The Snowshoe Shuffle is the biggest snowshoe race in Minnesota, and is one of the biggest snowshoe 5K and 10K events in the Midwest. Approximately 150 people showed up at Long Lake Regional Park in New Brighton on Feb. 10. The hot coffee stirred up the warmth and energy for the participants on this brisk Saturday morning in February.
Many snowshoers and their supporters came out, despite temperatures hovering around 5 degrees, to support East Side Neighborhood Services’ Camp Bovey, a camp which strengthens confidence and many other skills for Northeast youth. Even the dogs were in on the action, as they wore their little dog jackets to walk the 5K course. The bright sun helped boost everyone’s spirits amidst the single-digit temperatures, as the male runners crossed the finish line with fresh frost complimenting their beards. Many participants, feeling overheated, took their gloves off during the race.
“This is the biggest snowshoe race I’ve seen all season, and I just love being out here in nature while supporting a good cause to support the community,” first place finisher Greg Krampe of Mahtomedhi said. Krampe runs in snow shoes a couple times a week for preparation. “It’s just like running on a trail, except you’re just a minute per mile slower because of the snow. Once I got started, I just love it.”
Camp Bovey provides an outdoor experience for a week at a time for kids ages 8-14. The camp, located in Gordon, Wisconsin, helps inner city kids “experience the outdoors while they build friendships and skills including cooperation, confidence, and independence in a setting they may typically not be able to participate in,” said ESNS youth department director Caryn Olsen. The fundraising from the Snowshoe Shuffle helps fund families for the camp, who may not have been able to fund the experience themselves.
Multiple generations of Northeast residents have been able to make it to Camp Bovey for more than 60 years. Registration for 2018 camps is open; visit www.esns.org/CampBovey.
Below: It was a day for frosty beards and toasty runners. Last photo is Greg Krampe, first place. (Photos by Nik Linde)
