FRESHJUNKIE Racing, in conjunction with Auburn-Opelika Tourism and Auburn University are proud to present the War Eagle Run Fest. Athletes and fans can choose from either a half marathon (13.1 miles) or 5k (3.1 miles) to test their mettle while touring the campus like no other Auburn fan. There will also …
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FRESHJUNKIE Racing, in conjunction with Auburn-Opelika Tourism and Auburn University are proud to present the War Eagle Run Fest. Athletes and fans can choose from either a half marathon (13.1 miles) or 5k (3.1 miles) to test their mettle while touring the campus like no other Auburn fan. There will also be a 1 mile run for the Little Tigers presented by Lynch Toyota of Auburn. After gathering your commemorative medal, join us outside the stadium for our post-race tailgate and enjoy the music and food that Auburn fans have come to love with a little cajun twist this year. Whether you are staff, student, alumni or just a fan, join us and be a part of the War Eagle Run Fest.
The start line for the Half Marathon will be near Toomer’s Corner. Runners will be corralled according to expected finish times with the fastest runners in the front and walkers in the back. Both the Half Marathon and 5K races will start at 7:00am in a wave start fashion. 150-200 runners will be allowed to start approximately every 30 seconds.
Runner’s will pass the Auburn University President’s House, see the Duggar Concourse, Quad Drive, Haley Concourse, and Thach Concourse before running by the Outdoor training pool on Wire Road. After running a lap on the Hutsell-Rosen Track, seeing the Intramural Playing Fields and Football Practice Fields, runners will pass the Coliseum and Auburn Arena before turning into Jordan-Hare Stadium to #flydownthefield and finish on the 50-yard line.
Half Marathon Runners will have separate running lanes from 5K runners so that faster runners in the Half Marathon do not have to worry about navigating around slower runners in the 5K.
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Fantastic Hilly HILLY Race
The hills are crazy, nearly all the big ones in Auburn: Thatch Hill, Glenn Hill, Samford Hill, Gay Hill, Mell Hill, and Facilities Hill... more elevation than the Adirondacks Mountains … MORE
The hills are crazy, nearly all the big ones in Auburn: Thatch Hill, Glenn Hill, Samford Hill, Gay Hill, Mell Hill, and Facilities Hill… more elevation than the Adirondacks Mountains Half Marathon!
But a pretty race, and with tons of spectators, and lots of good water stations!
I did run my PR here somehow … very safe race too, well organized.
Cool shirt, and fun metals, finishing on the 50 yard line in Jordan Hare is super swag.
The only issue was the traffic I ran into on the last 2-3 miles, the 5K people were walking and clogging the road and it became increasingly difficult to run fast without having to weave in and out of people.
Great Race!
I really enjoyed this race for my Alabama half marathon! The hills were unexpected, but still managed a PR on this course. Things ran smoothly and packet pickup was pretty … MORE
I really enjoyed this race for my Alabama half marathon! The hills were unexpected, but still managed a PR on this course. Things ran smoothly and packet pickup was pretty easy (the only hassle was parking when there were games on campus – expected for a Saturday – but tough when you’re unfamiliar with where to park). Running through Auburn was a great experience, and getting to see the town outside of the campus was fun! Of course, finishing on the 50 was a fun experience, too! I didn’t love having to weave through 5k walkers at the end of the race, but have come to expect it for most combo races. The medals were great, and I’d say post race food was okay – nothing overly exciting – soda, hot dog, chips. My spectator loved being able to wait in the (warm) student center for me to finish and being able to see me in the stadium. Overall a good race and your quads will remember the hills!
War Eagle!!!
I thoroughly enjoyed the race. I’ve been an Auburn fan for my whole life, basically, and this was a must do even though I live over 1,000 miles away from … MORE
I thoroughly enjoyed the race. I’ve been an Auburn fan for my whole life, basically, and this was a must do even though I live over 1,000 miles away from campus now. The hills are there, but if I can do it while getting a PR, anyone can do it. There was some kind of problem with medal engraving for walk up people. Don’t know exactly what. I saw people get turned away and didn’t even bother. Auburn is amazing place even during winter. I will definitely do this again whenever I get a chance!
