Full Marathon Reaches Capacity Nearly 2 Months Ahead of Previous Record
(DULUTH, MINN.) — It’s a marathon, not a sprint. While applicable in many scenarios, the adage didn’t apply to this year’s Grandma’s Marathon, which reached its registration capacity today and marked the earliest sellout in the organization’s 49-year history.
“It’s a humbling thing,” Marketing & Public Relations Director Zach Schneider said, “and it speaks volumes about the work, care, and passion our entire community puts into our race weekend.”
The earliest previous sellout came in 2016, when the 26.2-mile race reached its capacity on December 31. Last year’s race came within days of breaking that mark, reaching capacity on January 5 before then seeing record participation with 7,570 finishers in June (2016 was previously the biggest marathon on record).
“Registration, in large part, is based on past performance. This community has built something people want to be part of and expect to be a positive experience, and we should all carry some pride in that,” Schneider said. “Now, the focus shifts in earnest and the hard work starts as we certainly want to deliver on, and hopefully exceed, those expectations come June.”
It’s not just the full marathon that’s reached new heights in popularity – the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon and William A. Irvin 5K were both sold out only days after registration opened on October 1.
In total, organizers expect more than 22,000 participants to be signed up for one of the weekend’s three events before June. Last year, there were more than 17,500 finishers across the three races in what was the largest single race weekend in the organization’s history.
While the main field for each of the three events has now reached capacity, there are still limited ways for those interested to participate in the 2025 race weekend.
Charity Partners — Participants can register through one of our 2025 Charity Partners. When a participant has reached the fundraising goal – set by each organization – they will receive a free entry into the 2025 event of their choice. Approximately 600 total race entries are currently available through charity partners, though availability will vary by organization.
Official Training Group — Participants can register with our official training group, and they will receive a guaranteed entry to either the 2025 Grandma’s Marathon or Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon. Approximately 150 guaranteed race entries remain for the official training group.
Bib Transfer Portal — Participants who become injured or are no longer able to attend are allowed to transfer their entries until May 1.
The 2025 Grandma’s Marathon weekend is scheduled for June 19-21, 2025.
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. After seeing just 150 registered participants that year, the marathon has now grown into the 10th largest in the United States.
The race got its name from the Duluth-based group of famous Grandma’s Restaurants, the first major sponsor of the marathon. Having now added the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon and William A. Irvin 5K, the race weekend now welcomes more than 20,000 participants to Duluth and the surrounding region each year.
As the popularity of Grandma’s Marathon weekend has grown, our mission has stayed the same – to organize, promote, and deliver annual events and programs that cultivate running, educational, social, and charitable opportunities to our communities.
Grandma’s Marathon-Duluth, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization with an eight-person, full-time staff and a 17-member Board of Directors.
