Grandma's Marathon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Grandma's Marathon |
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2021 Grandma's Marathon race logo
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| Date | June 22, 2024 |
| Location | Two Harbors, Minnesota to Duluth, Minnesota |
| Distance | 26.2 miles (42.2 km) |
| Primary sponsor | Grandma's Restaurant and others |
| Established | 1977 |
| Course records | Men: 2:09:06 (2014) Dominic Ondoro Women: 2:24:28 (2018) Kellyn Taylor |
| Official site | http://www.grandmasmarathon.com |
| Participants | 7,000+ |
Grandma's Marathon (Grandma's) is an annual road race held each June in Duluth, Minnesota, in the United States. The course runs point-to-point from the city of Two Harbors on Scenic Route 61 and continues along Lake Superior into the city of Duluth. The finish is located in Canal Park, near Grandma's Restaurant, which is next to the highly visible Aerial Lift Bridge.
Contents
Race history
Grandma's was first run in 1977 with only 150 participants; the first race was won by Minnesotan and 1976 Olympic 10000m runner Garry Bjorklund. The newly opened Grandma's Restaurant was the only local business that would sponsor the then-fledgling event, for the fee of $600.The race ends since then at a restaurant named Grandma's. Grandma's Marathon is now run by almost 20,000 runners every year, has nearly a $2 million operating budget and is credited with bringing tens of millions of tourist dollars into the city of Duluth.
The men's record time for Grandma's is 2:09:06, set in 2014 by Dominic Ondoro of Kenya. The previous record of 2:09:37, set in 1981 by Wayzata, Minnesota, native Dick Beardsley stood for 33 years before being broken. The women's record time is 2:24:28, set in 2018 by Kellyn Taylor. In 2005, Halina Karnatsevich was the first finisher with a time of 2:33:39 but she was later disqualified for failing her post-race doping test.
The race is a major event on the North Shore, filling hotels in many cities around Duluth. Thousands of runners and visitors fill the marathon, half and 5K races. After high numbers in the '90s and '00s, 2009 was the first time in 15 years that all of the 9,500 available spots were not filled, leading to a deficit in the race budget. Executive director Scott Keenan suggested that the economy was the main reason for the downturn in participants. Lifetime entries were offered in 1987 (for $100) and again in 1990 (for $125) to help increase the number of runners entering the race.
The 35th edition of the marathon in 2011 had its first photo-finish: eventual winner Christopher Kipyego mistook the electronic timing mat for the finish point and prematurely stopped, leading to an impromptu sprint finish against Teklu Deneke. Just two tenths of a second ended up separating the pair.
The 37th running of the race in 2013 saw the first time that more people registered for the Bjorklund Half Marathon than Grandma's Marathon. There were 7,835 registered for the Bjorklund Half Marathon but only 7,338 people registered for Grandma's Marathon.
The 40th annual race in 2016 set a record for the largest number of finishers at 7,522. 2016 also saw a record number of female finishers at 3,742, just short of the men's total at 3,780.
The race was run every year for 44 years until the COVID-19 pandemic. Race officials monitored the spread of COVID-19 in the state, and as the count of infected grew in St. Louis County, concerns mounted. On March 25, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced a "stay at home" executive order for all citizens of the state. Three days into the "stay at home" order, Grandma's Marathon officials announced that, for the first time, the marathon, the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon and the William A. Irvin 5K would be canceled. No refunds or deferments were granted, but officials offered those who had already signed up a 40 percent discount on the 2021 or 2022 race.
Race Weekend
What started in 1977 as a single race has grown to a weekend of running events hosted by the Grandma's Marathon organization.
Thursday starts the health expo at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center. Races begin Friday, kicked off with Whipper Snapper races for kids at Bayfront Festival Park, followed by the William A. Irvin 5K, which was first run in 1994. The race is named after the Great Lakes ore boat docked in the slip at the canal; the course starts at the stern, circles the canal area and finishes at the bow. Nearly 2,000 runners participate.
Early Saturday morning, the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon, kicks off, sending more than 7,000 runners south on Scenic Route 61 to Duluth. The half marathon was first run in 1991 and has since eclipsed the marathon in participation by a few hundred runners. The race starts near the Talmadge River.
The half marathon begins at 6:00 am. The full marathon begins at 7:40 am for men's elite and sub-elite, followed by women's elite, sub-elite and citizens at 7:45.
Throughout the rest of the year, the Grandma's Marathon organization runs other races, such as the Fitger's 5k, the Park Point 5 Miler, and the Grandma's Minnesota Mile.Grandma’s Marathon was the 10th largest marathon in the United States in 2023.
