Sponsors

Sponsors & Partners

A huge thank you to all of our sponsors and partners. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor you can learn more HERE.

Art and Science Family Dentistry - Woodbury, Minnesota

We are honored to have Mill City & Saint City Running as the official running store sponsor of the Afton Trail Run! Owned by husband and wife Jeff and Bekah Metzdorff, City Running is a culmination of their life’s passions of running and community building. Both avid runners, they opened Mill City Running in 2013 and Saint City Running in 2020.

Vanicream is a proud sponsor of the Afton Trail Run. Vanicream Moisturizing Ointment will be available at our aid stations. Vanicream Moisturizing Ointment is a long-lasting ointment helps prevent water loss and soothes dry, irritated, and itchy skin and lips. Soothes irritated skin caused by rubbing associated with running, biking, and other activities. Ideal formula for dry skin associated with atopic dermatitis (eczema), psoriasis, ichthyosis, and winter itch. For dry to extra dry skin. Formerly known as Vaniply™ Ointment.

Steve has been known to say that he is just a “so-so” runner but a pretty good realtor, we think both of these comments are extremely understated! Steve has been running some pretty good times on the trails over the last couple of years and at the same time has tons of happy customers, many of whom are runners! We like doing business with runners – they are the type of people who follow through. Having sold over 450 homes in last 14 years throughout the Twin Cities and Western Wisconsin – if you are in the market or looking to sell, get to know Steve on the trails and we are sure he will be your guy.

A huge thank you to Afton Alps Ski Area for providing overflow parking for the Afton Trail Run. Afton Alps has always been a great partner to Afton State Park and the Afton Trail Run. Check out Afton Alps for skiing and snowboarding, events, and more! https://www.aftonalps.com/

If you’re looking for gentle, courteous and friendly dentists we are here to serve you and your family. Our dentists, Dr. George Kinney, Dr. Thomas Musser and Dr. Renee Kinney, provide families throughout the St. Croix Valley and St. Paul, MN area with the full range of general and cosmetic dental services for every age and dental need. Dr. Renee Kinney is a trail runner and Nordic skier and excited to be a sponsor of the ATR. We are available and eager to answer any dental questions you may have. We invite you to contact us by email or by phone with your dental questions or concerns. We are here to help you. 651-739-1894 http://www.artsciencedentistry.com Part of our commitment to high-quality, personalized patient care includes providing you with information to make well-informed decisions about your oral health care needs. Our entire dental team is dedicated to providing you with an outstanding dental experience and the gentle and personalized care that you deserve.

Bill Pomerenke is an ardent supporter of many trail and ultrarunning events and organizations in Minnesota. We are thrilled to partner with Bill as our official real estate sponsor of the Superior Spring Trail Race. Why an official realtor partner for a trail run you ask… well, Bill can help you find a house near any of our great trail running venues and that equals more trail time, what could be better! Visit http://www.buyandsellwithbill.com

Northwoods Running is a run coaching service that is highly personalized. Certified Running Coach Jeff Miller has over 40 years of competitive running, cycling, Ironman, trail running and ultrarunning experience. No cookie cutter programs. One-on-one time with your coach on a regular basis. You already lead a busy life, but you have goals and dreams. Most training plans are pretty rigid. Running should add to your life, not be another challenge to squeeze into it. I am passionate about running and helping others stay active and healthy — not just for a race, but for your entire life. NORTHWOODS RUNNING – Real Coaching For Real People Chasing Extraordinary Dreams. https://www.northwoodsrunning.com/

Geri ran her first Afton Trail Run 25K at the innagural race in 1994 and is still participating today. Geri has been a State Farm insurance agent just down the road from Afton State Park in Woodbury MN since 1986 – talk about consistency on two fronts! She has helped countless individuals and businesses with their insurance needs. Geri is a proud sponsor of the Afton Trail Run. If you would like to learn more or connect with Geri you can visit her State Farm website HERE https://www.statefarm.com/agent/us/mn/woodbury/geri-martin

