Take a big sniff.  Do you smell that?  It's the smell of sweat from all those Northlanders getting in their training runs.  We're just over a week away from the weekend that draws thousands to Duluth to run, volunteer, cheer, or party for Grandma's Marathon.  Ever wonder exactly what goes into Grandma's Marathon weekend?  Well, with the help of Bob Gustafson, Grandma’s Marathon Public Relations Director, I'm back again to break it down by-the-numbers.

231-The number of men and women competing in the USA Half Marathon Championships

40-The number of countries represented during the marathon.

50-The number of states represented, and the District of Columbia.

0-The number of states not represented.

3,976-The number of Minnesotans in the marathon.

6,188-The number of Minnesotans in the half marathon.

855-The number of Wisconsinites in the marathon.

837-The number of Wisconsinites in the half marathon.

17,402-The number of runners registered for the USA Half Marathon Championships, Grandma's Marathon, the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon, and the William A. Irvin 5K.

35-The number of registered half marathon runners in the 70+ age category.

43-The number of registered runners in the 70+ age category for the full marathon.

86-The age of the oldest Grandma's Marathon runner: Joy Johnson of San Jose, California. Go Joy!

12-The age of the youngest Grandma's Marathon runner: Adam Cross of Ham Lake, Minnesota. Go Adam!

175,626-The total number of Grandma's Marathon finishers in 36 years.

15,359-The number of people who have liked Grandma's Marathon on Facebook

8,500,000- The number of dollars Grandma’s Marathon brings in to the local economy annually.

6,000-The number of volunteers needed each year for Grandma’s Marathon weekend.

7-The number of employees that work for the non-profit organization.

400,000- The number of Coca Cola cups used at the racecourse water stations.

5,000- Gallons of water used at 15 official water stations.

30,000- Sponges used on the racecourse.

100,000- The prize money purse awarded to the top finishers.

2-The number of half marathons I’ve finished.

1-The number of races I'm running Grandma's Marathon weekend--the William A. Irvin 5K!

 

Those are some pretty impressive numbers!

Thank you to everyone that makes this incredible world-class event happen each year. From the staff at Grandma’s Marathon, the volunteers, the runners, and the spectators, everyone plays an important part in this awesome event. I hope to see you out there!

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