Dakotah Popehn and Amanuel Mesel emerged victorious at the 50th edition of Grandma’s Marathon, held on Saturday, June 20, 2026, along the scenic shores of Lake Superior in Minnesota, United States.
The landmark race, which began in Two Harbors and finished in downtown Duluth, attracted thousands of runners from across the globe.
Known for its fast point-to-point course and net downhill profile, Grandma’s Marathon remains one of the most popular marathon events in North America.
Popehn, who represented Team USA in the marathon at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, claimed the women’s title in a time of 2:28:51.
The Minnesota native secured her third Grandma’s Marathon crown, having previously won the event in 2021 and 2022.
In the men’s race, Eritrea’s Amanuel Mesel crossed the finish line first in 2:11:21 to claim the championship ahead of a highly competitive field.
Meanwhile, Zoey Viavattine topped the nonbinary category, posting an impressive time of 2:38:09.
Women’s Top 10 Results
Dakotah Popehn – 2:28:51
Bashanke Bilo – 2:29:36
Jane Bareikis – 2:30:23
Mary van Laarhoven – 2:32:40
Hannah Branch – 2:34:03
Annmarie Tuxbury – 2:35:00
Sarah Czuprynski – 2:35:36
Shalaya Kipp – 2:36:58
Jennifer Pope – 2:37:59
Shannon Smith – 2:38:24
Men’s Top 10 Results
Amanuel Mesel – 2:11:21
Elisha Barno – 2:12:50
Getinet Gedamu – 2:13:03
Milton Rotich – 2:13:04
Will Norris – 2:13:08
Joseph Whelan – 2:13:10
Benard Rotich – 2:13:30
Mohammed Bati – 2:13:38
Sammy Rotich – 2:14:13
Dillon Maggard – 2:14:42
Nonbinary Top 5 Results
Zoey Viavattine – 2:38:09
Anna Grace Tiede Hottinger – 2:59:55
Zachary Moon – 2:59:56
Eli Blascyk – 3:05:45
Jaime Helm – 3:20:01
The 2026 edition marked a significant milestone for Grandma’s Marathon as the race celebrated its 50th anniversary, continuing its legacy as one of the premier long-distance running events in the United States.