Really hill race course love a challenge
Hills and Hollers but beautiful course very challenging. Great volunteers but needs Gels on course. No food or fruit at the end of race. Hot dog and bag chips was … MORE
Hills and Hollers but beautiful course very challenging. Great volunteers but needs Gels on course. No food or fruit at the end of race. Hot dog and bag chips was all. For the price to enter you need better food after we finish.
Not fun anymore
Participated in this race since its inception. Each year new rules and guidelines chip away at the fun event. This year being the worst. First no strollers. Second when u … MORE
Participated in this race since its inception. Each year new rules and guidelines chip away at the fun event. This year being the worst. First no strollers. Second when u arrive at finish line security is there to harass u and if you have a child without a bib (even two parents w a child who can’t register because of age ) they won’t let you finish! Lots of bossy people around shouting rules. Disorganized start (waves were unexpected , unclear and jumbled). And the grand finish feels awful because people want you off the field and push you through the whole experience- not to mention the ONLY way out is up several flights of stairs( no railing and not good for elderly trying to participate) was out last year at auburn and a horrible way to go out. Just all around seemed not fun. Was almost rigid in organization but at the same time not enough organization (was super weird)
Won’t don’t it a fifth time –
Enjoyed this event!
About half the course goes through the town of Auburn and Auburn University. I'm local and appreciate that a great event so close by! Keep in mind this is a … MORE
About half the course goes through the town of Auburn and Auburn University. I’m local and appreciate that a great event so close by! Keep in mind this is a hilly course.
The course was marked well and there were ample volunteers and water stops. Overall it was a lot of fun and next time I hope to do better!
Hope you love hills
This is a hilly course. Always going up or down the entire race. Also the last 3 miles are the same as the 5k so you have to weave in … MORE
This is a hilly course. Always going up or down the entire race. Also the last 3 miles are the same as the 5k so you have to weave in and out of all the walking 5k participants. Finish is inside the Auburn university football stadium.
Exceptional arrangement,finish on the 50
Great competition, ample parking, and well executed race. The finish on the 50 yard line is elite fun. Well placed hydration stations and the marathon runners had their own police … MORE
Great competition, ample parking, and well executed race. The finish on the 50 yard line is elite fun. Well placed hydration stations and the marathon runners had their own police escort. The town really supports the race with security.
Finish on the 50 yard line!
Overall, a great race atmosphere and production. As an Auburn graduate, it's awesome to be able to enter Jordan-Hare stadium and finish the race on the 50 yard line - … MORE
Overall, a great race atmosphere and production.
As an Auburn graduate, it’s awesome to be able to enter Jordan-Hare stadium and finish the race on the 50 yard line – super cool!
Explore Auburn U on a pretty hilly route
I would rate this race a 4.5 shoes, very good right now, make a few tweaks and it could be great. I chose this race based on several factors: I … MORE
I would rate this race a 4.5 shoes, very good right now, make a few tweaks and it could be great.
I chose this race based on several factors: I have a good friend who went to Auburn who agreed to race with me, the time of year (Racing in the southern humidity during a time of year other than winter seemed foolish), good reviews on this site, and a decided lack of compelling options in Alabama. Having now run the race myself I think I made a great choice choosing the War Eagle Runfest Half Marathon for state #18. If you are traveling from out of state like me Atlanta is definitely the airport to fly into, then Auburn is a pretty quick 1.5 hr trip down the interstate. *Note Atlanta/Georgia is Eastern Time Zone, Alabama/Auburn is Central Time Zone.* I was able to stay and travel with a friend so I can not speak to hotel or rental car costs.
