BREAK THE BANK

WHEN - OCT, 11TH 2025 - Saturday - 8am
WHAT - 50 mile solo or relay running race
Brought to you by , the on-demand app which safely connects athletes with personalized training guides, the Break The Bank 50 Miler will lead runners along the scenic Willard Munger Trail from Sturgeon Lake, Minnesota to Duluth, Minnesota. Athletes will be treated to the trail's natural beauty, including lush forests and picturesque lakes, culminating in a rewarding downhill finish over the last 10 miles.This event offers a unique opportunity for runners to challenge their endurance while immersing themselves in Minnesota's breathtaking landscapes.

This race is specifically designed by ultrarunners to provide competitors with the perfect combination of speed and beauty. Enjoy the splendid forests, bridges, and craggy rocks of the terrain carved out by the last ice age, while never needing to worry about your footing.

Spots are limited—secure your place at the starting line and experience Minnesota’s most scenic ultra!
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Break The Bank 50 is committed to growing our sport through the inclusion and promotion of subsets of the running population which have been historically denied or persuaded not to run races through direct or indirect means. There will be no discrimination allowed at our race and we feel sorry that this even needs to be said. All our welcome as long as they treat others with respect deserved by all.

ENTRY FEES
50 MILE SOLO RUN
To April 30 - $100
May 1st to August 31st - $125.00
Sept 1st to Oct 5th - $150.00
Race day - $175.00

2 PERSON RELAY
To April 30 - $120
May 1st to August 31st - $140.00
Sept 1st to Oct 5th - $160.00
Race day - $180.00

5 PERSON RELAY
To April 30 - $140
May 1st to August 31st - $160.00
Sept 1st to Oct 5th - $180.00
Race day - $200.00

**RACE LIMITED TO FIRST 150 SOLO RUNNERS**

Questions and/or thoughts can be directed to:
Jeff Allen (RD)
runjeffrun50k@yahoo.com
651-332-9988

AID STATIONS

There will be Eleven (11) aid stations along the course providing runners with the following:
Water, Energy Drink, Cookies,Gels, Salted Nut Rolls, various soda pops, and more

Four of the Aid Stations will be at the Relay Exchanges listed below in the Relay Section. The other six are located as follows:

The Third Aid Station (mile 17.3) will be at Barnum HERE.

The Fifth Aid Station (mile 27.5) will be across from the Elmwood Inn on the Munger Trail HERE.

The Sixth Aid Station (mile 32) will be at the Douglas Road crossing to the Munger Trail, west of Carlton HERE.

The Eighth Aid Station (mile 40) will be at the Peterson's Aid Station trailhead on the Munger Trail HERE.

The Ninth Aid Station (mile 42.5) will be at the Buffalo House trailhead on the Munger Trail HERE.

The Tenth Aid Station (mile 45.25) will be at right before "The Slice" on the Munger Trail HERE.

The Eleventh Aid Station (mile 48.6) will be at the Munger Trail exit HERE.

Break the Bank will provide cups so you needn't worry about bringing your own. Break The Bank is committed to keeping the trail as pristine as we found it while also giving runners what they deserve in a race. If you bring your own refillable punches or cups, we will gladly fill them for you!

COURSE MAP

START - 91818 Brandt Rd, Strugeon Lake, MN 55783
FINISH - 1106 88th Ave W, Duluth, MN, 55808. The finish will right next to be an actual bank built in 1918 which has been converted into home and, for the purposes of this day, the HQ and finish of the race.

Approximately 43 miles of this point-to-point race will be run on the incredible Willard Munger Trail, a soft as butter paved trail. The course is nearly flat (we really mean it) for the first 40 miles. There is a big downhill finish featuring a 500 foot drop over the last 10 miles. This elevation change is just enough to make you feel like you are having the best day of your life without crushing your quads at the end. Finally, you finish in the shadow of the Bank House where vendors, entertainers, food and drink will be enjoyed by all.



Finish at a (once upon a time) REAL BANK!




Here is a video of part of the Munger Trail. A great deal of how the course looks on the Munger Trail is represented there.

RELAY TEAMS

There will be four (4) exchange zones for a total of five (5) running legs.

