Gearing Up for Grandma's
Hear inspiring stories leading up to Grandma's Marathon, a 26.2-mile road race along the scenic shores of Lake Superior and finishing in Duluth, Minn. Started in 1977 with only 150 runners, Grandma's Marathon is now the 12th largest marathon in the United States and brings approximately 20,000 participants to northern Minnesota each June. Our podcast is brought to you with the support of Essentia Health. Grandma's Marathon is proudly presented by Toyota, Members Cooperative Credit Union, and ASICS.
Gearing Up for Grandma's
Surviving Cancer & Life Inside the Marathon w/ Laura Bergen
Laura Bergen began working with Grandma's Marathon in 1999 and, over the past two plus decades, has held a variety of roles within the organization.
She is currently the Registration and Expo Director, meaning she's primarily responsible for overseeing the event's registration processes and organizing the Essentia Health Fitness Expo that's held on race weekend.
In 2021, Bergen was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. After having gone through surgery and several rounds of chemotherapy, that cancer is now in remission. However, she's now developed a form of bile duct cancer, of which her treatment is ongoing.
The medical concerns have changed Bergen's availability to the marathon but not her love of the organization and the community that helps make Grandma's Marathon a success each June.