Arrowhead 135

The Arrowhead 135 is a yearly ultramarathon event which takes place in International Falls, Minnesota, United States.

Arrowhead 135
DateLate January or early February
LocationInternational Falls, Minnesota, U.S.
Event typeUltramarathon trail foot/ski/bike
Distance135-mile (217 km)
Established2005
OrganizerKen and Jackie Krueger
Course recordsJake Hegge (ft) 28:27 (2022)
Gretchen Metsa (ft) 33:05 (2022)
Dan Campbell (ski) 20:57 (2020)
Shalane Frost (ski) 20:41 (2022)
Jorden Wakeley (bike) 11:43 (2019)
Jill Martindale (bike) 16:40 (2017)
Official sitehttp://www.arrowheadultra.com/

Course and race

The trail is 135 miles on Arrowhead State Trail from Kerry Park arena in International Falls, MN to Tower, MN Fortune Bay Casino. Modes of transportation includes foot, ski or bicycle, and the race is held in late January or early February.[1]

Temperatures along the course reach as low as −45 °F (−43 °C) degrees.[2]

Arrowhead 135 is a self-supported race with limited checkpoints, requiring extensive supplies to be carried with the racer.[3][4] The roster is limited in order to maintain solitude on the trail during the race.[5]

Profits from the race go to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation Charity,[6] Together For Good and the Falls Hunger Coalition.[7]

An "unsupported" option allows participants to choose to complete the race unsupported, meaning they are not allowed to accept help or stop at any of the checkpoints along the way.[2]

Although not sanctioned by the event, some choose to complete the event in both directions making it a "Double Arrowhead".[8]

History and records

Arrowhead 135 is known as one of the toughest 50 races in the world.[5][9] As many as 80% fail to finish the race,[10] with a low of 20% finishing in 2007,[11] on a typical year less than 50 percent of the participants finish.[12] It was started in 2005 with 10 people,[13] and the format of the race has been largely unchanged.[7]

The race gathered extra attention in 2014[14] and 2019 due to the polar vortex which caused extreme cold in the midwest those years.[3][7][15][16]

In 2014 an adventure film documentary was made about the race.[17][18]

Notable finishes
  • Jordan Wakeley set the all time record of 11 hours and 43 minutes in 2019 with an average speed of 11 miles (18 km)/h throughout the race.[19][20]
  • John Storkamp finished his 14th Arrowhead 135 in 2019.[3]
  • Erwin “Erv” Berglund is the oldest person to finish Arrowhead 135.[21]
  • Chris Scotch finished the first Double Arrowhead in 2013 taking 6 days, 8 hours, 16 minutes to go the 270 miles with all required gear.[22][23]
  • Roberto Marron is the second to finish the Double Arrowhead in 2014.[22]
  • Kate Coward and Kari Gibbons are the first women to accomplish a double Arrowhead.[8][24]
  • Sveta Vold completed the race in 2016 while stopping to breastfeed along the way, completing as third place woman.[25]
  • Mike Brumbaugh placed 1st with all time ski record in 2016 despite breaking a pole 20 miles into the race.[26]
  • Shalane Frost beat the existing women's ski record by 14 hours and the overall ski record by 16 minutes in the 2022 race.[27]

a'Trois award

All who finish Arrowhead 135 three times, once in each discipline including bike/run/ski, are eligible for Arrowhead a'Trois award.[28] As of January 2020, 18 have been awarded.[29]

The first athletes completing the award in 2011 were Jeremy Kershaw, Tim Roe, and Matt Maxwell.[28]

Order of the Hrimthurs

All those who complete the Tuscobia Winter Ultra (160 Mile), Arrowhead 135 and Actif Epica (any solo distance) in one season are allowed into the Order of the Hrimthurs.[30] Names are maintained by Actif Epica.[31]

Arrowhead 135 race director Ken Krueger earned placement in the order of the Hrimthurs in 2018.[32]

Known as the most difficult individual award of the winter.[30]

