Now is the time to start thinking about next year's Grandma's Marathon weekend in Duluth, which will kick off with the William A. Irvin 5K on Friday, June 20, followed by Saturday's Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon and Grandma's Marathon.

This week, Grandmdma's Marathon announced registration details for all three races, as well as some big news about the 2025 William A. Irvin 5K.

A New Route And Start Time For The William A. Irvin 5K

Grandma's Marathon officials announced that due primarily to planned construction outside the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center, the 5K will have a new course next year.

The new William A. Irvin route will take participants on Canal Park Drive and underneath the finish line structure that will be set up for 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, with Duluth's popular Lakewalk taking a prominent role in the middle part of the race course.

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Another change is that the 2025 Wiliam A. Irvin 5K will have an earlier start time, with the 5K now beginning at 1:00 p.m. as opposed to the traditional 6:00 p.m. start to help ease what’s become a very congested time in the late afternoon and early evening.

Registration Details Announced For All 3 Grandma's Marathon Weekend Races

Registration for the 2025 Grandma’s Marathon weekend will open on Tuesday, October 1 at 7:00 p.m. CT.

It's important to note that registration for the weekend’s races will open on a first-come, first-served basis. The William A. Irvin 5K, Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon, and Grandma's Marathon all reached a sellout for the fourth consecutive year in 2024, so if you want to run any of the races, you should play it safe and be ready to register at 7:00 p.m. on October 1.

To register or to find complete, you can visit Grandma's Marathon online at GrandmasMarathon.com.

Grandma's Maraton Weekend Races Tiered Pricing System

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

Grandma’s Marathon (9,000 capacity)

  • October 1-October 15: $130
  • October 16-December 31: $140
  • January 1-March 31: $150
  • April 1-June 1: $160
  • Virtual: $120

Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon (8,000 capacity)

  • October 1-October 15: $120
  • October 16-December 31: $130
  • January 1-March 31: $140
  • April 1-June 1: $150
  • Virtual: $110

William A. Irvin 5K (2,700 capacity)

  • October 1-October 15: $45
  • October 16-December 31: $50
  • January 1-June 1: $55
  • Virtual: $40

Full Great Grandma’s Challenge (500 capacity)

  • October 1-October 15: $205
  • October 16-December 31: $220
  • January 1-March 31: $235
  • April 1-June 1: $245

Half Great Grandma’s Challenge (700 capacity)

  • October 1-October 15: $195
  • October 16-December 31: $210
  • January 1-March 31: $225
  • April 1-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.

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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.

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