Overall Rating
Overall Rating (41 Reviews)
4.5
(41 Ratings)  (41 Reviews)
DIFFICULTY
2.5
SCENERY
3.8
PRODUCTION
4.6
SWAG
4.3
The Eugene Marathon is the Pacific Northwest’s largest marathon and takes place each spring on the last Sunday of April. The marathon and half marathon courses traverse through the communities of Eugene and Springfield, alongside the Willamette River, and on the same roads that the world’s best runners have competed … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Apr 26):
  2024 2023 2022 2021 2020
 
H (°F)  56  75  58  59  71
L (°F)  49  42  41  42  38
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Recent reviews

    tomocracy FIRST-TIMER '24

    Loved the energy, course, weather, expo, and production of this race. The finish at Hayward is something else. Plenty of room at the start and finish, no lines for beer, … MORE

    Loved the energy, course, weather, expo, and production of this race. The finish at Hayward is something else. Plenty of room at the start and finish, no lines for beer, and you can just tell that Tracktown USA knows how to host thousands of runners. I also loved the free running shirt, it looks awesome, still wear it all the time and is a great conversation starter. I will say though, the rest of the purchasable merch was poor quality and was not the same Nike build quality as even the outlets.

    Since I ran the half with a handheld, I don’t recall much on the aid stations. There’s a big hill on campus though since it’s in the midst of UO the crowd support here is outstanding, felt like a finish line.

    Crowd support overall was incredible until the river portion. Those running the full were probably a bit lonely in the pain cave though once headed back to the stadium and hearing the announcer, the atmosphere is electric. The course is pretty boring though there aren’t really any true out and backs (you run south on parallel roads so kinda). Just a fast course with great crowds.

    I would love to return and run the full next Spring. Cream of the crop for races. Having ran Seattle the past 2 years and friends who have done SF and LA, Eugene may be one of the best in the West.

    DIFFICULTY
    2
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    3
    SWAG
    5

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    jqhwang FIRST-TIMER '24

    There's a reason Eugene, OR is known as Track Town USA. They seriously know how to put on/host a race (in this case, a marathon). Expo was fab, amazing keynote … MORE

    There’s a reason Eugene, OR is known as Track Town USA. They seriously know how to put on/host a race (in this case, a marathon). Expo was fab, amazing keynote speaker, swag is on point, and finishing inside Hayward Field is something I/you will never forget. Course has a few rollers but is largely fast and fun. Race conditions this year were the best I’ve ever had on a marathon morning (cool/limited sun until the end/later in AM). Just do it.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    5

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    dlmartin FIRST-TIMER '24

    Overall, the race was just OK. I wasn't overly impressed with the scenery which was mostly a variety of residential homes. It was fun to finish and run a loop … MORE

    Overall, the race was just OK. I wasn’t overly impressed with the scenery which was mostly a variety of residential homes. It was fun to finish and run a loop on the Hayward Field.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    3
    SCENERY
    2
    SWAG
    3

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    lonniem FIRST-TIMER '24

    I was pleasantly surprised at the competitiveness of the field for its size (over 300 sub 3hrs out of ~3000). That said it was a bit congested for the first … MORE

    I was pleasantly surprised at the competitiveness of the field for its size (over 300 sub 3hrs out of ~3000). That said it was a bit congested for the first several miles. Worked out for me in the end as it didn’t let me go out too fast 🙂 The course was quick. Nothing to slow you down too much aside from a few small hills in the first half. Finishing in Hayward Field was great & having it open before the race was good too.
    I don’t usually care about finishers medals, but I must say this one was one of the nicer ones I’ve received. The chunk of the old Hayward Field embedded in it was a touch.
    The weather could have been a wet one, but the running gods were on our side and it was a great day for the race.
    The volunteers & spectators were first rate.
    Overall an excellent race. Well done!

