Registration for this year's Grandm'as Marathon opened at a minute after midnight last night. Runners intending to run in the 33rd annual edition for the Duluth event on June 20th will need to register on-line on the Grandma's Marathon web-site HERE.The 26.2-mile race, which has reached its capacity for 14 consecutive years, is limited to the first 9,500 participants. In the last two years, the race has filled by early April.
“We were very pleased with how well our transition to online registration worked last year, and we are excited to begin the entry process for this spring’s event,” Grandma's executive director Scott Keenan said.
Running community observers are curious to see the impact, if any, Minnesota's two new spring marathons will have on Grandma's, the 11th largest marathon in the country. The Stillwater Marathon is scheduled for May 24; the Minneapolis Marathon is slated for May 31.
Grandma's Marathon weekend will also feature the 19th annual Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon and the 16th annual William A. Irvin 5K. Lottery registration for the Bjorklund Half will be open from Feb. 18 through March 1 . Registration for the Irvin 5K opens Wednesday, March 18.
It will be interesting to see what impact the economy has on registration this year. It's obscene what Duluth hotels charge for substandard lodging. Also, very good to see the cities' races are Ipod friendly. That seals the deal for me! Would be great to see TCM challenged by another local race in fall. That race has become incredibly corporate and oppressive. Maybe we could talk Team Ortho into moving their marathon to the fall season.
ReplyDeleteFor alternative lodging during Grandma's Marathon, check out www.landtrustduluth.org. The local non-profit Northern Communities Land Trust holds an annual fundriaser called Beds for Benefit. Their members open their doors to out-of-town runners for a suggested donation of $75 and up. All proceeds benefit the affordable housing work of Northern Communities Land Trust.
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