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☰
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 221 to 231]
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J. M. from North Dakota
(6/26/2005)
 "First-Timer Hooked" (about: 2005)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Grandma's Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon ever and it got me permanently addicted to running. I thought the organization was amazing - they processed a huge number of people in a very short period of time. The whole town got involved to cheer the runners on, especially in the final couple of miles before the finish. We stayed in the dorms, and they were less than glamorous, but the volunteers there were outstanding!! What an exhilarating experience! I recommend Grandma's to anyone looking for a good-spirited run. | |
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mohsen yacoub from hastings mn.
(6/25/2005)
"great workout" (about: 2005)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ Grandma's Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I had great time and I think it there was better organization. I was so happy at the finish line with the big crowd waiting for us; everything was just so good that I will come back next year (2006). | |
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Michele Khouli from Woodbury, MN
(6/25/2005)
 "Great Experience" (about: 2005)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Grandma's Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 Great marathon! The busses to the race were well organized, the water stations were very convenient and I also liked the fact that every mile was marked on this course. The runners who held time/pace balloons during the whole race were very helpful determining where you were in terms of goal time at the end of the marathon. The only thing I would improve with this race would be to expand the area where friends and family can meet you at the end of the race. It was a little crowded. Overall, I really liked this one and I'll probably do it again! | |
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Scott McKinney from U.S.A.
(6/25/2005)
 "Excellent course; could patch up some potholes" (General Comments)
4-5 previous marathons
| 4-5 Grandma's Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I drive 18 hours round trip for this race because it is usually cooler in MN, but the last 2 years it has been hot. I run at least one marathon a year and this one is the one I always do. Great spectators, race director and volunteers. Well worth the drive. | |
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J. F. from tulsa, ok
(6/23/2005)
"Everyone should run Grandma's" (about: 2005)
3 previous marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I would do this race again in a second. Very well organized race with a real small-town feel to it. The course (and Duluth) is beautiful. The lake takes your breath away. The crowd is hit or miss throughout the first 19 miles, but you don't need them. The scenery is enough to get you by. Tree-lined highway and sparse crowd are a wonderful combination b/c you never have to worry about finding a potty. Aid stations were great with plenty of water, ice, sponges, etc... (and, yes, please get rid of the Ultima!!). The rolling hills are nothing if your training runs contain some sort of incline. Lemon Drop Hill towards the end is somewhat challenging, but only because of its placement toward the end. Stayed at the UMD dorms and thought they were nice. I stayed there because they required a two night stay (which is fine), but didn't require me to stay the night after the race (I wanted to get home). Yes, it is basic, but it is also cheap. Bus tour before the race was very informative and the spaghetti dinner (on site of the expo) was very good and reasonably priced. | |
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A. F. from Cedar Rapids, IA
(6/22/2005)
"Best organized, most friendly... enough said!" (about: 2005)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Grandma's Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my third marathon. The course was beautiful. It runs along Lake Superior for a good 18 miles or so and then goes into town. There are fantastic fans all along the course. Since it is run on Scenic Hwy 61, I was concerned that spectators would have a difficult time reaching us. People who live in the cabins along the highway were out in full force cheering us on! I'm definitely a back-of-the-packer and never felt abandoned by the spectators once! There was more than adequate water, Ultima (yech!), ice, and sponges along the course. I was impressed that for someone finishing after the 5-hour mark supplies were still so plentiful! The volunteers were wonderful! The course was well-marked. There were adequate porta-potties at the start, at every mile marker, and a ton of them at the 1/2-way point (also the start for the 1/2 marathon). We stayed in the UMD suites (two bedrooms, living room, bathroom, and full kitchen) and found the accommodations to be fantastic! The twin beds were comfortable, the shower/tub perfect, and plenty of space to visit with friends and family. My only gripe for the entire weekend would be that the space for the expo is too congested for the number of participants and exhibitors. Everyone must put this one on their 'must-do' list! | |
