are you signed up to run Grandma’s Marathon weekend?
GRANDMA’S MARATHON + GARY BJORKLUND HALF MARATHON GROUP COACHING
Whether you are signed up for Grandma’s Marathon, Gary Bjorklund Half Marathon, or Great Grandma’s Challenge, this page is for you! Get ready to do ALL THE THINGS to have your best experience possible! (And no, you don’t need to be living in the Duluth area to be in this group!)
Signing up for a race can be exciting but it can also be daunting! Where do I start? What do I need to do? What do I expect during training AND on race day?
If you want to approach your training AND race day with confidence, I’m here to help! Whether your goal is to finish (which is an awesome accomplishment in itself) or you have a time or pace goal, working with a run coach who understands Grandma’s courses is valuable! The support, guidance and accountability that comes with working with me will be unmatched and make your race an unforgettable experience!
Don’t wing your training, procrastinate it or try to piece together a generic plan from the internet. Let me take the thinking out of your training, provide you with a plan specific for racing in Duluth, and give you to the tools to succeed in training and on race day! Plus you’ll be surrounded with other individuals who are also training for one of the races during Grandma’s Marathon weekend!
I help runners run smarter, stronger, faster and healthier by taking a holistic approach to training and running. I build training plans that consider YOUR season of life (married, kids, traveling, high-stress job, etc.), life stressors, short-term goals and long-term goals. Each training plan is different from athlete to athlete and also from training cycle to training cycle. The holistic approach that I take is my favorite part of coaching and is what sets how I coach apart from other run coaches. There are amazing run coaches all across the country and world, but the majority of them will only mention these other training aspects – they won’t actually address them. I also offer life coaching, nutrition coaching and strength training programs separate from run coaching services.
This is for you if you’re signed up for Grandma’s Marathon weekend (or are planning to sign up) and:
You’ve done your own thing in the past and are ready for a customized training plan and support
Your goal is to run a PR in Duluth
You’ve plateaued in your recent races and are looking to take things to the next level
You’re excited for a net downhill course next to Lake Superior and want to do the best that you can with support and a plan
You’ve ran a race in Duluth before and want to improve your time, distance and/or experience
You want to work with someone who knows the courses and terrain of Duluth
You want to be surrounded by a group of runners who are also training for a Fargo race!
You need structure and support in training through the winter for this spring race
You’re ready to train SMART with proper training that will get you results
You need structure/a plan to hit your goals you KNOW are possible
This is your first race and you want to enjoy the experience
You’ve been burnt out and want to fall in love with running again
Is group coaching best for me?
Marathon & Half Marathon Specific Training Plans
GRANDMA’S MARATHON & HALF MARATHON GROUP COACHING
What’s included?
Structured Grandma’s-specific training with options for your race distance
Initial set up with history and goal setting
Strength training to support the rolling hills and net downhill course
Prehab programs/routines, warm-ups and cooldowns
Warm-Up Guide
Bi-weekly check-ins and review of training including feedback from your coach
One monthly LIVE call (recorded): Deep dive on training topics and Q&A
One monthly “Ask an Expert” LIVE call (recorded) to ask a professional questions that relate to training (registered dietitians, physical therapist, sports psychologists, etc.)
Private community for support, accountability, encouragement, sharing, and Q&A
Discussions on strength training, nutrition, sleep, life stress, mobility, etc. (ALL THE THINGS)
Goal setting, as well as race day, fueling and pacing prep
- Mindset work
Why group coaching?
Group coaching provides the guidance of a coach without the cost of one-on-one coaching. This group delivers for distance-specific run training for all running levels from beginner to advanced, as well as strength training designed to get you to the start line healthy and ready to crush your goals.
This group will open on February 9, 2026, and run for 5+ months. Prep week will begin February 16th with training officially beginning February 23, 2026. The group will continue for the full first week after race day to ensure you recover properly! If you are running Gary Bjorklund Half Marathon, you can continue to sign up through the end of March.
Payment options: 4 ($125) payments or 1 payment upfront ($425) at a discount.