EXPO/PACKET PICK UP:
This was a pretty bare bones expo. Really just park anywhere for free around the football stadium then walk up to the east side of the stadium where they are handing out bibs inside the gates of the stadium. This will also be the same area where you will get post race pictures on race day. You walked up to the stadium, stood in line for your race bib (the line was very fast for the half and quite long for the 5k). You could walk through the tunnel in the stands to see the field/finish line, buy some gear or merch with the race logo on it or talk to the local shoe vendor. That was really it. I spend probably 3 minutes there.
Parking/Access: Parking at the start line was probably the easiest race day parking that I have ever experienced. There is plenty of free parking next to the stadium both in the parking garage and in the surface lots. There were several hundred if not over a thousand spots there were still open at the time of the race. Truly a piece of cake. I would only caution you to look at the course map before parking it you need to leave quickly after the race, you might get stuck behind a line of runners if you needed to cross the course.
T-Shirts/SWAG: The medal for this race was above average in quality, it is well made, sturdy and quite heavy. The medal 100% reminds me of the race in that it represents Auburn University and reminds me of the epic finish on the 50 yard line of the football stadium but at the same time they missed the mark with the design a bit this year. The front of the medal for the 5k and the half marathon were identical. A white Auburn football helmet, only on the back of the medal does it in any way show the distance run or even have a race name or logo. Put those details below the helmet on the front and I think we have a great medal, without those details I felt a bit annoyed. (See Attached Photos). The race shirt was a T shirt, I prefer a Tech T that I can race in but I do understand that in the long run I will likely get more use and wear out of a T-shirt. As someone who prefers to run in the race shirt to give all of my race pictures a feel unique to that race I was a bit let down again. I did understand that if you took your race bib to the local running store in the days after the race you would also get a free finishers shirt but I had a flight to catch that afternoon.
Aid Stations: The aid stations were well stocked and plentiful. There were 8!! aid stations on the course. This might be the most aid stations that I have ever seen during a half marathon. It was a frigid 34 degrees this year so it might have seemed like overkill but in the south it could have easily been 65 degrees and humid and those aid stations would have been life savers.
They did great with this and should keep the high number of stations. Every single aid station had water and Gatorade. 1 aid station was giving out Gu around mile 7. I didn’t hear anything about supplies running out at any time during the race. I was near the front so I was never really in a group, but the number of volunteers was more than enough. I’m sure there were some real slow downs at aid station as volunteers were filling and handing out cups as fast as they could pour them at busier times. The volunteers were really clear about who had water or Gatorade. If I could make one critique it would be to have a few more garbage cans 100 yards after the stations so you could have time to finish your drink before trying to toss your cup.
Course Scenery/Elevation Difficulty: The course starts right outside the football stadium which also serves as the finish/post race party area. The race starts at 7:00am which made for a frigid start this year but in a warmer year it would be a huge help in beating the heat/humidity, last year it was much warmer. I found plenty of room to warm up around the large park area. They had a very long start chute with well marked pace groups. The course was definitely a hilly experience. Other than the lap around the University Track and the 50 yards on the football field I’m not sure I ever ran on a flat surface, always going up or down. In fact a mere 1/4 mile into the race you have a monster 1/4 mile hill, the biggest on the course. You finish where you start so every uphill you run is rewarded with a downhill but you will surely feel the hills in the following days in your quads and hamstrings. The course is about 2/3 on campus and 1/3 in surrounding neighborhoods. Like many universities this means lots of trees, grass quads and beautiful brick buildings. If you take the time to look around when you run you will really enjoy the views. About 1 mile into the course you run through “Toomer’s Corner” sports fans will know this as the corner where Auburn fans throw Toilet paper into two oak trees. There are trees there now but they are much smaller after the old trees died when an Alabama fan poisoned/killed them in the early 2010’s. After exiting the campus around mile 2 you spend the next 5 miles in neighborhoods before returning to campus and running on roads and footpaths alike. The lap of the track is at mile 12 then directs you back to the finish stadium. I thought finishing in a football stadium would be cool but it exceeded my expectations. I’m sure it would be even cooler for an Auburn fan. They have lots of cones protecting the course with lots of police helping to direct traffic so I never felt as though I was running near traffic. Crowd support around the course was really plentiful, a little less so in the neighborhoods but I enjoyed lots of cheering and creative signs along the way. The fact that we were on a college campus was also proven in several places when running by the Greek system houses most of which had students in lawn chairs sitting out and day/morning drinking while cheering on runners, blaring music, having a good time. I didn’t see anything inappropriate, just students having fun on a Sunday morning.