    DIFFICULTY
    2
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    5

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    realnickspiess FIRST-TIMER '24

    Overall, the Eugene Marathon was awesome. The course is pretty easy (it is rolling, not flat, but the rolling hills can buy you some cheap time) and allows for a … MORE

    Overall, the Eugene Marathon was awesome. The course is pretty easy (it is rolling, not flat, but the rolling hills can buy you some cheap time) and allows for a great PR opportunity for everyone. How could one not love finishing at Hayward Field down that last 200m? Truly the most unique race I’ve ever been in.

    Being able to hang out with supporters behind the field on the turf is also awesome, so much better than standing around or sitting on a curb. Post-race pancakes were great as well!!

    My main gripe is starting the half and full marathoners together at the same time. The road is very narrow for the first several miles and it makes it unironically a battle out there, especially with more inexperienced folks.

    The only other critique I have is the design of the swag. The Nike apparel is awesome and I got a sweatshirt, but I thought the design was a little lackluster. Maybe darker greens for the sweatshirts and larger logos on the main sweatshirts as well. They get away with it cause they’re Nike branded and comfy, but I’d pay a few more bucks for a cooler design.

    Overall, great race, huge PR opportunities, and tons of fun.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    4
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    4

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    kellrox FIRST-TIMER '24

    This race was well organized and began right at 7:00am. The race included aid stations every other mile, and listed mile markers at every mile except for around miles 15-18. … MORE

    This race was well organized and began right at 7:00am. The race included aid stations every other mile, and listed mile markers at every mile except for around miles 15-18. The marathon was mostly flat/downhill. Expect an iphill at miles 4.5 and 8.5. You get to run along the river which offers beautiful scenery. The finish line at Hayward field was energetic. You get to see yourself on a big screen and hear your name as you enter the field. The post race festivities include a bag with a cookie, banana, bagel, and race bottle with water. Kristen’s was also there for post race pancakes although I did not partake. The expo seemed unorganized when picking up bibs. It seemed as though you could stand in any line as a corral was never assigned to people. The rest of the expo had usual vendors, and a cool bike race shirt. I would highly recommend running this race. This year the weather was perfect, no rain and overcast at 48 degrees.

    DIFFICULTY
    1
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    5

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    I came to this race for two reasons, it was reasonably flat and you get to finish on Hayward Field! What more could you ask for. I ended up with … MORE

    I came to this race for two reasons, it was reasonably flat and you get to finish on Hayward Field! What more could you ask for. I ended up with my third fastest marathon ever and a 33 minute BQ (helps being 50!). This was my 27th marathon overall and my 10th sub 3 hour marathon!

    The expo was small but lively. I probably was there for 45 minutes. I got my bib and a shirt from a local running company at the expo. Not a lot of free things there but not a big deal. The race shirt was very nice and all of my fellow running group liked it a lot as well.

    Race morning they run buses from three different locations to the start line. They start at 5:30am which we thought was late for a 7am start. We got there right at 5:30am and got right on the first bus no problem. The start line had a decent amount of port-a-johns before the race and bag drop off was easy.

    The start line was nice and simple. We did think the corrals were not divided up enough as corral A was runners under 3:09 full and 1:39 half. This probably should have been broken down a little more to something around sub 3:00/1:30.

    The course itself is advertised as flat and it was for the most part. Any of the hillier sections are on the first half of the course. There was a small roller at mile 2, a larger uphill section around mile 4.5, and then a surprise roller around mile 9. Thankfully, all of those were countered with a downhill of the same size. The back half is completely flat and mostly run on trails.

    There is a tiny incline around the finish but you don’t care because you know you are approaching Hayward Field. Coming in to the stadium is amazing. When I came in, the announcer called my name out and it was so cool. The lower section by the finish was very full when I came in which was such a rush.

    The post race on the track could have been better. The people were ushering you out of there quickly. I was surprised at the lack of photographers after the finish. On your way out of the stadium, they gave us a bag with a stale bagel, a cool Eugene Marathon water bottle, and some other snacks. We didn’t stick around for the post race food too much but that part was just ok. Maybe a band or something outside the stadium would have helped that area a bit.

