FANS Honor Roll

The FANS race began in 1990. This unique urban ultra marathon combined two unique things, an opportunity for local runners to partake in a well-supported ultra marathon and the opportunity to fund scholarships for student scholars from traditionally underserved communities. In the intervening years, thousands of runners and student scholars have benefited from this special event. This race is entirely volunteer driven. The proceeds after race expenses go fully to the FANS scholarship fund. Many hands (and feet) have made this event happen over the years. We are introducing this web page to honor some of the special people that have given of themselves to contribute to the success of FANS.

Founded by Bob Frawley

We like to begin this tribute page by recognizing the late great Bob Frawley. Bob was an ultra-marathon runner who worked in the social services community. He saw a couple of needs. There weren’t many local ultra marathons in Minnesota at the time, and the educational and aspirational needs of many students could use a boost. He came up with the idea for creating a great race for runners and a way to help those student scholars. Without Bob Frawley, there would be no FANS. We are eternally grateful to Bob!

There are a number of tales of the genesis of the FANS Ultra races, but several people who knew Bob shared some accounts which, when combined, may be the closest to the truth.

In April of 1989 Bill Boutang was race director of some races in Baker Park (Orono, MN) and added a 100 miler to the 50 mile race. At this time there were no 100 mile races in Minnesota. (the Superior 100 would not begin until 1991). Fast Eddie Rousseau entered the race and recalls running much of it with Bob Frawley who was training for the Western States Race. As often happens in races, running together leads to conversations which leads to a solid friendship.

Bob Frawley was working for Pillsbury United Communities and in 1988 he had started a program called FANS (Furthering Achievement through a Network of Support). This program helped Minneapolis high school students as they developed academic and job skills so they could make a successful transition from high school to post-secondary education.

As it turned out, Bob didn’t get into Western so he did his hundred mile race around Lake Harriet. He thought he could parlay this bold effort into a fundraiser to help support scholarships for the students he was working with. His Lake Harriet run did indeed raise some money and he started thinking more and more about how this could be an annual thing.

The following year Bob contacted Fast Eddie and told him he was going to put on a 24 Hour race on the last weekend in June as Minnesota's answer to Western States. He would also continue his efforts to make it a fundraiser. The money would be directed to the FANS program to fund scholarships.

Bob visited with the race directors of the Cornbelt Running Club 24 Hour (Davenport, IA) and got some pointers from them. He then rounded up some volunteers and got the first FANS going on the last Saturday in June 1990 with 35 runners around Lake Harriet. Just as there is now, you could pay an entry fee or you could collect pledges. The students came to the race and volunteered (those students would be approaching age 50 now!!). And, just like the Western States race, it was hot. Several years later it was moved to the first Saturday in June which was cooler but competed with weddings and graduation parties.

Bob and his volunteers continued to pull off one great race after another with dedicated, organized hard work, and great devoted volunteers. He was the race director for about 10 years at which time he let others take the lead. However, he continued to participate in the race. In fact, he ran in every race from 2001 until 2024. His career mileage tops out at 1595! He always had a smile and kind words for everyone. He was especially grateful to the race directors for keeping the tradition going.

Sue Olsen also had fond memories of Bob’s commitment to the race and its runners. She recalled how he was so supportive when she was going to be the first person to accumulate 3000 lifetime miles. He was running the 12 hour race that year (2018). He went home to get some sleep but made sure to return in time to run the lap with her when she crossed the 3k mark.

People remember him as a wonderful, caring person and someone who did great things for the youth in our community as well as supporting the running community.

Maggie Quinlan (Bob’s wife) shared these memories.

Bob was tireless in his efforts to unite the FANS program to the ultra running world, which culminated in their union at the first FANS race. The common bond of the FANS youth and the runners is their persistence to complete their goals against all odds. A remarkable union!

The inception of the FANS race was a family affair, occupying our household from late winter through the final stages of sponsorship collections. Our finest memories include joining Bob for a lap or two during the magical experience of FANS at nighttime. Lanterns decorating the trail and crew tents, aide station chatter, number call outs at the timing stations, the murmur of race committee troubleshooting, bikers monitoring the course and the drumming of running shoes on the path. The spirit of generosity, spirit, support and welcome was felt throughout the course.

Bob pushed himself and others beyond ordinary limits and was skilled at bringing grand ideas to life. My family is so proud and pleased FANS Ultra Races founded by Bob Frawley has been carried forward by such caring and extraordinary people.

Carol Zazubek (part of the original race committee).

I first met Bob at the Voyageurs 50 mile race. He was just starting the FANS 24 hour race and I offered to help. At the time, he was the director of the McKnight Foundation Families in Poverty college readiness initiative called the FANS (Family Advocate Network Systems) Project. The 24 hour was to become the fundraiser for that project.

Neither of us knew that much about organizing a race, let alone a 24 hour event. He did his research by contacting other ultra race directors. By race day the first year, Bob pretty much had the race scripted out. I remember receiving pages of details about each aspect and those became the foundation for the race for the next 30 years.

One thing that has changed is timing which was done at first entirely by lap counters by hand. Splits for 50 mile, 100K and 100 mile involved runners carrying strips of bed sheets to the timers out on the course!

A lot of friends, running clubs, and community organizations helped out in the early days and they helped to make the event a true community effort.

While writing this, I realized I was a little fuzzy on what happened when and who was involved and my first thought was - just ask Bob. He literally was the only one who would know. He would remember who dropped the two-way radio into Lake Harriet; he’d know who spray painted all the roots on the off road section of the course; why we were asked to leave Lake Harriet and go to Nokomis; what exactly is the story behind the rather unusual 1990 T-shirt; why the race had to go counterclockwise around the lake. Just ask Bob – he would know.