Grandma's Marathon

General registration opens October 1 at 7:00 p.m. CT on Race Roster and sells out quickly. If general entries are gone, you can still enter through one of the official charity partners, which requires meeting a fundraising minimum that varies by organization.

The time limit is 7 hours, requiring a minimum pace of approximately 16:00 per mile. Runners who continue after the cutoff are asked to move to the sidewalk and proceed at their own risk, as aid stations close and vehicle traffic resumes.

Yes, it is a USATF-certified Boston qualifier. In 2025, about 11.5% of finishers achieved a Boston qualifying time, and the race's historical average is over 14% per year.

The course runs point-to-point from 740 ft at the start to 610 ft at the finish, a net drop of 130 ft. There are rolling hills throughout, with cumulative gain of roughly 162 ft and cumulative loss of about 292 ft. The most notable climb is Lemon Drop Hill near mile 22, which arrives after significant accumulated fatigue.

Historical averages show a low around 51F and a high around 70F on race day in June. Lake Superior moderates temperatures and often provides a tailwind along the course, but conditions vary widely year to year, ranging from near-freezing to rare heat events.

The 2025 edition had 7,582 marathon finishers, the largest in the race's history and ranking it among the ten largest marathons in the United States.

Yes, the marathon course holds USATF certification under code MN25002DT, making qualifying times valid for Boston Marathon entry and other USATF-sanctioned purposes.