The ECM has got to be one of the best small town races. This was my first time running a marathon, and I was happily surprised with how well organized, … MORE
The ECM has got to be one of the best small town races. This was my first time running a marathon, and I was happily surprised with how well organized, and produced the whole weekend for the race was. If you participate in the ECM you will get to enjoy all the perks and features you’d find in a big city race but still enjoy the comfort of being a small town. As a first timer, I was welcomed from day one. Enjoyed the perks of free training plan and joined the group runs, and participated in the zoom conferences held by a sports nutritionist, who really helped me come up with my fueling plan for race day, all this at no additional cost. The whole weekend felt like a runners party. Everyone was friendly and welcoming, I will be coming back next year again!
Please login to reply to this review.
The biggest small town race weekend
The ECM has got to be one of the best small town races. This was my first time running a marathon, and I was happily surprised with how well organized, … MORE
The ECM has got to be one of the best small town races. This was my first time running a marathon, and I was happily surprised with how well organized, and produced the whole weekend for the race was. If you participate in the ECM you will get to enjoy all the perks and features you’d find in a big city race but still enjoy the comfort of being a small town. As a first timer, I was welcomed from day one. Enjoyed the perks of free training plan and joined the group runs, and participated in the zoom conferences held by a sports nutritionist, who really helped me come up with my fueling plan for race day, all this at no additional cost. The whole weekend felt like a runners party. Everyone was friendly and welcoming, I will be coming back next year again!
Great spring race weekend!
Eau Claire marathon weekend is a great spring race! I have run or volunteered at this event for the past few years. The organization, support, and overall enthusiasm felt makes … MORE
Eau Claire marathon weekend is a great spring race! I have run or volunteered at this event for the past few years. The organization, support, and overall enthusiasm felt makes this a fun and rewarding run experience. I plan to back next year once again!
Great value and well organized.
This race weekend is very well put on. The city of Eau Claire with all the pedestrian bridges crossing the river multiple times is quite charming, and still large enough … MORE
This race weekend is very well put on. The city of Eau Claire with all the pedestrian bridges crossing the river multiple times is quite charming, and still large enough that you have all the options and shops in case you forget something vital.
A huge bonus from this race was the nutrition classes offered for free to all registered participants. I learned some valuable lessons and believe this helped me to PR and perform better than my previous marathon experience.
Race packet pickup and gear check were both a breeze. Porta potty lines were decent as well. The marathon and half marathon start times staggered 1.5 hours apart which kept everything running smooth without any major rush for the facilities.
The race course for the full marathon has a lot of turns through different neighborhoods, and along the river looping past the airport and heading back into the downtown area. Running a block over from the finish line at mile 23 was not the heartbreak I expected – rather a boost of energy from the post race party and spectators, then through another neighborhood which led right into the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire Blue Gold mile which was packed with cheering college students.
Overall the race course was pretty flat with the exception of 3 notable hills, only one of which was on the steeper side. Much of the course is run on wide flat roads, and an approximate 2.5 mile section on dirt road that is well packed and not gravel.
A big drawback of the course is that there are quite a few miles, maybe 5-6, that are completely exposed with no shade. It was very cloudy and was originally supposed to rain, and so it was not an issue this particular day. If it had been a sunny day, this could be devastating for many runners especially coming out of the cold midwestern winters. This particular section netted the 3 “shoe” difficulty because otherwise I probably would have rated it a 2 “shoe” because the hills weren’t too bad and were finished by mile 16.
Aid stations. The course aid was very well supported with many volunteers at each station. There were probably 17 aid stations, and porta potties every couple of miles, so one could run the marathon without carrying their own fluids and stay hydrated enough to perform well. Honey stinger gels and chews were handed out at 2 different locations on the course.
The race medal by itself this year isn’t anything spectacular. Instead, it is the first of a series of 5 medals that will hook together to create one giant medal. Looks like I’ll be coming back for 4 more years! The best part is you don’t have to run the same race to earn the medals that go together. The shirt is a super soft T-shirt with the ECM logo on it and is personalized to show the distance that you actually ran (or registered for).
Love this marathon weekend
This may be a "small town" but has a lot of heart, especially during marathon weekend. I started participating last year and feel as if I have missed out for … MORE
This may be a “small town” but has a lot of heart, especially during marathon weekend. I started participating last year and feel as if I have missed out for way too long, and will continue to be a participant for many years to come. Each marathon I increase my distance, thus a new race. I ran the 10k, enjoyed the course very much. Running across the bridges is a highlight, that last bridge before the turn… into the crowd is always a big push to finish that last bit. I do wish the expo would continue to grow with a multitude of vendors! Love every second of it.
3rd time ECM but first Challenge
Since my first Eau Claire Marathon in 2021 I keep coming back. I love this race, this area, this community, and the team that puts it on. I look forward … MORE
Since my first Eau Claire Marathon in 2021 I keep coming back. I love this race, this area, this community, and the team that puts it on. I look forward to being an ambassador for years to come and having this as my spring tradition every year.
