Grandma’s Marathon Reaches First Sellout Since 2016

Grandma’s Marathon organizers said on Monday that all three of its June races have sold out for the first time since 2016.

In total, there are more than 20,000 people signed up to participate.

The sell-out is a healthy sign that the demand for the races never went away, after Grandma’s Marathon was cancelled because of the pandemic in 2020, and only ran at half-capacity last year.

“This will be one of the biggest fields ever for Grandma’s Marathon,” Shane Bauer, the executive director of Grandma’s Marathon, said in a press release. “That’s a great thing coming out of a pandemic, especially considering our organization’s mission around health and wellness. The economic impact of our event on the region gets a lot of attention, and it should. Really, though, the immeasurable impacts on each individual involved – from both a physical and mental standpoint – we think should be talked about more.”

The organization says that the marathon and its other Grandma’s-branded races draw in about $21 million for Duluth and nearby cities.

Grandma’s Marathon events kick off on June 16th and run through the 18th.

posted Tuesday May 31st
by Alexandra Burnley