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May 20, 2024

Grandma's Marathon Runner Comments

Back to Grandma's Marathon Information & Reviews

Course 4.5

Organization 4.7

Spectators 4.4

Number of comments: 298 [displaying comments 91 to 101]

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T. K. from Minnetonka, MN (8/3/2010) "Terrific marathon; I'll keep coming back!" (about: 2010) 3 previous marathons \| 2 Grandma's Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I did Grandma's in 2008 and this year (2010) as well. Addressing some common themes in others' comments: Expo - You walk through a crowded area with lots of vendors to get to your packet. The DECC area gets crazy that night, so try to get there as early as possible on Friday. The spaghetti feed was great! I love the sauce. :) Bus to start - Very well organized. I got to the DECC around 6 a.m. and didn't have to wait to jump on a bus. Course - One of the best Minnesota has to offer! The first 17 miles or so are very quiet except for the pitter-patter of runners' feet. Then you get into town with thousands of energetic (and sometimes drunk) spectators to cheer you on. At mile 25.7 you run next to the largest ship in the world to wind around to the finish. I swear that thing is 2 miles-long. Finishing area - Everything you need. Medical tent right there, you get handed a medal after the finish line and then continue on for a shirt, and there was lots of great food/drink. Shirt - I'm amazed by the complaints on here. Most marathon runners have a drawer full of tech shirts, so sometimes it's nice to have a cotton one for everyday use. I heard that for 2011 they'll have tech shirts, so good for them. Hotel costs - Yes, they are jacked up for this weekend. Why not spend the $400 you'd spend anyway and get some great camping equipment, find a few friends, and spend $30 a night at a nearby campsite? Then you can keep the equipment for next year! Duluth night life - We had an absolute blast the night of the marathon. They have a huge tent with music, beer, and well... more beer :) Canal Park is bustling with runners, locals, and students on Saturday night. A night I'll never forget.
D. B. from Cedar Falls, IA (7/28/2010) "Good Marathon" (about: 2010) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Grandma's Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Overall, I think this was a great first marathon. I think the course was fine; I had read comments about the first 16 miles all along the lake, so I did expect that. I think the weather was just about right and the transportation to the start was just fine. (I took a bus and got to the start with plenty of time to spare before the race started.) After reading comments about the race from 2009, I read not to take the train. Duluth was a gorgeous town and very friendly. I'm sure the hotels rack up the prices during the weekend but I stayed right by the finish line so the location was great. One thing I would like to see improved about this race is the race packet. I have run about 4 half-marathons, all in different areas, and at each I've received better packets than I received at this one. I went to the expo on Thursday night, and I'm glad that I did, since I heard it was a nightmare on Friday.
M. C. from Rosemount, MN (6/29/2010) "Grandma's is always a good time" (about: 2010) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Grandma's Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 After reading the previous comments, I have to step in to defend a much maligned item - the finisher's shirt. It rocks. Maybe I've been collecting too many technical shirts lately, but I don't wear technical gear when I'm not running. My vote is to keep the cotton. Another off-beat observation: this is the perfect race to bonk at. Having been reduced to walking in the last few miles due to an overambitious race schedule in the previous weeks, it was a walking buffet: GU, oranges, strawberries, Jolly Ranchers, bananas, and all the booze you wanted from energetic college kids. (OK, I didn't have any booze - it would not have stayed down long.) Had I not been chafed due to a major Body Glide mistake (feet - check, armpits - check, nether region - oops), I would have enjoyed it much more. Here's a hint: if you are walking for an extended period, you'll need a fancy catch phrase for the 200 people who are asking you how you're doing - and mine was "Living the Dream!" The food at the finish was great, including ice cream. But I'm sure that the finish line food was an issue for the late folks; watching the finishers at about 5:45 on the clock, we could see the food area closing up with runners and volunteers taking cases of leftover fruit and other items. Not sure if there was anything left for the 6-hour folks. It goes without saying that Grandma's has the best after-party of any race - hands down. If you go, plan on staying Saturday night. Just don't forget your pre-race checklist with Body Glide application areas.
N. F. from N.C. (6/29/2010) "Grandma's kickin'" (about: 2010) 6-10 previous marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This marked my tenth marathon. Prior to the race, I had read course descriptions saying it was both flat and had gently rolling hills. To my surprise, it was hillier in the first half, which took its toll on my pacing. While you run parallel to the lake, the road is slightly winding, too. Make sure you pay attention and try to run the tangents. You have both sides of the road, so that makes it easier. The second half of the course is the best in terms of spectator support. Great response from the neighborhoods and all the way into downtown. I think area hotels in Duluth are making a mistake by jacking their hotel rates it's expensive enough to fly to these races. Jacking rates will just discourage runners like me from traveling to MN (I'm from NC). I stayed at the university dorms. At first, I didn't care for the austere accommodations. However, I grew to appreciate it since the campus supports the runners. Also, the campus is an official transportation spot. Overall, nice job, Duluth!
