Bjorklund Half Marathon Fills Fast; Grandma's Marathon Still Open

Long one of the hottest tickets in Minnesota road racing, the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon is officially closed to registration after a record 9200 applicants sought slots in the event's 4500 runner field, race officials announced.

The 18th annual Bjorklund Half Marathon, which is run on the second half of the Grandma’s Marathon course, is scheduled for Saturday, June 21, at 6:30 a.m. Recently, Grandma's officials announced that prize money for the event will be doubled for this year's event. Race victors will earn $1500 from a total purse of $14,000.

Marathon still open ... Some 500 starting line spots still remain for Grandma's Marathon, also scheduled for June 21. For the second straight year -- and despite the initiation of on-line registration for this year's event -- the marathon has been slower to fill than usual.

Irvin 5K ... Registration for the final Grandma's weekend event, the William A. Irvin 5K, begins on Wednesday, March 19. Runners hoping to nab one of the 1,200 available spots for that event should register online at http://www.grandmasmarathon.com/. The 15th annual William A. Irvin 5K is Friday, June 20 at 6:00 p.m.