Past winners
Key: Course record American championship race
| Edition | Date | Men's Winner | Time (h:m:s) |
Women's Winner | Time (h:m:s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1977-06-25 |  Garry Bjorklund (USA) |
2:21:54 | Wendy Hovland (USA) |
3:23:39 |
| 2 | 1978-06-24 | Barney Klecker (USA) |
2:18:42 | Cheryl Westrum (USA) |
2:57:14 |
| 3 | 1979-06-23 |  Ricky Wilde (ENG) |
2:14:44 |  Lorraine Moller (NZL) |
2:37:37 |
| 4 | 1980-06-21 | Garry Bjorklund (USA) |
2:10:20 | Lorraine Moller (NZL) |
2:38:35 |
| 5 | 1981-06-20 | Dick Beardsley (USA) |
2:09:37 | Lorraine Moller (NZL) |
2:29:35 |
| 6 | 1982-06-19 | Dick Beardsley (USA) |
2:14:50 | Janice Ettle (USA) |
2:41:21 |
| 7 | 1983-06-11 | Gerry Helme (ENG) |
2:12:10 | Jenny Spangler (USA) |
2:33:52 |
| 8 | 1984-06-16 | Derek Stevens (ENG) |
2:12:41 | Anne Hird (USA) |
2:37:30 |
| 9 | 1985-06-15 | Don Norman (USA) |
2:11:08 |  Susan Stone (CAN) |
2:39:45 |
| 10 | 1986-06-21 |  Joseph Kipsang (KEN) |
2:12:53 | Karlene Herrell (USA) |
2:38:45 |
| 11 | 1987-06-20 | Dan Schlesinger (USA) |
2:16:00 | Janis Klecker (USA) |
2:36:12 |
| 12 | 1988-06-11 |  Armando Azócar (VEN) |
2:20:07 | Jacqueline Gareau (CAN) |
2:43:27 |
| 13 | 1989-06-17 | Doug Kurtis (USA) |
2:16:49 | Louise Mohanna (USA) |
2:39:50 |
| 14 | 1990-06-23 |  Igor Braslavskiy (URS) |
2:18:12 | Jane Welzel (USA) |
2:33:25 |
| 15 | 1991-06-22 |  Driss Dacha (MAR) |
2:13:59 | Janice Ettle (USA) |
2:35:27 |
| 16 | 1992-06-20 |  Roy Dooney (IRL) |
2:13:25 | Jane Welzel (USA) |
2:33:01 |
| 17 | 1993-06-19 | Doug Kurtis (USA) |
2:16:38 | Lorraine Hochella (USA) |
2:34:46 |
| 18 | 1994-06-18 | Donald Johns (USA) |
2:18:19 | Linda Somers (USA) |
2:33:42 |
| 19 | 1995-06-17 | Mark Curp (USA) |
2:15:23 |  Irina Bogachova (KGZ) |
2:34:11 |
| 20 | 1996-06-22 | Patrick Muturi (KEN) |
2:13:43 | Mary Alico (USA) |
2:32:42 |
| 21 | 1997-06-21 | Patrick Muturi (KEN) |
2:15:44 | Irina Bogachova (KGZ) |
2:38:44 |
| 22 | 1998-06-20 |  Simon Peter (TAN) |
2:12:47 |  Elena Plastinina (UKR) |
2:35:46 |
| 23 | 1999-06-19 | Andrew Musuva (KEN) |
2:13:22 |  Elena Makalova (BLR) |
2:29:13 |
| 24 | 2000-06-17 |  Pavel Andreyev (RUS) |
2:14:31 |  Svetlana Şepelev-Tcaci (MDA) |
2:33:53 |
| 25 | 2001-06-16 | Benjamin Matolo (KEN) |
2:14:25 | Lyubov Belavina (RUS) |
2:35:13 |
| 26 | 2002-06-22 | Elly Rono (KEN) |
2:10:57 | Zinaida Semenova (RUS) |
2:32:21 |
| 27 | 2003-06-21 | Joseph Kamau (KEN) |
2:11:22 | Firiya Sultanova (RUS) |
2:27:05 |
| 28 | 2004-06-19 | Vladimir Tyamchik (BLR) |
2:17:59 | Firiya Sultanova (RUS) |
2:35:08 |
| 29 | 2005-06-18 | Wesley Ngetich (KEN) |
2:13:18 | Halina Karnatsevich (BLR) |
2:28:43 |
| 30 | 2006-06-17 | Sergey Lukin (RUS) |
2:14:30 | Svetlana Nekhorosh (UKR) |
2:37:33 |
| 31 | 2007-06-16 | Wesley Ngetich (KEN) |
2:15:55 | Mary Akor (USA) |