Distances for each leg of the Relay are as such:

Leg 1: 6.9 miles
Leg 2: 5.4 miles
Leg 3: 11.8 miles
Leg 4: 11.5 miles
Leg 5: 14.4 miles

Exchange Zones are as follows:

The First Relay Exchange (6.9 miles) will be at the Sturgeon Lake trailhead to the Munger Trail HERE.

The Second Relay Exchange (12.3 miles) will be in Moose Lake HERE.

The Third Relay Exchange (23.7 miles) will be at the Mahtowa trailhead to the Munger Trail HERE.

The Fourth Relay Exchange (35.6 miles) will be at the Carlton trailhead to the Munger Trail HERE.

Relay teams are responsible for transportation to exchange points. Each team will receive one key to the safety deposit box at the finish.

RACE TRANSPORTATION

Transportation will be provided from the finish line at the bank to the starting line as part of your entry fee.

PRIZE MONEY

Break the Bank is excited to offer the following:
$5000 to any individual who sets a new the 50-mile American best for their gender. That's right, $5,000!
Men's 50 mile record is 4:48:21 set by Charlie Lawrence in 2024 at the Tunnel Hill 50.
Women's 50 mile record is 5:31:56 set by Courtney Olsen in 2024 at the Tunnel Hill 50.

***There currently seems to be no record for non-binary runners but we will stay on top of that and adjust accordingly***

For the first, second, and third place finishers in the open and masters division, each will will receive:
$300 for first place
$200 for second place
$100 for third place

No doubling up on the prize money. We are here to spread the wealth!

RACE SWAG

In additional to fantastic race medals and race shirt, every finisher will choose a random key to a safety deposit box inside the bank at the finish line. Inside the safety deposit boxes will be prizes ranging from $5 to (at least) $500, with other awards as well. Finish the race and you get a key!
Pictured below are the glorious safety deposit boxes which contain your fabulous prizes.


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The first 50 solo runners of Break The Bank will get a signed copy of ultrarunner Dane Rauschenberg's book "Run This Place", a book which is a list of must-run races culled from over 400 lifetime events by Dane. Providing every terrain, difficulty level, and distance (from one mile to 199), Run This Place satisfies the wants of every runner. With descriptions of the race and Dane’s own experiences of each, your next destination race awaits!




EVERY relay runner will get a DVD copy of NO Handoffs, the documentary of Dane Rauschenberg's solo running of the 202 mile American Odyssey Relay in 50 hours, which some have said helped kicked off the craze of 200 mile races all over the country!

CUT OFFS

Solo runners or relay team must cross the following AS to contuine the race:
AS 2 - Total miles 11.9 - by 11:00 am
AS 5 - Total miles 27.5 - by 2:45pm
AS 9 - Total miles 42.5 - by 7:40pm
To qualify for an official finisher you must cross the finish line under 14 hours.

LODGING

The race ends (and transportation to the start is in) the Morgan Park Community in the southern part of Duluth. Therefore, any hotels in Duluth will put you within about a 20 minute drive to bus transportation. Below are just a few!

The Buffalo House RV Park and Campground is just 7.5 miles away. Directions
Willard Munger Inn is a scant 2.9 miles away. Directions
The Duluth Inn & Suites Near Spirit Mountain is 6.9 miles away. Directions
Mountain Villas is 7.7 miles away. Directions
Baymont by Wyndham Proctor is 6.9 miles away. Directions

REFUND POLICY

There are no refunds.
There are no transfers to other runners.
No exceptions.
In the event Break the Bank is forced to cancel for any reason and the event can not be feasibly rescheduled, refunds/race credits/rollovers will not be given. This includes, but not limited to, COVID-19, bird flu, wildfires, air quality, natural disasters, permitting agency closures, etc.
Rest assured, we want this event to go off as scheduled as much as you do.

DELAY, SUSPENDED, AND/OR CANCELLED

The race director reserves the right to delay, suspend, or cancel any part of the event if weather conditions deem it dangerous to the participants or harmful to the course. This is the last thing we want to do and won't be taken lightly. But no race ever is worth your health and safety.

Event's current local time: 9:53 AM CT