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Jul 7, 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 171 to 181]

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H. V. from FL (6/18/2007) "Great organization but long, lonely stretches" (about: 2007) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Grandma's Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 What I've heard is true. The scenery and view of Lake Superior are beautiful. However, that got boring to look at for 14 miles straight (the first 5 miles are nothing but trees, then after mile 19 you finally get into town). Plus, Grandma's is now enforcing a ban on headphones, but they didn't provide much course entertainment, so that left long and lonely stretches. Once we got into town at around mile 19, things picked up and the spectators were great and motivating. The aid stations were extensive and well-stocked. I was also very pleased to see that even for slow back-of-the-packers like me, there were still finisher's t-shirts in my size when I crossed the finish line. That is very much appreciated. I'd like to see the race time moved earlier from 7:30. It gets light out so early, and it gets hot out there.
C. H. from Burbs of Chicago (6/17/2007) "Be prepared for all types of weather" (about: 2007) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Grandma's Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The history shows a fast and cool race. However, 2007 brought out the heat and humidity. Especially on the first part of the course, there are trees on either side. While they offered a bit of shade from the blazing sun, they also hid any possible breeze. The marathon was hot and humid and plans for a good time were scuttled at the half-marathon mark, and the goal became just to finish healthy and in good shape. The people were great, the volunteers fantastic and the cold sponges were a godsend. The only bad mark is that which no one had control over, and that was the weather... hot. One bit of advice for after. I had my 19-year-old son with me; we couldn't go to the post-run party and all the restaurants/bars were carding. This left us with few alternatives. How about offering some alternate activities?
S. K. from Chicago (6/17/2007) "Outstanding Community Effort" (about: 2007) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Grandma's Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I only did the half as I'm coming back from an injury, but everything about this weekend is first class. It seemed that the entire Superior/Duluth area stopped everything and focused on the races. Volunteers were great, course was outstanding, crowds were warm and supportive. Weather can be iffy, but one of the best races I've done.
Dave Milke from Chicago Suburbs (6/8/2007) "The town is great - people and scenery too." (about: 2006) 11-50 previous marathons \| 3 Grandma's Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Of all the 40 or so marathons I've run in the last 15 years, Grandma's finds itself effortlessly in the top five. For those who have not had the pleasure of running this race in Minnesota, it begins at Two Harbors and runs south to (and ending in) the city of Duluth. I made the trip from the Chicago suburbs and left the Friday before Saturday's race. Although the trip was about 8 hours, I always find the trip beautiful. I had made arrangements to stay near the starting line. Arriving in the town of Duluth at about 6 p.m., I sought out my campsite first, then worked my way back to the DECC, which is where the packet pick-up is/was and also the finish of the race. Just as well, as I passed the DECC on 35N, it really looked packed with traffic. I drove up the race course along scenic Lake Superior. If you like scenery and the outdoors, this is the spot. I then drove back to the DECC to pick up my race stuff. The traffic was heavy still but not too bad. The volunteers there really do/did a great job. I traveled around the fair hoping to get a good t-shirt but none left in my (large) size. The food area was packed even then, so I planned to eat at a place on Superior Street with Indian food. There are two Indian restaurants there, both very close by. If you're taking notes, I had: vegetable briani, naan, lentil soup and chai. The BEST! After eating way too much way too late, I made my way back to the campsite. I spent the sleeping in relative comfort as the raindrops pounded the car and "as the Indian chyme churned" (sounds like a soap opera). I didn't get much sleep, owning more to thinking about things than actually being uncomfortable. In the morning the rain was over and in its place was air with that sweet, summer smell that I love so well. I had put out gloves the night before just in case it was chilly in the morning - no problem there this year, as it was nice and toasty even at this the smaller hour of the morning. It took awhile to walk to the start line but it was nice. As I got close to the start linem approaching from the front/south, there were a bunch of elite runners, running and warming up before the race. It was the closest I would ever get to them during this race. I don't think I had ever been more relaxed before the start of a race - how wonderful. The first 18 or so miles of the race are along the scenic road that parallel highway 61 - yes, the same name of the 60's album fame and close to where its creator, Bob Dylan, then Robert Zimmerman grew up (Hibbing Minn). Hard to describe the scene of 8,000 people running in an essentially straight but rolling line along some of the most beautiful ever. There were times when I could see the foggy/steaming waters of Lake Superior far below the race course. I wondered how it would feel to be on that water in a kayak looking back - what would that long line of runners have looked liked from that boat? As good as that view would have been from down in the water, it would not have been able to complete with the pleasure of the run at that point. Although the race is slightly downhill, there are spots along this scenic route where you are at "local" highpoints and have the ability to heads as far as your vision will allow both in front of you and behind you. One of the many nice things about the race is that the mile markers are defined by large, colored balloons. It is functional simplicity at its best. You are never in doubt as to where the next mile is. There are plenty of water stops along the way and the volunteers that operate them are the best. I'm always amazed at the effort that the town of Duluth and the people surrounding it put into this event. They have made this marathon a real jewel in their tourist crown. They are the awesome. At about the 19-mile mark you leave the scenic drive portion of the race. As we entered the city, there was a guy standing near the lakeside who began to address the crowd that was running by. In a "Marine-like," loud but calm and directed voice, he said the following: "YOU ARE NOW ENTERING THE CITY OF DULUTH. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE AHEAD WHO ARE WAITING TO SEE YOU AND TO CHEER YOU ON. HAVE A GOOD RACE - YOU ARE DOING GREAT." My experience is that a marathon is the sum of many unique experiences, some often exaggerated by excitement or exhaustion. I will never forget those words. Lemon Drop Hill at mile 22 is a nice transition point. After this you are pretty much coming into town proper. For some reason I always find the top of the hill an emotional spot. Maybe it's my mind preparing for the final stretch. The street was really packed the whole way down to the finish at Grandma's proper and the Marine Museum. Did I mention vomit? For some reason during the last two miles of the race I felt sick. I was certain I was going to lose some fast weight and was trying to design polite way of going about it - "Excuse me sir, may I borrow that cup" (that kind of thing). I guess the scheming kept my mind otherwise occupied. Near the end at mile-25 I found myself back on Superior Street and went past the restaurant I had frequented not but 14 hours earlier. No, my sickness was not related - I thought about the food again. Awesome. I always forget and re-remember that the finish has 2 or more blind turns than I expect. The finish area is great and I recommend taking a wade in the lake for your legs. As I said, this race is in one of my favorites. The town is great. The people are great. The scenery is great. Should you like those sorts of things, the odds are good that you will walk away with some good memories.