    The finishers medal was also a huge plus to this race. Half of the medal is made from the old wooden seats from Hayward Field so its like I have a piece of it forever.

    The course ended up with over 5-600 feet of elevation in all but I thought it was a fair course and reasonably flat. There are not a lot of spectators on the course as a whole. If your family wants to cheer you on, they could reasonably see you at 3-4 spots during the race. As a whole, a great fun race that I highly recommend.

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    My Media

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    M_Sohaskey May 06, 2024 at 1:11am

    Congrats on a killer performance and a huge BQ Jason, I'd say you earned that finish line shout-out on Hayward Field! 👏

    Congrats on a killer performance and a huge BQ Jason, I'd say you earned that finish line shout-out on Hayward Field! 👏

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    CharlesNYC FIRST-TIMER '24

    Overall, a very positive experience. This was my 8th marathon and both my PR and BQ. The organization and crowd support for a small city was excellent. Finishing inside the … MORE

    Overall, a very positive experience. This was my 8th marathon and both my PR and BQ. The organization and crowd support for a small city was excellent. Finishing inside the Hayward stadium was amazing.

    The weather was perfect. I was worried that I would get caught in a downpour, but we ended up with a just a little drizzle. The temp was nice ad cool throughout.

    Just a few cons:

    1. There was no mile marker on Mile 16 or so. But, that is minor gripe.
    2. It is not pancake flat. A few hills, but nothing too bad.

    All, in well, the race was very well organized, with clear signs of where to go, plenty of crowd suport. This is definitelty the race to run if you want a good marathon experience.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    5

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    baughant FIRST-TIMER '24

    Organization was phenomenal. Pre and post race was smooth as silk. Course was easy to navigate and well staffed. Plenty of volunteers and fans along the course. The finish at … MORE

    Organization was phenomenal. Pre and post race was smooth as silk. Course was easy to navigate and well staffed. Plenty of volunteers and fans along the course. The finish at Haywood Field was awesome! Great venue.

    DIFFICULTY
    2
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    3
    SWAG
    4

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    rygielskaiga FIRST-TIMER '24

    This race is so fun! The scenery is beautiful - the arts in Eugene, natural preserves, bridges near the Wiliamette river and, of course, the finish on the Hayward stadium. … MORE

    This race is so fun! The scenery is beautiful – the arts in Eugene, natural preserves, bridges near the Wiliamette river and, of course, the finish on the Hayward stadium. I had to take this race easy but it was a great decision, as the course was so pretty.
    And – rather fast and flat. There are some rolling hills but not intimidating.

    The expo – very crowded but the lines to packet pick-ups were short.
    Swag – great medal quality with a piece of the stadium and a Nike T-shirt – nice! You also get a beer and pancakes after the race. 🙂
    Volunteers and spectators were THE BEST and they were seen all along the course!
    Production – awesome, I liked that the gels were still available for slower runners and there were buses taking you to/from the race, in multiple locations. Toilets, water and aid stations every few miles.

    I understand why this race is a classic!

    DIFFICULTY
    2
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    4

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    leo25 FIRST-TIMER '24

    The race is known for being fast, and although there were a couple of hills, when I got through the biggest hill in mile 5, I thought, "That was it?" … MORE

    The race is known for being fast, and although there were a couple of hills, when I got through the biggest hill in mile 5, I thought, “That was it?” The back half of the course is just gorgeous, through (paved) park trails. Everything was lush green in a backdrop of overcast perfect running weather. The first half is pretty average residential and commercial streets. Finishing in Hayward Field is a treat. My only gripe is that the start was a bit of a cluster. There was a 3:25 pacer at the front of the second corral, then I didn’t see another pacer (looked like the 3:30) until the front of the third corral…out of 4 total. I ended up staying between the two, but the pack was much slower than either of those paces, and I couldn’t break away for the first 2 miles because it was VERY crowded. This is the first year the races were sold out, so I’m not sure if that has always been the experience. The rest of the race was plenty spacious.

    More positives: Expo was good, nice race shirt (Nike DriFit of course), medal was handsome and sentimental with incorporated lumber from the historic Hayward Field, free photos that were available within hours.

