October 19, 2024

Ȟaȟá Wakpádaŋ Loopet Loppet

Test How Far You Can Run/Walk
in 6 or 12 Hours. Solo & Relay

Loopet Loppet is deepening your connection with the outdoors!

Through new and reimagined events, we’re celebrating Dakota people, land, and traditions along Ȟaȟá Wakpádaŋ, the Dakota name for Bassett Creek. The Loopet Loppet will now be known as the Ȟaȟá Wakpádaŋ Loopet Loppet!

The newly named Ȟaȟá Wakpádaŋ Loopet Loppet will maintain our marque 6-hour or 12-hour events from previous years and help you connect you with the earth in new ways. Come solo or as a team of 4 to run or walk as many 5-mile  loops as possible.

We’ll also have a Ȟaȟá Wakpádaŋ Little Loopet for kids to walk, run, and romp!

This year, we’re also excited to be adding a new Ȟaȟá Wakpádaŋ 5k Fun Run! This untimed event is perfect for running or walking along the creek, either solo or with friends.

All events will start and finish at the Trailhead, where we’ll have an Indigenous People’s festival for everyone to enjoy. It will feature Native vendors, chefs, running groups, artists, storytellers, and community partners. Take part in sharing Dakota traditions through education, crafts and games.

Partners will be on-site to help us practice saying Ȟaȟá Wakpádaŋ, the creek’s Dakota name that loosely translates as “Falls Creek.” You can learn more in this 2-minute YouTube video, “How to Pronounce Ȟaȟá Wakpádaŋ,” by filmmaker Tiana LaPointe (Sicangu Lakota).  

For more Native viewpoints about the West Metro, please enjoy the Ȟaȟá Wakpádaŋ / Bassett Creek Oral History Podcast. It’s available on Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. By sharing these stories widely, this event aims to help to reframe the suburbs as Indigenous places and amplify contemporary Native voices.

Many thanks to our close collaborators, including Cultural Advisors Darlene St. Clair (Dakota), Jim Rock (Dakota), Roxanne Gould (Anishinaabe), and Bradley Blackhawk (Ho-Chunk). Support is also provided by Hennepin History Museum, St Anthony Falls Heritage Board, Niniijaanis One of Ones, Four Sisters Farmers Market, Rising Hearts, ReNew Earth Running and Native Women Running.

All events start and finish at the The Trailhead at Theodore Wirth Park

  • 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. 12 hour Loopet Start
  • 9 a.m. – 5K Fun Run Start (untimed)
  • 10:30 a.m. – Little Loopet – FREE for all kids, no pre registration necessary.  Sign kids up at the event.  The loop will be about a half mile and kids can run it as many times as they’d like. 
  • 11:00 a.m. – Story time with author Joanne Zacharias (Dakota) – Taku Wadaka He? What Do You See?
  • 12:00 p.m. – Short film showing inside the Trailhead by Jordan Marie Whetstone (Lakota)
  • 1 p.m. – 7 p.m. 6 hour Loopet Start

Finish the maximum amount of miles as possible in 12 hours.

  • 5 mile loop open 7 a.m. – 6:15 p.m.
  • 1 mile loop open 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

To count a lap on either loop it must be completed prior to 7 p.m.

A full ultramarathon aid station will be available between loops that will highlight Dakota foods (food list will be shared closer to the event, standard ultra foods will also be served).  Drop bag storage will be available at the aid station. A self-serve water/energy drink only aid station will be available at mile 3 of the 5 mile loop.

Pacers will be allowed after 1:00 pm. Pacers age 18 and under can accompany runners after 9:00 am. Each runner may only have a single pacer at a time.

Relay teams can rotate runners however they wish, but can only exchange runners between loops.

There will be lawn games and Native & Dakota vendors and experiences set up for crew / spectators / runners taking a break between laps!

Packet pickup will be available at The Trailhead on the following days/times:

  • Friday, October 18th Time TBD, Trailhead Front Desk
  • Saturday, October 19th 6:00am – 7:00pm Race Finish area behind the Trailhead.

If you registered online, please be sure to bring your emailed check-in pass (with the QR code) to packet pickup. You can either print it out or show it on your phone. This will ensure a quick and easy packet pickup for everyone! Bib numbers will be assigned at check-in and safety pins to attach them will be available.

Register Now!
StatusStarting 1/1/24Starting 9/18/24Starting 10/18/24
Individual 6 Hour Open$70$80$90
Individual 12 Hour Open$70$80$90
Relay Open$55$60$70
Adult 5KOpen$32$32$32
Youth 5K (16 and under)Open$10$10$10
Little Loppet (Day of Registration Only. 8 and under)OpenFreeFreeFree

Registration and transaction fees are non-refundable, including in the event of delay, rescheduling, or cancellation of an event or program. An event or program registration is not transferable to another person or another event for any reason, including injury. Participating under another person's name will result in disqualification.

A Note About the Data We Collect

Proceeds from the Loopet Loppet benefit the Loppet Foundation. Learn more about the Foundation's mission, vision, and values.

As a way to recognize the Dakota land we run with and steward, all Indigenous people can participate in any Loppet event for free by emailing events@loppet.org and requesting a discount code

Loopet Loppet meets Trail Sisters Approval Standards which include:

  • Equal awards for men & women (The Loppet also has equal awards for non-binary participants)
  • Women’s specific apparel & swag
  • Menstrual products at aid stations
  • Women on the starting line
  • Pregnancy & postpartum policy: registered participants who become pregnant or are <6 months postpartum can reach out to events@loppet.org by September 19th for their event entry to be deferred by 1 year
  • Visit Four Sisters Farmers Market, open weekly on Thursdays. Located at 1414 E. Franklin Avenue in the Pow Wow Grounds/ All My Relations Arts parking lot from 11 AM to 3 PM- shop local with goods from over a dozen vendors.
  • Tuesday, July 9th 6:00pm – 8:00pm, Summer at The Cedar: a free Tuesday night concert series outdoors on the Cedar Plaza featuring both international and local artists!
  • Sunday, August 11th 9:00am, ReNew Earth Running Haulin’ Pollen 5K at Lake Phalen, St. Paul
  • October 12-13: Niniijaanis one of ones – Join the celebration for Indigenous People’s Weekend at Johnson Senior High School! This is an open public health event which is now the largest Native-led & executed basketball expo in Minnesota. Indigenous People’s Weekend Basketball Expo
  • Monday, October 14th 10:00am – 11:00am, Water Celebration at the Second Annual Ȟaȟá Wakpádaŋ Water Blessing at Bassett Creek Park in the City of Crystal
  • We will be showing Run To: Be Visible and Know To Run – Yatika inside the Trailhead on event day. Watch more of Jordan Marie (Daniel) Whetson’s videos here.
  • More connection opportunities will be posted here as Native partners share them with us

Partners

Volunteers are needed for set up, help with packet pickup/registration, mark the course, course marshal to keep participants safe and on course, aid stations (a great place to volunteer with friends!), finish line assistance, and clean up!

Race and Volunteer: Experience the best of both worlds! Help with set up, packet pickup/registration or clean up.

Seeking Leads: If your interested in taking your volunteering to the next level we are seeking leaders to lead our volunteers. Please contact volunteer@loppet.org.

All Volunteers receive a Loppet Swag, snacks and a big thank you!

Please e-mail volunteer@loppet.org for more info.

The Loppet Foundation
1301 Theodore Wirth Parkway
Minneapolis, MN 55422
info@loppet.org
612-604-5330

Registration Questions:
registration@loppet.org

Partnership:
community@loppet.org