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Nov 15, 2024

Grandma's Marathon Runner Comments

Back to Grandma's Marathon Information & Reviews

Course 4.5

Organization 4.7

Spectators 4.4

Number of comments: 298 [displaying comments 161 to 171]

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A. F. from Iowa City, IA (6/21/2007) "Fantastic experience" (about: 2007) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Grandma's Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I still can't believe how great this weekend was. I went to pick up my packet at 9 p.m. after the expo ended (who cares about expos?) and had no problems - didn't even have to pay to park. Catching the bus was easy, the first-aid tent at the start was marvelous (free Advil!), and the pacers were very cool people. Aid stations were flawless; I got plenty of water and Ultima without having to slow down. The heat was gross, but there were so many friendly people cheering and spraying hoses that I didn't even notice how sick I was. It felt that good to see smiling faces and finish my first race. My only complaint: many of the 7,200+ starters had to wait in the parking lot and the chute for quite a while before the race started. And then, although there were plenty of toilets at the start line, there were only 2 toilets per mile throughout the race. As a result, there were men relieving themselves everywhere for the first 8-10 miles. It was a bit gross. I'm hoping to see a few more toilets in the first portion of the race. As for alternate activities, I will say that Duluth has many tourist attractions besides the ones they have specifically for Grandma's. We were dragging a 3-year-old with us, so we ditched the post-race party altogether and went to the aquarium, the zoo, and Grandma's for dinner. It was wonderful. There were ladies from the hospital handing out flowers at the finish. I think they were my favorite volunteers.
M. L. from Chicago, IL (6/21/2007) "Well Organized, Hot" (about: 2007) 6-10 previous marathons \| 2 Grandma's Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 2007 was my second year running Grandma's Marathon. The good: -The marathon itself is very well organized. -The specators were great. -The course was pleasant running along Lake Superior and into Duluth. -The aid stations were well-manned and the buses ran on-time. -I especially appreciate the ice that they had at the aid stations. The bad: -Both years, I found the heat difficult to deal with (although I thought 2007 was cooler than 2006). -Lodging is too pricey: even staying in the UMD dorms was expensive (minimum two night stay at $175). -The expo was just Ok. -The finish area was stocked with good post-race food options, but was difficult to navigate. Overall a very good marathon, but they should consider changing the race start time (maybe 6 a.m.) or move it to May.
C. M. from Chicago, Illinois (6/20/2007) "Nice course, but bad luck with weather." (about: 2007) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Grandma's Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 The course along lake Superior was really beautiful, but it does get a bit dull after 19 miles. There was very little course entertainment other than the residents that would pop up every mile or so and blast music from their car or stereo. I know it has been stated time and time again, but the Ultima has really got to go as well. It tasted like watered-down Tang. I thought the race was very well organized. Duluth really knows how to treat its marathoners! I could have used a few more aid stations in the heat, but the volunteers were amazing and helpful, and the runners' finish area was great as well. I was expecting the finisher's food to be a few half bananas and some Ultima, and was pleasantly surprised to find ice cream, sandwiches, fruit, bagels, and basically anything you could think to eat after a marathon. It would have been nice to have some shade or grass at the finish, but everyone seemed to find a place to sit or relax and it really worked out fine. I would definitely recommend this race to anyone who wants to run a beautiful course with great spectators and helpful volunteers, but I would caution anyone interested to make sure they are prepared for some harsh weather.
Dick White from Florida (6/20/2007) "What a Gorgeous Town!" (about: 2007) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Grandma's Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Grandma's was #35 in my quest for 50 states, plus DC - although now I find I may have to add San Juan and St. Croix. I must say, based solely on reputation, I never considered any other MN race. AND I certainly was not disappointed. Great rolling course with a cool head breeze most of the way. Sure, it got toasty in town due to unseasonably hot weather and the buildings blocking the breeze, but did all you whiners get into marathoning "because you thought it would be easy and there would always be lots of spectators around to hold your hand"? You need to go run one of those track marathons where they blast music at you from the PA system and someone counts your laps for you "cause you obviously don't fit in with the vast majority of open air athletes." Trust me - I have run the Rock'n'Roll Races - and love them dearly - but 50% of the "spectators" there have come with/to cheer the bands - not you! We stayed at the Barker's Island Inn where the 2-night mandatory stay cost $400, but the Thursday through Sunday (4-day) rate was $78. So if you're looking to just blow into town, sleep in your car, and leave, please do go somewhere else next year and leave the slot open for someone who would like to enjoy the pristine beauty, boat rides, bike rides, lake kyaking, and historical amenities that this wonderous city has to offer. After all, this is the height of their summer season; be thankful it's not in Feb. to try to generate dollars. (Done Austin or Shamrock Yet?) I will say that management has to find a way to allow runners to self-seed. Only entering from the back put many slower runners too far forward.