Ron Steinhilber from El Mirage, AZ (6/28/2010) "Long Run to Get to Downtown" (about: 2010) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Grandma's Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I was excited to run this race as I thought I would enjoy running along Lake Superior. However, as the 18-mile trek along the river went on I found myself longing a bit for a change in direction and scenery. I like to run through different neighborhoods and city areas as well as along waterfront areas. Grandma's Marathon provides these things, only you get 18 miles of trees with some lake views and then 8 miles of the City of Duluth. There are few twists and turns in this course. It is pretty much a straight line with some rolling hills. DO NOT go by the course map given out by the race directors as far as elevation goes. The expo leaves a bit to be desired as well. There are too many vendors in a small space. Go early or don't go at all. Having said that, the water stops were FANTASTIC - the best ones I have can remember seeing in 16 marathons. They were all exactly at the mile markers as they said they would be. They were well marked as far as what drinks were where and they even had sponges for the runners. The volunteers were great and plentiful. I cannot thank them enough for their support. When we finally did get to Duluth, the supporters were also awesome. Lots of excited cheering and rooting for us. I can tell the whole area gets up for this event. The hotel rates do go up for the weekend, but I suggest staying at one of the lakeside cabin areas along the course. We stayed at the Lake Breeze Motel where we had a two-room kitchen suite with a lake view for $164 a night. There is a playground, pool, grill area, and it's great if you have a family. I reserved my room before Christmas and had my pick of rooms. We enjoyed it so much that we spent 2 extra days there. You are on the course and you can drive to the start. I have no comments on the buses or trains, as I did not use them. Overall, a pretty good experience; just be prepared for a mental challenge for the first 18 miles. After that, the crowds can help carry you home.
J. D. from North York, ON, Canada (6/27/2010) "Minnesota Nice; Very Enjoyable Race Experience!" (about: 2010) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Grandma's Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my 19th marathon and definitely one of the best race experiences overall. VERY friendly people, scenic race with many views of Lake Superior, well organized, ideal weather conditions (low 60's F; 15-18 C), relatively flat (yes, a few grades and gradual hills) with enjoyable after-race activities on the Duluth waterfront. The Duluth MN-Superior WI community really gets behind this race, and having traveled to many parts of North America, Minnesotans are amongst the friendliest and most conscientious people anywhere. "Minnesota nice," and a great race overall.
J. W. from Florida (6/24/2010) "Great race - friendly people!" (about: 2010) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Grandma's Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I had such a great time at this marathon. I wasn't sure what to expect, having done Boston 8 weeks before. It was like a breath of fresh air. Really laid back, no stress, busses were easy to get to, tons of porta-potties at the start, and the water/PowerAde stations were huge. They had ice and sponges at almost every water station, and the stations were so long that they never got bottlenecked. The course comprised rolling hills the entire time (not too steep or long), until the famous Lemondrop Hill. I think just the fact that it was at mile 21 was what made it difficult. The only problem is that it's so hard to get to Duluth from Florida. If I lived closer I would definitely do it again.
M. S. from Philadelphia, PA (6/24/2010) "Nice race, but I expected more" (about: 2010) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Grandma's Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Registration: Very smooth. I had my packet mailed to me. Expo: I never made it. Race T-shirt: Subpar - all marathon shirts should be technical at this point. Post-race opportunities were also fewer than expected. Pre-race support/setup: Excellent. Hotel rooms can be pricey on race weekend. Best to double up with a buddy. Weather for 2007: Cool, cloudy, and perfect for 26.2. Course: A couple of rolling hills. The biggest hill is at mile 22 (it's called Lemon Drop). Intermittent views of Lake Superior. Mostly wooded; I thought the lake views would be a bit more fun. Finish area in Duluth is enthusiastic. Spectator density is on the low side, but I never felt alone. They are very friendly. Water/Gatorade/sponges were plentiful. Post-race support: Plentiful and un-congested. Medal: Nice size and colors. Location: The upper Midwest is gorgeous in the early summer.
A. B. from Colorado (6/24/2010) "Beginning great. Ending... not so great." (about: 2010) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Grandma's Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 I am a back-of-the-packer. As such, there was little food left (un-peeled oranges are not easy on my stomach!) and since I don't drink, I gave away the free tickets. The shirt was cheap but the medal was GREAT! The expo was WONDERFUL! The goody bag had no schwag. :( The spectators were, however, WONDERFUL. There were bands and fans everywhere - even signs on folks' houses. The views were fantastic. Still, I would not do this race again. The local hotels raise their prices by two or three times. NOT impressed. I felt scalped.
J. L. from Duluth, MN (6/22/2010) "Another great day!" (about: 2010) 11-50 previous marathons \| 6+ Grandma's Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Those of us who live in Duluth know this for sure: the first two weeks of June are rainy, depressing, foggy, cold and downright miserable. Then Grandma's Marathon day comes and it's usually sunny and warm (sometimes hot). With that, my nerves were relaxed, and my mind was on celebrating fitness, friends, fun and looking back at how far I've come. Still, I did see a couple of things that, for whatever reason, bothered me. I see a trend in agenda-pushing groups showing up at marathons (the anti-abortion crowds with their fear-based paranoia and "repent" signs). Yes, you have the right to say what you want and I understand that, but this is a marathon. Whether it's your political or social agenda (ANY agenda) - keep it for your own display rather than use it to promote anger, fear and negativity during OUR DAY. Most of us are trying hard to keep our thoughts positive and focused on our marathon. I was angry that these people, without fail, think it's up to them to be the morality police and we're all supposed to stop, get down on our knees and bow our heads to the ground.

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