Breonna Kusick's Staging Area

Due to severe lightning causing a weather delay, the bus loading was a little chaotic. The busses drop off the half marathoners before going back to pick up the marathoners so at our spot there was a bus coming every 10 minutes, which was a little stressful since it took a while to get to the top. The race was supposed to start in 3 waves (A, B, C) but the organizers realized that the pacing signs didn’t align with the waves people were put in, which is something that should have been caught before 30 minutes before the race. The starting corral is pretty challenging to get into because the bottleneck you in through the sides, so a lot of people were stuck outside the corral when the race started. Obviously your time doesn’t start until you cross the mat but it was a little stressful to start a race.

On the course, the race was organized beautifully. Aid stations were where you expected them to be on the map and were well-stocked and packed with volunteers. There’s an option for water at the beginning of the aid station and again at the end, which is always nice if you want to grab a second cup to splash. They also had ice and sponges to help cool people off.

The course itself is relatively easy, very flat with really only one hill at Mile 22. The hill isn’t terrible unless you’re already half-dead because you’re undertrained for the race. There are only a few glimpses of Lake Superior; I had been hoping to see more of it but most of the view of the lake is blocked by trees.

It was VERY humid. I don’t live there so I can’t say what it’s normally like but the first mile is a bit suffocating while you’re still jam-packed with people and there’s just stale, humid area. Eventually, you get some cool air off the lake when the trees open up a bit and the breeze felt absolutely incredible! The end is closer to the lake so it stayed cooler in the last mile or so.

The spectators are phenomenal! Every 2-3 miles throughout the race and then they essentially line the last 10k so there’s a lot of support to help get you through.

Duluth itself is also a really cool town so with a flat and fast course, awesome spectators, and a a neat environment, this race should definitely be on your list!