A. U. from Minneapolis, MN (5/31/2007) "Great race; bad everything else" (about: 2006) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 Grandma's Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 The staff does a great job of putting on a great race at Grandma's. Both the marathon and the 1/2 share a great course. When the weather is good, this course is very fast. However, over the years the town of Duluth has gotten very greedy about their rates. It is impossible to get a hotel in the town, and they charge $250 a night on the low end; it is often cheaper to travel to Chicago or New York to run a race than Duluth. This is crazy! Some of the hotels even have three-night minimum - even crazier! It is also very hard to find a place to have a nice meal before or after the race. There are many other good races that you could run instead of taking out a loan to pay for a weekend in Duluth.
P. H. from Mpls, MN (2/26/2007) "Nice Race; Expensive Lodging" (about: 2006) 11-50 previous marathons \| 3 Grandma's Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Nice course along Lake Superior and into downtown Duluth. Weather is hit or miss for this race; if only they moved it to the first weekend in June, it might be a little more predictable. Lodging costs and minimum stays are ridiculous for the area. If the hotels would keep the rates the same as they are the rest of the year, this race would be excellent. Why pay more for a hotel than you would for Chicago, Boston or New York? Try Green Bay, Med City, Mad City, Fargo or the other spring marathons and save yourself a ton of cash.
D. J. from Twin Cities (1/18/2007) "Lodging's too expensive - no more Grandma's" (General Comments) 4-5 previous marathons \| 2 Grandma's Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I've given up on Grandma's. I've been there and done it in 1997 and 2001. Every hotel is booked months in advanced and every hotel requires a two-night stay - even the dorm rooms at the local colleges are charging over $100 per night for a single bunk bed with a shared bath AND a two-night stay minimum requirement. Grandma's is a great marathon but I'd end up spending over $600 for the weekend. I'm switching to the Med City Marathon - 3 weeks earlier and saves me $500. Not as fancy, but a marathon is a marathon, and I don't run them to see the sites or wave at the spectators on the sidelines.
K. A. from Rochester, MN (12/13/2006) "A must-do for any runner!" (General Comments) 2 previous marathons \| 2 Grandma's Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I've run this marathon twice and had a great experience both times. The busing to the start can take some time so make sure you arrive early to catch an early bus. The last mile does wind a bit at the end - checking out the route before the race (if possible) will help you with this... or just bear in mind you have two more turns after you get around the back side of the DECC. Spectators and volunteers are awesome! Staying at the dorms is an easy and inexpensive way to go if you don't require the amenities of a hotel, plus they are usually available up until June. Another option is taking a camper/RV to the marina, which is about 5-8 blocks from the finish - close enough to walk before and after the race. I can't wait to return for my third Grandma's!
D. S. from Texas (11/10/2006) "Always the risk of bad weather, but great overall" (about: 2006) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Grandma's Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I went this year to run a cool summer marathon. The Sunday before the race, temperatures were in the low 40s. Race day: high 70s! Fortunately, the water tables were unbelievable: 50-meters long with water, ice, and and carb-drinks on both sides! Course was also good! If you can get cool weather (50-60), you may set a PR.
R. T. from Little Rock (10/3/2006) "Good race but overall very expensive" (about: 2006) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Grandma's Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I'd heard all the hype about what a great race Grandma's was and what a great party they have at the end. What I found was that it is a good race and if a huge thunderstorm had not blown through the post-race party, I'm sure the party would have lived up to its reputation. Overall it was a good race - very, very well organized for the number of people there. It was an extremely hot, humid day but I'm from the South so it did not bother me too much. My negative experiences were few but worth mentioning. The hotel rates were outrageous. I had to pay $150 per night (with a three-night minimum) for a 12 by 12 room with a double bed. I think the race organizers should work with the hotels/motels/inns to enforce a realistic price for rooms. Another complaint was that you did not get a T-shirt unless you finished the race. Most large races offer a T-shirt to all registered runners and then a finisher's shirt. I felt sorry for all the runners who did not complete the race for one reason or another and didn't have anything to show for at least attempting to run it. My final comment is that I felt a little misled by the race's website regarding the race route and it's view of the lake. It's true that the road is very close to the lake for much of the race but you can't actually see it for a lot of the race due to the trees between the road and lakeshore. The people of Duluth are great spectators and as soon as you enter the city limits, you can feel their excitement and support. Many of them even brought out their lawn sprinklers to help cool down the runners. One last comment - I saw the posts regarding the difficulty of flying into Duluth. I found it cheaper to fly into Minneapolis and rent a car. It's about a 2-hour drive up to Duluth - easily done.

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