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R. T. from Austin, Texas
(6/21/2005)
"it was beautiful" (about: 2005)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Grandma's Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Grandma's Marathon was my fifth marathon and I had a very good experience. I have to warn people about the dorms, though. I stayed at the UMD dorms, and while the people were very nice and helpful and the shuttle service was great, the room was a little primitive. I am familiar with dorms, I went to college and lived in one, I'm just letting people know what to expect. There is a small bed with a very small, lumpy pillow and probably the thinnest blanket I have ever seen. This was fine before the marathon, but when I came limping back afterward and grabbed my little thin towel and went to take my shower, the water was only sporadically hot or even warm. I ended up leaving and driving back to Minneapolis right after running the marathon and staying in a hotel there. Just be warned. As far as the race itself, it was very well run and I thought the course was beautiful. It is a little challenging to run almost 20 miles in a sraight line without much change in scenery, but the scenery was so beautiful, and the times you saw the lake were breathtaking, so it was fine. My only complaint was that after around mile 17 (I think) there were no port-a-potties. At this point we were coming into the city so even a desperate run into the bushes was out of the question. I actually asked a guy who told me there would be one in ten blocks, then a few miles later I asked someone who told me they were never dropped off for that location. So this was a little problem. The end of the race area was awesome with lots of helpful people and lots of food. I will definitely run this one again. | |
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Christopher Olson from Minnesota
(6/21/2005)
"Super fun run! " (about: 2005)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Grandma's Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I have family in Two Harbors, & always wanted to try the marathon course. This was my first & it was just a great day. It was a rolling party. People encouraged me from start to finish! I was amazed how well run & organized this race is. Somone gave me a cold beer at mile 20! Thank you so much Duluth! | |
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Jeff Bohlken from Olathe, Kansas
(6/20/2005)
"Awesome, Awesome, Awesome" (about: 2005)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Grandma's Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 As everyone else said, this race was well organized. Duluth was beautiful, weather was perfect, and crowds were supportive. The most impressive thing was the city support. This is a city that loves their race. There are signs all over the city that are supporting the runners. We did not have reservations at a hotel. We just drove up and signed up. Yes, the price was 3 times normal, but it was a nice room, with bus support right to the start!! When we checked in they had a poster for the marathon and a race information booklet on the bed! I also need to put in a plug for the local YWCA. The YMCA was allowing runners to come in and shower. When we mistakenly pulled up in front of the YWCA, they did not hesitate to allow us to come in. It was truly appreciated! There was nothing negative at all about this race. Everyone should plan to do this race. | |
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L. C. from New York, New York
(8/27/2004)
"Greatest small town marathon" (about: 2004)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Grandma's Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Grandma's was my second marathon, having completed the relatively giant Chicago Marathon last year. I heard Grandma's was scenic, well-organized and flat - so I needed little persuasion to sign up. The experience definitely lived up to my expectations. The highlight, in my opinion, is the organization of the race. Everything runs like clockwork, from the expo, to the U of M-Duluth dorm check-in (by the way, staying at the dorms was completely fine - not beautiful or luxurious, but totally fine), to the race itself, to the finish area (which was crowded, but lots of fun). It was a cold start, but couldn't have been a more beautiful day for the race. I was a little disappointed that there wasn't more of the course directly along the lake - you have to kind of squint through trees to see it. But the course is nonetheless beautiful. Crowd support was, not surprisingly, not quite as strong as Chicago along the entire way, but the cheers get pretty constant by the time you get towards the finish. Plenty of bathrooms and water stations (more than Chicago, I thought)- though I really couldn't tolerate any of the Ultima. The Clif pacers were awesome and made my solo experience feel more like a team effort. My family, serving as loyal spectators, had an easy time finding their way around the course and loved Duluth. T-shirts were lovely, medals fine. Overall, I had a great time and would recommend Grandma's to anybody looking for nice, smallish race. |
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