River Run. Stillwater. Sunday afternoon.

It is Wet!

 

Sunday, January 22      3:45pm Stillwater

 Full Moon Frozen River Run

The FMFR Run is on, but it is different this year. 

• not during a full moon

• not at night, although bring a headlamp

• on a not-so-frozen river

• a very short run, about 2.3 miles (see the reason for a short, short distance below)

 

Kyle Palmer and i just returned from running on the river from the Boom Site into downtown Stillwater. We tried to get on the river in Marine, but there is open water all along the MN side of the river. If we could get across to the WI side, I'm sure we could run from Marine to Stillwater on mostly solid ice. We did not even check out the Arcola access to the river, knowing from past experience that even when Marine is frozen, there is almost always open water at Arcola. Instead, we got on the ice at the Boom Site. However, even here, as we started to cross the river to the WI side, there are patches of open water. We decided to follow an old snowmobile track, thinking that the most compact snow/ice would be more frozen.  We ran all the way into Stillwater. The river ice is good here.  However,...

There is 3-5 inches of water and slush on top of the ice. The entire distance, every single step of the way, we stepped into water or slush, causing splashes of slush up to our waist at times, and always up onto the calves.  It was very enjoyable and easy to run.  Nothing like running through snow, the consistency of mashed potatoes, as in past years.  But...we had both put plastic grocery bags over our socks and inside our shoes, as a hedge against the likelihood that we would get wet.  This did not help one bit. Our feet were wet within the first minute.  After  10 minutes, I thought I was going to lose my toes. We walked off the river after 25 minutes. If we had to go 10 more minutes, it would have been 10 minutes too long.

The river will be just as wet/slushy from Hudson to Stillwater. But this is too long to run with wet feet. So, we are going to start at the Boom Site and run into Stillwater. It is 2.3 miles. It will probably be light the entire time. 

So, why you might still join us:

Bring some food to share afterward.

Because it is short, we will all get done at the same time.

There will still be most of the evening left when we finish.

The river and surroundings are beautiful.

You get bragging rights to say you ran on a not-so-frozen river!

Details:

Meet at my office: 421 Main St S, Stillwater

In the Brick Alley Building. Parking lot on back side. Same parking lot as the silver, grain elevator. Come in back door and go up to the 1.5 floor  - make noise, yell for us. We'll find you.

 

My Cell: 612-805-6861 

Kyle's Cell: 612-751-7167

Bring warm clothes to run in, prepare to get wet

Bring clothes to change in to: restrooms in our building. Shower in our office for those who want to shower.