#44 • DULUTH • MINNESOTA
Grandma’s Marathon
Time of Year: 21 June 2025
Race Cost: $152 (with T-shirt)
Weather & Temperature: sunny, hot, no clouds; LOWS – mid 60s, HIGHS – low 80s
Hotel Information
Holiday Inn Downtown Duluth
Downtown Duluth, MN
Older hotel with a medium size lobby and a large ground floor that includes a restaurant and bar. Average fitness center in the building. Hotel has two swimming pools. Basic room with carpeted floors, windows that do not open, and quality A/C unit. Good walls that prevented outside noise.
* Hotel Cost: $431 per night; $1292 for three nights
* Rental car: $274 without CDW
* Distance from Expo: 500m
* Distance from shuttle pick up to start/finish of marathon: 500m/1000m
* Hotel did not provide a shuttle to the airport
Other Hotel Options: Downtown Duluth has about a dozen of hotels within walking distance of the start – however these hotels sell out months in advance. This was the most difficult marathon to find lodging of any marathon I have run.
Expo Information
Duluth Entertainment Convention Center
Duluth, MN
Features:
* Packet pick-up
* dozens of vendors – large event hall – one of the largest race expos I have visited
One hour to collect packet & visit vendors
Race Day Information
Saturday, June 21, 2025
Weather & Temperature:
* Start: Mid 60s°F
* Finish: Low 80s°F
* blue sky, no clouds, hot
7:45am start normally around 26 miles north of downtown Duluth
* No indoor area available for stretching and any per-race preparation
* Plenty of restrooms at start; but lots of people so long lines
* Gear check available
* Crowd was serious; arrive at your corral 15 minutes before the race
* Full and half marathon start at same time at different location
Course Information
Miles 0-26.2
The race start was delayed by 30 minutes due to thunderstorms around 0400 that delayed the buses that transport the runners to the start. The race started long after the sun was up so you could clearly see where you were heading. The race proceeds south next to the Great Lake on a rolling state road. The scenery is rural with occasional views of the Great Lake. Most of the race is on roads with not much shade from trees – this is important towards the end where there is practically no shade at all. Good crowd support at the beginning and very end but there are long areas with no spectators.
Final stats
The Race Finish was located at the Convention Center. The finish was a corral area for about two blocks that was only accessible to athletes. Lots of food was available to runners. Beer garden was available. Limited seating and not much shade. Outside the corral area thousands of spectators in the area – limited restaurants, cafes, and bars available in the area but most of them will already be full of spectators and half marathon finishers.
After Party: Yes – Rock the Bay Festival – live music and an open area with access to the convention center.
Overall Review
Overall the race was a medium race (about 7,500 people). Full and half marathon started in the separate location and at different times. The course has some rolling hills but overall is very fast. There are points where you can see Lake Superior and there is a nice cool lake breeze that will sweep through the course. There is not much shade – especially for the second half of the race. Lots of crowd support around the downtown area – less the farther you run from downtown.
Out & About
Places I visited around town
…or wanted to but ran out of time!
What restaurant will help me carbo-load the night before the race?
* Bellisio’s Italian Restaurant
* Va Bene (reserve early as its reservations will fill up before race day)
* Vitta Pizza Canal Park
* Pizza Luce
What grocery stores are in the area?
* Super One Foods
* Water; Energy drinks; Bananas; Oranges; Bread; Chocolate
What other restaurants are in the race area?
* Holiday Inn Restaurant
* Duluth’s Best Bread
* Duluth Coffee Company
* Many other restaurants within walking distance of downtown
Where can I celebrate finishing the marathon with a drink?
* Rathskeller speakeasy * Blacklist Brewing Company
* Canal Park Brewery
* Grandma’s Saloon and Grill (expect a waitlist)
*Fitger’s Brewhouse