The Udder Run

GOODHUE, Minn. – For the past 27 years, a group of dairy producers from Goodhue County has been “on the run.”

This year is no different. The 28th annual “Udder Run” will be June 11 as part of Volksfest in Goodhue, Minn. The event has been organized and run by dairy producers in the Goodhue area since its beginning in 1984. 

Goodhue dairy producer, Dean Opsahl, said he came up with the idea for the run in 1983 after watching Ted Koppel on Nightline News report about obesity in America. 

“I’m a strong believer that you eat a lot of different things, but you need to exercise,” said Opsahl, who is an avid runner. “All the other towns in the area had some sort of run. I thought Goodhue should have an other run, but we started saying ‘udder’ run.” 

Opsahl contacted his good friend, Steve Matthees, who is also a dairy farmer. The two proposed the idea to Volksfest and Mid American Dairyman’s (now Dairy Farmers of America) young cooperators (YC) group and the idea caught on.

“The first two years there were Udder Runs all over the United States put on by the YC groups. But I think we’re the only one still going,” Opsahl said. 

In addition to Dean and Diane Opsahl, many other dairy farmers in the area helped keep the event successful, including Paul and Ann Nibbe; Dave and Kay Betcher; Jim and Sally Hadler; Tim Hinrichs; Steve and Mary Matthees; Lyle and Shannon Dicke; Chip and Peg Krueger; and Phil Breuer among many others. 

Opsahl coordinated the run for the first 10 years, while Jim Hadler took over for the next 15 years. 

“Dean kept saying he was going to retire. Someone else had to take it over or we’d have to hang it up. I wanted to see it keep going so I stepped in,” Hadler said about his time as coordinator.

Another dairy farm family, Ben Raasch and his wife, Emily, have been in charge since 2008. 

“A younger person needed to step up to the plate … or the run would end. I feel it’s a good event and people seem to come back,” Raasch said. “We’re not the biggest or best race in the area, but we have a lot of people who are regulars, and we have a good time.” 

All three agree some of their best memories about planning the race have been thinking up the slogans for the shirts every year. 

“The committee would get together in March one night after chores, sit around, have a few beers and think up a saying,” Opsahl said. 

Many of the slogans have made a play on dairy words. “For the health of it,” “Don’t stall around, high tail it to the Goodhue Udder Run,” “Work those calves,” and “26 years and still kickin’,” have been displayed on the annual shirts. One year’s slogan, “Bessie the body,” came about from Minnesota’s governor at the time, Jesse Ventura. “Tanks for the mammaries,” was the slogan during the 25th anniversary in 2008. 

The one-mile fun run and five-mile walk begin at 9 a.m., while the five-mile run begins at 9:20 a.m. This schedule is later than most other road races, Opsahl said. 

“We often get asked by our city friends why we don’t start earlier. I guess they don’t realize most of us have already put in four or more hours doing our job milking cows,” Opsahl said.

Dairy has also been incorporated into the Udder Run in other ways. The race is started by the sound of a cow bell and mile markers for the run are milk cans spray painted white with the mile number on it. Participants in the race receive dairy products at the finish line, including white and chocolate milk, string cheese, and rootbeer floats. The top three overall male and female finishers receive a brass cow tag with their placing engraved on it. The top three division winners receive Sport Shakes, cheese and butter. 

“It’s rewarding seeing people enjoying themselves and people come back year after year,” Raasch said. 

Raasch and the planning committee are starting to work with the school superintendant for the race to encourage kids to start running. 

“I look forward to seeing them latch onto it as a sport and continue it through the years,” he said. 

The Udder Run averages about 80 participants who run each year. It drew the largest crowd in 1997 during the Goodhue Centennial with 435 people signing up for the race. 

“The number of people usually depends on the weather,” Opsahl said. 

Whether rain or shine, Goodhue dairy producers will be continuing their udder tradition.