Registration Opens Friday for 2022 Grandma’s Marathon Weekend

September 27, 2021

Organizers Plan Return to Full Capacity After Reduced Field in 2021

(DULUTH, MINN.) — Registration will open this Friday, October 1 for the 2022 Grandma’s Marathon weekend, which will again be at full capacity after the COVID-19 pandemic altered race plans in both 2020 and 2021.

Organizers are preparing to welcome close to 20,000 participants to Duluth and the surrounding communities for the 2022 race weekend, scheduled for June 16-18. There will be 9,000 entries available for Grandma’s Marathon, 8,000 entries for the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon, and 2,700 entries for the William A. Irvin 5K (includes 1,200 entries into the Great Grandma’s Challenge).

“We’re excited to be able to open registration again with a full field,” Marketing & Public Relations Director Zach Schneider said. “We feel very fortunate to have held a successful half capacity event in 2021, but now we look forward to returning to a full-fledged race weekend because that’s the true Grandma’s Marathon experience we want for both our participants and our community.”

Registration for all three weekend races is first-come, first-served and will open at 7:00 p.m. CT on Friday, October 1. To register or to find more information, please visit grandmasmarathon.com.

Grandma’s Marathon weekend races are subject to a tiered pricing system, as outlined below, so early registration is strongly encouraged. There will also be a virtual option in 2022 for all three of the weekend’s races. 

Grandma’s Marathon
October 1-October 15 — $120
October 16-December 31 — $130
January 1-March 31 — $140
April 1-June 1— $150
Virtual — $110

Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon
October 1-October 15 — $110
October 16-December 31 — $120
January 1-March 31 — $130
April 1-June 1— $140
Virtual — $100

William A. Irvin 5K
October 1-October 15 — $40
October 16-December 31 — $45
January 1-June 1— $50
Virtual — $35

In addition, anyone registering for Grandma’s Marathon by December 31, 2021 will receive the option to purchase a commemorative jacket for the heavily discounted price of $20. The price of the jacket will increase to $40 on January 1.

While the expectation is that the 2022 Grandma’s Marathon weekend will be held without restriction, the possibility exists that certain health protocols and guidelines will be put into place based on the current status of the COVID-19 pandemic. In that scenario, race organizers will communicate changes to both participants and the community as they become available.

There will again be a cancellation policy in effect for the 2022 race weekend, which will be the same as it was for 2021. If Grandma’s Marathon weekend is switched to a virtual event due to COVID-19, all registered in-person participants will receive a 40% discount code that can be used three times from 2023-2027 for any of the three Grandma’s Marathon weekend races.

That discount code does not have to be used in consecutive years and can be used for any of the weekend’s three races, not just the race for which a participant originally registered. As has been race policy, no refunds will be given in the event of an in-person cancellation.

For any interview requests or more information, media is invited to contact Marketing & Public Relations Director Zach Schneider via phone at (218) 343-9874. NOTE: Schneider is currently working remotely but will be available this week for interviews via phone or Zoom.

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ABOUT GRANDMA’S MARATHON

Grandma’s Marathon began in 1977 when a group of local runners planned a scenic road race from Two Harbors to Duluth, Minnesota. There were just 150 participants that year, but organizers knew they had discovered something special. Grandma’s Marathon weekend draws approximately 20,000 participants for its three-race event each June.

The race got its name from the Duluth-based group of famous Grandma’s Restaurants, the first major sponsor of the Marathon. Over time, the level of sponsorship with the restaurants changed, but the name stayed the same. Grandma’s Marathon-Duluth, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization with a 17-member Board of Directors and a nine-person, full-time staff.