William A. Irvin 5K
The countdown is on!
2023 William A. Irvin 5K registration opens on October 1, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. CT.
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The countdown is on!
Get to training! The 2023 William A. Irvin 5K is coming up fast, we’ll see you in June!
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The 2023 William A. Irvin 5K is officially sold out!
Those still interested in participating in the 2023 William A. Irvin 5K can explore any of the following options:
- Charity Partners Program — You raise the money, they pay for your race entry. Run for free, run for good!
- Bib Transfer Portal — Connect with runners who can’t make it in June and are looking to sell their race entry.
- Virtual Race — Can’t make it to Duluth? Run your race where it’s convenient for you, and we’ll ship your finisher shirt and medal to you!
Connect with other 2023 William A. Irvin 5K runners!
- 2023 Participant Facebook Group — You’ve got questions about race weekend? Go straight to the source and connect with other runners!
The 2023 William A. Irvin 5K is officially sold out!
Those still interested in participating in the 2023 William A. Irvin 5K can explore any of the following options:
- Great Grandma’s Challenge — Run the William A. Irvin 5K on Friday before either Grandma’s Marathon or the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon on Saturday!
- Charity Partners Program — You raise the money, they pay for your race entry. Run for free, run for good!
- Bib Transfer Portal — Connect with runners who can’t make it in June and are looking to sell their race entry.
Race Date: June 16, 2023
Race Location: Duluth, MN
Race Start: 6:00 p.m.
Race Capacity: 2,700 (FULL)
Pricing Structure (In-Person)
October 1-October 15 — $40
October 16-December 31 — $45
January 1-June 1 — $50
Pricing Structure (Virtual)
October 1-June 1 — $35
Future William A.
Irvin 5K Dates
June 16, 2023
June 21, 2024
June 20, 2025
June 19, 2026
June 18, 2027
June 16, 2028
June 15, 2029
June 21, 2030
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).
A new course, starting in 2016, now takes participants on a scenic tour of Duluth’s Lakewalk on the shores of Lake Superior before running through Canal Park back to the finish line.
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.
There is one water & aid station available on the William A. Irvin racecourse, location just before 1.5 miles. Water, toilers, and first aid will be available to participants here.
William A. Irvin 5K Award Categories
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
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 as well as learn more about how to order your official race photos, please click HERE. You can also read more about the William A. Irvin 5K all-time event record holders, year-by-year winners, and age category record-holders.
For answers to some of the most Frequently Asked Questions about the William A. Irvin 5K and race weekend, 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.
Every William A. Irvin 5K finisher will receive a finisher medal (similar to Grandma’s Marathon medal, pictured left) and commemorative finisher shirt.
Race packets are distributed on on race weekend at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC). Participants are also given the option at time of registration to have their race packet sent via mail.
There is one water & aid station available on the William A. Irvin racecourse, location just before 1.5 miles. Water, toilers, and first aid will be available to participants here.
RACE BIBS
Your race bib MUST be pinned on all four corners to the FRONT of your outermost layer. Do not alter your bib in any way. The silver tag on the back of your bib is for timing and recording your results. Please complete the emergency medical information on the back of your number prior to the start of the race.
SCORING & TIMING
You must start and finish with your bib number affixed as instructed in order to receive and official time. NO EXCEPTIONS.
William A. Irvin 5K Award Categories
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
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 as well as learn more about how to order your official race photos, please click HERE. You can also read more about the William A. Irvin 5K all-time event record holders, year-by-year winners, and age category record-holders.
For answers to some of the most Frequently Asked Questions about the William A. Irvin 5K and race weekend, please click HERE.
2023 WILLIAM A. IRVIN 5K
FINISHER MEDAL
Once you cross that finish line, you’ll forever own a title that no one can take away — William A. Irvin 5K finisher.
Immediately after finishing, you’ll receive your finisher medal (pictured left). NOTE: You will receive your commemorative William A. Irvin 5K shirt when you pick up your race packet prior to the race.
Whatever your reason for starting, we can’t wait to see you finish!
2023 LIMITED EDITION JACKET
$50.00
Whatever the weather, this breathable performance fleece zip-up jacket made by Minnesota-based company Storm Creek will keep you at peak comfort and offers the perfect active layer.
MSRP: $75.00
2023 TRAINING SHIRT
$30.00
Let the world know you’re training for 2023 in this 100% polyester, long-sleeve tech training shirt. You’ll look good and run fast!
SOFT QUARTER ZIP
$35.00
Made by Minnesota-based company Storm Creek, this luciously soft and lightweight quarter-zip will fit perfectly and snuggle you all the way across the finish line.
MSRP: $55.00
Known for providing some of the best hospitality in road racing, the Grandma’s Marathon weekend is one of the largest marathons in the United States and one of the few not held in a large, metropolitan area.
Travel to Duluth for race weekend is made easy with daily, direct flights from the Minneapolis-St. Paul and Chicago-O’Hare airports.
A summer marathon needs a natural air conditioner. Lake Superior keeps our city cool on race day, with an average temperature of 56 degrees and a typical tailwind for our runners.
About the William A. Irvin
The William A. Irvin ore boat was built in the 1930s for U.S. Steel’s Pittsburgh Steamship Company. The steamer carried coal and iron ore to ports on the Great Lakes for 40 years.
The Irvin, now owned and operated by the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC), is longer than two football fields and has become an iconic piece of Duluth’s Canal Park as a floating museum of maritime history.
The ship received a facelift in 2019 after the DECC received more than $500,000 in grant money for a restoration project.