2:35:40 |
| 32 | 2008-06-21 | Lamech Mokono (KEN) |
2:13:39 | Mary Akor (USA) |
2:38:50 |
| 33 | 2009-06-20 | Christopher Raabe (USA) |
2:15:13 | Mary Akor (USA) |
2:36:52 |
| 34 | 2010-06-19 | Philemon Kemboi (KEN) |
2:15:44 |  Buzunesh Deba (ETH) |
2:31:35 |
| 35 | 2011-06-19 | Christopher Kipyego (KEN) |
2:12:16 | Yihunlish Delelecha (ETH) |
2:30:39 |
| 36 | 2012-06-16 | Berhanu Girma (ETH) |
2:12:24 | Everlyne Lagat (KEN) |
2:33:13 |
| 37 | 2013-06-22 | Bazu Worku (ETH) |
2:11:12 | Sarah Kiptoo (KEN) |
2:26:32 |
| 38 | 2014-06-21 | Dominic Ondoro (KEN) |
2:09:06 | Pasca Myers (KEN) |
2:33:45 |
| 39 | 2015-06-20 | Elisha Barno (KEN) |
2:10:36 | Jane Kibii (KEN) |
2:32:06 |
| 40 | 2016-06-18 | Elisha Barno (KEN) |
2:11:26 | Sarah Kiptoo (KEN) |
2:33:28 |
| 41 | 2017-06-17 | Elisha Barno (KEN) |
2:12:06 | Hellen Jepkurgat (KEN) |
2:32:09 |
| 42 | 2018-06-16 | Elisha Barno (KEN) |
2:10:06 | Kellyn Taylor (USA) |
2:24:28 |
| 43 | 2019-06-22 | Boniface Kongin (KEN) |
2:11:56 | Nell Rojas (USA) |
2:28:06 |
| xx | 2020-06-20* | Race canceled due to COVID-19 | xx:xx:xx | Race canceled due to COVID-19 | xx:xx:xx |
| 44 | 2021-06-19 | Milton Rotich (KEN) |
2:13:03 | Dakotah Lindwurm (USA) |
2:29:04 |
| 45 | 2022-06-18 | Dominic Ondoro (KEN) |
2:09:34 | Dakotah Lindwurm (USA) |
2:25:01 |
| 46 | 2023-06-17 | Elisha Barno (KEN) |
2:09:14 | Lauren Hagans (USA) |
2:25:55 |
* After canceling the race, organizers planned to do a "virtual race."
Multiple winners, men
- 5 wins
- Elisha Barno: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2023
- 2 wins
- Garry Bjorklund: 1977, 1980
- Dick Beardsley: 1981, 1982
- Doug Kurtis: 1989, 1993
- Patrick Muturi: 1996, 1997
- Dominic Ondoro: 2014, 2022
Multiple winners, women
- 3 wins
- Lorraine Moller: 1979, 1980, 1981
- Mary Akor: 2007, 2008, 2009
- 2 wins
- Janice Ettle: 1982, 1991
- Jane Welzel: 1990, 1992
- Irina Bogachova: 1995, 1997
- Firiya Sultanova: 2003, 2004
- Sarah Kiptoo: 2013, 2016
- Dakotah Lindwurm: 2021, 2022
Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon past winners
Key: Course record American championship race
| Edition | Date | Men's Winner | Time (h:m:s) |
Women's Winner | Time (h:m:s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1991-06-22 | Thomas Plechter (USA) |
1:08:44 | Doris Widsand-Dausman (USA) |
1:23:05 |
| 2 | 1992-06-20 | Dan Carlson (USA) |
1:07:27 | Jill Anderson (USA) |
1:21:28 |
| 3 | 1993-06-19 | Dan Carlson (USA) |
1:06:31 | Kari Beasley (USA) |
1:19:09 |
| 4 | 1994-06-18 | Dan Carlson (USA) |
1:08:20 | Julie Cotter (USA) |
1:25:30 |
| 5 | 1995-06-17 | Thomas Plechter (USA) |
1:09:22 | Laurel Park (USA) |
1:14:11 |
| 6 | 1996-06-22 | Curt Kotsonas (USA) |
1:06:12 | Debra Gormley (USA) |
1:16:57 |
| 7 | 1997-06-21 | Sean Mulheron (USA) |
1:07:30 | Debra Gormley (USA) |
