Superior Fall Trail Race 100 Mile

Results: 2026

151 of 256 starters finished.

The starter count comes from UltraRunning Magazine’s September 13, 2026 recap.

Source: UltraSignup — official 2026 Superior 100 results. Checked October 25, 2026.

Next edition: September 10, 2027. The organizer tentatively lists Friday, September 10, 2027 for the 100-mile race, subject to permitting, with a 15-day lottery provisionally opening January 1, 2027. Final 2027 details are due in late fall or early winter 2026, and current course details still describe 2026.

Event Overview

A 102.9-mile point-to-point race on the Superior Hiking Trail, with technical singletrack, 17,350 ft of gain, and a 38-hour cutoff.

Course & Terrain

Point-to-point route from Gooseberry Falls State Park to Lutsen on approximately 95% technical singletrack.

Key course features to know before comparing this race:

• Superior Hiking Trail along Minnesota's North Shore
• Lutsen finish after 102.9 listed miles
• Split Rock River ford about 6.5 miles in
• Sawtooth Mountains ridges with Lake Superior views
• Finland aid station, the 50-mile start, at mile 49

The official page emphasizes rugged, technical singletrack with roots, rocks, climbs and descents rather than a fast, runnable profile. About 95% of the route is singletrack on the Superior Hiking Trail through the Sawtooth Mountains above Lake Superior, climbing to peaks near 2,000 ft and crossing rivers and streams in boreal forest. The organizer’s chart puts the heaviest climbing in the first half: about 1,935 ft over the 10.3 miles from Split Rock to Beaver Bay, 2,094 ft from Silver Bay to Tettegouche and 2,153 ft from Tettegouche to County Road 6. The last 7.1 miles from Oberg still gain about 1,457 ft. Runners wade the Split Rock River, shin- to knee-deep, about 6.5 miles in, and other crossings use bridges or rock steps. Finland is a half-mile spur off the trail that every 100-mile runner must visit, even with crew waiting elsewhere. Orange flags mark the left side of the trail, with reflective strips at night and reflective X’s at hazards such as cliffs.

The organizer says early-September highs can reach the mid-80s°F and lows the mid-30s°F, with averages around 65°F by day and 47°F at night, and it recommends a rain jacket or poncho. Sunrise is about 6:30 AM and sunset 7:30 PM. Every finisher runs through Friday night, and runners near the 38-hour limit see a second sunset on Saturday. In 2026 runners went through the night in pouring rain on a slick, rocky trail.

Format & Support (as run)

Why This Race Matters

Harry Sloan founded the Superior 100 in 1991, picturing a Midwestern Western States on the Superior Hiking Trail, and directed it through 1997. The 100 skipped 2005 while Larry Pederson rebuilt it on a newly measured course of more than 103 miles. John Storkamp of Rocksteady Running has directed the race since taking over after the 2010 edition. The organizer ranks it among the ten oldest 100-mile trail races in the US and sums it up as “Rugged, Relentless and Remote.” COVID-19 cancelled the 2020 race. Neal Collick (18:56:02, 2018) and Gretchen Metsa (21:54:10, 2023) hold the course records, and Susan Donnelly and Stuart Johnson share the record of 22 finishes. In 2026, retired Olympic cross-country skier Jessie Diggins won the women’s race in her 100-mile debut.

Historical benchmark notes in the directory record (verify current records with the linked official sources):

• Men: Neal Collick, 18:56:02, 2018
• Women: Gretchen Metsa, 21:54:10, 2023
• Non-binary: Anna Grace Tiede Hottinger, 27:11:37, 2026
• Most finishes: Susan Donnelly and Stuart Johnson, 22 each

Preparing for a Race Like Superior Fall Trail Race 100 Mile

The 100-mile race guide covers the format as a whole. These guides go deeper:

• Walking strategy for ultramarathons: When and how to walk by terrain, effort and cutoffs.
• Crew and aid-station strategy: Crew tables, aid stops, drop bags and runner preferences.
• Gut training for ultrarunners: A six-week practice sequence for race-day fueling.
• Tapering for ultramarathons: Plan the taper and race week around your own recovery.

Best Fit

• Midwest runners who want a historic, technical point-to-point 100
• Runners who need a Western States qualifier and UTMB points
• Runners with a 50-mile finish who want a rugged 100 with a 38-hour limit
• Upper Midwest Trail Runners Gnarly Bandit series hopefuls

Planning Notes

• Treat intermediate cutoff gates as part of the course. Build enough margin for aid stops and late-race slowdown, and verify every current gate in the official rules.
• Train for terrain-specific fatigue. Technical trails and mountain courses demand downhill durability, hiking efficiency, and reliable night lighting.
• The directory does not mark this as having simpler logistics. Confirm qualification, terrain, support, registration, medical, and withdrawal requirements before planning around it.

Event FAQs

Related Preparation

• Compare verified US 100-mile races
• Compare this race in the full 2026 calendar
• Open the 100-Mile format guide
• Open the Fixed-Distance format guide
• Compare all race formats
• Use the timed-race pace calculator
• Plan checkpoint arrivals and cutoff buffers
• Print a pace band for your goal time
• Estimate race calories and plan fueling
• Build a crew and drop-bag plan
• Build a race-specific gear checklist