The GRIND keeps the mountain biking season rolling at Giants Ridge
September 16, 2026 | Property Spotlights
For 11 years running, Giants Ridge has hosted the GRIND, a cross-country mountain bike race that’s become one of the property’s signature summer events. Troy Hawks, Marketing Director at Giants Ridge, tells us all about the event and what other properties can take away from it.
A race built for everyone
The GRIND was originally inspired by the Lutsen 99er, a well-known race that takes place on Minnesota’s North Shore. An organizer connected to that race brought the idea to Giants Ridge more than a decade ago, and the property has produced the GRIND in-house ever since.
The GRIND is designed to appeal to a wide range of riders. “It’s an endurance race, it really appeals to high-end athletes, but we also try to bring a family appeal to it as well,” Troy said. Riders can choose from the Long GRIND (35 miles); the Short GRIND (19 miles); the Junior GRIND (5 miles), designed for participants ages 18 and younger; and even the Miner’s Race (.5 to 1 mile) for the littlest participants, ages 6 and under. With the variety in race offerings, the GRIND regularly draws multiple generations of the same family to the start line.
Steady turnout, room to grow
Attendance has held fairly steady over the years, generally landing somewhere between 90 and 140 riders depending on the year and conditions. What makes that especially impressive is that the GRIND is an entirely homegrown effort — there’s no outside race promoter running the show. It’s the Giants Ridge team, working the event in-house alongside all of their other day-to-day responsibilities.
Troy noted that growing the event to an even larger scale remains a work in progress. Looking ahead, the goal is to keep building participation over time while continuing to make the GRIND the best version of itself, year after year.
Earned media: Right time, right place
Though not related to the GRIND, Giants Ridge got an additional boost from a Duluth television station shortly after the event. During the station’s visit, the crew covered mountain biking more broadly (catch the full story here) and the station plans to return soon for another bike tour that’s coming through the property. As Troy put it, awareness remains an ongoing challenge for the mountain bike operation, even after 11 years of racing; any exposure helps!
When asked what other properties might take away from the GRIND, Troy pointed to a few consistent practices:
- Don’t skip the press release. A well-placed release and a solid local media list can generate meaningful onsite visits before and during an event.
- Tell the finish-line story. Following up with race results, prize details, and photos of winners helps close the loop and keeps people engaged with the event’s story.
- Use a platform built for reach. GRIND moved its registration to RunSignUp.com, a site with national reach among endurance athletes. Since many racers travel to find events, listing there brings in participants who might never have found Giants Ridge otherwise.
Eleven years in, the GRIND remains a draw for Giants Ridge — and a good reminder that consistent execution, smart promotion, and a bit of mud can go a long way.