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Press Release - Grandma's Marathon - 9/11/23

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

             Grandma's Marathon Earns Gold Level Certifications         
                     from Council for Responsible Sport        

     Sustainability, DEI Initiatives on Display During 2023 Race Weekend

(DULUTH, MINN.) --- Grandma's Marathon has earned the Gold Level 
Responsible Sport Certification, the organization announced today following 
the final stages of certification coming after its 2023 race weekend in 
mid-June.

The certification is granted by the Council for Responsible Sport, which 
started in 2007 and now has grown into a recognized leader in helping to 
measure and manage the social and environmental impacts of events around 
the world.

Of the 61 credits available in the collection of various best practices, 
Grandma's Marathon earned 51 and was only four credits shy of earning the 
highest-available Evergreen Level certification.

"Participating in Grandma's Marathon weekend gives off a neighborhood race 
vibe where all are welcome while also being a known, international event," 
Council for Responsible Sport Board Member Dian Vaughn said. "The event is 
intentionally diverse and inclusive while featuring several sustainability 
initiatives that helped it earn the gold level certification."

Some specific sustainability statistics from the 2023 Grandma's Marathon 
weekend:

- 9,860 pounds of plastic, cardboard, and paper recycled
- 302,000 pounds of carbon dioxide offset by participants
- 6,550 pounds of food donated to local food shelves
- 4,360 pounds of compost generated
- 8,609 pounds of clothing donated and resold or recycled
- 234,000 pounds of carbon dioxide avoided by busing participants to start 
line(s)
- 38,000+ paper cups kept from landfills
- 21,250 bottles recycled in participant jackets
- 80% of Grandma's Marathon office energy from renewable resources

To qualify for certification, an organization must demonstrate and document 
its actions in planning and executing its events are in alignment with the 
Council's standards.

"If we can make this the new normal in our way of thinking," Program 
Director Alivia Nelson said, "the hope is that it then spreads to our 
participants, volunteers, and community. We're fortunate to have this 
beautiful backdrop for our race, and it's a rapidly growing part of our job 
to make sure it stays that way." 

Certifiers were in Duluth this past June to experience for themselves the 
2023 Grandma's Marathon weekend and to make final reviews of the 
organization's work, which included, but were not limited to:

ACCESS & EQUITY

Removing barriers to entry for underrepresented groups within the running 
community has become a leading, central focus of Grandma's Marathon. After 
engaging with industry and community leaders, the race added a non-binary 
category and implemented a program called Running to Common Ground, which 
offers discounted registration fees to participants from underrepresented 
communities and cultures.

HICCUP

Through a partnership with Hiccup Earth, Grandma's Marathon provided 
reusable cups at two of its water stations for this year's event, which 
replaced the need for paper cups at those stations. The reusable cups are 
provided by Hiccup Earth, which after the race collected and cleaned the 
cups before sending them to their next event.

CARBON OFFSETS

Through a partnership with NCX, Grandma's Marathon offered participants an 
opportunity to purchase carbon offsets that will counteract their own 
travel to the event. The money collected was then distributed to Minnesota 
landowners in exchange for preserving the forest on their land.

REDISTRIBUTION

Through a partnership with Goodwill-Duluth, Grandma's Marathon annually 
encourages participants to wear extra layers on race morning that they can 
discard at the start line. Goodwill-Duluth staff then collects those 
clothes to then be reused or recycled.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Grandma's Marathon recently installed solar panels on its main office 
building in Canal Park, allowing the organization to use alternative energy 
to power its operations throughout the year.

Grandma's Marathon must now update its reporting each year and a site visit 
will be required every two years for the next six and every three years 
thereafter to maintain the gold level classification, and the 
organization's hope is that it can soon rise to the evergreen level.

ABOUT GRANDMA'S MARATHON

Grandma's Marathon began in 1977 when a group of local runners planned a 
scenic road race from Two Harbors to Duluth, Minnesota. After seeing just 
150 participants that year, the race weekend has now grown into one of the 
largest in the United States and welcomes more than 20,000 participants for 
its three-race event each June.

The race got its name from the Duluth-based group of famous Grandma's 
Restaurants, the first major sponsor of the marathon. In addition to the 
26.2-mile race, the organization has now added the Garry Bjorklund Half 
Marathon and William A. Irvin 5K to its weekend offerings.

As the popularity of Grandma's Marathon has grown, our mission has stayed 
the same - to organize, promote, and deliver annual events and programs 
that cultivate running, educational, social, and charitable opportunities 
to our communities.

Grandma's Marathon-Duluth, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit 
organization with a nine-person, full-time staff and a 17-member Board of 
Directors.

                                     ###

 

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