• Grandma's Marathon
    • Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon
    • William A. Irvin 5K

          • 2023 Registration Opens on October 1, 2022

          • william a irvin 5k logo

          • The kickoff event to Grandma’s Marathon weekend, this 3.1-mile race starts and finishes near the historic William A. Irvin ore boat in Duluth’s Canal Park. A new racecourse offers a scenic tour of the city, making this the perfect race for beginning and experienced runners alike.

          • Read More
    • Great Grandma’s Challenge

          • 2023 Registration Opens on October 1, 2022

          • great grandmas challenge logo

          • It’s certainly not for the faint of heart, but the Great Grandma’s Challenge is the best way for runners to experience everything our event has to offer, starting with the 5K on Friday night and continuing with either the full or half marathon on Saturday morning!

          • Read More
    • KP Challenge
          • yaf race winner
          • kp challenge logo

          • The KP Challenge is a series of three great, local races — Saint Fennessy 4K, Fitger’s 5K, and Park Point 5-Miler — that are strategically placed throughout the year to help participants build their endurance and stick to a regular training schedule.

    • Saint Fennessy 4K
          • saint fennessy 4k logo

          • Get your green on for the Saint Fennessy 4K, a festive fun run perfect for runners of all ages and abilities. Whether you’re a first-timer or looking to jump start your spring training, this is the race for you!

    • Fitger's 5K
          • fitgers 5k logo

          • A perfect challenge for new runners or a good training race for veterans, the Fitger’s 5K has grown into one of the area’s premier spring races and now welcomes more than 2,000 participants each year.

    • Park Point 5-Miler
          • park point 5 miler logo

          • Come enjoy the height of a northern Minnesota summer at the Park Point 5-Miler, which holds the crown as northern Minnesota’s oldest road race and features a racecourse sandwiched between the open waters of Lake Superior and the Duluth Harbor.

    • Minnesota Mile
          • one minnesota mile logo

          • The Minnesota Mile takes you on a scenic, 5,280-foot journey around Duluth’s Enger Park, treating participants to some of the best views in the entire city during the peak of fall’s color season.

    • North End Nightmare 5K
          • north end nightmare 5k logo

          • A spooky end to our local racing calendar, the North End Nightmare 5K brings with it plenty of scary surprises and haunted attractions to the North End of Superior.

    • YAF Youth Races
    • YAF Races
    • YAF Youth Races

          • Our kids. Our community. Our future.

            A central pillar of the Young Athletes Foundation 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.

          • Wednesday Night at the Races
          • Saturday Morning at the Races
          • Whipper Snapper Races
    • YAF Programs

          • Our kids. Our community. Our future.

            Since its inception in 1990, the Young Athletes Foundation has worked to support the organizations and individuals of its five-county region through a series of kids’ events, grants, scholarships, and other programs that are focused on promoting and providing pathways for kids to live healthy and active lifestyles.

          • Grant Program
          • Running Shoe Program
          • Scholarship Program
          • Fit-n-Fun Run
          • Winter Challenge
    • YAF Volunteer

          • Our kids. Our community. Our future.

            Our tremendous community of volunteers plays a significant role in helping the Young Athletes Foundation to create memorable and successful events for our runners. More than 1,000 volunteers are needed throughout the year to support our fundraising race events for the YAF.

    • YAF Sponsors

          • Our kids. Our community. Our future.

            The Young Athletes Foundation 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.

    • What to See & Do

          • Authentic 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!

          • Read More
    • Where to Stay

          • Authentic Duluth

            There’s nothing more important before the race or more welcome after the race than the perfect place to rest, relax, and recharge. With the help of our many lodging and hospitality partners in the area, Grandma’s Marathon is committed to making sure each of our 20,000+ runners, not to mention our volunteers and spectators, have a place to stay on race weekend!

          • Read More
    • Where to Eat & Drink

          • Authentic Duluth

            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.

          • Read More
    • How to Get Around

          • Authentic Duluth

            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.

          • Read More
    • Sponsors

          • It Takes a Village

            At Grandma’s Marathon, we specialize in bringing people together for an unparalleled running experience. Over four decades of careful attention to detail has earned us the reputation as one of the most highly organized races in the country. More than 20,000 participants travel from more than 50 countries and all 50 states to join us each June on the scenic shores of Lake Superior, and your message can be waiting for all of them when they get here.

          • Read More
    • Volunteer

          • It Takes a Village

            We agree with our runners — we have the most compassionate and energizing community of volunteers. Every year, we host close to 20,000 participants and we couldn’t take care of them without your help. Grandma’s Marathon is a world-class event with small-town charm because of our volunteers!

          • Read More
    • Donation Campaign

          • It Takes a Village

            We couldn’t do it without you, and we wouldn’t want to! The passion our community has for Grandma’s Marathon is what gives our race its small town charm, and the contributions you’ve made over the years are what allow us to keep improving the world class experience for our participants, volunteers, and spectators.

