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Apr 27, 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 41 to 51]

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P. M. from Oberlin, Ohio (7/20/2013) "The whole town embraces this race - love it!" (about: 2013) 6-10 previous marathons \| 2 Grandma's Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The logistics of this race for the organizers are complex but they have it down to a science. And, the whole town embraces it and they are out in full force, volunteering and welcoming and cheering the runners on. It was too bad this time that you could not see amazingly beautiful Lake Superior for much of the race due to the fog, but the temperatures could not have been more ideal. My only suggestion - having something hot to drink at the finish line would be much appreciated - when hypothermia sets in. So much to see and do around the area, it is worth the journey and take a week to explore and enjoy. And, yes, it is way off the beaten path. Ran it once before with the Clif Pace team and this time tried that but there were too many people so went on my own. But BQ-ed both times. Fun and then some.
R. R. from New York, NY (7/6/2013) "Nice Course - Shaky Downtown" (about: 2012) 11-50 previous marathons COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 Unlike most, I found Grandma's to be a good but not great marathon. Pros: - Nice Course - Gentle rolling hills (this is not a totally flat course) - Some good lake views - Great Medal - Friendly fans and merchants - Great volunteers - Great pace group leaders (Clif) Cons: - No mylar blankets available at the finish (5+ hours), against the background of hypothermia warnings placed all over the course. Inexcusable. - I am still waiting on delivery of my shirt, which I failed to pick up because I was frigid without the mylar and immediately went inside, once I could find someone to guide me there (see below comment) - Finish area was very confusing. - It is a tough and fairly pricey city to fly into from many parts of the country. - The town of Duluth surprised me as being desolate with a great number of 'interesting' residents floating around the streets and inside the walkways, with little visible police protection. Overall, nice job Duluth. Runners, I generally found the run to be good, but to me it failed to live up to the hype.
S. C. from Florida, USA (7/4/2013) "Spectacular course, well organized, fun run!" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Grandma's Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 In spite of 4 days of dense fog and intermittent rain, we had a great trip to Duluth and the North Shore. We stayed at The Inn on Gitche Gumee, which is at mile 15 on the marathon course. It's a beautiful place to stay, with kind and generous hosts. Drove to the parking garage at the expo site the morning of the race (easy) and rode the Scenic Railway Train to the start. Smooth, no hitch, and a really neat way to arrive at a marathon! The course is gentle, even for a Floridian. The trolls along the road around mile 20 are terrific! If you haven't done this one, you should!
K. S. from Takoma Park, MD (6/26/2013) "a great big helping of 'Minnesota nice'" (about: 2012) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Grandma's Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 My Minnesotan in-laws had told me about Grandma's so I thought it was worth a shot. I prefer cooler weather, and on the North Shore in June there is a chance of a cool day. No guarantee, but a chance. I think the best part of the race is the crowd. This is one of the biggest events of the year in Duluth (the biggest if UMD's hockey team has a bad year) and the city and towns along the course come out in full force. The organization is very good as well. In 2012 the day was pretty warm to start out, so extra thanks to those who staffed the aid stations (including ice, which I stuffed in the bandana around my neck) and the unofficial stations that gave out orange slices and turned on garden sprinklers. Thankfully (for me) the weather turned cloudy and cool for the second half. I very much like the way they start the half-marathon at mile 13.1, so it is only the marathoners at the start at Twin Harbors. The two groups never intermingle unless you're a slow HM-er or a very fast marathoner. The only thing I didn't like is that they would not let runners switch from full to half or vice versa. I got injured in May and it was still hurting by race day, and compounded by the NSAID that my podiatrist prescribed messing up my gut. I would have switched to the HM if I could have, and most races I've done allow this. Looking forward to running Grandma's again some year.
B. W. from MB, Canada (6/25/2013) "Great race, great weather!" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Grandma's Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I have wanted to do this race for a long time and it turns out we picked a perfect year. Cool weather with the wind at our backs. I wish I had been in a bit better shape to really take advantage! Nice rolling course, lots of aid stations with lots of volunteers. Good pace group leaders. The course is a bit tight at the start, but you just need to place yourself correctly and be patient. Some issues with traffic and parking, especially at the Expo where we kept getting directed in circles to another full parking lot, but we should have been there earlier. Spectators are a little sparse the first 20 miles, but even there you would turn a corner and suddenly find a small, enthusiastic group at the side of the road. Worth the trip to do this one.
