It is simply amazing.
It’s the sort of thing that a human body shouldn’t be able to do. Yet with months of training, people are able to accomplish that feat. I’ve been up to Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth twice now to cheer on my father and sister.
I end up cheering for every runner who passes me.
I can’t help it. “Go, go, go, you’re almost there!” just erupts from my mouth.
Some dress up for their 26-mile run.
View of the final stretch down Canal Park
Our runners.
I prefer to watch the race from the end. We park in town (never getting there early enough to avoid the detour on 35 and subsequently wind up in the stop-and-go traffic jam). Then we walk down the route until we hit the end. Friends of ours watched their runner pass on Superior Street downtown and then walked across the Interstate bridge in order to watch her pass again. I wouldn’t want to almost miss my runner(s) at the end, however.
It’s simply phenomenal how many people run Grandma’s Marathon. This year there were 8,400 runners. In all, between 50,000 to 60,000 crush into the Twin Ports for the annual event. Hotels are booked solid, and restaurants packed.
After the race, runners head straight down to Lake Superior to cool their muscles.
This year we camped on the outskirts of Duluth at Indian Point Campground (Indianpointcampground.com). It’s a picturesque stay nestled up to the St. Louis River. A nice place, my only complaint was that the water was never above freezing in the showers. At one site, we pitched 5 tents. A tent site is $21 a night.
Indian Point Campground 75th Avenue West and Grant/Highway 23.
The best sites are on the St. Louis River.
We fit five tents on a site in the center.
While you’re in Duluth, drop by Grandma’s Saloon for dinner or a drink. But beware when telling folks where to meet — there are 3 locations on Canal Park!
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