B. G. from Enumclaw, WA (6/20/2007) "Well managed, plan ahead, run responsibly" (about: 2007) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Grandma's Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Race organizers really have this event figured out. Packet pick-up was well organized. Buses to the start were timely. The pre-start "fly-over" was real classy. The aid stations were incredible. The course was gently rolling and scenic with excellent traffic control. The finish was very well organized, especially considering all of the people in that area. The "medal" was high-quality and the shirt was adequate - short-sleeve, cotton. I did not participate in the spaghetti dinner, nor the finish-line food or after parties (both have an excellent reputation though). This event fills up very quickly and the hotels even quicker. I got my hotel reservation before I even knew if I was in the race and even then, many hotels were already full. Plan ahead and bring a wallet. Just suck it up and make your arrangements and pay your money... a lot of it. The event is worth doing and I didn't see any place that did not require a 2 or 3 night stay.... Just understand that the population of Duluth grows by 15% on Grandma's weekend and it simply overwhelms the hotel infrastructure. I think they do the best they can. The community of Duluth really does try to make the runners feel welcome. I talked to several locals about the marathoners over-running the town and every local I talked to looked forward to Grandma's weekend and the economic benefits of the event. Fans lining the street from mile 19 on were warm and enthusiastic. It was dangerously hot. It is so important for runners to make wise choices and run responsibly in extreme conditions. Race organizers did everything they could to help this happen. EVERY aid station had mass quantities of water, replenishment drink, and ICE. There were marked drop-out points for easy runner pick-up and there was medical assistance along the way. Heat conditions were indicated by the "flag" system.... This race was "black-flagged" an hour after starting. The finish line had wheelchairs lined up for collapsing finishers and a well-tended medical tent. Marathon times were very slow due to the high heat and humidity, but that is part of the in-race adjustments that need to be made to finish. Totally worth doing; plan ahead, and expect potentially extreme conditions. Run safe!
Diem Nguyen from Boston, MA (6/19/2007) "Hot and humid, but great race" (about: 2007) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Grandma's Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Duluth, MN is a great place with great people. Even the trolley driver was friendly! The town really makes a huge deal out of this. The cab driver at 4 a.m. on Monday (remember it's a Saturday race) continues to talk about how great it was to have people come in. The shuttle service on Fri, awesome. Every 15 minutes from UMD to downtown. Saturday, every 30 minutes. You don't even need to rent a car for you out-of-towners. Cab ride was pretty cheap too ($14.50 from the airport). The expo was small, but simple. Nice touch was that we got to keep the timing chip, though it's a one-time-use deal. They had a fruit stand if you want to buy any last-minute things and you don't want to head to the grocery store. I chose to do my pasta dinner at Grandma's Bar and Grill. There was a $9.99 special for all-you-can-eat pasta (whole wheat), with two choices of sauce, and bread sticks. Much better deal than to pay $12 for what I hear was not a great deal at the expo. Other people talk about how pricey the hotels are. I stayed at the UMD athletic dorms. It was $165 for the whole weekend, and I got an extra night free! What a deal. I looked online and registered super early. I kept checking back in early April and June to make sure I get an application in. Burnside Hall was really close to Kirby Circle where the bus shuttles picked up. It's cheaper than Lake Superior Hall, but they give you fruits and coffee in LSK. There's also a microwave in LSK. Maybe the few extra bucks would have been worth it if you need your oatmeal hot in the morning. Nice touch with having the aid station at the starting line with Advil packages, petro-jelly, and Band-Aids. I highly recommend clipping some Band-Aids on your shorts or something for quick fixes for those unexpected blisters. Race started off in the mid 60's and humid. When I finished about 5:30 later, it was 88 degrees and still humid. Even with a bum right foot (hence the 5:30), it wasn't such a "bad" course. Gentle hills, barely noticeable. The only thing that stood out was the overpass telling you that you had 4.2 miles to go. There wasn't much shade and with the infrequency of the water stops, it was a bit challenging getting in enough fluids and electrolytes. I was sweating so much of it out. Nice to know I had the option of dropping out with bus service back at miles 13, 16 and 19, there abouts. Aid stations were well stocked and manned by friendly people. Oh, the volunteers. Three cheers!!! I would totally do this race again. Hopefully next time the weather is much more amenable to those looking for cooler temps.
