The Best DAMn Ever: Claire O’Leary’s Recap From The Day Across Minnesota

The Day Across Minnesota returned in 2024 after taking 2 years off. The conditions for the event were perfect and several records were set. One of those records was Claire O'Leary who was the first woman finisher. Here she shares about a serendipitous run in with Trenton Raygor as well as a recap from race day.

To learn more, visit The Day Across Minnesota.

Story by Claire O'Leary @allcontent_nocontext. Cover photo by Mateo Fischer.

Three weeks ago, I was rolling south on West River Parkway in Minneapolis on my way from work to pick up new tires from Angry Catfish (tire of choice: Continental TerraSpeed 40s). I see a rider in a Day Across Minnesota kit and one cog in the back jump onto the path ahead of me.

I think that’s Trenton.

I put a little dig in and roll up next to Trenton Raygor, founder and race director of The Day Across Minnesota. We chat for a few miles about how our respective summers are going and the upcoming DAMn race. “I hope it’s a headwind day,” he said. “I really want to see what the human spirit is made of.”

Trenton didn’t get his wish.

Instead, the 2024 Day Across Minnesota will go down as “The best DAMn ever.” After a two-year hiatus, the ride was back with a bang. The temps were crisp. The gravel was smooth. The tailwinds were ripping. The fields were stacked. And oh yeah, those finish line hugs in Hager City were so, so sweet.

Let’s take a look at how 240 miles of gravel from South Dakota to Wisconsin played out.

Miles, Moments, and Memories Across Minnesota

The beautiful thing about the DAMn is that it means something a little different to every rider and everyone has favorite moments. For some, it’s climbing out of the Minnesota River valley at sunrise. Or it’s the melee of the start, with fireworks shooting off from the roadside while the firetruck leads the field out of Gary.

Photo by Mateo Fischer

One of my favorite moments was one of the final climbs outside of White Rock at mile 220, where the course rolls by Belle Creek Cattle farm, owned by Kaleb and Angie Anderson. According to Jared Anderson, a multi-time DAMn finisher and Kaleb’s cousin, the Andersons were just as excited the DAMn was back as riders were. The family celebrated roadside all day – honking, cheering and offering riders cold beverages.

Photos by Angie and Kaleb Anderson, Belle Creek Cattle

A Year for the Record Books

A Redwing local rolled up next to me on one of the last paved downhills into town. “I’m not in the race, but I’ll be at the finish line later!” he said. I thank him and say I’m the women’s race leader. “Wow, you’re crushing it.”

I tear up a little. A few miles later, I finished in a new Women’s Open course record of 13:39. Trenton gives me a giant hug before I can pause my Wahoo and tell me he’s proud of me. Co-director Chase Wark is next in line to do the same. I first talked with Chase about coaching when he was lounging in Gary before the 2021 start. I was a new runner-turned-cyclist trying to figure things out, and he was just starting Wark’s Cycling Services. Three years later it felt like a full circle moment.

Claire O'Leary setting a new course record. Photos by Julie Fromelt, Wark’s Cycling Services

Amber Searer of Wisconsin and fellow Minneapolis rider Sophie St-Jacques joined me in earning giant KwikTrip donuts for our rides. All of us were under the old course record. Innokenty Zavyalov won the Men’s Open race in a new course record of 11:16:01, riding solo from Henderson to Hager City. Ryan Hafner and Nick Nygaard rounded out the podium, all under the old course record as well. The brave souls on one gear also had record rides on that tailwind day with Anders Hopkins setting a new record of 13:15:04. After sundown, Pallav Kumar crossed the finish line as the winner of the inaugural Non-Binary category in 22:37:44. Eamonn Casey was lantern rouge in 23:24:49.

Eamonn Casey, Lantern Rouge. Photo by Abigail Wark, Wark's Cycling Services.

I think it’s also important to note that some of the former course record holders were also in Gary at midnight. Kate Coward set the Women’s Open course record of 15:00 in 2020. This year, she rode her fat bike to win that category in a new course record of 17:07:45. (Chris Nelson also set a new Men’s Fat Bike course record of 16:47:33.)

Chase Wark set the Men’s Open course record of 11:43 in 2020. He took another stab at it in 2021 on a Specialized Venge with a disc wheel (IYKYK). Although he missed the record, he proposed at the finish line – a moment documented in The Last DAMn. This year, Chase joined the DAMn Fools on the other side of the finish line as a co-race director. His wife, Abigail, was taking photos out on course.

And don’t forget about those folks crazy enough to cross the state twice over 480 miles. The second edition saw 18 starters and 4 finishers. They are:

Cory Rood 35:04
Corey Kronser 39:13 (Single Speed)
Nick Elliot 41:11 (Two-time Double DAMn finisher)
Joe Clark 45:23