STRENGTH

ENDURANCE

SOLITUDE

SURVIVAL

Arrowhead Ultra 135

2024 Race Registration

May 2, 2023

The 2024 edition of the Arrowhead 135 will be Jan 29-31, 2024. Registration will be open Sept. 1, 2023. More details forthcoming.

Come join us on Sunday before the racers’ meeting to hear stories and pointers from 4 incredible athletes. Kate Coward will host a discussion with Jill Martindale, Petr Ineman, Gretchen Metsa and Scott Hoberg. This is a line up you don’t want to miss!

Sunday, Jan 29, 3 pm Backus Community Center auditorium in International Falls, MN.

Jill Martindale (Bike)

An endurance athlete from Grand Rapids, Michigan where she enjoys exploring every corner with friends, mechanic wizard husband Dan, and two dogs. She is the current Arrowhead 135 women’s bike course record holder, and snagged 1st places at Tuscobia, JayP’s 200 Fat Pursuit, 1000 mile Iditarod (co-champ with Petr!) … and there is so much more. In 2018, she was inducted into the Michigan Mountain Bike Hall of Fame for advocating and promoting the sport to women. She is currently sponsored by 45nrth and Salsa Cycles. You might see her smiling, surrounded by friends or having fun while crushing on the bike.

Petr Ineman (usually bike, but skis for this winter season)

An adventurer from Czech Republic, Peter grew up venturing to the mountains and hiking, biking or skiing which expanded to winter camping, ice climbing and kayaking when he moved to the northern midwest in the US. He’s finished/champion multiple Iditarod 1000s, Arrowheads, Fat Pursuits. He’s climbed Denali 2x, Mt. Whitney, Mt. Rainer and several Colorado 14ers. He has also ridden Colorado Trail Race, Tour Divide, Trans South Dakota, Black Hills expedition, and so much more. Petr keeps coming back to enjoy the unique camaraderie, adventure, and nature’s beauty.

Gretchen Metsa (foot)

Relatively new to running (2015), this mom of 3 crushes the trail! In her 2nd Arrowhead 135, she nabbed the women’s foot course record and 3rd fastest race time overall. She also has the women’s course records of Superior Fall 50, Wild Duluth Duluth 100k, Arrowhead 135, Tuscobia 80. 2nd FKTs in Pictured Rocks Lakeshore Trail, Porcupine Mountain Loop, Border Route Trail. She’s won Curnow Marathon, MN Voyageur, Marquette 50k, Superior Fall 100, Superior Spring 50k, Zumbro 50 mi, and Hitchcock 100. If you do some research on Gretchen, you can also learn about her story managing her Type 1 Diabetes while pushing her body to the extreme. Look for her on trail as a volunteer this year, too!

Scott Hoberg (foot)

Scott grew up on a farm in Benson, Minnesota, spending most of his time outside. As a high school wrestler started running as a way to stay in shape. After college he ran the Twin Cities marathon and the rest is history. He holds multiple Arrowhead 135 (including 2nd fastest male foot time) and Tuscobia 160 men’s foot championships and crushed podiums or finishes at many ultra-marathons including Superior Spring races, Voyageur, FANS 24-hr ultras, Javelina, Leadville and Western States to name a few! When you meet him, if you’re lucky he might share a tale from the famed Iditarod trail.

2023 Track Leaders

Dec 28, 2022

Racers, click/tap HERE for Trackleaders registration. All racers are required to have a satellite tracker for the 2023 race. You must have this taken care of WELL before gear check. Rental trackers will be shipped to me and be available at gear check.

Dot watchers, click/tap HERE for tracking racers.

2023 Race Registration

Dec 22, 2022

Registration is full. Thanks for all of your kind and thoughtful notes in the applications. We hope to have the roster published in a couple weeks as we wait for all successful applicants to accept entry and clear up a few stragglers. If you had a qualifying race and were registered, you should have gotten an acceptance by now.

Registration will open 9-1-2022 8 am CST – our roster normally fills in a couple hours.

Registration for the 2023 Arrowhead Winter Ultra Race will be handled by UltraSignup. On 9-1-2022 you can find the registration page HERE.

We limit our roster size in order to maintain solitude on the trail and to keep our check points from becoming over crowded. We cannot accept all entries. Preference is given to race veterans and past volunteers. If you were on the 2021 roster you can register as a race veteran. ALL applications will be added to a wait list and reviewed. You will receive a confirmation from Ultrasignup if your application is accepted. If you don’t get a confirmation in a short time please check your e-mail spam folder. You will not be billed until you confirm acceptance. We will keep a small wait list. We take rookies every year.

You must have a qualifying race before applying. For bikers, we require at least a 200 mile road bike race or 100 mile off road race, preferably in winter. We require at least a 100 mile race for foot and ski competitors, preferably in winter. If you don’t have a qualifying race but feel you have other experience that would allow you to safely complete Arrowhead, please list that on your application.

Pray for cold and snow – we look forward to seeing all the racers, sponsors, and volunteers.

General qualifying requirements listed on application. Keep in mind, this race is unlike any Ultra you likely encounter in lower 48. You can freeze your tail off if not careful and then we would feel very, very bad and the race likely would not happen next year and we would have to notify your next of kin.

Accepted Entries non-refundable (please don’t ask). We limit the roster to maximize solitude on the trail, we cannot accept all applications. When the roster is full, it is full. We can’t guarantee race veterans a spot if they apply late.

SEE YOU IN I-FALLS! AND HOPEFULLY (50% of you) AT FORTUNE BAY!!!

General Notes

Sep 18, 2020

The 19th annual AH135 will be Jan 30th to Feb 1st, 2023. Gear check will be Jan 28th/29th.

Completing one of the below accomplishments would typically qualify an entrant for this year’s Arrowhead Winter Ultra; however, entry is not guaranteed. The race directors reserve the right to change the rules in the interest of safety and sportsmanship or for any reason deemed appropriate by the race officials. The race directors reserve the right to select entrants based on other important considerations, as well as due to the requirements of insurers, sponsors, the Minnesota State DNR and other regulatory agencies.

Basically, we look for both endurance and cold weather experience. Below are general guidelines – race veterans and volunteers get preference for entry.

Qualifying activities for runners:

Completing a prior Arrowhead 135, Tuscobia 160 or similar race.
Finishing 100 mile foot race or completed multi-sport event, including a 100 mile run. A race in winter conditions improves your odds of being selected and surviving.

Qualifying activities for bikers:

Complete a prior Arrowhead 135, Tuscobia 160, Susitna, or similar race.
Finishing 24 hour bike race, with minimum of 100 miles completed for off-road, or 200 miles on road. A race in winter conditions improves your odds of being selected and surviving.

Qualifying activities for skiers:

Complete a prior Arrowhead 135, Tuscobia 160, or similar race.
Finishing a 24 hour ski race with a minimum of 100 miles completed.

There are lots of articles, stories, and photo albums from racers, reporters, and volunteers. Go read them all.

Our Charities

Special Ops Warrior Foundation

The Special Operations Warrior Foundation’s enduring promise to America’s Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps Special Operations Personnel is to honor the fallen, and all Medal of Honor Recipients, by providing full educations and additional opportunities, “cradle to career” (preschool – college), to their children.