Fire Tower Trail Races
I participated in the Fire Tower Trail Races 100k in Minnesota's St. Croix State Park, near Hinckley, on October 1, 2022. I'm a citizen runner, and I was very much a novice participant, as my first ultra event was the 2021 Fire Tower 50k, and this was my third ultra race overall. I could quibble here or there about decisions I made along the way, but as I finished I couldn’t have been happier with how it went. But more about that later. The event itself is warm and welcoming. The directors, volunteers and every participant I crossed paths with were friendly and encouraging. As explained later, I walked a lot, and I received a steady stream of encouragement and “good jobs.” My limited experience with ultras has left me with the impression that some courses are more challenging, given that this one is pretty flat. My watch had a total elevation gain of 1,414 feet over the 100k, and that included the fire tower (once). But while it’s flat, the terrain keeps you on your toes