    DIFFICULTY
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    4
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    5
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    AJS23 FIRST-TIMER '24

    Coming from Fl, this was a fun half marathon. The weather was perfect at about 50. Like any large race, there are some lines for gear drop and refreshments afterwards. … MORE

    Coming from Fl, this was a fun half marathon. The weather was perfect at about 50. Like any large race, there are some lines for gear drop and refreshments afterwards. Yes there are signs every mile.

    The crowds were fantastic, the aid stations plentiful, and the swag and medal is the best quality yet of my 50 state journey. Finishing in the stadium was really fun. The photos were up within an hour of when I finished!

    Parking is a challenge, just show up early or get dropped off. Great time!

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    5

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    seagroves87 Apr 28, 2024 at 4:32pm

    Awesome! I just registered for this race next year for my 50th state. Glad to hear it sounds like a great race to finish with

    Awesome! I just registered for this race next year for my 50th state. Glad to hear it sounds like a great race to finish with

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    AJS23 Apr 28, 2024 at 5:30pm

    It would be a great race to finish the journey!!

    It would be a great race to finish the journey!!

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    mcneill FIRST-TIMER '24

    History of five athletes is Legendary- I had know idea until I did this race. The Willamette River and breweries were my initial draw. Crossing the bridges miles 11-12 was … MORE

    History of five athletes is Legendary- I had know idea until I did this race. The Willamette River and breweries were my initial draw. Crossing the bridges miles 11-12 was the highlight for me. The gradual hills got me- please train for lots of gradual hills and you will Do well. Finish food was already in a bag, banana and trail mix, bagel and a cookie. Plus you receive your own reusable water bottle filled with water, the medal was a piece of the old Hayfield stadium, a treasure. And crossing the finish line on the state of the art track and filed inside the new stadium! Wow- made me feel like an Olympic star!

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    jkahn95600 FIRST-TIMER '24

    The weather was perfect as it was as in the high 50 with no wind , some drizzle and we saw very little of the sun. There were rolling hills … MORE

    The weather was perfect as it was as in the high 50 with no wind , some drizzle and we saw very little of the sun. There were rolling hills . The course was well marked and except at the start it was not crowded. The shirt had a nice design and the medal was great too. I like that you got you post race snacks in the tote bag that you can use in the future to bring home groceries . You also got a great water bottle. The expo was a little crowded . I booked to stay at graduate hotel where the expo and shuttles were at . Great location; I liked this race and the communication they had. I also liked the speaker they had on Saturday. The line to buy her books wrapped the entire room. I liked that they had nunn as that is what I use and they didn’t run out of gels at mile8,

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    bramms24 FIRST-TIMER '24

    Overall it was a pretty good experience. Expo was a little smaller than I expected and parking sucked, but it had a good amount of booths and stuff to buy … MORE

    Overall it was a pretty good experience. Expo was a little smaller than I expected and parking sucked, but it had a good amount of booths and stuff to buy if you happen to forget something. I was a little disappointed with the course honestly. Being in Oregon I was expecting it to be a little more scenic. The first 8-9 miles or so were through the University of Oregon campus. Was actually a little hiller than I expected as well (had read it was flat, I probably miss read it) but nothing major. Miles 9-12 we on a paved bike trail and the views were decent. The last mile was back on campus and finished on Hayward Field which was pretty cool. As for the swag, I liked the design of the shirt a lot, but it was black (not a fan of black shirts). Shirts really aren’t a big thing to me anymore though. The medal was really nice. Half of it is a piece of wood from the old bleachers. Looks really nice. Overall I would probably rank it somewhere near the middle of the 31 states I’ve done so far.

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    2
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    SCENERY
    3
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    4

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    spiltmilt FIRST-TIMER '23

    This was my first race. The race was extremely well run and the swag was awesome. The best part of this race is the crowds. There are thousands of people … MORE

    This was my first race. The race was extremely well run and the swag was awesome. The best part of this race is the crowds. There are thousands of people out to cheer on the runners. Its very uplifting. The final run into the stadium is really amazing too.

