Grandma's News: Jon Carlson Interim ED; Minnesota Mile Set for September 8

The Grandma’s Marathon-Duluth, Inc. board of directors has announced the selection of Jon Carlson as the organization’s interim executive director.

Carlson has been the nonprofit organization’s race director since July 2003 after retiring from Minnesota Power, where he had worked since 1980 in the employee benefits department. He served on the Grandma’s Marathon board from October 2002 until being hired as a full-time employee.

A graduate of the University of Minnesota Duluth and Hermantown (Minn.) High School, Carlson resides in Duluth with his wife and two children.

Carlson officially begins his new role on Sept. 1. He takes over for Scott Keenan who is stepping down after 37 years with the organization. Keenan started Grandma’s Marathon with the North Shore Striders Running Club in 1977 and announced in May that the 2013 Grandma’s Marathon would be his last as executive director. The organization’s signature race, Grandma’s Marathon, is the 14^th largest marathon in the U.S. and is presented by Toyota and Wells Fargo.

The seventh running of the Minnesota Mile road race is scheduled for Sunday, September 8 in downtown Duluth. This one-mile event – hosted by Grandma’s Marathon – is open to runners of all skill levels.

The Minnesota Mile offers runners a unique opportunity to secure a spot in next year’s Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon, as 250 finishers will be randomly selected to receive guaranteed entries into the 2014 half marathon on June 21. This is an excellent chance for runners to gain an automatic entry to the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon without needing to enter the lottery system.

Registration for all divisions is available online at www.GrandmasMarathon.com. The pre-registration entry fee is $20 and late registration (September 7 and 8) is $30.

The race begins one block east of Fitger’s on Superior Street and finishes near the Holiday Center.

The Minnesota Mile event includes a number of race divisions:

8:50 a.m. - Wheelchair Mile

9:00 a.m. - Verizon Wireless Kids Mile (Ages 8 to 14 - FREE)

9:20 a.m. - All City Mile (Recreational)

10:00 a.m. - Duluth Mile (Semi-Elite)

10:20 a.m. – Grandma’s Minnesota Mile (Elite - $20,100 Prize Purse)

The Minnesota Mile is the last event on the 14-stop nationwide inaugural Bring Back the Mile Tour 2013. For more on the Bring Back the Mile Tour, visit www.bringbackthemile.com.