Area / race headquarters. There is plenty of parking, plenty of room to camp and toilets. There is no cell or internet service.
• If you are assigned to work Aid Station 2 / Central Assembly, there is also plenty of parking, plenty of space to camp and toilets. You may be able to get one bar on your phone, enough to get a call or text out if you have AT&T. Note that volunteers only are allowed at this location, no crew or spectators are allowed. A Google Maps link is HERE https://goo.gl/maps/k49JaHGMTrJ8Q1Hs7 – and following are directions from Theilman: From Theilman head .7 miles southeast on Wabasha County RD 4 (you will cross over the Zumbro River). Turn left / head east onto 624th ST / T-113 and go 1.7 miles to 235th Ave / T-70, the Central Assembly will be 1.9 miles on your left. Drive very slowly once on 235th Ave / T-70, this is a minimum maintenance road and it passes (goes pretty much right through) one farm / homestead so please drive very slowly / respectfully.
• Feel free to put your own personal touches on the aid station and please work with your aid station captain to plan an extra more substantial food item (burgers, pizza, vegetarian or vegan items – whatever sounds good and you know you can pull off)! Aid station captain email addresses are listed below. We will provide soup mixes and primarily pre-packaged snack foods for the runners.
• Name badges on lanyards. In the aid station bins will be lanyards with name badge holders and magic markers to write down your name on the card and insert into the holder. I know not everyone loves name tags but just as we have found with the runners (having their names printed on their bibs) we have found 1.) It helps runners be able to identify who the volunteers are 2.) We meet so many people on race weekend that it is hard to remember everyone’s name and 3.) Knowing people’s names and truly getting to know people builds community.
• Brian at Aid Station 2 / Central will coordinate with the HAM Radio Operators, they may need a couple of helpers to record bib numbers of runners (runner tracking). Aid stations are staffed really well so it should not be an issue rotating volunteers into that position. Timers will track runners at Aid Station 3 / Start-Finish.
• In the event of a medical emergency let the HAM radio operators know so they can help locate our on-site medical personnel and / or can call for emergency services if needed. Keep in mind there is little to no cell coverage at Zumbro except up on top of the bluffs.
• If a runner DNF’s make sure it gets written down somewhere and then reported to the HAM Radio operators so they can call it into Net Control.
• Even when we have warm days at Zumbro it usually gets pretty cold overnight, so please be sure to bring warm clothes; think down-jacket and other winter gear especially for those late night shifts. Rain gear is advisable as well. There is always the potential for mud at Zumbro so bring appropriate footwear.
• For those working really long shifts (many of you) please work with your aid station captain and those in your group to rotate out and get some rest, feel free to bring a tent, sleeping bag etc so you can catch some Z’s – we do not want, need or expect anyone to try to stay awake for two days straight!
• You are welcome to all the aid station food you can eat but you may get tired of it… you may want to pack a lunch so you have something you like. We will make pizza at West Assembly and will plan to make that available to everyone a couple of times during the race.
• Your HATS https://www.zumbroendurancerun.com/2024-race-hat/ will be sent out to Aid Station 2 / Central Assembly for those that are working there, the aid station captain or someone they assign will help get those out to everyone (if it is busy and nobody has offered, feel free to ask for it!). For those working at Aid Station 3 and all other positions you can pick yours up at the merchandise booth / check-in area at the start / finish.
• Need to know what we are providing at the aid stations? A list can be found HERE http://www.zumbroendurancerun.com/aid-station-supplies/
• Never worked an aid station and want to learn more? You can do that HERE http://www.zumbroendurancerun.com/aid-stations-101/
• Confused about the area or how the race course lays out? You can learn more HERE http://www.zumbroendurancerun.com/maps-and-data
Below is a list of aid station captains and event leads:
Aid Station 1 Rescue Point E
Unstaffed Water Stop (will have a HAM / communications volunteer and a person or two to keep them company here IF we get any more HAM volunteers) This is in a remote area that is hard to get to.
Aid Station 2 Central (Friday – Saturday)
Brian Klug / TCRC – [email protected] – Kurt Decker from TCRC usually captains, and has missed very few Zumbros – we will be in good hands with Brian from TCRC!
Aid Station 3 Start & Finish Area
Karin Noerenberg – [email protected]
Scott Noerenberg – [email protected]
Jason Tintes – [email protected]
HAM Radio NET Control
Brian Lorch (Mike Barton relieving overnight Fri into Sat)
Medical
Chalayne Palmgren EMT
Jimmy Bartley MD
Finish Line
Jeff Miller
Amy Wasson
Parking
Robbie Skantz
Check-In and Post Race Food
Cheri Storkamp
Sweeping
Paul Hasse
Additional Communications:
I will be in touch individually with Timing, HAM Radio, Marking and Sweeping Volunteers, Thursday Setup and Monday cleanup volunteers in the coming days.
Dogs:
We have a note on our website asking that runner’s; spectators, crew and pacers keep dogs on leash at all times. This is a reminder to volunteers to do the same. There are some local off-leash farm dogs that wander into the area as well during the race, if anyone sees them please let me or Cheri know, we will try to return them to their owners, otherwise we will have provisions to get them on-leash / tied up as well.
That is all for now, this email was the big one prior to the race, you may hear from me again, you may not… if you have any questions please reach out. Again, thank you so much.
Thank You,
John Storkamp
Race Director
[email protected]