Grandma’s – a Personal Best!

He did it!

Sean ran Grandma’s Marathon last weekend and finished with his best time ever. Many of you have asked; he finished in 3 hrs and 45 minutes, which is over a minute better than his last marathon time (Twin Cities 07).

The race is run along the lake shore path. They start in Two Harbors and run the whole lake side down to Canal Park and finish a block from Grandma’s Restaurant, downtown Duluth. I dropped Sean off around 5 am the morning of the race, so he could get buses to the start line. The race didn’t start until 7:30, so I had some time to kill. It was a beautiful morning, so I walked around and took a few pictures (posted).

There isn’t a lot open that early in the morning. It reminded me of those military mornings when it’s just you and the world while everyone else is still sleeping. I was able to find the treasure of the morning – – a Carabou was open! That is where everyone (all the other spectators) were hiding. Oh, sweet coffee!

When it was time, I biked as far north as I could to see Sean. The path will only let you bike as far as the 22 mile marker (Lemon Drop Hill). I saw the first many racers come through. I really enjoy spectating. My aunts taught me well on this front. (spectating isn’t a word I guess). It’s odd cheering, as you have a few motivational phrases that you end up using over and over as you cheer for hours. To the runners it’s great, they only hear it once, but to those around you cheering….you sound like a broken record: “Great Job”; “Look’n Great Runners”; “You got it”, “Nice job Ladies”, “Way to Go Guys”.

I was in my grove, cheering for all these crazy runners who are running in one morning more than I bike in a week. It was hot and I had found a spot where there wasn’t anyone else, right before the large gatherings began. Then, I hear some yell my name. “Odd”, I thought, I thought I hear someone yell my name. “I’m not running”. It was Andy Johnson, a high school buddy of Sean and I. What a great surprise as I haven’t seen him in a long time. We cheered together and caught up a bit until Sean ran by.

He looks so relaxed when he runs that he makes it look so easy. Oh, I know its not, but he’s a natural. I was able to sprint on my bike to 2 more spots to see him before the finish line. I almost missed him at one; it was a close call.

Once finished, we traveled back to our hotel and relaxed and ate for the rest of the day. I think I had sympathy hunger as I ate as much as he did…..and I had not just run over 26 miles.

What’s next? Twin Cities is the plan, for the third time.

Advertisement