History of Grandma’s Marathon

The first race was just 150 participants but quickly grew to what it is now, one of the largest, most popular races in the country. 

DULUTH, Minn.- After 46 years of races and over 5 million miles run over the years, this unique race has become a tradition in the city of Duluth.

Grandma’s started back in 1977 by a group of local runners. The first race was just 150 participants but quickly grew to what it is now, one of the largest, most popular races in the country.

“When you look at the numbers of how big Duluth is and the size of our community, there’s no reason that we should be on the list with Boston and Chicago and New York, but it was the vision and the hard work of those people in the early years that kind of said, why can’t we host a big marathon, why can’t we do this great big thing and now it’s just kind of normal, it’s common place,” says Grandma’s Marathon marketing and pulic relations director Zach Schneider.

The course that runs from Two Harbors to Canal Park has stayed true to the origin of the race.

“You’re running the same course that they ran back in 1977, you’re running the same course that Dick Beardsly ran on, you’re running the same course that Cara Goucher ran on, you’re running the same course that this years winner is going to run on. Whether you’re winning the race or the back of the pack, it’s the same 26.2 or 13.1 miles,” says Schneider.

With more than 20,000 participants set to run this weekend, perhaps a new mark on history will reach the finish line.