References
  1. Dawson, Andrew (2019-01-31). "The Polar Vortex Couldn't Stop This 135-Mile Ultramarathon". Men's Health. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
  2. Ott, Kevin (January 26, 2018). "'Brutal' Arrowhead 135 ultramarathon begins Monday in International Falls". Duluth News Tribune. Archived from the original on 2018-01-28. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
  3. Minsberg, Talya (2019-02-07). "Racing Through the Polar Vortex". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
  4. "Arrowhead 135 - Race Rules". www.arrowheadultra.com. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
  5. Ovcharchyn, Hannah. "Arrowhead 135, 146 insane athletes, and biking all day in below-zero temps". City Pages. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
  6. "Minnesota Ultramarathoners Enjoy Competing in Minus 28-Degree Weather". Time. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
  7. "As arctic blast smacks Minnesota, Arrowhead 135 racers will hit the trail". MPR News. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
  8. "One 135-mile endurance race wasn't enough; ultramarathoners get their 'Double Arrowhead'". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
  9. "146 people are racing 135 miles across northern Minnesota in subzero cold". Fox 9. January 30, 2019. Archived from the original on 2020-01-14. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  10. "Race the Arrowhead 135, Minnesota, Best American Adventures -- National Geographic". Adventure. 2010-08-02. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
  11. "In 'Icebox of the Nation,' arctic blast is just another day". Reuters. 2019-01-31. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
  12. "Arrowhead 135: 'Coldest gosh-darn race' is short on finishers". For The Win. 2019-01-30. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
  13. "Arrowhead 135 - 2005 Results". www.arrowheadultra.com. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
  14. "Arrowhead 135 race grows into survival of the frostiest". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2020-01-15.
  15. Brueck, Hilary. "In the midst of the polar vortex, 52 people completed this 135-mile ultramarathon in northern Minnesota — biking, skiing, and running through the coldest corner of America". Business Insider. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
  16. Murphy, Paul (2019-01-29). "There are 7 runners in Minnesota trying to finish an ultramarathon in the insane cold". CNN. Archived from the original on 2020-01-14. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
  17. "Twin Cities PBS". Twin Cities PBS. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
  18. "The Arrowhead 135". Adventure MN. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
  19. Gedde, Emily. "Jorden Wakeley sets Arrowhead record". International Falls Journal. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
  20. "Course record smashed by cyclist at frosty edition of Arrowhead 135 in Minnesota". Canadian Cycling Magazine. 2019-01-30. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
  21. Chin, Richard (January 25, 2018). "Two Minnesotans in their 70s tackle 135-mile winter wilderness trek". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
  22. "Arrowhead 135 Endurance Award Ennobles Explorer Ernest Shackleton's Expedition". Snowshoe Magazine. 2014-07-02. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
  23. "Arrowhead 135 - Double Crossing - MN | Fastest Known Time". fastestknowntime.proboards.com. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
  24. "Ten Junk Miles: Long Run 52 - Kate Coward - Kari Anne Gibbons". tenjunkmiles.libsyn.com. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  25. "Minnesota Mom Finishes Grueling 135-Mile Winter Bike Race – While Breastfeeding". 2016-01-28. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
  26. "Despite a Pole Break 20 Miles In, Minneapolis Local Mike Brumbaugh Wins Arrowhead Ultra". FasterSkier.com. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
  27. "Fairbanks' Shalane Frost snags ski record at Arrowhead 135". Alaska Sports Report. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  28. Smith, Phillip Gary (2016-02-25). "2016 Arrowhead 135: Racing 'Round the Clock". Snowshoe Magazine. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
  29. "Arrowhead 135 - Awards". www.arrowheadultra.com. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
  30. Smith, Phillip Gary (2015-07-04). "The Road to Hrimthurs: "Weeping Bitter Tears of Rage"". Snowshoe Magazine. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
  31. "The Order of the Hrimthurs". Actif Epica. 2018-10-17. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
  32. Jackson, Whitney. "Ken Krueger earns 'Order of the Hrimthurs'". International Falls Journal. Retrieved 2020-01-14.
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