The marathon train at about 5AM. The marathon train leaves Duluth Minnesota at 5:30AM and arrives in Two Harbors at about 7AM to see the 7:30AM start of the marathon.
My parents and my two sons going first class. Here I was feeling bad that my family had to wake at 3:30AM to get to the train on time. But while I was running my butt off in the heat, they were sipping wine, champange, bloody mary's and being served a hot breakfest. I was eating energy gels.
My brother and his wife. My brother is a Emmy award winning professional video journalist. Many of the pictures you see were taken by him. In fact, he is so good this picture you are looking at was taken by him.
Passengers of the marathon train are allowed to get out on the tracks to see all the hubbub at the starting line just outside of Two Harbors, Minnesota.
A view from the bar car. Passengers were allowed to roam about the train to get many different vantage points.
7103 runners packed in like sardines at the starting line. The blob of runners eventually stretchs out, where the first runner finishes at about 2 hours and 17 minutes and the last runners finish at about 6 hours.
For the first twenty miles Grandma's marathon offers beautiful country side scenery along Lake Superior, then the last 6 miles is through residential and urban neighborhoods of Duluth, then ending at the Duluth harbors on Lake Superior.
The open air car on the marathon train.
A water station for the runners. There were many tables like these at each water station. I'm just guessing but there was probably about 30 to 50 workers at each water station. This picture was taken while the elites were running through, otherwise there would have been hordes of runners gulping down water.
Running through Duluth Minnesota. This part of the run was in a relatively open area near the harbor. The course runs through the heart of downtown Duluth.
Grandma cheers on runners as they cross the finish line.
Some runners were carried across the finish line and some were wheeled across. Imagine running 26 miles only to break down within a hundred yards of the finish line. That's got to hurt.
Chemo-man nearing the finish line.
Crossing the finish line. All of a sudden it's all over. Several months of training, recovering from injuries, maintaining a constant focus on a goal, and then it's all over. It's common for a marathoner to go through some depression after completing a marathon. Not me, I just set sights on the next big event, like a canoe trip in the Minnesota Boundery Waters Canoe Area Wilderness with my family.
My brother.
My parents.
My wife and two boys.
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