Marathon Man: A journey of resilience and gratitude

At 73, Dr. Jim Kirkham, a semi-retired radiologist at the University of Minnesota, embodies resilience. A resident of Minneapolis, he’s been married to his wife, Shelly Marette, for 34 years. With two daughters, ages 31 and 33, his life is a tapestry of outdoor pursuits like canoeing, running, woodland walks and winter escapes to Maui.

Yet, it’s his extraordinary connection to Grandma’s Marathon that defines a big part of Kirkham’s story. Having completed 45 of these races, his journey is one of perseverance, health battles and gratitude for the care he’s received, particularly from Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center.

Kirkham’s marathon tradition began decades ago, sparked by a challenge from his mother, a Duluth native. That first race in the late 1970s ignited a passion, and he’s run nearly every Grandma’s Marathon since, earning a permanent race number and the prestigious Ron Daws Ambassador of the Year Award. For Kirkham, running is more than exercise; it’s a lifeline.

“It gets you away from the world and clears the mind,” he said.

In 2006, at 53, Kirkham faced a daunting diagnosis: aplastic anemia. The diagnosis evolved and became so serious that, at one point, Kirkham was told he had three weeks to live.

With a can-do attitude and a determination to live, he pushed on.

“Running has an incredibly powerful effect on my healing,” he said, noting how it fortified his spirit against physical and psychological challenges.

Six months after receiving his diagnosis and subsequent treatment with horse serum, Kirkham  unofficially ran Grandma’s Marathon solo at 2 a.m., taking a cab to the starting line near Two Harbors to begin his run to Duluth.

With the help of a bone marrow transplant, Kirkham is now in remission from acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), which, in most cases, is deadly.

But 2024 brought a new test. After going on vacation, Kirkham came home sick with pneumonia just days before his 45th Grandma’s. Unsure of his ability to run the race, Kirkham made his annual pilgrimage to Duluth with his wife in case he was feeling better by race day.

“My daughter and her friend wanted to raise awareness about the need for bone marrow transplants, so they were using the race to try and raise a total of $3,000 for the cause,” he explained.

Kirkham set out determined but unsure. Feeling inspired by the fundraising efforts of his daughter and her friend, Kirkham donned a mask and boarded the bus to the marathon’s start line. In an effort to avoid getting others sick, he was the last one across the start line, setting out to run the race alone and away from the pack.

Approaching the halfway mark “sick as a dog,” Kirkham knew he was too ill to continue. He stopped running and called his wife for a lift.

A doctor herself, Marette knew something was wrong right away. They headed back to their hotel intending to rest. But when Kirkham couldn’t get himself out of the hot tub, his wife knew he needed medical attention.

She rushed him to St. Mary’s Medical Center, where he spent 10 days in the ICU, five of which he was on a ventilator.

With the care of Dr. Eric Swanson, a pulmonologist and critical care physician, hope returned for Kirkham and his family.

“Dr. Swanson and the entire team at Essentia are phenomenal,” Kirkham said.

“We were just so pleased with the care,” his wife said. “This is an exceptional health care facility that provides top-notch care.”

“It’s our privilege to help people and their families get through crises like these,” said Dr. Swanson. “I would like to thank Jim and his wonderful family for trusting our incredible team with their medical care.  It’s our honor to be a part of his extraordinary history of Grandma’s and wish him many more to come.”

Kirkham made a full recovery and, two months later, returned to Duluth to finish the second half of his race, clocking an unofficial time of six hours and 29 minutes.

“I was feeling great,” he said. “I needed to finish and thank the doctors for getting me back on my feet.”

After his run, Kirkham and his wife returned to St. Mary’s to pay a special visit to Dr. Swanson and his entire care team, thanking them for saving his life.

Another health complication prompted Kirkham to run this year’s Grandma’s virtually near his Minneapolis home. Kirkham has been recognized for completing 1,000 miles on the Grandma’s course and received an engraved belt buckle that has only been given to a handful of runners by the Grandma’s Marathon staff.

Running remains Kirkham’s ultimate stress test, a symbol of his defiance against chronic illness. Diagnosed with a three-week prognosis in 2006, he’s now outlived expectations by nearly two decades. “If you can run a marathon, you’re good,” he says with a smile.

At 73, with his body aging, each race is harder, but Kirkham vows to keep running as long as he can. Through every step, he carries a message of hope and appreciation for the care that’s kept him going, proving that resilience and gratitude can outpace even the toughest
challenges.