Takes Less than 100 Hours to Reach 8,000+ Participants in 2024
(DULUTH, MINN.) — After enjoying a record opening day of registration earlier this week, the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon has now reached its fastest sellout since 2018.
More than 8,000 participants signed up in less than 100 hours for the popular road race, which will be held June 22 as part of the 2024 Grandma’s Marathon weekend. When registration moved from a lottery structure to first-come, first-served in 2018, the event sold out in a single day.
“This race is always one of our most popular, but this year rivals some of our best in terms of early interest and registration,” Marketing & Public Relations Director Zach Schneider. “It’s been an exciting week, and now the focus turns to creating an experience for these participants that they can enjoy and makes them want to return.”
Despite the main event being sold out, there are still ways for people to get into the 2024 Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon:
2-Year Guaranteed Program — Participants can sign up for the 2024 and 2025 Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon, while also supporting the Young Athletes Foundation. Only 100 total 2-year guaranteed entries will be sold.
Half Great Grandma’s Challenge — Participants can sign up for both the 2024 William A. Irvin 5K and Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon. Fewer than 50 entries remain to the 2024 Half Great Grandma’s Challenge.
Charity Partners — Participants can register through one of our 2024 Charity Partners. When a participant has reached the fundraising goal – set by each organization – they will receive a free entry into the 2024 event of their choice. Available charity entries vary by organization.
“We talk every year about the positive impact Grandma’s Marathon weekend has on our participants and community,” Marketing & Public Relations Director Zach Schneider said, “but our 2-Year Guaranteed Entry Program and Charity Partners program are great examples of how that impact can extend even past our race weekend.”
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 participants that year, the race weekend has now grown into one of the largest in the United States and welcomes more than 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. In addition to the 26.2-mile race, the organization has now added the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon and William A. Irvin 5K to its weekend offerings.
As the popularity of Grandma’s Marathon 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 a nine-person, full-time staff and a 17-member Board of Directors.