Best half marathon I’ve completed.
I love the atmosphere of this race. I’ve ran other races where you feel alone. There’s so many people cheering you on and providing endless motivation from start to finish. … MORE
I love the atmosphere of this race. I’ve ran other races where you feel alone. There’s so many people cheering you on and providing endless motivation from start to finish.
I’ll be back again next year!
The Eau Claire community never disappoints with the immense support and excitement all race weekend long! I always feel so prepared with the ECM information being sent out well in … MORE
The Eau Claire community never disappoints with the immense support and excitement all race weekend long! I always feel so prepared with the ECM information being sent out well in advance. I knew how to fuel, dress, and train appropriately with ecm’s help!
Fun small town race.
This was a great race. The atmosphere was fun! Beautiful scenery and a very well planned race. Many water stations and great crowd support. Great swag! MORE
This was a great race. The atmosphere was fun! Beautiful scenery and a very well planned race. Many water stations and great crowd support. Great swag!
Best day ever
eau claire half marathon race recap! TLDR: I DID IT!!! threw my back out saturday getting into the car before our 8 hour drive. i was devastated, didn’t know if … MORE
eau claire half marathon race recap!
TLDR: I DID IT!!!
threw my back out saturday getting into the car before our 8 hour drive. i was devastated, didn’t know if i would be able to run on sunday. all of my running since october has been in preparation for this race. woke up sunday and pain was still there but i could manage a jog. i decided to adjust my plan and go for 3:30 min run/1 min walk interval cycle instead of 5/1. when i signed up for this my time goal was 2 hours 45 minutes, averaging a 12:30ish mile. the course was incredible, the spectators gave me so much energy. the vibes were incredible. i smiled through the whole run. met a few friends along the way. and beat my goal time by 6 minutes! finished in 2 hours 38 minutes with an average 12:06 per mile. the last 3 miles were really challenging. in addition to my back stiffness and pain, my left hip started hurting and I started getting cramps in both feet. but i powered through and added extra walk breaks. at mile 6 i could really feel my dad with me, i hadn’t expected that and it was overwhelming and beautiful. i had 40 unread texts when i finished the race from my friends who were tracking me on the app and it made me feel so incredibly loved and supported. so many congratulations after i crossed that finish line- what i’ve spent 9 months working for. this race was everything i hoped it would be and more. can’t wait to go back next year and do it again!
Amazing experience for a first timer!
I chose the Eau Claire Marathon for my first half marathon mainly due to how walker-friendly the race is! I'm a newer runner and was very nervous about increasing my … MORE
I chose the Eau Claire Marathon for my first half marathon mainly due to how walker-friendly the race is! I’m a newer runner and was very nervous about increasing my distance. The community surrounding ECM was so welcoming and supportive! Towards the end of the race I was feeling defeated as I hadn’t properly been able to train for the race and the cheering and community support kept me going!
Not as back of pack friendly as hoped
I signed up for this as probably my first and only marathon. I am well aware that I am very back of back but they indicated that they did not … MORE
I signed up for this as probably my first and only marathon. I am well aware that I am very back of back but they indicated that they did not pull people off the course and everyone would be allowed to finish and get their medal. They also indicated people on bikes would be checking on the stragglers. Although I did finish and get my medal it was made more difficult than it needed to be. They took down directional signs very early and even water stops closed before the 6 hour cutoff. I saw someone taking down the flag for mile 23 and that was basically the last sign I saw. The last people on bikes I saw was probably mile 18 or 19. The finish goes through downtown with many turns and I had no idea where to go. It was raining and made it difficult to check the map on their app even if I could have understood it at that point. I was lost between mile 23&24 and wasted time trying to figure out which way to go and even asking random people on street corners if they knew how to get to where I knew the finish was. I had been approximately 30 minutes ahead of the sweeper but wasted time and when I was about to give up I turned around and the sweeper and final person were coming down the street. Never have I been so happy to see the sweeper. Aubrey was amazing and got us to the finish and to her I am grateful. Although I don’t have a “finish line” picture and missed all the festivities there were people waiting for us and gave us the space blankets and food and chocolate milk and congratulated us. Someone did take a picture of the three of us and ended with a hug from Aubrey. So the end was happy but I was legitimately scared for a while. Everything pre race was great including the communication and nutrition classes offered. The expo was well organized and swag was nice. I would recommend the race if you are faster than about a 5 or 5.5 hour finisher but if you are far back of pack I would look at other options.
Not the best for back-of-the packers
Everything leading up to the race was amazing. Great communication, lots of social media posts, and great merch/swag. I especially enjoyed the 3 free nutrition masterclasses. Packet pick up was … MORE
Everything leading up to the race was amazing. Great communication, lots of social media posts, and great merch/swag. I especially enjoyed the 3 free nutrition masterclasses. Packet pick up was easy and we quickly found free parking. Staff and volunteers were friendly and took time to answer questions. I liked the 7am start time but wish it was just a few weeks later in hopes of better weather as it rained the last 2 hrs.
