Duluth Throws A Party -- 30,000 show up

[dmiller]

Grandma's Marathon is this weekend. One of the premier marathons in the country.

It starts in Two Harbors, Minney-soda, and ends up (conviniently),

at the doorstep of Grandma's Restaurant, here in Duluth ---

(surprisingly) an exact 26.2 miles, from the starting point!

9.000 runners are expected to participate tomorrow, and they bring with them --

family, friends, onlookers, support teams, money, you name it.

Duluth just grew in populatiion by 30,000 (plus) folks, for the weekend.

(click the runners)

The *original* story told -- is that a bunch of lumberjacks up in *da nort voods*,

worked all summer, and then were transported down to town (Two Harbors).

Grandma's has always depicted themselves as a bordello

(from the ealy days), and *as the story goes* ---

back when the lumberjacks were deposited on Lake Superior's Shore in Two Harbors ---

with money in their pockets from working all summer,

and lust in their hearts from lack of female companionship ---

It is said that ---- Ole (the Norwegian) said to Sven (the Swede),

that he was going down to Grandma's,

and was going to take all the women first.

Sven said "No Way" and began running down the highway to Duluth ---

(Highway 61 --- for all you Bob Dylan fans!) ;)

Ole followed in close pursuit, as did all the other lumberjacks,

each fearful that *nothing* would be left for them when they got there.

Supposedly -- THAT was the 1st Grandma's marathon!

Well -- that's the *legend*, but the reality is, that this is one of the most sought after marathon wins.

(Boston Marathon is obviously still in number one position).

The temps (for you runners) will be about 59 degrees the entire route,

as Lake Superior is on the left side of the runners the entire way --

with all the winds, and temps that it may decide to bestow that day (tomorrow) on those running.

Just thought I'd share a bit about what is happening here.

This is the 30th anniversary -- and one runner is there, who has run 28, of the past 29. :blink:

(PS --- I don't go anywhere near the race. It's a ************ down there!)

[bowtwi]

Cluster-what??? LOL

This is a great story! Thanks for telling it! I particularly enjoy the Norwegian and Swede references - my ex-husband is Norwegian and sends me lots of funnies about them.

[Cowgirl]

Now that sounds like a great time !! Who knows maybe one year I'll make it down there.....................as a spectator !! (Haha)

My marathon years are long gone, 10k's are my limit !!

Cowgirl

[dmiller]

Bow -- how did you get *cluster* out of

*********** ???????????????

[bowtwi]

Um well, I could tell you, but then, you know the drill...

Well, it was sorta like, um, well, it just seemed to me that cluster____ fit there so well. There were a bunch of asterisks, so it didn't didn't seem you were saying "mess" or "riot," and well, now you see how my mind works sometimes. It was just all real natural, you know, I moved MY mouth, MY lips, etc...

It wasn't a clusterduck rhymin word? Well I'll be _____-ed. I bet you filled in my blank as I did. tee hee

It's all good.

Any update on the run?

Are you sorry you asked? LOL

[jardinero]

Great story, David. Sounds like a lot of fun. Indy now has it's share of mini marathons and the locals make it into a great time of merriment which I'm sure will be the case at Grandma's.

J.