T. L. from Minneapolis (6/19/2007) "TOO expensive!" (about: 2007) 50+ previous marathons \| 6+ Grandma's Marathons COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 2 Boy, where do I start? First, let's start with the good. Duluth is a beautiful town, finisher's medals were great and the pre-race pasta dinner was very nice... but that was about it. * First, you get to town for your mandatory two-night stay at a local hotel. An average room will run you $450+ for the 2 nights. A lakeside suite, $1025...? * Next you head to the expo, where they had 15,000 people stuffed into a room the size of hockey rink. * The race merchandise - T's and sweatshirts - was junk. The quality was not good, and who designed that poster? * My favorite... race morning, you make your way to the pick-up point for a bus to run you up to the start. Stand in line there for 10+ minutes, get on a bus that gives you an extended tour of Duluth because of road closures, another 40 minutes, and when you do finally get to the start, you stand in line at a porta-potty for 35+ minutes! * The course is OK, with a couple rolling hills, but if you like spectators, you will run miles without seeing anyone. Once in town, at about mile 19, the crowds were great! Aid stations were well stocked and the workers were VERY nice... but what is with that Ultima?! Good golly is that bad. *The finish line area is well done! And leave your headphones at home. For some odd reason, they don't want the new/beginner runner at their race - the ones who recently got into running and trains with headphones. The race that used to fill in weeks took months this year! If you don't mind being "taken" by the local hotels, having to wait all morning on race-day, only drinking water on the course and not listening to music while you run, this is the race for you! A nice race if you don't have anything to compare it with! Maybe think about Fargo or Green Bay instead next year?
D. M. from Phoenix, AZ (6/19/2007) "Nice Race, but with Drawbacks" (about: 2007) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Grandma's Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I guess expectations are everything, and I had GREAT expectations about Grandma's, due to its reputation. On the positive side, things were well organized (buses, starting line, etc.), the volunteers along the course were fantastic, the scenery was beautiful, and the design on the shirt is pretty. They posted the results very quickly and the finish line moved well for so large field of racers. The medal was high quality. On the negative side, the volunteers at the expo apparently had received little to no training, so as a result the "problem booth" line was enormous and slow. For example, I have my own Champion Chip, so a question as simple as whether or not their system could accept it or if I needed to wear the Grandma's one could not be answered by the packet pick-up person or the chip check person. I used the Grandma's chip (which was the right choice), but kept my fingers crossed. Another example: we needed info on the buses returning from the DECC to our hotel (in Superior), but the people at the information booth at the expo couldn't answer questions as simple as how the buses would be labeled (to make sure we got the right one). Later, in reading the material in the packet with the bib, there was a good explanation (which the folks in the info booth should have known if they had received any training or had read the materials themselves!). OK... on to other points, where my expectations exceeded reality. Unlike other big races, there is no "athlete alert" process (for relatives to get a message when runners cross one of the tracking mats), the finisher's race shirt is just plain cotton (nice logo, but high-tech is the standard these days), the 7:30 a.m. start allowed the temperatures to rise so that we were running in the 80-degree heat at the end (the sun was up at 5:30 a.m... why not start earlier for a summer race?), and while they gave me a "ticket" for one beer or wine along with my finisher's medal, I didn't see any place to redeem it in the finisher's "food" area. I guess there was a tent somewhere that I missed, in all the crowds and exhaustion at the finish. So, bottom line, this is a good race if you want a summer race with views of Lake Superior along with a run through trees into town (Duluth). But don't let the "hype" about Grandma's over-inflate your expectations, and be prepared for heat.
c. t. from waukesha, wi (6/19/2007) "Awesome course - thank you, Duluth" (about: 2007) 1 previous marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is my 2nd marathon and first time running Grandma's. Wow. Great experience all over. From spectators to the great volunteers, it was really fun. The weather was really humid and too hot. The volunteers handed out ice cubes lots of water and energy drink to keep the runners well hydrated. And the neighborhood people had the sprinklers out for a really welcome shower. Kids as well as adults were involved. The entire town is out to cheer you on. Thank you all for the great experience. Other runners were great too. I saw many asking others if they were ok and taking a few moments to run along with you and looking out for each other. Keep up the great work. Can't wait to go back and run again.
P. B. from Chicago (6/18/2007) "An amazing experience in spite of weather" (about: 2007) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Grandma's Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was my third marathon, after Sunburst and Chicago in 2006. Some minor quibbles about the organization, which overall was very good: The directions to the DECC on the marathon website made no sense, when checked against Google maps. Finding it once there was not a problem though. The shuttle bus pickup and dropoff were not staged very well. Starting chute was a bit narrow for the number of people. Porta-potties were in an odd L-shape instead of back to back (how do you line up for the corner ones?). The paved finish area was not very welcoming for a rest after the race, especially given the heat. What went well: smooth gear check and pickup (where was the orange balloon?), pace teams, water stops (sponges and ice were great, Ultima drink was ok), course marking balloons, snacks at the finish (Boost, ice cream were tasty), fans with water hoses along the way. Strawberries! As far as accommodations, I paid $28 a night at a campground that was about 20 minutes away (compare with $85.99 for Motel6). Left at 5 a.m. and made it to the DECC in time to grab one of the buses. (The $4 all-day parking there is very reasonable.) On race day, there were cars going into what looked like an overflow lot, even though the DECC parking was not full..was this possibly a free lot? I will be back next year. It can't be hot and humid 3 years in a row!

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