    DIFFICULTY
    2
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    3
    SWAG
    5

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    grimesdee FIRST-TIMER '23

    The packet pick up was pretty easy. Parking can be tricky the morning of. Get there early so you can park on surrounding streets. We did find parking close to … MORE

    The packet pick up was pretty easy. Parking can be tricky the morning of. Get there early so you can park on surrounding streets. We did find parking close to the start/finish. The race itself winds through Eugene but you do run past the stadium between mile 9-10 which is better than some races where you run past the finish at the halfway point. The 2nd half was full of concrete wide paths. If you are from the midwest where our bike paths are blacktop this will begin to eventually hurt. I was in pretty rough shape going in so that did not help. The finish on the track was great. The only bad thing is that you have to walk up stairs to get to the food/drinks. Just what you want to do after running 26.2. I did like that because the finish was in the stadium there was plenty of space for me to wait for my fellow running friends.

    DIFFICULTY
    4
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    wcso5931 FIRST-TIMER '23

    Ok, so I am from Oregon and have done many races in Oregon. I have read MANY articles saying that the Eugene Marathon and Half Marathon is the one to … MORE

    Ok, so I am from Oregon and have done many races in Oregon. I have read MANY articles saying that the Eugene Marathon and Half Marathon is the one to do in Oregon. Spoiler……. It’s fine. Portland Marathon is better.

    The Expo/Packet Pick up was downtown at a Hotel. It was fairly well organized though they did run out of safety pins by the time I arrived at the pick up. The shirt was a lovely shade of green tech shirt. They had all of the usual stuff you would expect at a major race expo.

    Race morning I parked downtown and took the shuttles to the starting line at U of O. This was convenient for getting there though not as much getting back. The starting line at Hayward did have plenty of room to stretch and prepare for the race. Getting into the corrals with my pace group left something to be desired but it was not as bad as other races I have been to.

    The race did get started on time and gave a nice tour of Eugene without bringing the city to a complete halt. Eugene is not a particularly beautiful city but this race did the best to project a nice face. The course was a mixture of downtown, neighbourhoods, park, and of course Autzen Stadium pass. The last part of the race did one of my least favorite things and takes runners past the finish and goes back out before coming back to finish. My pacer did a great job of keeping the pace as he should.

    The finish line had plenty of room (probably because it was the same as the starting line) and was well appointed. The medal for this race is very nice . I was ok to do so, but I would say that having to ascend the steps of Hayward to get to the beer and main food after running the race would likely not be comfortable for a good amount of racer’s sore muscles.

    Lets talk about the shuttle back to downtown for a second. I understand that they decided to maximize efficiency and therefore didn’t start the shuttles back to downtown until they anticipated having marathoners there to ride them. However that meant a good wait for a faster half marathoner. It was such a long wait and I was hungry enough that I just walked back to downtown and beat the shuttle bus by a considerable margin.

    Again, the race was fine. It was worth coming down to Eugene to experience it once. But I will have to disagree with the “experts” about this being the race to do in Oregon. Unless Hayward Field gets you weak in the knees, there are a few other races that are just better overall (the Portland Marathon being only one of them). Eugene is indeed Track City USA, but a marathon is not generally run on a track.

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    pt105 FIRST-TIMER '23

    One of my overall favourite races. A great supportive college feel and running in the footsteps of legends. The track stadium finish is amazing! 10/10 MORE

    One of my overall favourite races. A great supportive college feel and running in the footsteps of legends. The track stadium finish is amazing! 10/10

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    lsn1986 REPEAT RUNNER '23

    It's always fun to run in the footsteps of legends at Hayward Field where some of the best runners participated in the sport, but this year we also were running … MORE

    It’s always fun to run in the footsteps of legends at Hayward Field where some of the best runners participated in the sport, but this year we also were running where the World Athletics Championships were held in 2022. With those things in mind, it is just a more awe-inspiring experience.

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