I have run many marathons around the country and this has to be my favorite. The views of Duluth and the lake are second to none (maybe Big Sur is prettier, but it is close). The crowds in downtown Duluth echoing through the buildings is incredible. It may not be as loud as Boston but it still feels like you are in a ticker tape parade.

The finish area is great. The hotel price mark-ups are a joke but I guess those people need to make their money. I am thankful that I can stay with friends. The people of Duluth cannot be topped for their enthusiasm. Hopefully these good reviews will not make the race fill up any faster then it already does, I wouldnt want to have to miss the race because it fills up so quickly. I would advise anyone who has not been to Duluth or the Upper Midwest, that you really need to run this race. You just may want to never leave.

Grandma's is my favorite marathon. I have run it for the past 5 years and already have my 2004 entry. I will continue with my running streak until I lose the entry lottery some year. The course is beautiful and I like the peace and quiet of Lake Superior. The fans are sparse at the beginning, but plentiful once you get into town. I would recommend this race for anyone looking for a cooler summer marathon.

I've run Grandma's marathon 3 times and the half--Bjorklund Half Marathon once (it's run on the last half of the marathon course). I didn't care much for the first half of the marathon (although the lake was beautiful). I enjoyed the Bjorklund quite a bit, as the the support in town is awesome and the scenery is favorable. As far as hotels... the fact that you have to stay two nights is ridiculous for the prices they charge! I probably wouldn't do the marathon again based on that alone.

Grandma's was my first marathon experience and coming from Chicago, I had big expectations for how it would compare to what everyone considers the best. Well, I loved every thing about it.

I loved the course - it was so beautiful - it really made the early miles so much more enjoyable. I loved the spectators. What they lacked in numbers, they certainly made up for with excitement & noise level. I think everyone who lives along the course must have been on their front lawn cheering. It was a nice treat. I mean it's Minnesota - so you know they're gonna be nice - but this was great.

I especially would like to thank the guy serving dixie cups full of beer around mile 20. Man, that hit the spot.

The ONLY thing I didn't really care for was the cost of staying in the dorms. You have to stay for two nights and $80 a night for a 40+ year old dorm isn't the best deal. BUT they do have the free shuttle from the dorms to the starting line - which definitely made up for it. Plus - a lot less $$ than the hotels, so I can't complain too much.

I will DEFINITELY run this race again someday.

5 STARS!!!!!

I'll start with the course, which was the reason I selected Grandma's as my first marathon. Beautiful & quiet for the first half - you can smell the pine trees on both sides of you, then you see the lake and numerous creeks/rivers. (Beats the hell out of seeing only concrete & buildings & people, ala the bigger races.)

The closer you get to town, the louder it gets. If you know nobody in Duluth, it doesn't matter - they're cheering for you anyway. Scattered musicians/entertainers throughout are a pleasant distraction. Rolling hills and curves also keep the course from being at all boring. Biggest hill is at 22 miles. Nice race size - 8-9000 or so registered, so it's easy to maneuver & pass people when you want to.

Post-race food & refreshments are very well done. Nice medals & shirts. Shuttles back to the hotels were simple to find, though (understandably) not a quick ride. Couldn't have asked for a better marathon experience, other than running about 15 minutes faster!

When I heard about your marathon, my friends and I from Oregon, decided to do it. That set the ball in motion; we had just entered the Grandma's zone. After we had gotten our confirmations, we then attempted to get motel accommodations. This is where we entered the twilight zone. This is the only bad thing about your marathon: we eventually got rooms that cost twice or three times their worth - people probably should be made aware of this problem.

I would like to thank all of the volunteers who made this a special event for me and my friends. Also the expo was the best one I have been to yet. A big "thank you" to the Cliff Shot pace team (could not remember the guy's name who led the 3:40 group). He definitely made running a marathon fun again, as I finished under 3:39 - a big plus. Once again, thanks, you rock!

This was my first marathon. I am now hooked and cannot wait to do another one! I have driven the course and know it is really scenic, yet I don't remember it while I was running. Maybe it was the excitement of all the runners and volunteers that distracted me? The crowds were very enthusiastic and get even better once you hit mile 20, when you need them the most. The race is large enough to find others running your pace, yet small enough for friends watching to find you. The aid stations were plentiful and well stocked. The volunteers at each one were unbelievable. I only have two small complaints (nothing is perfect right?). I did not like being forced to walk through the expo to get my race packet and the Clif Shot pace teams were really annoying. It is hard to pass a group of 20-50 all bunched around a pace-setter. As far as lodging goes, I was pleasantly surprised with my stay at the UMD dorms.

Fun, great course, perfect weather, beautiful scenery, good entertainment on the course. Well organized. The only reason that I didn't rate spectators as highly as they probably deserve (the spectator support at Grandma's is legendary) is that for us 5-hour+ marathoners, most spectators had given up by the time we got to them. There was still a decent crowd near the finish, however.

The bus ride to the start was long, and then after the race, it was difficult to find my shuttle back to the room, and the transportation was not organized very well. Also, it was kind of a drag in the end as the streets wound around - did not know where the finish line was.

This was my first marathon - I had high expectations because I'd always heard such positive things about Grandma's. Every expectation was met, and then some! Even though it was a little hot and my legs felt like rubber for the last 3 miles, the thousands of spectators kept me going. It wasn't even too crowded at the start. What a feeling at the end!! Great food and drinks provided to help recover. Everyone in the area comes to party and celebrate the runners! I would do it again in a heartbeat!