2027 Grandma’s Marathon, Half Marathon Sell Out In Record Time, 5K Also Sold Out

The three different events of Grandma's Marathon Weekend in the Duluth area have been an especially hot ticket over the last few years, setting some records for how fast the events have sold out.

Registration for the 2026 events all set records, with the full marathon selling out in just 12 hours, the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon in only about 75 minutes, and the William A. Irvin 5K in just under 2 hours.

As registration got underway earlier today for the 2027 events the weekend of June 19 next year, it was clear this year would also sell out quickly - in record pace in a few cases.

The first of the three races to reach capacity for 2027 is the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon. The 7,500 slots for the event sold out in just 58 minutes, which is a new record time for this race to sell out in. Event organizers had some fun with the fact that the sellout happened faster than the 1:00:17 record pace for the race itself.

The William A. Irvin 5K also managed to sell out in quick fashion, managing to do so in only 118 minutes after registration opened. While organizers say the 1,750 slots sold in a time that is "just off record pace", it is still an impressively quick sellout even if it isn't a new record.

While the full marathon was the last of the races to sell out this evening, the pace at which it sold out was very impressive, also breaking a record.

Around 8:15 pm, organizers reported that there were only 1,000 of the 8,000 slots left for this event. Only 45 minutes later, that number was cut in half. An hour after that, even history was made.

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At 10 pm Grandma's Marathon organizers shared that the full marathon had sold out in a record time of just 174 minutes.

In their social media post to share the record sellout, they acknowledge how everyone in the sport is out to chase personal records. They stand awestruck by this one, saying "We really don't deserve all of you. Our hearts are full. So is our start line."

While the 5K was just shy of a record, the half and full marathon both managed to set new records for selling out in the shortest amount of time ever.

While all of the races are sold out, that doesn't mean you're out of luck to participate in 2027.

Besides chances to volunteer for the various events of the weekend, there is a bib transfer opportunity that may give you a chance to get in on your favorite race if someone backs out. In addition, there are opportunities to run on behalf of a charity partner. You can learn about those on the Grandma's Marathon website.