The largest freshwater lake in the world meets the rocky coast and lush wilderness of Northern Minnesota at the beautiful vacation destination of Duluth. While it may not be the largest city in the state, it certainly has no shortage of activities and tourists, with over 3.5 million people visiting the city as well as some of the best attractions in the state each year.
Duluth was first settled in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s. By the 1850’s the city quickly became a major American seaport. In fact, during the 1870’s this was the fastest growing city in America. By 1907, there were more millionaires in Duluth than anywhere else in the country. As a tourist destination, the city did not come into its own until the 1980’s when a major revitalization effort began in the city. Civic planners breathed new life into many local parks, historic buildings, landmarks and public areas. Soon after improvements, many great restaurants and unique shops made their way to the city. Currently, the Duluth Metro Area has nearly 300,000 people while the ever-growing tourism industry generates nearly $400 Million in revenue annually.
Heading into its fourth decade, Grandma's Marathon has grown into one of the most recognizable events not only in Duluth, but in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest. From humble beginnings as a small gathering of local runners, to today's spectacular event with nearly 70,000 people in attendance, Grandma's Marathon continues to grow. This year they are expecting over 20,000 runners. These participants hail from every state in America, plus some runners come from all over the world. In addition to the big run, there are plenty of other things to enjoy including food vendors, the Essentia Health Fitness Expo, Rock the Big Top (live music and entertainment), games and more. ResortsandLodges.com got the opportunity to interview Kate Kucinski, the Director of Public Relations for Grandmas Marathon, to talk about this famous event.
RAL: Tell me a little bit about the event.
KK: Grandma’s Marathon has been running strong for 40 years. The first race was in 1977 and began when a group of local runners, the North Shore Striders, planned a scenic race from Two Harbors, Minn, to Duluth, Minn. The first year there were 116 finishers who ran the race and immediately the organizers knew they had something special. Now, Grandma’s Marathon is a self-governed, non profit organization. Our races are very family friendly and aimed to provide fun for every member of the family, whether they are running or not.
As of June 1, we have 20,335 runners participating in the weekend races this year along with 6,000 volunteers. Typically, we draw about 65,000 to 70,000 spectators, runners, and volunteers to the race.
This year, we have 39 countries represented and all 50 states plus the District of Columbia in Grandma’s Marathon. Minnesotans make up a large majority of the runners. The marathon is still comprised of mostly men, but the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon is predominately woman. We have 1,079 runners participating in the Great Grandma’s Challenge this year. The challenge is to run the William A. Irvin 5K on Friday night and either run the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon or Grandma’s Marathon on Saturday. We have runners for all age groups. The youngest is 12 and the oldest marathoner this year is 87. We also have a 95-year-old running the half marathon.
RAL: What makes this event unique?
KK: The Grandma’s Marathon racecourse is one of the most beautiful, scenic courses in the country. It starts in Two Harbors, Minn. and runs along the shores of Lake Superior and ends in the heart of Duluth, Minn. near the iconic Aerial Lift Bridge. Being the 11th largest Marathon and one of the few that isn’t located in a major metropolitan area, we rely on the community each year. The volunteers that help organize and put on the race are fantastic! Every year, runners cite the community support and organization of the event as one of the reasons they come back each year.
RAL: Take me through a day at the event.
KK: The Essentia Health Fitness Expo kicks off the weekend on Thursday evening with one of the largest expos in the country featuring over 100 vendors. The expo continues on Friday and is also the place for runners to pick up their packets. In the afternoon, Grandma’s Marathon hosts the Whipper Snapper races for children in Bayfront Festival Park. The first race to kickoff the weekend is the William A. Irvin 5K. New this year, we revamped the course to a scenic tour throughout Canal Park. Kicking off the party Friday night at Rock the Big Top is multi-platinum recording artist, Smash Mouth.
Saturday is all about the races with the half marathon beginning at 6:15 am and the full marathon starting at 7:45 am in Two Harbors, MN. The finish line ends in the beautiful Canal Park Duluth where there is an abundance of activities. There is live entertainment in the Big Top Tent located in Canal Park starting at 9:00 am. This year we have Big Wave Dave & The Ripples, Coyote Wild, and GB Leighton all performing at the Big Top Tent.
This year we will have former Olympian Janis Klecker; former marathon World Record holder, Wilson Kipsang; running coach and former Olympian, Jeff Galloway; and former Grandma’s Marathon course record holder, Dick Beardsley all speaking on Friday to provide some pre-race motivation for runners.
There are a lot of dining options in the canal park area during the race. Along the racecourse and at the finish line we provide runners with food and drink that is mostly donated by our generous sponsors each year.
The excitement at the finish line is palpable and the huge post-race party featuring live musical entertainment is just one of the elements that provide the festive “mardi gras” atmosphere for which Grandma’s Marathon is recognized.
RAL: What can an attendee expect to find for local lodging?
KK: Since Duluth isn’t a large metropolitan city, there is a limited number of lodging options. However, there are quite a few new options with more on the way. Hotels are usually filled in a 50-mile radius of Duluth on race weekend. Visit Duluth keeps an up-to-date list on their website as a resource for runners and their families to find lodging. With the large demand, three local colleges also open up their dorms to runners. The College of St. Scholastica, University of Minnesota-Duluth and University of Wisconsin-Superior are all available lodging options during race weekend. There are some bed and breakfasts that runners like to seek out each year. If runners wanted to enjoy a longer weekend outside of Duluth, legendary runner and former Grandma’s Marathon course record holder Dick Beardsley and his wife own a bed and breakfast in Bemidji, Minn. Guests could be treated to some great stories about Grandma’s Marathon as well as rest and relaxation.
RAL: Are there any lodging specials that are set up specifically for the event?
KK: Each year, we partner with area hotels. The area hotels all offer the best hospitality Duluth has to offer. The hotels also are a great resource for runner questions. The hotels in the Canal Park area are usually the most sought after because of their proximity to the finish line and Rock the Big Top.
RAL: What does the event mean to the community?
KK: Grandma’s Marathon weekend brings in $10 million dollars to the Twin Ports annually. Since the beginning, Grandma’s has brought in more than $241 million to the local economy. This has proven to the hospitality industry that special events are vital to drawing visitors to the Duluth community.
RAL: Does the event support a special cause in the community?
KK: In 1990, Grandma’s Marathon founded the Young Athletes Foundation to promote, develop and grow youth athletics in Duluth. These events include Wednesday Night at the Races, Saturday Morning at the Races, the Essentia Fit-n-Fun Run, and Whipper Snapper Races. To date, the Young Athletes Foundation has contributed more than $812,000 to non profit youth athletic organizations and programs.
RAL: Why should people come to your event?
KK: We offer a unique experience to our runners and spectators. Currently, we are the 11th largest marathon in the country and are one of the few that isn’t based in a large city. We go the extra mile to make sure to put on a first class event. Runners come for the weekend and discover how much the North Shore of Lake Superior has to offer. You don’t have to be a runner to have a great weekend!
For more information about Grandma's Marathon, please visit their website.