Author Archives: Lisa Kapsner-swift

The Gnarly Bandits Get Gnarlier

It’s July, and the Gnarly Bandit Ultra Series is well underway! The relentless would-be Bandits have now completed three 100-mile races: the ever-unpredictable Zumbro, the fast and furious Kettle Moraine, and the wet and wild Black Hills. I’m delighted to report that all FIVE Gnarly Bandits remain standing, 300 miles into this 462-mile rollercoaster. Brian Corgard, Matt McCarty, Erik Raivo, Even Semrud, and Nate Ziemski, Read More →

WE DID IT, UMTR!

We’ve officially surpassed 350 members for the first time in club history! In celebration, we selected one member at random to choose a park or trail system to receive a $350 donation. Chad W. has chosen Afton State Park as the lucky recipient. Afton State Park is a favorite destination for runners in Minnesota and Wisconsin alike, especially for those who live in the Twin Cities Read More →

Zumbro vs. The Gnarly Bandits

That, as a runner once said, was a hell of a thing. Zumbro 2018 will not be forgotten anytime soon. As an historic late-season blizzard took aim at Minnesota, 16 Gnarly Bandits took the puddle-covered starting line in pouring rain, and began the first race of the season, the Zumbro 100. Throughout the day on Friday the 13th, they endured rising winds, standing water, and Read More →

April Events and General Goings-On

It’s April! The snow is falling, the birds are bewildered, and all is chilly throughout the upper midwest. But no matter – the UMTR Race Series forge on relentlessly! The state of the series Our Ultra Series kicked off on March 24th with the END-SURE races in MacLeod, ND. If you’re registered for this series, you should have received an email last week with a Read More →

Join UMTR at the Chippewa 50K/10K!

We’re looking for a few good volunteers! UMTR will be sponsoring an aid station at the Chippewa 50K/10K on Saturday, April 28th, 2018. This aid station will serve runners at around mile 7, and again around mile 22. It’ll be a great opportunity to give back to our trail running community, and it’s the perfect excuse to hang out in the woods with friends! These Read More →

Gnarly Bandit? Gnarly Bandit!

That’s right, we are FIVE WEEKS out from the first race of the 2018 Gnarly Bandit Ultra Series. This five-race “slam” series tests runners’ hearts, minds, and legs, as they complete some of the most rugged ultras in the Midwest: Zumbro 100 Mile, Kettle Moraine 100 Mile, Black Hills 100 Mile, Superior 100 Mile, and Wild Duluth 100K. Think you’ve got what it takes to be Read More →

February Update!

It may not feel like it, with yesterday’s snowfall in the upper midwest, but spring is on the way – and with it, our race season! Our first series race takes place on March 24th in McLeod, ND. If you’re still looking for a race to kick off your year, the END-SURE 25K, 50K, 100K, and 100M are still open for registration! The 50K and Read More →

Introducing: the Timed Race Series!

At this year’s board retreat we talked about the rise in popularity of timed races. These are events that are based on time, not distance. Participants have a set number of hours to complete a looped course as many times as they can, racking up mile after mile. Some runners may choose to bring down the hammer and conquer as many miles as they can, Read More →

Post-Banquet News Round-up

The annual UMTR member banquet took place on Saturday night, and we had a fantastic turnout with somewhere between 80-100 members in attendance. The food was abundant and the company was second to none. Three huge pieces of business were accomplished during the banquet: the incoming UMTR Board of Directors was elected, awards were given, and our year-end donation dollars were announced. During the Annual Read More →

The Nearly Final, Almost Finished, Please Double Check Ultra Series Update!

Winter has come early to Duluth, as I’m calculating the results I see a blanket of white laid out over the woods. It’s an early snow, and a sign that the trail season has come to an end. Please check here for preliminary results from the UMTR Ultra Series for 2017. I’m sure that I’ve got omissions and errors in there, so let me know what those Read More →

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