1:20:05 |
| 8 | 1998-06-20 | Sean Mulheron (USA) |
1:06:53 | Kelly Keeler (USA) |
1:15:16 |
| 9 | 1999-06-19 | Ryan Meissen (USA) |
1:08:14 | Mary Button (USA) |
1:20:53 |
| 10 | 2000-06-17 | Ryan Meissen (USA) |
1:08:09 | Kelly Keeler (USA) |
1:16:21 |
| 11 | 2001-06-16 | Ryan Meissen (USA) |
1:06:10 | Kelly Keeler (RUS) |
1:15:48 |
| 12 | 2002-06-22 | Ryan Meissen (USA) |
1:04:19 | Debra Gormley (USA) |
1:20:18 |
| 13 | 2003-06-21 | Jason Lehmkuhle (USA) |
1:06:43 | Colleen De Reuch (USA) |
1:10:00 |
| 14 | 2004-06-19 | Ryan Meissen (USA) |
1:05:51 | Deena Kastor (RUS) |
1:10:30 |
| 15 | 2005-06-18 | Ryan Meissen (USA) |
1:06:38 | Jennifer Blue (USA) |
1:17:44 |
| 16 | 2006-06-17 | Matt Hooley (USA) |
1:06:40 | Desiree Budd (USA) |
1:15:33 |
| 17 | 2007-06-16 | Chad Johnson (USA) |
1:05:18 | Paige Higgins (USA) |
1:14:46 |
| 18 | 2008-06-21 | Matthew Chesang (KEN) |
1:04:48 | Liza Hunter-Galvan (USA) |
1:13:29 |
| 19 | 2009-06-20 | Ernest Kebenei (USA) |
1:05:15 | Belainesh Gebre (ETH) |
1:11:57 |
| 20 | 2010-06-19 | Stephen Muange (KEN) |
1:04:24 | Caroline Rotich (KEN) |
1:12:40 |
| 21 | 2011-06-19 | Derese Deniboba (ETH) |
1:02:19 | Katie McGregor (USA) |
1:13:18 |
| 22 | 2012-06-16 | Abdi Abdirahman (USA) |
1:02:46 | Kara Goucher (USA) |
1:09:46 |
| 23 | 2013-06-22 | Meb Keflezighi (USA) |
1:01:22 | Adrianna Nelson (USA) |
1:09:57 |
| 24 | 2014-06-21 | Julius Koskei (KEN) |
1:03:36 | Cynthia Limo (KEN) |
1:09:50 |
| 25 | 2015-06-20 | Shadrack Biwott (USA) |
1:03:09 | Neely Spence Gracey (USA) |
1:11:27 |
| 26 | 2016-06-18 | Macdonald Ondara (KEN) |
1:03:33 | Simegn Abnet Yeshanbel (ETH) |
1:13:21 |
| 27 | 2017-06-17 | Evans Kurui (KEN) |
1:03:05 | Biruktayit Degefa (ETH) |
1:11:25 |
| 28 | 2018-06-16 | Panuel Mkungo (KEN) |
1:02:50 | Monicah Ngige (KEN) |
1:09:55 |
| 29 | 2019-06-19 | Panuel Mkungo (KEN) |
1:02:37 | Katy Jermann (USA) |
1:10:27 |
| xx | 2020-06-20* | Race canceled due to COVID-19 | xx:xx:xx | Race canceled due to COVID-19 | xx:xx:xx |
| 31 | 2021-06-19 |  Mohamed Hrezi (LIB) |
1:04:14 | Ann Centner (USA) |
1:14:23 |
| 32 | 2022-06-18 | Daniel Kemoi (KEN) |
1:02:03 |  Rosie Edwards (UK) |
1:12:45 |
| 33 | 2023-06-17 | Joel Reichow (USA) |
1:02:30 | Maggie Montoya (USA) |
1:09:26 |
* After canceling the race, organizers planned to do a "virtual race."
Multiple winners, men
- 6 wins
- Ryan Meissen: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005
- 3 wins
- Dan Carlson: 1992, 1993, 1994
- 2 wins
- Thomas Plechter: 1991, 1995
- Sean Mulheron: 1997, 1998
- Panuel Mkungo: 2018, 2019
Multiple winners, women
- 3 wins
- Kelly Keeler: 1998, 2000, 2001
- Debra Gormley: 1996, 1997, 2002
- 2 wins
- Sean Mulheron: 1997, 1998
- Panuel Mkungo: 2018, 2019
See also
- Twin Cities Marathon
- Minneapolis Marathon
- Mankato Marathon
- Med City Marathon
