Grandma’s Marathon: Duluth, Minnesota, June 17, 2023 – Marathon #22
This weekend truly lived up to its reputation as a marathon experience. Wow, Duluth knows how to welcome runners! I had heard great things about this race, but honestly, I hear that about a lot of marathons, so I didn’t have higher expectations than usual. Still, I was excited, even though I was only seven days removed from running three marathons in three states in three days, so I was still a little beat up.
I arrived on Thursday afternoon, which gave me a chance to beat the big crowd at the expo. I was able to meet some fantastic vendors, and the race did a great job with packet pickup. Every time I go to a race expo, I risk coming home with an extra suitcase—and this time, it actually happened. I had to go buy an extra suitcase just to carry all my goodies back!
Friday came, and it was time for the 5k warm-up race. The turnout was huge! I initially planned to run at a slow pace, but the energy of the crowd got to me. I ended up taking 7th place out of 90 in my age group. After the race, I treated myself to some delicious pasta at Grandma’s restaurant, where I met a great couple, JoEllen and Scott, who were in town to cheer on their son. We talked until about 9:40 PM, when I realized I really needed to get some sleep for the big race the next day.
Race day arrived, and I was up super early, anticipating the crowd for the train ride to the start line. I showed up at 4:00 AM and was one of the first to arrive, but that meant I secured a spot on the train. What an experience! As we rode to the start, people in the neighborhoods were out waving and holding signs that said “Good luck!” There was even a grandma out dancing in her backyard—such a unique and heartwarming touch.
The marathon course was amazing—a mostly downhill route that helped me since I was still recovering from the previous weekend’s races. However, I did struggle with a lower leg injury, which ultimately kept me from hitting a PR. I decided not to push it too hard to avoid further injury, so I finished with a time of 5:03—still within my acceptable range.
After the race, the post-race party at Bayshore Park on the shores of Lake Superior was fantastic. There were live bands playing, and people had pulled up their boats to enjoy the music. Runners were relaxing on the grass, taking in the vibe and enjoying the food. I have to say, Grandma’s Marathon is definitely one I will do again.