2025 William A. Irvin 5K registration will open on October 1 at 7:00 p.m. CT.
2025 William A. Irvin 5K registration is now open.
2025 William A. Irvin 5K registration is now sold out.
To 2025 Race Day
- 00Days
- 00Hours
- 00Minutes
- 00Seconds
32nd Annual WILLIAM A. IRVIN 5K
The 2025 William A. Irvin 5K will start at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, June 20 and will have a new, updated racecourse.
More details will be made available closer to race weekend.
Don’t worry… there are still ways into the SOLD OUT William A. Irvin 5K!
- Charity Partners Program — You raise the money, they pay for your race entry. Run for free, run for good! NOTE: Available entries and fundraising requirements vary by charity partner.
- Bib Transfer Portal — Signed up but now can’t race? Or still looking for a way into this year’s race? Connect with each other on Facebook!
- Great Grandma’s Challenge — Run the William A. Irvin 5K on Friday before Grandma’s Marathon on Saturday! NOTE: 500 total entries available for Great Grandma’s Challenge.
Connect with other William A. Irvin 5K participants!
- Participant Facebook Group — You’ve got questions about race weekend? Go straight to the source and connect with other participants.
- Grambassadors — We’ve assembled a group of experienced and enthusiastic race weekend veterans to offer help and encouragement!
WORLD CLASS EVENT, SMALL TOWN CHARM
The William A. Irvin 5K started in 1994 and has now become the popular kickoff event to an exciting lineup of races and festivities on Grandma’s Marathon weekend.
A perfect race for people of all ages and abilities, the 3.1-mile course was named after the William A. Irvin ore boat located next to the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC).
IMPORTANT: The 2025 William A. Irvin 5K will start at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, June 20 and will have a new, updated racecourse.
More details will be made available closer to race weekend.
Largest Event in History
Use our FAQ page to find a quick answer to the most common
questions about Grandma’s Marathon weekend, or please feel
free to call our office at (218) 727-0947.
2025 RACE DETAILS
NEW IN 2025: A change to the William A. Irvin 5K racecourse means participants will now run along Canal Park Drive and across the iconic finish line of Grandma’s Marathon and the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon. A full, updated course map will be available soon.
Pricing Structure (In-Person)
October 1-October 15 — $45
October 16-December 31 — $50
January 1-June 1 — $55
Pricing Structure (Virtual)
October 1-Race Day — $40
NEW IN 2025: The William A. Irvin 5K will start at 1:00 p.m.
IMPORTANT: All participants will be assigned a start corral closer to race day, based on their estimated goal finish time. Participants will be allowed to move backward in the start corrals, but not forward.
If you are a wheelchair or adaptive athlete, please email Race Director Greg Haapala at [email protected] or call our office at (218) 727-0947 to discuss options for alternative start time and/or accommodations.
Rooms do book quickly for Grandma’s Marathon weekend, so it’s recommended that participants, volunteers, and spectators find lodging as soon as possible.
A full list of available hotels, motels, and campgrounds, etc. throughout the area is available HERE.
Open – 1st through 10th
Ages 12 & Under – 1st
Ages 13-18 – 1st
Ages 35-39 – 1st, 2nd, & 3rd
Ages 40-44 – 1st, 2nd, & 3rd
Ages 45-49 – 1st, 2nd, & 3rd
Ages 50-54 – 1st, 2nd, & 3rd
Ages 55-59 – 1st, 2nd, & 3rd
Ages 60-64 – 1st, 2nd, & 3rd
Ages 65-69 – 1st, 2nd, & 3rd
Ages 70-74 – 1st & 2nd
Ages 75-79 – 1st & 2nd
Age 80 & Over – 1st
Non-Binary – 1st
The William A. Irvin 5K age division awards will be mailed to the winners following race day.
NOTE: 19-34 age group awards are included in the Open category. Chip time will be used to determine all age-group winners and other award recipients. Non-binary athletes are not eligible for overall men’s and women’s prize packages.
To access the full historical results database of the William A. Irvin 5K Marathon as well read more about the event’s all-time event record holders, year-by-year winners, and age category record-holders., please click HERE.
The William A. Irvin 5K racecourse will take you on a tour of Canal Park past some of Duluth’s most iconic landmarks, including Bayfront Festival Park, Sister Cities Park, Gichi-ode Akiing Park, the Lake Superior Maritime Museum, the Aerial Lift Bridge, and the William A. Irvin ore boat museum.
Pricing Structure (In-Person)
October 1-October 15 — $40
October 16-December 31 — $45
January 1-June 1 — $50
Pricing Structure (Virtual)
October 1-Race Day — $35
The 2024 William A. Irvin 5K will start at 6:00 p.m. NOTE: If you are a wheelchair or adaptive athlete, please email Race Director Greg Haapala at [email protected] or call our office at (218) 727-0947 to discuss options for alternative start time and/or accommodations.
