2023 Race Recap Grambassador: Tanya

Let’s face it, getting up at 3:30am isn’t the most pleasant. Yet there’s something about knowing you’re one, amongst thousands of others doing the same thing, that’s inherently comforting. Knowing you’re not alone in your crazy desire to run 13.1 miles, willingly, at 6am, for a medal and a free banana somehow validates this decision that sounded like a swell idea months ago.

This year was my 9^th one running a Grandma’s event. After completing marathons #5 and 6 in 2022, I decided to put fulls on hiatus for the time being. So in my usual runner’s logic, I opted for the Great Grandma’s half challenge, which was the 5K on Friday night and the half on Saturday morning. I had done this challenge once before, in 2017, so at least I knew what to expect.

Weather in Duluth, especially along the lake, can be a bit of a crap shoot, even in June. In 2015, my first Grandma’s race, it rained the entire time. In 2016, the heat was so extreme that the race was black flagged. It’s not uncommon for the temp to be a good 20 degrees cooler down in Canal Park versus just up over the hill. This year, however, was one of the good ones. Friday night’s 5K took place in 60 degrees and sun, with Saturday being a coolish 50, but with light winds.

In the five years since I did the William A. Irvin 5K, the course had been changed, from the now start along the lakeside of the DECC, to the finish in Bayfront Park. A few sidewalk areas made it seem a little tight at times, but overall it was a fun race that I would recommend to everyone from seasoned runners, to newbies and even walkers. Once the race was over, we had planned on attending the all you can eat spaghetti dinner, as has always been our tradition, but unfortunately I think so did everyone else at that time. The line was incredibly long, so we opted to skip it this year.

Saturday, despite having gotten maybe 3 hours of sleep, I found myself raring to go before my alarm even went off at 3:30. Excitement and hints of nervousness can work wonders even more than my usual morning coffee! We stayed at UMD, as we’ve done for the past few years, which also means my poor husband didn’t have to get up at 4am to drive me to the shuttle bus, as they have them right on the UMD campus, for both half and full marathoners. By 4:45, I had left my drop bag in the designated bin and was on my way to the start line. I could feel the excitement amongst all the people on the bus as I started taking in some pre-race nutrition with a granola bar, and then a gel that I would take a few minutes before the race began.

After what seemed like the fastest 25 minute bus ride ever, I made my way to the start area, with the intent of hopping in line for one of the port a potties. Any runner will tell you that even if you don’t think you need to, it’s always a good idea to anyway. However, I found the start area more chaotic than usual, as the people waiting in line blended in with the general crowd, making it difficult to tell who was going where. I gave up trying after a few minutes, knowing there were always port a potties located at each water stop if I needed one.

The thirty minute wait for the start of the race seemed to go by in a blink, and before I knew it, we were off! I had no intention of attempting a PR with this race, and mainly just wanted to enjoy the journey while doing something I loved with a few thousand other people. Even before we hit London Road around mile 6, where I knew the endless crowd support would truly begin, there were spectators along the course. People who had gotten up early, just to cheer everyone on. Another thing runners will tell you is how much crowd support means to us. Whether it’s our first race, or our 50^th, hearing random strangers tell us that we’re doing great, or reading funny signs like “Your dog is proud of you” and “But your cat doesn’t care” that make us laugh through it all, means more to us than we could ever say.

Around halfway through the race, the sun came out more and it started to get warm. For me, it was never an uncomfortable warmth, but I know that if I had been out there running the full, I would have felt differently. Even though I had a handheld bottle with me, I started taking in some Powerade at every other water stop. The Super One Foods crew hands out fresh fruit, which I always look forward to. Strawberries and oranges are ridiculously refreshing during a race! This race always has something for everyone, whether it’s fresh fruit, pickle juice, or even shots of Fireball!

One of the upsides to an early start means an early finish! I crossed the finish a little before 9am, feeling happy and accomplished. My family was able to cheer for me at two different spots along the course and a few fellow runner friends greeted me shortly before the finish. After getting my medal, I picked up my finishers shirt and some food, and met up with family to celebrate with my traditional coffee cooler from Caribou Coffee. We opted not to attend the post-race festivities that were taking place in Bayfront Park, as all I really wanted at that point was a shower and a nap.

Even though its only been a few days since the race, I’m already looking forward to 2024. Grandma’s weekend has been a constant in my life for nearly a decade, and I can’t wait for a decade more.