Grandma's Marathon - Duluth - 30th Anniversary

This weekend is "Grandma’s Marathon". It is the 30th Anniversary of the marathon. I don’t know where 30 years has gone, but it seems like the marathon just started a few years ago. I remember when it started, we here in Duluth, would never have imagined that the marathon would become as big as it has. It is America’s 13th largest 26.2 mile road race. The runners come down the North Shore, Hwy. 61 from Two Harbors to Duluth, running along Lake Superior. It has a capacity record field of 9,758 runners. Runners come from all over the world to compete. The event brings in millions of dollars to our economy, according to the Visitor’s Bureau.

There is also a Half-Marathon, and on Friday evening, a 5 K, along Harbor Drive, downtown by the lake. Friday afternoon there were ¼ mile youth races. Our son-in-law and his friend are at the half-marathon now, watching a friend run. The weather is pretty perfect for running, in 60’s, low 70’s, and cloudy.

Several years ago, I can’t remember what year though, my brother-in-law, Ron, from Pennsylvania, trained all year and came here and ran the marathon. It’s the year that I really participated and went down to watch him come into town, and we were there at the finish line, as we celebrated him making the personal best that he set his goal, he did very well for his first marathon. It was very exciting; much more exciting, when someone close to you like that is in the race. He enjoyed the race so much; he still talks about it, and talks about how he would like to do it again. One must train a lot though, through the year, to be able to run it, and since then he really hasn’t had the time to do so. Maybe some day, he’ll make it out here again.