WHEN DO I NEED TO START TRAINING?
CLASSIC ANSWER – THAT DEPENDS!
What distance are you signed up for? What is your current training like? Have you been running and strength training? Have you ran this race before? Do you have any current or past injuries?
Everyone’s training plan will look different. It’s based on YOUR goals, your season of life, and your history with training. That’s why I’m here!
This group will begin 19 weeks out from race day. Again, each training plan will be different and each will have a different focus based on your goals and level of fitness.
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT TO FOCUS ON UNTIL WE START, >
Have a question about how group coaching for Grandma’s works?
Started by a local group of runners in 1977, Grandma’s Marathon has grown from just 150 participants its first year to now one of the largest and best-known marathons in the United States. Widely regarded as a world class event with small town charm, our race now welcomes more than 20,000 participants each June and brings with it close to $40M of economic impact to the region.
The racecourse, in a wonderful combination of serenity and excitement, runs alongside the quiet and scenic shores of Lake Superior before entering the city limits of Duluth where runners are welcomed and pushed to the finish line by a boisterous and enthusiastic throng of specatators.
In what’s become the largest community event of each calendar year, Grandma’s Marathon weekend has now become the unofficial kickoff to summer in Duluth and the surrounding region. It’s a time that our city and community throws open its doors to welcome participants from all over the world and introduce them to our race and way of life in northern Minnesota.
Marathon, half marathon, 5K (Friday), Great Grandma’s Challenge
The marathon course is USATF-certified and an official Boston qualifier.
Nutrition, strength, mobility, sleep, mindset, mental strength, life stress, fuel/hydration on the run, etc. – “ALL THE THINGS” that factor into your training/running – I don’t just focus on the runs. There is so much MORE to running than just the runs.
Training Peaks is a software program used to plan out your workouts, and track your progress. As a coach, Training Peaks gives me the data to analyze your workout and customize your training plan. Read more about Training Peaks here: TrainingPeaks.com/athlete-features
If you haven’t used Training Peaks before, I will send you instructions on what type of account you need & how to get it set up properly.
I will customize your training for your race & specific goals with Grandma’s Marathon and the Gary Bjorklund Half Marathon.
We will have a private group for all participants, as well as a group chat thread. You’ll have the opportunity to ask questions on our group coaching calls.
I love to interact with my athletes. I take a well-rounded approach to training – we aren’t just going to focus on running, we will focus on ALL THE THINGS (see description above in FAQ). I believe (and have learned the hard way) that rest is ESSENTIAL and sleep needs to be a priority – sleep impacts everything and it’s when the majority of your recovery takes place – so I incorporate at least one rest day per week into every plan (let’s talk individually if you are a run streaker). And it depends on your goals and level of training, but in general we will follow the 80/20 rule to running.
Download the Free Guide for
“4 Things to Start Doing NOW Before and After Your Runs”
my story
MY FARGO TRANSFORMATION
I haven’t always been a runner. I haven’t always been fast. I haven’t always been lean.
➡️ In 2016 I ran my first half in May in 2:29. I felt awful. I ran fasted, ate sports beans and drank gatorade on the course, and thought I was going to throw up. I KNEW I could do better. After making big changes to my nutrition I ran a 1:43 in the fall.
➡️ I wanted to keep the momentum and progress I had made so I was consistent through the winter.
➡️ In May 2017 I ran a 1:38 (in Fargo) and then chipped away at that time, running 3 other half marathons that year in the 1:30s.
➡️ I ran through the winter and ran my first marathon in May 2018 in 3:15 (in Fargo). Less than a month later I ran a half in 1:27. I ran 3 other half marathons that year between 1:27 and 1:25.
➡️ AGAIN I was consistent through the winter, ran a marathon PR (again in Fargo) in May 2019 in 3:09 and ran 4 half marathons between 1:26 and 1:24, finally breaking sub 1:25.
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Online run coach based in Fergus Falls, MN, coaching athletes across the United States, Canada, and Europe
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