Area runners (and their kin) run Grandma’s Marathon, Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon
Four decades of Grandma’s.
Since the initial Grandma’s Marathon in 1977, it has grown bigger than just a 26.2 mile race along the scenic North Shore of Minnesota.
Grandma’s is held each June – this year on Saturday, June 18 – the course running point-to-point from Two Harbors to Duluth on Route #61, along Lake Superior. The finish is in Canal Park, near Grandma’s Restaurant, next to the Aerial Lift Bridge. It was first run in 1977 with only 150 participants. The first race was won by Minnesotan and 1976 Olympic 10,000 meter runner, Garry Bjorklund.
At that time, the newly-opened Grandma’s Restaurant was the only local business that would sponsor the event, for the fee of $600. Race organizers then named the new race after the restaurant.
Grandma’s Marathon is now run by almost 10,000 runners every year, has nearly a $2 million operating budget and is credited with bringing tens of millions of tourist dollars into the city of Duluth.
This year, the 26.2 miles were covered by 7,522 finishers – 3,781 men and 3,741 women. The average time was 4:44.10.
Another race the same day, the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon, takes runners from the edge of the city limits – all the way to the heart of Duluth – 13.1 miles.
There were 7,919 overall runners in this race – 2,906 men and 5,013 women. The average race time was 2:17.29.
Joining the thousands of runners racing in the two events were a number of area residents (and their kin).]
Their results are as follows:
Grandma’s Marathon
Butterfield
+ Jared Bargen (age 24) – 4:04:59. He was 2,003 out of 7,522 overall runners, 1,326 out of 3,780 male runners and 577 out of 1,336 males in his age group.
+ Twylla Strom (age 58) – 4:58:57. She was 4,774 out of 7,522 total runners, 2,090 out of 3,741 female runners and 76 out of 159 females in her age group.
Windom
+ Jay Grandprey (age 55) – 3:59:15. He was 1,763 out of 7,522 overall runners, 1,189 out of 3,780 male runners and 65 out of 37 males in his age group.
+ Emily Grandprey (age 24) – 4:42:05. She was 3,892 out of 7,522 overall runners, 1,598 out of 3,741 female runners and 745 out of 1,546 females in her age group.
+ David Carroll (age 39) – 5:17:32. He was 5,478 out of 7,522 overall runners, 2,997 out of 3,780 male runners and 424 out of 533 males in his age group.
+ Daniel Hup (age 31) – 6:10:14. He was 6,922 out of 7,522 overall runners, 3,574 out of 3,780 male runners and 1,285 out of 1,336 males in his age group.
+ Jim Axford (age 50) – 6:10:14. He was 6,924 out of 7,522 overall runners, 3,575 out of 3,780 male runners and 352 out of 364 males in his age group.
Glencoe
+ Amy Metcalf (age 39) – 3:32:22. She was 715 out of 7,522 overall runners, 137 out of 3,741 female runners and 20 out of 681 females in her age group.
Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon
Mountain Lake
+ Nikolas Strom (age 34) – 1:53:56. He was 1,492 out of 7,919 overall runners, 958 out of 2,906 male runners and 411 out of 1,088 males in his age group.
+ Dave Bucklin (age 59) – 1:55:56. He was 1,703 out of 7,919 overall runners, 1,059 out of 2,906 male runners and 43 out of 196 males in his age group.
+ Jacquelyn Strom (age 33) – 2:13:25. She was 3,826 out of 7,919 overall runners, 1,923 out of 5,013 female runners and 953 females in her 34-year-old age group.
+ Amber Hughes (age 29) – 2:14:42. She was 4,000 out of 7,919 overall runners, 2,051 out of 5,013 females and 1,010 out of 2,193 females in her age group.
Butterfield
+ Randall Strom (age 59) – 2:06:43. He was 2,951 out of 7,919 overall runners, 1,593 out of 2,906 male runners and 84 out of 196 males in his age group.
Comfrey
+ Brian Nehring (age 31) – 2:46:13. He was 6,729 out of 7,919 overall runners, 2,668 out of 2,906 male runners and 1,033 out of 1,088 males in his age group.
Windom
+ Aaron Axford (age 19) – 1:43:30. He was 687 out of 7,919 overall runners, 511 out of 2,906 male runners and 240 out of 1,088 males in his age group.
+ Emily Axford (age 20) – 2:14:54. She was 4,026 out of 7,919 overall runners, 2,071 out of 5,013 female runners and 1,017 out of 2,193 females in her age group.
+ Heather Olson (age 33) – 2:23:32. She was 4,970 out of 7,919 overall runners, 2,740 out of 5,013 female runners and 1,293 out of 2,193 females in her age group.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
+ David Bucklin (age 30) – 1:26:36. He was 163 out of 7,919 overall runners, 135 out of 2,906 male runners and 88 out of 1,088 males in his age group.
Mingo, Iowa (now of North Carolina)
+ Anna (Bucklin) Gerber (age 32) – 2:05:38. She was 2,823 out of 7,919 overall runners, 1,280 out of 5,013 female runners and 628 out of 2,193 females in her age group.
+ Ryan Gerber (age 33) – 1:39:49. He was 512 out of 7,919 overall runners, 390 out of 2,906 male runners and 186 out of 1,088 males in his age group.