          • Read More
    • The Marathon
          • Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter Youtube
    • Annual Races
    • Young Athletes Foundation
    • When You Visit
    • Support Us

Grambassadors

Don’t Believe Us? Ask Them!

The best people to ask about Grandma’s Marathon are runners who have been here, and that’s why we started the Grambassador program! This group can answer your questions, offer advice on what to do on race weekend, or just get you excited and inspired before that long training run!

Our Grambassadors represent many of the different groups that make Grandma’s Marathon special – seasoned veterans and rookies, elites and back of the pack runners, locals and internationals. Together, they make up a group committed to enhancing your race weekend experience through training advice, motivation, and other tips key to a wonderful Grandma’s Marathon experience.

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?
Because we believe our event must be experienced to be truly understood, it is preferred that our Grambassadors be previous participants in our Grandma’s Marathon weekend.

While a substantial social media presence is a positive, it is not necessarily a requirement. We are also looking to build a diverse group of Grambassadors from different backgrounds and communities with varying skill sets.

The Grambassador application process will reopen in September 2022. Please check back if interested to submit your application.

WHAT DO GRAMBASSADORS DO?
Our Grambassadors, quite simply, are asked to share their passion about Grandma’s Marathon and the Duluth community with other potential participants. All Grambassadors must be participating in one of the three weekend races and plan to share their experiences leading up and on race weekend.

During the application process, you will be asked to show demonstable skills in at least one of the following areas:

  • Social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok)
  • Content creation (photos, videos, blogs, etc.)
  • Community outreach and group recruitment
  • Involvement in running clubs or other health-focused social groups


WHAT ARE THE PERKS OF BEING A GRAMBASSADOR?

  • A complimentary entry into (1) 2023 Grandma’s Marathon weekend races and (1) Young Athletes Foundation (YAF) event, if desired
  • Grandma’s Marathon training swag
  • Featured content on our social media channels and/or blog
  • Other opportunities including pre-race interviews and/or news stories, merchandise giveaways, and invitations to other race weekend events
  • Additional incentives (based on involvement and success in program)
GRAMBASSADOR PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Meet Our 2022 Grambassadors

Follow along with our 2022 Grambassadors in their journey to the finish line. You’ll learn more about their training programs, their advice for race weekend, and their must-dos and must-sees in Duluth and the surrounding region. Essentially, they can be your inside source of information to unlocking the best possible Grandma’s Marathon experience!

MEET OUR 2022 GRAMBASSADORS

Carrie Alajoki
Rachel Barger
Noah Bitney
Jim Boatman
Emily Buie
Patti Hallback

Shannon Hogan
Shawn Jarvis
Tanya Koneczny
Olivia Kusch
Heather Larson
Tony Loyd
Angie Maske-Berka
Darius Moore
Lora Osborn
Alex Stolarow
Lindsay Walter
Caitlin Wachsmuth
Michelle Ziebarth

For more information on the Grambassadors Program, please contact Program Director Alivia Nelson via email at [email protected] or call our office at (218) 727-0947.

© 2022
Grandmas Marathon Duluth-Inc.
Privacy Policy | Terms of Use

Fitger's 5K History

The Fitger’s 5K began in 1990 and over more than three decades has now become Duluth’s premier spring running event.

The 3.1-mile race traditionally starts and finishes in front of the historic Fitger’s building. The scenic race course takes participants through downtown Duluth and Canal Park.

Below are the all-time Fitger’s 5K race records and winners from each year. NOTE: Some early records are incomplete and our staff is working to retrieve those dating back to 1990.

2022 Fitger's 5K Parking Info

The Fitger’s 5K course starts and finishes just outside the historic Fitger’s Lakefront Hotel in downtown Duluth. They travel eastward toward 23rd Avenue East on Superior Street, London Road, and South Street.

Course Map [PDF]
CLOSE

2022 Fitger's 5K Parking Info

The Fitger’s 5K course starts and finishes just outside the historic Fitger’s Lakefront Hotel in downtown Duluth. They travel eastward toward 23rd Avenue East on Superior Street, London Road, and South Street.

Course Map [PDF]
CLOSE

2022 Fitger's 5K Parking Info

Free parking for the event is available in the parking ramp located next to Fitger’s.

Fitger’s Complex
600 E. Superior Street
Duluth, MN 55802

CLOSE

2022 Fitger's 5K Race Packet Pickup Info

The Fitger’s 5K course starts and finishes just outside the historic Fitger’s Lakefront Hotel in downtown Duluth. They travel eastward toward 23rd Avenue East on Superior Street, London Road, and South Street.

Course Map [PDF]
CLOSE

2022 Fitger's 5K Swag Items

The Fitger’s 5K course starts and finishes just outside the historic Fitger’s Lakefront Hotel in downtown Duluth. They travel eastward toward 23rd Avenue East on Superior Street, London Road, and South Street.

Course Map [PDF]
CLOSE