The course itself was beautiful and I enjoyed the community cheers and costumes. It was a bit hillier than I expected and I could have done without the 3 miles of gravel trail that wasn’t very scenic.
I’m not from the area but signed up due to the advertisement that they would not remove anyone from the course after the 6 hour limit and that bike crew would help people complete the course and earn their medals. But the back-of-the-pack support was not great. I stopped seeing bike support after mile 18 and the course started being broken down way before the course limit. My biggest issue was they removed the directional signs and after mile 22 I had no idea where I was going. The last part of the course twists and turns and goes down by the river and through campus and downtown. I was really scared that I had put in 6 months of training and wouldn’t finish simply because I was lost. When I did finish there was a small group of people cheering which was awesome and I did get my medal but no warming blanket, no photo finish, no PR bell, or food. I had to walk a ways to get my gear bag and then didn’t see a truck and had to walk back. Would be helpful if the gear bags were near the finish for the back-of-packers if there are only a few people left on the course.
A Fantastic Race
The atmosphere surrounding this race is just fantastic. The entire city of Eau Claire seems to get involved. The organization and managment of this race is spot on with good … MORE
The atmosphere surrounding this race is just fantastic. The entire city of Eau Claire seems to get involved. The organization and managment of this race is spot on with good communication, easy packet pick up, excellent course support and nice race swag. The course itself has some scenery with the bridges over the rivers being nice. There are a few hills, but nothing major. Wouldn’t mind a little earlier start time. 8:30 seems a bit late in the day to me.
This is my second running of the half in Eau Claire and I plan to keep coming back!
Best half marathon!
Beautiful course, with a few easy hills nothing crazy, the crowd support is like none other!! There are pretty much spectators at every point of the race. The blue gold … MORE
Beautiful course, with a few easy hills nothing crazy, the crowd support is like none other!! There are pretty much spectators at every point of the race. The blue gold mile is absolutely amazing, music, so many students out cheering you on, high fiving and fist bumping! It’s seriously a rush right before the finish!! The race is by far the best organized they have thought of everything. They have different challenges you can sign up for which I did all of them this year and that was seriously so much fun!! And their race swag is the best plus all the pictures are free!! Most races make you pay for the pics! Well done Eau Claire!!!
It’s the best race in western wish
If you want to come to a town were a lot of runners live eat and breath running this is your race! The community supports the runners and the race … MORE
If you want to come to a town were a lot of runners live eat and breath running this is your race! The community supports the runners and the race and the organizers are some of the best people who know that the outdoor community of runners because they are runners themselves!
Inclines took me out... downhills were f
Arrive at 725am. Packet pickup was fast and easy. There was an Expo on the Saturday I didn't attend. I used gear check which was easy. Race started on time … MORE
Arrive at 725am. Packet pickup was fast and easy. There was an Expo on the Saturday I didn’t attend. I used gear check which was easy. Race started on time again. And Jesus, downhill of the bridge at the start. This was a lope run, some deep and not o deephills or inclines either way my legs was fussing at me.. before we knew it 7miles just like that. Crowd support was good, especially the last mile through the university. I enjoyed the scenery here. Post race Expo. Chocolate milk, water, chips, bananas after race fuel.
Lives Up to the Hype
You read the reviews on here and think it can’t be THAT great. It is. All the things mentioned in previous reviews are true. I just can’t believe there’s another … MORE
You read the reviews on here and think it can’t be THAT great. It is. All the things mentioned in previous reviews are true. I just can’t believe there’s another small town marathon that gets this level of crowd support. Pretty hilly course, though!
Worth the drive!
The best thing about this race was the amount of spectators around every corner cheering us on! The swag shirt was nice. The medal was decent but it was smaller … MORE
The best thing about this race was the amount of spectators around every corner cheering us on! The swag shirt was nice. The medal was decent but it was smaller than I imagined it would be. The post race food was nothing to get excited about. Definitely worth doing just to experience the race energy!
Eau Claire Marathon Weekend
I’ve participated in the ECM in various ways for the past 8 years. Each time, I know I will have a great weekend! The production runs smoothly and seamlessly without … MORE
I’ve participated in the ECM in various ways for the past 8 years. Each time, I know I will have a great weekend! The production runs smoothly and seamlessly without fail! As a slow runner, I enjoy that this race gives finisher medals that I can add to my collection. Building up to race weekend, I enjoy trying to guess what color the tshirts will be that year. An overall great atmosphere and experience!
I never want to miss this race!
The course it great and it is very well organized! I love this race and have done it numerous times. It’s a great atmosphere and the swag is great! Absolutely … MORE
The course it great and it is very well organized! I love this race and have done it numerous times. It’s a great atmosphere and the swag is great! Absolutely loved the switch of vendors on the shirts. They were amazing!