FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Gearing Up for Grandma's 2012

Pre-race training seminar to feature Andrew Carlson

(Duluth, Minn.) If you are training for a race during June's Grandma's
Marathon weekend, then you won't want to miss the annual Gearing Up for
Grandma's pre-race seminar on Saturday, March 10. This free event from 9
a.m. to 11 a.m. at Essentia Health's First Street Building is a valuable
training resource for both first-timers and veteran runners.

The seminar's featured speaker is Andrew Carlson, who trains with Team USA
Minnesota and placed sixth in the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials last month
in Houston. Racing in his first event at the marathon distance, he finished
in 2 hours, 11 minutes and 24 seconds.

Carlson, 29, is a native of Fargo, North Dakota and ran collegiately at the
University of Minnesota, where he was a two-time (2002 and 2004) Midwest
Region Cross Country Champion and two-time cross-country All-American.

He has captured two national championships as a professional runner (15k –
44:12, 2008 and 25k – 1:14:42, 2010). His personal best in the half
marathon is 1:02:21.

Other Gearing Up for Grandma's presenters include:

Katie Koski – Local Elite Runner – 2:45:27, 2012 U.S. Olympic Marathon
Trials

Ben Nelson, MD – Grandma's Marathon Medical Director and Essentia Health
Orthopaedic/Sports Medicine Physician

Jim and Mary Stukel – Owners of Tortoise and Hare Footwear

Following the individual presentations, a question and answer session will
be held with all of the presenters. A prize drawing will conclude the
event, which also includes Duluth News Tribune sports writer Kevin Pates
serving as the emcee.

Gearing Up for Grandma's is presented by Essentia Health, the Duluth News
Tribune and Grandma's Marathon. For more information, call (218) 727-0947
or visit GrandmasMarathon.com.

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