DULUTH – More than 9,000 Grandma’s Marathon slots for next year — that’s just for the marquee 26.2-mile event — sold out in 12 hours overnight Wednesday.
In 2024, it took about a month to accomplish what was then a record-setting sellout.
The other races that are part of the popular annual June weekend here filled up even more quickly, in less than two hours. The Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon sold out in about 75 minutes after registration opened at 7 p.m., according to planners.
“I don’t think in our wildest dreams we would have expected this,” said Zach Schneider, a spokesman for Grandma’s Marathon.
The event celebrates 50 years in 2026, so organizers knew interest would be high and they increased entry space. They’ve heard from runners wanting their last or first Grandma’s Marathon to coincide with the anniversary.
More than 19,000 entries sold overnight, and with additions of elite, sponsor and charity entries that will follow in the next few months, it’s expected to be a record year for runners as well, Schneider said Thursday morning.
The half-marathon always sells out first, and took 12 hours last year. This would be the sixth successive year of sellouts, and registrations are snapped up faster each year, Schneider said.
In 2024, a record of more than 11,000 total entries were claimed within the first five hours, a year with technical troubles that caused people to wait longer in online queues. This year’s process, once again supported on the Race Roster registration system, seemed to work more smoothly, he said.