I’m from up north but even I found this start weather to be really cold. I can definitely see if it was a warmer year like in 2023 that the heat could cause some issues especially for slower runners who were finishing when the temperatures rose.
Race Management: This Race was very well run, especially so for a small-medium-ish race (1,049 finishers for the half). I found their website to be the best source of info, they also email you a few bits of advice including a race guide and a guide of things to do in the area. Other things to compliment this race on: They had age group awards. They had port-o-potties at the start to use which never seemed to have long lines, perfectly supporting the # of people were there I’m impressed that they got the # seemingly correct. The start area had a bag check area by the start line that was open until the start. The picture area at the finish line allows you to get your picture taken with the Auburn mascot. They did not have pace setters but that may come as the race keeps getting larger. The finish was shockingly lacking in the usual finish line fare like (bagels, water, electrolytes, cookies, granola bars, donuts, goldfish, chocolate milk). You were only given a bottle of water before being sent up the stadium steps to the picture and awards area (the former start zone). You did have 3 food tokens on your bib which meant you could get a hot dog, bag of chips, and a soda THREE times. This was great but some electrolytes and carbs would have helped. They had a band playing and some vendors around but most people took pictures then ran for the surrounding buildings to get warmed up, I’m sure it would have been more fun if it was warmer. The finish area offered medal engraving and a finish stats print out. They have 1 timing mat set up along the half marathon course. They also have free race Photos which they post on their website which I always love.
Overall I would say this race is a very good way to check Alabama off your 50 state list. Fix the finishers medal so it says the distance and race name and include some more of the traditional finish line food and I easily bump this up to a 5 star race. I highly recommend this race.
Love the War Eagle Run Fest
This was my first half and I had a blast! Hills were difficult as I trained in Florida. I conserved energy and walked the hills, considering this I was happy … MORE
This was my first half and I had a blast! Hills were difficult as I trained in Florida. I conserved energy and walked the hills, considering this I was happy with my time! Loved running on fraternity row, these volunteers were the most fun and encouraging!!!! Would like the opportunity to buy on line, the race swag offered at the race.
Absolutely best first race I did!!!
This was my first ever 5k! And I loved it! Has me addicted! The race ran smooth with nothing confusing at all! I loved it! As an auburn local I … MORE
This was my first ever 5k! And I loved it! Has me addicted! The race ran smooth with nothing confusing at all! I loved it! As an auburn local I thought i was going to see places I’ve seen before but nope! Saw new places that I haven’t seen before! After this 5k I am now addicted all because of how amazing and smooth this race was!
So much fun! War Eagle!
Third year to run this race. So much fun to end on the 50-yard line. Some hills make it challenging. Very well organized. This year was very cold, but not … MORE
Third year to run this race. So much fun to end on the 50-yard line. Some hills make it challenging. Very well organized. This year was very cold, but not the fault of the race. That said, some hot drinks or mylar blankets at the finish would have been much appreciated and likely would have kept me to hang around for the party. Instead I got back to my car as quickly as I could! All in all very fun. Recommended to all runners, including slow pokes like me.
