The nice folks of Duluth certainly treat their guests well. Own disappointing race performance ('98) didn't detract from top-notch event. Good 'roving' crowd support, thanks to adjacent highway access. Minor negatives are the finish, which is a bit twisty and tight, and the field limit with its ever earlier cutoff date. But hey, make that effort to get in this one early, 'cause it's a good'n !

I have run Grandma's 7 times now, and each race is as different as the weather. You actually can see the Canal Park Bridge (finish area) from 17 miles away on a clear day! Wonderful people all along the course and Duluth is a great, family friendly area.

I will be running my third Grandma's this June 17th. This was the first marathon I ran and would recommend it to anyone wanting to run their first. The course is runner friendly with hundreds of spectators lining the scenic race course into downtown Duluth. Even though the finish line can be confusing and crowded, it is more than made up for by the great volunteers that help you at every turn with support and aid. I would say for the seasoned marathoner or the beginner, Grandma's is a must at least once.

The course for Grandma's is one of the best courses I've run. It's really flat and really pretty. You have the lake on one side and the hills on the other side of the road. It's also really neat being able to see the bridge in Duluth from about six miles out, it's like the citgo sign. THe course paralles a main road, so there is great crowd support for the entire race. It's fun, becasue you see the same people at each location, cheering for their favorite runners. The finish line was really crowded and disorganized and it was hard to find the checked clothes, the t-shirts and the food. That was the only downside in the race thoough. It's also nice staying in the UMD dorms, I met one runner the day before, saw her again at the start and the finish, chatted with her the day after and then bumped into her at Boston this year. The dorms lead to comradery amongst the runners.