J. P. from Saratoga Springs, NY (6/25/2013) "top-notch race" (about: 2013) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Grandma's Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Had high expectations going in and was not disappointed. Great course with nice views of Lake Superior and enjoyed the flat, pretty easy course. Spectators were phenomenal throughout. Organization was superb (although I could have done with fewer emails); enjoyed the well-stocked water stations with sponges! While I typically avoid large crowd races, this is definitely an exception I make and will be certain to return soon. Fantastic event and highly recommend to anyone.
C. B. from Chicagoland (6/24/2013) "Grandma's was perfect despite the weather" (about: 2013) 4-5 previous marathons \| 2 Grandma's Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The course: The lake views were obscured by fog and the hypothermia risk flags were flying, but the gently rolling course along roads closed to traffic was a pleasant place to run. The organization: Perfect in every detail. The bus to the start was so easy, the aid stations were well stocked and exactly as described, and the dorm rooms at UWS were surprisingly comfortable. The volunteers at all points were great. The only criticism that I have is that the food was too far from the gear bags at the finish. It was reconfigured from last year and people had to choose between getting food and getting warm ASAP. The pace leader for the 4:30 group was the best. A shout out and huge thanks to Ann. 3. Spectators: ANY spectators who come out in the cold and rain to cheer and encourage are much appreciated, but the spectators at Grandma's are truly wonderful. Their warmth and enthusiasm was amazing, and much needed by slower runners like me. I'll be back.
J. W. from Virginia (6/24/2013) "Only take the train if you want to hop off and run" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Grandma's Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Overall Grandma's is an excellent race with well-thought out organization and superior logistics. The worst part about Grandma's has nothing to do with the race or the race organization. Rather, it's the price gouging for hotels. A prime example of the laws of supply and demand at work. Think $200-$400/night with a 2-3 night minimum for a hotel for this weekend. Ouch. The expo is easy to get to whether you're staying in a Canal Park area hotel or downtown via the Skywalk. Race information recommends picking up the buses or train between 5:20 and 6:00 AM. I arrived at about 5:30 and there were NO marathon buses but the train was waiting so I hopped on. After a short wait and loading of more runners, the train was on its way. That journey took about an hour and 15 minutes leaving little time to hop into the porta-potty lines, drop off a bag, and get to the appropriate race corral. With no bag, I arrived at the corral with 2 minutes to spare. The course runs point-to-point along lake Superior and should provide amazing views. This year, however, dense fog and a little rain limited visibility to make the course a gray asphalt and concrete adventure. The course is mostly flat but don't let the elevation profile fool you there are inclines. Still, the race experience was excellent and the post-race finisher area was easy to navigate. The volunteers and crowd support were as good as it gets with both weathering the elements to help and support the runners. If money were no object, I'd run this again. As it stands, the extra $400-$600 in hotel bills means I can run 1-2 extra races each year by skipping this one.
R. S. from Urbandale, Iowa (6/24/2013) "FLAT course!!!" (about: 2013) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Grandma's Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Just got back from running this marathon. It was near ideal race conditions. Upper 40's/Low 50's, cloudy, gentle breeze at our backs. This is my 4th marathon and it is a flat flat course! The organization and volunteers were amazing. There wasn't a ton of croud support this year because it was so cool. But, pretty good considering the weather. I got a personal best by 4 minutes. I hope to run this one again.
T. G. from Indianapolis, Indiana (6/23/2013) "Love this city and this Marathon" (about: 2013) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Grandma's Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The city and citizens of Duluth really make this marathon great. You can tell they take a lot of pride in putting on this race. Everyone was friendly and helpful, and I couldn't ask for more in the organization department. The course is flat with just enough hills to keep you from getting bored. The scenery along the course is incredible. The finish is great with amazing crowd support from mile 20 on. I will be back to run this race again for sure!!

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