Participants may pick up their race packets during the Essentia Health Fitness Expo. Anyone participating in the William A. Irvin 5K MUST pick up their race packet and arrive to the starting line no later than 5:30 p.m. on Friday, June 21.
PACKET PICKUP HOURS
- Thursday, June 20, 2024 | 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- Friday, June 21, 2024 | 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Click HERE for more information on the specifics of your race packet pickup.
The William A. Irvin 5K will use a wave start process to help ensure the safest and most enjoyable race environment possible.
Participants are asked to line up in the start corral near the sign that most closely represents your expected pace per mile. Race officials and volunteers will provide wave instructions to participants prior to the start.
There is one water and aid station on the William A. Irvin 5K racecourse, located just before 1.5 miles.
Water, toilets, and first aid will be available to participants here.
Rooms do book quickly for Grandma’s Marathon weekend, so it’s recommended that participants, volunteers, and spectators find lodging as soon as possible.
A full list of available hotels, motels, and campgrounds, etc. throughout the area is available HERE.
Open – 1st through 10th
Ages 12 & Under – 1st
Ages 13-18 – 1st
Ages 35-39 – 1st, 2nd, & 3rd
Ages 40-44 – 1st, 2nd, & 3rd
Ages 45-49 – 1st, 2nd, & 3rd
Ages 50-54 – 1st, 2nd, & 3rd
Ages 55-59 – 1st, 2nd, & 3rd
Ages 60-64 – 1st, 2nd, & 3rd
Ages 65-69 – 1st, 2nd, & 3rd
Ages 70-74 – 1st & 2nd
Ages 75-79 – 1st & 2nd
Age 80 & Over – 1st
Non-Binary – 1st
The William A. Irvin 5K age division awards will be mailed to the winners following race day.
NOTE: 19-34 age group awards are included in the Open category. Chip time will be used to determine all age-group winners and other award recipients. Non-binary athletes are not eligible for overall men’s and women’s prize packages.
To access the full historical results database of the William A. Irvin 5K Marathon as well read more about the event’s all-time event record holders, year-by-year winners, and age category record-holders., please click HERE.
For answers to some of the most Frequently Asked Questions about the William A. Irvin 5K and race weekend, please click HERE.
THE SWAG
2025 LIMITED EDITION HOODIE — $50.00
Despite its name, the weekender hoodie is good for any day of the week. Made by Minnesota-based company Storm Creek, this hoodie is sporty, stylish, and all-around good-looking. A perfect outerlayer for your pre-race training or just for lounging around the house.
2025 TRAINING SHIRT — $30.00
Look good, feel better, and run fast. Let your clothes do the talking for you and let the world know you’re training for the 2025 Grandma’s Marathon weekend in this 100% polyester, long-sleeve tech training shirt.
BUY BOTH & SAVE: Purchase both a jacket and training shirt during registration to receive a 20% discount code that can be used anytime on a single purchase of any size in our online store.
RACE RESULTS & PHOTOS
The William A. Irvin 5K serves as the kickoff to Grandma’s Marathon weekend and now includes close to 3,000 participants each year.
The race is is timed and scored by Mtec Results. The previous year’s results, as well as historical and all-time results dating to the inaugural event in 1991, are available HERE.
Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon race day images are available online through MarathonFoto. Participants can view and purchase their very own personal photo gallery HERE.
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
Minnesota’s Best
Grandma’s Marathon has been voted four straight years as the state’s top annual sports event or race in the Minnesota’s Best awards, a Star Tribune initiative to celebrate the many businesses, organizations, and individuals that make Minnesota a great place to live, work, and play.
Minnesota’s Best is an audience-driven contest and had more than 1 million votes cast for 6,700+ organizations in 300+ categories.
Best of the Best
Grandma’s Marathon has been voted three straight years as the region’s best local tournament in the Best of the Best awards, which are hosted by our major media partner the Duluth News Tribune.
More that 140,000 votes were cast in this year’s competition, separating close to 45,000 nominees in hundreds of different categories searching to find the best of the best in Duluth and the surrounding area.
RUNNERS’ CHOICE
Grandma’s Marathon was named by RaceRaves users as the top marathon in the state of Minnesota, and the the race also earned a spot on The BibRave 100: A Definitive List of the Best Races in America.
Grandma’s Marathon was also named one of the nation’s top 5 “Race-Cations” for its combination of a premier event with other race weekend experiences.
MN Signature Event
Grandma’s Marathon was named a Signature Event by Explore Minnesota Tourism for its contributions to the state’s $15 billion travel industry.
In a 2019 economic study, it was reported that Grandma’s Marathon brings nearly $21 million to the region each year.
The organization aimed to highlight Minnesota-based, world-class events that produce substantial media exposure and generate significant travel dollars for the state of Minnesota.
Future William A.
Irvin 5K Dates
June 20, 2025
June 19, 2026
June 18, 2027
June 16, 2028
June 15, 2029
June 21, 2030