Trail Transformation is a coaching service aimed at providing you with the framework to reach your highest potential and will help you become the best trail runner you can be. Coach Jake Hegge’s background in Exercise and Sport Science and Physical Therapy allows him to address the physiology, running mechanics, injury prevention, periodization, nutrition and psychology of running. Jake will tailor your training program to your individual needs, while minimizing the risk of injury. Your training program will include expert advice and guidance throughout your trail running journey, wherever it may take you. Jake enjoys coaching runners of all abilities and can coach for any distance. In addition to being a Doctor of Physical Therapy with a B.S. in Exercise and Sport Science, Jake has run (and won) many ultramarathons around the Upper Midwest. You can learn more at http://www.trailtransformation.com/

Performance Running Gym is the Twin Cities’ gym specifically for runners. Runners are a unique breed. We march to the beat of our own drummer. We are stubborn enough to hit the roads and trails day in and day out, but many of us neglect the very thing that can take our running to the next level. Strength training. That is why we created Performance Running Gym. https://www.performancerungym.com/

Consilience Coaching provides individualized training plans, one on one coaching and a holistic approach to preparing you both physically and mentally for whatever goal or event you’re dreaming of. We believe a training plan should be as unique as the individual it serves. We also believe wellness is multifaceted. We will coach you not only in physically training for your next event, but also in areas of nutrition, recovery, sleep, nervous system regulation, and mindfulness. You truly are capable of anything you put your mind to, and sometimes, we all need a little help getting there. Our one on one coaching will help you feel supported, capable and prepared for whatever challenge awaits you.

Coach Emily has been racing with RSR since 2014, starting with the Afton 25k where she fell in love with trail running. She has since participated in many RSR races, the fall 100 the past 3 years being her most recent. It is an honor to join as a sponsor this year and be a part of these races and this incredible community in a new capacity.

Climb Above Endurance Coaching is dedicated to helping athletes of all levels achieve their goals in running and endurance sports. Led by a passionate team with deep backgrounds in health, fitness, and wellness, the coaches emphasize a personalized approach to training that focuses on injury prevention, accountability, and fostering long-term success. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced athlete, Climb Above provides expert guidance and support to help you stay consistent and motivated, ensuring you can reach your fullest potential and maintain a sustainable, active lifestyle. Join their team and elevate your performance today!

Run Afton, win goodies, and collect good vibes while supporting a great cause by becoming a Mile in My Shoes (MiMS) FundRacer! Learn more HERE https://www.aftontrailrun.com/mile-in-my-shoes/

Rocksteady Running is proud to have Mile in My Shoes as an official Afton Trail Run charity partner. MiMS is a local nonprofit that uses the power of running to bring together people from diverse backgrounds to build connections, boost wellness, spark social change, and center people traditionally excluded from running spaces. Based in homeless shelters, addiction recovery programs and re-entry centers for people exiting incarceration, MiMS views running as a tool for both personal and collective transformation. By focusing on people and spaces often marginalized in our society, MiMS teams use movement as a catalyst for social justice. By bringing together people from all walks of life, Members not only find common ground, but learn from and reach out to one another for support.

We thank St. Croix Law and Joel Button for their support of the Afton Trail Run! The St. Croix Valley is a special place to live, raise families, do business, and prosper. Superb legal guidance is a valuable component of assuring the continuity of our interests and assets. St. Croix Law provides such legal guidance for anticipated and unexpected matters. Our sense of community is a major benefit of living in this area. The importance of discretion, trust, integrity, and accountability are perhaps higher in our lives. St. Croix Law recognizes the value of legal counsel that knows you professionally as a client and treats you as a neighbor.

Critical Connections Ecological Services Inc.

CCES owners and local ultrarunners Jason and Amy Husveth have been long time supporters of Minnesota trail / ultra-running and the Afton Trail Run. We thank Jason, Amy and CCES for providing detailed course mapping / modeling for the Afton Trail Run. Critical Connections Ecological Services (CCES) is a natural resource and ecological restoration consulting firm based in Marine on Saint Croix, Minnesota. The company was originally incorporated in 2000, with the goal of providing the highest quality scientific expertise and innovative environmental solutions to local municipalities, state and federal government agencies, and select private clientele. CCES provides a number of environmental services including large-scale natural resource inventories, greenway and open space planning and design, land cover mapping, focused botanical inventories, rare plant surveys, natural community restoration design and implementation, wetland delineations, wetland mitigation design and monitoring, and technical/scientific report writing. Furthermore, we excel at integrating detailed natural resource field data into GIS, CAD, and database software applications, enabling our clients to make cost effective and ecologically sensitive land use and land management decisions.