That’s right, we’re entering a second decade of fast times and personal triumphs running in the footsteps of legends. Named a “perfect race” by Runner’s World magazine, you’ll enjoy a scenic, USATF-certified course known for its flat and FAST route as it passes through beautiful parks and tree-lined paths that crisscross …
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That’s right, we’re entering a second decade of fast times and personal triumphs running in the footsteps of legends. Named a “perfect race” by Runner’s World magazine, you’ll enjoy a scenic, USATF-certified course known for its flat and FAST route as it passes through beautiful parks and tree-lined paths that crisscross the picturesque Willamette River.
The Eugene Marathon and Half Marathon courses will feel familiar to those who ran the race between 2011-2018. Marathoners and Half Marathons will start on Agate, in the shadow of Hayward Field, heading south. The course takes runners through the University neighborhoods and south on E Amazon all the way to Frank Kinney Park. Heading back toward the University of Oregon, runners follow Amazon Parkway and turn east on 19th Ave. Near Mile 9, runners pass by Hayward Field heading north, cross Franklin Blvd and head east toward Springfield. After joining the Ruth Bascom Riverbank Path System, the Marathon and Half Marathon courses split at Knickerbocker Footbridge. The Half Marathon loops west in Alton Baker Park, crosses the Frohnmayer Footbridge and returns to Hayward Field for a final 200m on the track.
After splitting from the Half Marathon course, Marathoners will do a loop in Springfield before heading west on the Ruth Bascom Riverbank Path System. The course takes runners through Alton Baker Park, past Valley River Center to the Owosso Footbridge where they start the return journey to the finish. The final miles of the Marathon course run along the Willamette River and feature Eugene’s new Downtown Riverfront Park. Marathoners rejoin the Half Marathon course for the final half mile of the race as they enjoy an epic finish on the track inside Hayward Field.
Whether you’re a first-time racer or a seasoned veteran, you won’t find a better running destination than the Eugene Marathon and Half Marathon. And no matter what race you choose, you’ll break the finish line tape in front of cheering fans at Historic Hayward Field – one of the world’s most revered track and field venues and home to iconic athletes and coaches such as Steve Prefontaine, Bill Bowerman and Ashton Eaton.
Join us for a celebration of human will, determination and triumph this coming spring during the annual running of the Eugene Marathon. And make your own unforgettable history.
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Best Marathon in Oregon by far
This was on my bucket list just because of the grandeur of finishing in the same stadium as PreFontaine and many other Run Gods have finished. The race starts and … MORE
This was on my bucket list just because of the grandeur of finishing in the same stadium as PreFontaine and many other Run Gods have finished. The race starts and ends at Hayward stadium. The Stadium in itself is so nice that it alone would have made this race worth while but everything from the race swag to the race production to the sights made it by far the best marathon in Oregon. The only slight knock I would say is the medal isn’t as grandious as the event itself but it will do. The course has some hills but for Oregon it has a lot of flat areas and the crowd support is great. The entire city shuts down for this event.
Beautiful race, very well organized.
Fantastic weather, nice course, not too challenging with great surroundings. Well run race experience. Starting and ending at a stadium means you can avoid port'a'johns. MORE
Fantastic weather, nice course, not too challenging with great surroundings. Well run race experience. Starting and ending at a stadium means you can avoid port’a’johns.
Very good event- Flat & Fast
Great race with a ton of people. Entire width of road is the start. Great finisher medal and so professionally done. I would do this every year if I still … MORE
Great race with a ton of people. Entire width of road is the start.
Great finisher medal and so professionally done.
I would do this every year if I still lived in Oregon.
Great post party. So much fun!
Area stunning
The race started and finished in front of the stadium. They had buses to take us to the starting line and to take us back when we finished. That time … MORE
The race started and finished in front of the stadium. They had buses to take us to the starting line and to take us back when we finished. That time of the year is really beautiful with all the flowers and blooming shrubs.
LOVE THIS RACE
I love this race so much. I think that everything is run really well--there are plenty of aide stations along the route, the beginning of the race is well organized, … MORE
I love this race so much. I think that everything is run really well–there are plenty of aide stations along the route, the beginning of the race is well organized, and the end of the race is the bomb. The general atmosphere is just so welcoming and warm.
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.
Great race but not as scenic as the full
Packet pickup and the after party are both great and well run. Finishing at Hayward Field is awesome. The only drawback to running the half instead of the full is … MORE
Packet pickup and the after party are both great and well run. Finishing at Hayward Field is awesome. The only drawback to running the half instead of the full is that you miss a lot of the shady area along the river, which is much more scenic than running along runs through Eugene, in my opinion.
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!
Great Race!
This is a well organized, beautiful race. The course is nice with lots of fans cheering you on. There are some hills, but nothing awful. Running along the river was … MORE
This is a well organized, beautiful race. The course is nice with lots of fans cheering you on. There are some hills, but nothing awful. Running along the river was great and shady. Finishing at Hayward Field is awesome. I can’t wait to travel to Eugene and do this race again.
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.
Great race!
This race had great crowd support, even the residents of the retirement home came out to watch in their lawn chairs. It was perfect weather. The pacers were great and … MORE
This race had great crowd support, even the residents of the retirement home came out to watch in their lawn chairs. It was perfect weather. The pacers were great and kept you entertained throughout. Being from south Texas, this truly was a flat course! Of course finishing on hayward field was amazing.