Another enjoyable event for me. The "worst" part for me was the travel - flying into Portland, and driving down to Eugene was not awful, but a chore. Once in … MORE
Another enjoyable event for me. The “worst” part for me was the travel – flying into Portland, and driving down to Eugene was not awful, but a chore. Once in town, everything else was quite pleasant. Expo was small but nice. Starting (and ending) at Autzen Stadium was a good thing – spacious with facilities. Weather was colder than was forecast and I ended up making a trip to Target to scavenge for sweatpants/sweatshirt. But all worked out well. Course was fine, and ending on the field at the stadium was fun. After the race was pleasant too with lots of food/drink options, and plenty of space for everyone. This was a well-run event and I’m glad it was my pick for running Oregon.
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My choice for OR - happy w/ the pick!
Another enjoyable event for me. The "worst" part for me was the travel - flying into Portland, and driving down to Eugene was not awful, but a chore. Once in … MORE
Another enjoyable event for me. The “worst” part for me was the travel – flying into Portland, and driving down to Eugene was not awful, but a chore. Once in town, everything else was quite pleasant. Expo was small but nice. Starting (and ending) at Autzen Stadium was a good thing – spacious with facilities. Weather was colder than was forecast and I ended up making a trip to Target to scavenge for sweatpants/sweatshirt. But all worked out well. Course was fine, and ending on the field at the stadium was fun. After the race was pleasant too with lots of food/drink options, and plenty of space for everyone. This was a well-run event and I’m glad it was my pick for running Oregon.
So much fun, amazing volunteers!
Great course and so pretty! Lots of locals out there for support in the first half, the second half if senic but a little lonely. They call it fast and … MORE
Great course and so pretty! Lots of locals out there for support in the first half, the second half if senic but a little lonely. They call it fast and flat but there are some gradual uphills that surprised me. Perfect for my first marathon!
Tracktown race top notch
Eugene is my hometown, but as I run more races in other towns/cities, I am consistently reminded with how wonderful an event the Eugene Marathon is. I have run the … MORE
Eugene is my hometown, but as I run more races in other towns/cities, I am consistently reminded with how wonderful an event the Eugene Marathon is. I have run the half the last four years, but since I train here, I also regularly run much of the course for the full. Having now finished two fulls myself, I can say I definitely plan to run the Eugene full, and anticipate it being a fast and enjoyable race.
Pros:
Finishing on Hayward Field – let’s face it, other than a race like Boston, I think finishing on the track at Hayward is top notch. It feels amazing to hit that track for the last .15, and there are always lots of spectators to cheer you to the finish!
Course – the race follows a nice mixture of city / neighborhood streets, going through the University of Oregon campus, and past the football stadium, onto the river path that hugs the Willamette river. It is overall very flat, with a slight incline miles 2-4.5, a couple hills (not too big though) at mile 8.5, and 14ish, and then small rolling hills along the bike path the last few miles (for the full only). Again, overall very flat and fast, and once more runners discover this as a good BQ course, I can see the participation exploding!
Fans – people in Eugene love running, and if they don’t run, they still appreciate it as the legacy of this small city. The crowd support /spirit is great for an event this size. From a guy playing an electric guitar in a field by the river, to kids and families drinking coffee and eating donuts, offering “free hugs,” the crowd adds a fun element to this race.
Finish line – the finish area is excellent. Rather than a street curb, you are ushered onto the artificial turf soccer fields, where hot pancakes, live music, and usually plenty of sun greet you. The beer tent is great, though you do have to buy your beer (maybe one of these days they’ll change that!). Also, plenty of refillable water stations, and the last two years part of the finish line swag is a water bottle.
Organization – I feel this is a well-organized race, and at the same time, it is my hometown, so it’s more familiar to navigate.
Cons:
Shirts – the shirts could be better! They are fine, good quality Nike t-shirts, but I’ve been disappointed that 2 of the last 3 years were white. Also, I consistently feel that the shirts don’t fit quite right (no matter the size) – the female ones are just not long enough. I feel like the shirts could be better in order to match the overall quality of this event.
Highly recommend this event, to anyone from a first-timer, up to anyone trying for a PR or even a BQ, this is a great race!
Awesome smaller marathon
* Very reasonably priced * Did not sell out * Nearly pancake-flat course with plenty of space, some shade, & a bit of scenery * Awesome spectators/volunteers/spirit groups * Just … MORE
* Very reasonably priced
* Did not sell out
* Nearly pancake-flat course with plenty of space, some shade, & a bit of scenery
* Awesome spectators/volunteers/spirit groups
* Just the right amount of swag (nice medal, tech T, & plastic water bottle)
* TIIIIINY expo (but seriously who cares)
* Pancakes!
* The bag check was a little crazy but ultimately it was fine
I 100% loved this race & if I was local I would probably run it every year.
Track Town gets it right
Eugene track fans are awesome and they line most of the course. The finish at historic Hayward Field is amazing. So glad this event is in my hometown. MORE
Eugene track fans are awesome and they line most of the course. The finish at historic Hayward Field is amazing. So glad this event is in my hometown.
Steve Prefontaine ran here.
The Eugene Marathon is run on a great course. A combination of city side streets, bike and walking paths, one gets to enjoy plenty of scenery. The marathon itself is … MORE
The Eugene Marathon is run on a great course. A combination of city side streets, bike and walking paths, one gets to enjoy plenty of scenery. The marathon itself is for the most part flat, although a few tiny hills, but nothing to slow the runner.
EXPO: The one negative to the marathon was the Expo, or that is, the lack of an Expo. Maybe 20 vendors, not even sure what they were selling, but wasn’t what one would expect at Track Town USA.
Check In: Easy, walk in, pick up your number and T-shirt and out of the Expo in a minute. T-shirt was a decent tech shirt, but……. white.
Course: Beautiful course. I would say it is one of the nicer courses I have run, mostly because you run on bike and running trails as well as side streets. Lots of turns, meaning you don’t look out 2 miles down the road which to me gets cumbersome.
Post race party: A nice party. After receiving your medal, you are then given a cloth swag bag, filled with a few simple food and drink items. A bagel, an orange, peanut butter, nuts, water and an electrolyte drink. Shortly thereafter, you are offered pancakes, HOT pancakes. Not a big eater immediately after running, but it was a nice touch. A few vendors selling beer and advertising future races, actually a better expo than the expo itself.
The medal was nice sized, heavy and well designed.
I would definitely recommend this marathon for others. Just don’t expect a big expo.