Race Recap: Grandma’s Marathon Weekend 2025

Joni Lynn Schwartz
Jun 24
3 min read

This year’s Grandma’s Marathon weekend was far from our usual routine. Typically, we hit the road on Friday for our race adventure, but with warnings about road closures and a shifted 5K start time (even though none of us were running it—we just love to watch!), we decided to head up a day early.

We arrived late Thursday and eased into Friday with a relaxed pace. After a slow morning, a couple of us headed out for a short shakeout run along the lakefront—just enough to loosen up the legs and take in the crisp morning air. Later, we spent time sitting by the lake, watched the 5K, and picked up our race packets at the expo. Then it was time to shift gears into race prep mode.

I was running the half marathon, along with my sister and niece, while our other sister was getting ready for the full marathon. We went to bed early—only to toss, turn, and take turns heading to the bathroom. Let’s just say we were well hydrated.

Race day brought surprises. The original forecast was ideal—low to mid 50s—but when the 3:00 a.m. alarm rang, we were greeted by thunder, lightning, downpours, and a 30-minute delay. To top it off, humidity had skyrocketed, and the afternoon was expected to reach into the 80s.

The three of us half marathoners headed to the buses around 5:00 (thankfully a later departure due to the delay) and navigated puddles along the way. Once we arrived at the start—13.1 miles from Canal Park—we made a beeline for the bathrooms and somehow avoided the typical porta-potty lines. Win!

After a short warm-up, we even spotted two other runners we knew—pretty much a mini-miracle in a sea of 8,000 runners. My sister and niece headed to Corral 2 while I made my way to Corral 1. I knew I wasn’t in race shape, so I started with the 1:55 pacer, planning to adjust my pace as I went. I hoped I’d have a little gas left at the end to finish strong.

The first seven miles felt decent… until they didn’t. I wasn’t hurting, but I knew if I pushed hard, I’d pay for it in the final miles. Since this wasn’t a PR attempt, I chose to slow down and soak in the experience.

A coworker texted me the night before saying she was praying I’d enjoy the race. So, I took a risk and did something you’re never supposed to do on race day: I tried all the things.

Along the course, spectators had tables lined with all kinds of offerings. I grabbed some pickle juice (I knew I needed salt), then watermelon, a slice of orange, pickles—and hey, why not more pickle juice? Except… surprise! That last one was beer pickle juice. Oh well!

By mile 10, I was feeling better. Cold sponges and handfuls of ice at water stops helped a lot. I crossed the finish line in 1:55:24—goal met—and I truly enjoyed the miles along the way.

After my sister and niece finished, we jumped into Lake Superior for a quick swim and then cheered for our marathoner sister, who ran a smart race despite the brutal 84-degree heat and humidity.