
Grandma’s Marathon creates experiences to inspire personal achievement and champion heathy communities.
Grandma’s Marathon aims to be a global leader by providing sustainable opportunities that empower all to celebrate their finish line.
Community • Passion • Authenticity • Sustainability

Grandma’s Marathon creates experiences to inspire personal achievement and champion heathy communities.
Grandma’s Marathon aims to be a global leader by providing sustainable opportunities that empower all to celebrate their finish line.
Community • Passion • Authenticity • Sustainability

Grandma’s Marathon creates experiences to inspire personal achievement and champion heathy communities.
Grandma’s Marathon aims to be a global leader by providing sustainable opportunities that empower all to celebrate their finish line.
Community • Passion • Authenticity • Sustainability

With 100+ vendors, the Essentia Health Fitness Expo is one of the largest in the nation and the perfect place for any last-minute tips, tricks, and apparel you may need before your big race!

Our annual pre-race feast brings together not just our race participants, but also their family and friends along with the entire Duluth community in celebration of yet another Grandma’s Marathon.

You may come for the run, but you’ll stay for the fun! Don’t miss our great weekend entertainment, highlighted by live music both Friday and Saturday nights at Bayfront Festival Park!

A central pillar of the Young Athletes Foundation (YAF) is providing free and accessible programming for our area’s kids throughout the year. These programs are focused on our mission of building and providing pathways to the community’s children in their pursuit of active and healthy lifestyles.

There’s plenty to keep you entertained on Grandma’s Marathon weekend, with several “can’t-miss” ancillary events that add even more excitement to the overall atmosphere around the community of Duluth.


Don’t miss out on the authentic Duluth experience! Grandma’s Marathon falls during one of the most beautiful times of the year in northern Minnesota, and there’s no shortage of outdoor adventures or fun activities for you to enjoy with your family and friends on race weekend!

Every year since 1977, our community has thrown open its doors to runners and spectators in town for Grandma’s Marathon. As the race has grown, the service industry has always been there with a smile to welcome tens of thousands of runners along with their families and friends as they descend on Duluth for race weekend.

There is so much to see and do in Duluth and along the North Shore of Minnesota! Getting there couldn’t be easier with our transportation partners. Whether you need to know where to find parking nearby on race day or you are looking for a way to get around town, we are here to help.

The Young Athletes Foundation (YAF) was created to serve the community, and for more than three decades we have done that with the help of our local and regional business partners. With events throughout the year, our sponsors assist greatly in our mission of providing pathways of opportunity to youth in athletic programs and encouraging healthy lifestyles.

Through our grant program, the Young Athletes Foundation contributes to and supports our area’s recreational and athletic organizations working to provide our community’s kids with pathways of opportunities to live healthier and more active lifestyles.

Through our running shoe program, the Young Athletes Foundation works each year to provide opportunities to high school runners across our five-county region by providing free shoe certificates to athletes in need through their cross country or track and field program.

Through the Eleanor Rynda Scholarship Program, the Young Athletes Foundation works to financially support collegiate student-athletes at the University of Minnesota Duluth as they continue their education and competitive running career.
IT TAKES A VILLAGE
It takes a village, as the saying goes, and Grandma’s Marathon personifies that idea. Each year, our event relies on the work, talent, and energy of over 4,000 volunteers, more than 100 sponsors, and countless other community partners to create the magical space for our 20,000+ participants to enjoy come race weekend.
We’re always looking for fun, hardworking people to take a greater part in our organization in many different ways, from on the big race day or throughout the year. Whatever your interests are or however you’d like to help support our race, we have a place for you at Grandma’s Marathon.