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Looking for Spectator Advice: Grandma's Marathon (Read 1360 times)

    I went to the web page for Grandma's Marathon and pulled up their spectator's guide.  It is not very helpful, to say the least.  Does anybody here have any suggestions?  My DW would like to catch me along the route (more than once if possible) and then at the finish.  We will have a car.  If you have any experience with this thank you for your advice!

    Live like you are dying not like you are afraid to die.

    Drunken Irish Soda Bread and Irish Brown Bread this way -->  http://allrecipes.com/cook/4379041/

    DoppleBock


      But I would guess the getting parked and to the finish line in time will take a long time. 

       

      I went to the web page for Grandma's Marathon and pulled up their spectator's guide.  It is not very helpful, to say the least.  Does anybody here have any suggestions?  My DW would like to catch me along the route (more than once if possible) and then at the finish.  We will have a car.  If you have any experience with this thank you for your advice!

      Long dead ... But my stench lingers !

       

       

      HermosaBoy


        The use of a car to get to multiple places along the course is not so great.

         

        Given the way the course lays out, there are not a lot of places where you can just drive up, park, cheer a bit and then move on to a new location.  Generally speaking, until you get into town, it's going to be a good walk from where you might be able to park to where you would cheer...  

        And you can quote me as saying I was mis-quoted. Groucho Marx

         

        Rob

          I completely disagree with Hermosaboy.  Grandmas is actually quite easy to spectate compared to other marathons, there is the Expy 61 freeway that runs parallel to the entire course about 1/2 mile inland from the lake.

          So here is what you do:  Have your DW drop you off at the start rather than take the start line bus. ( Then you can sleep in an hour later.)

          There are a bunch of roads that connect Hwy 61 to the course.   They are all well labeled on the coursemap:  Larsmont (3), Knife River (mi 5), Homestead Rd (mi 9), Ryan Road (12), McQuade Road (14),  Lakewood Road (16). 

           

          Your DW can pick two of these early race spots to spectate, such as Knife River and McQuade road, and the finish line.  Knife river is a litte town with plenty of parking, and McQuade road has plenty of parking up the hill a little bit.    And if they are quick on their feet, they can see you at mile 24.5 and at the finish.  

           

          Also, a hint to avoid Superior street as they come into town.  When you can, from where the expressway ends, drive up the hill and then head back down to get to downtown by the finish.

           

          Best of luck, and hope its not 90 and humid for you.

          HermosaBoy


            I completely disagree with Hermosaboy.  

             

            I guess I must've chosen the wrong roads.  Blush

            And you can quote me as saying I was mis-quoted. Groucho Marx

             

            Rob

              I guess I must've chosen the wrong roads.  Blush

               

              Or you could've been trying to follow someone in the dead middle of the pack running mid-4hrs and got caught in traffic.  Or maybe you were following someone in the 1/2, which is impossible.   Traffic can be bad, but I checked that Twocat is probably in the front 1/3 of the pack before posting my response.   When I ran Gmas in 2009, my wife saw me at 4 places before mile 18, then at 24 and the finish.   I was running at about 3hr pace before blowing up at 20, and she said that as she was pulling away at each place to drive to the next stop that there were hoards of cars lined up to take her parking spot.  As she was going, others were coming.  Should be the same for Twocat. 

              Trent


              Good Bad & The Monkey

                What GS said.

                 

                Every year I run, I see the same spectators all along the course, over and over again, all near these access roads.

                  Thanks everybody for the replies.  This thread has been a HUGE help!  GS we are going to try and follow your suggestions.

                  Live like you are dying not like you are afraid to die.

                  Drunken Irish Soda Bread and Irish Brown Bread this way -->  http://allrecipes.com/cook/4379041/

                  Trent


                  Good Bad & The Monkey

                    You may want to go out the day before and scope out the course and some of these sites. Drive up to Two Harbors, stop at Betty's Pies there for food n pie (and maybe also go visit Gooseberry Falls just north of that), then drive back on the course with a map.

                    xor


                      pie > food

                       


                      Imminent Catastrophe

                        That train that runs alongside the leaders is a pretty damned cool idea.

                        "Able to function despite imminent catastrophe"

                         "To obtain the air that angels breathe you must come to Tahoe"--Mark Twain

                        "The most common question from potential entrants is 'I do not know if I can do this' to which I usually answer, 'that's the whole point'.--Paul Charteris, Tarawera Ultramarathon RD.

                         

                        √ Javelina Jundred Jalloween 2015

                        Cruel Jewel 50 mile May 2016

                        Western States 100 June 2016

                          In case somebody stumbles upon this thread in future years I wanted to insert a post race followup.  The advice given by Gopher Snail was spot on.  My DW managed to see me at two spots during the race as well as the finish.  Race day, I took the train from the DECC to the start.  About the same time she drove to the Knife River viewing spot to see me around mile 5 along the course.  After I went by she then headed to McQuade Road for our next rendezvous at mile 14.  Once I past her there she drove back to Duluth, parked at the DECC ($5) and walked over to around the 25.5 mile mark where she met me one last time prior to the finish.  She did not have any difficulty getting to each spot in time to see me.

                           

                          Some tips for spectators trying to get around race day: 

                          1. The spectator viewing spots are off of the side roads going from the 61 Expressway to Scenic Drive (also called North Shore Drive).  Spectators drive up and down 61, park along a side road and then walk to Scenic to view the racers.  At each spot, park close to the 61 Expressway exit.  Then walk down to Scenic Drive.  If you park near Scenic traffic can make it difficult to get back out to the expressway and off to the next meeting spot.   If you park near the expressway exit you can make a quick getaway. 
                          2. You should also take Trent's advice and do a practice run the day before the race.   The exact location of each turnoff is not obvious and on race day spectators will want to find them quickly.  A practice run will also give you some idea about where to park and how far a walk it will be to the race course from there.
                          3. Getting to the finish line will require some routing creativity.  The direct roads from the race course to the DECC are closed and traffic in the area gets jammed early on.  To make it to the finish in time you need to have in mind a route that heads inland from 61 and then goes past the DECC and doubles back to park there.  That will let you get around the closed roads and route around most of the traffic problems.

                          Live like you are dying not like you are afraid to die.

                          Drunken Irish Soda Bread and Irish Brown Bread this way -->  http://allrecipes.com/cook/4379041/

                          Trent


                          Good Bad & The Monkey

                            Big storms yesterday and today. Much of Duluth is underwater. Interstates are closed, tunnels are filled and zoo animals are loose. State of emergency declared.

                             

                            For real and all.

                             

                            Glad the marathon was last weekend.

                            Trent


                            Good Bad & The Monkey

                              Holly just posted this elsewhere:

                               

                              The reports and photos coming in from the North Shore this morning are terrible. Highways 61, 210, 23, and I35 are all closed.

                               

                              http://www.startribune.com/local/159690605.html

                               

                              and

                               

                              http://www.startribune.com/galleries/159705585.html

                               

                              Kind of reminds me of what happened in Fargo after the marathon a couple of years ago.

                               

                               

                              Several of these pics are from on or near the marathon course.

                              HCH


                                Towns that put on marvelous marathons deserve better weather Karma.

                                Only 26.2 miles more to go.

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