Grandma’s Marathon 2025 Registration Opens

Grandma’s Marathon opens registration for its three 2025 weekend races — Grandma’s Marathon, Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon and William A. Irvin 5K — on Oct. 1.

The 5K will have a new course in 2025, due primarily to planned construction outside the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center. The new route will take participants on Canal Park Drive and underneath the finish structure that will be set up for the following day’s events, Grandma’s Marathon and the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon.

The race will still start on Harbor Drive next to the William A. Irvin ore boat and finish in Bayfront Festival Park, and the Lakewalk will still be a long stretch in the middle part of the racecourse.

The 2025 race will also feature an earlier start time, with the 5K going off at 1 p.m. as opposed to the traditional 6 p.m. start to help ease what’s become a very congested time in the late afternoon and early evening.

Grandma’s Marathon weekend is June 19-21, 2025. To register or to find more information visit grandmasmarathon.com.

All Grandma’s Marathon weekend races are subject to a tiered pricing system, as outlined below, so early registration is encouraged. There will be virtual options for each of the weekend’s races as well.

Grandma’s Marathon (9,000 capacity)
Oct. 1 to Oct. 15 — $130
Oct. 16 to Dec. 31 — $140
Jan. 1 to March 31 — $150
April 1 to June 1 — $160
Virtual — $120

Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon (8,000 capacity)
Oct. 1 to Oct. 15 — $120
Oct. 16 to Dec. 31 — $130
Jan. 1 to March 31 — $140
April 1 to June 1 — $150
Virtual — $110

William A. Irvin 5K (2,700 capacity)
Oct. 1 to Oct. 15 — $45
Oct. 16 to Dec. 31 — $50
Jan. 1 to June 1– $55
Virtual — $40

The Great Grandma’s Challenge is again being offered as part of the 2025 race weekend. Challenge participants will start with the William A. Irvin 5K on Friday night and follow that with either Grandma’s Marathon or the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon on Saturday morning.

Full Great Grandma’s Challenge (500 capacity)
Oct. 1 to Oct. 15 — $205
Oct. 16 to Dec. 31 — $220
Jan 1 to March 31 — $230
April. 1 to June 1 — $245

Half Great Grandma’s Challenge (700 capacity)
October 1 to Oct. 15 — $195
October 16 to Dec. 31 — $210
January 1 to March 31 — $225
April 1 to June 1 — $235

All registered participants, in any of the weekend’s events, will receive both a shirt and finisher medal, as well as a free drink coupon that can be redeemed during race weekend. Great Grandma’s Challenge participants will receive a specialized Challenge medal, as well as the two individual event medals, after finishing their marathon or half marathon on Saturday.

Race weekend will again feature several community events and activities that are open to the public, including free live music and entertainment at Bayfront Festival Park on Friday and Saturday as well as the Essentia Health Fitness Expo, Michelina’s All-You-Can-Eat Spaghetti Dinner, and Whipper Snapper Races for Kids.