Amazing race, somewhat weak finish
Y’all I had an amazing time. Absolutely exhilarated 100% of the time. Always felt safe and comfortable, never too far from water or first aid. It was also great to … MORE
Y’all I had an amazing time. Absolutely exhilarated 100% of the time. Always felt safe and comfortable, never too far from water or first aid. It was also great to view certain parts of campus that grad students never venture into. My only criticism is of the finish. It would’ve been nice for emergency blankets to be handed out along with medals and water bottles, because it was cold and windy and the after party area didn’t offer any heating or shelter from the wind. I also think there could have been additional stairwells single dedicated to exiting the stadium. The one stairwell immediately clogged up.
Best HM I've ran so far
I've ran a HM in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham and the War Eagle Run Fest is by far the best in the state to me. The production, environment, scenic route, etc. … MORE
I’ve ran a HM in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham and the War Eagle Run Fest is by far the best in the state to me. The production, environment, scenic route, etc. was all fantastic. Add to it a challenging but not impossible course and you’ve got a great race weekend. My brother and two buddies ran it as well and we quickly decided that this will be a yearly tradition for us.
Auburn is Awesome!
The War Eagle Half Marathon is a well organized race that highlights the campus of Auburn University and the surrounding areas. It is a very hilly course, but it finishes … MORE
The War Eagle Half Marathon is a well organized race that highlights the campus of Auburn University and the surrounding areas. It is a very hilly course, but it finishes on the 50-yard line of the campus football stadium! The course also includes a lap around the University track, which is a neat feature. On this day in 2024, the weather was not ideal – (very cold and windy), so I admit that my review may be influenced a bit by the unfavorable conditions. As a result of the cold, I think the finish area festivities were lacking. The biggest disappointment was the extremely long line for food… and no free finisher food (bananas, bagels, etc.) If a runner wanted any race-provided nourishment, that runner had to wait in a long line in the cold and wind. I took a hard pass. Medal was nice, but we are runners… not football players. (The finisher medal was in the shape of a large football helmet.)
Prepare for a Climb
Wow, I'm glad I drove the course beforehand because I forgot to check the reviews and the hills would have killed me had I not been mentally prepared for them! … MORE
Wow, I’m glad I drove the course beforehand because I forgot to check the reviews and the hills would have killed me had I not been mentally prepared for them! It was surprisingly cold and overcast this morning, like really cold. Low thirties. Since I’m traveling I didn’t have a lot of choices in what I could wear so felt every bit of the temperature. The course starts right outside of the stadium and climbs up and out to the town of Auburn. Well marshaled and marked course as you run up and up and up through the neighborhoods and then a park. Coming back onto the campus, you get to run through campus on your way to the track where you take a lap before heading into the finish on the 50. Just mentally prepare yourself because there are some real slogs up hill with not a lot of downhill relief. As you finish, there are people who are in the stands but then…wait for it…the only way out is a climb up the stairs to the concourse. The finish festival is outside the stadium. There was no chocolate milk, energy drink or fruit. I mean, it’s 9A in the south so soda and a hot dog is normal I guess? AG winners don’t have to wait for a ceremony, you can just go pick up your bling (which was really nice bling). The medals this year were football helmets and the AG were gold/silver/bronze helmets. Parking was plentiful. Only about 1200 runners for the half and a total of 4000 for all the races (5K and kid’s mile and half). Really cold throughout but rather it be cold than hot, especially on those hills!
Great Inaugural Race
Everyone was a first timer on this new race, hillier than expected. The first half-ish was running on surrounding roads and through neighborhoods, the second half was essentially running around … MORE
Everyone was a first timer on this new race, hillier than expected. The first half-ish was running on surrounding roads and through neighborhoods, the second half was essentially running around the campus. Finishing on the 50 yard line of the stadium was a very nice touch, great refreshments and beer. Good race, may do again if I am nearby.
Incredible race scenery & production
Running across the 50 yard line in this incredible stadium was one of the coolest running experiences I have ever had. I am no pro but I've run in 3 … MORE
Running across the 50 yard line in this incredible stadium was one of the coolest running experiences I have ever had. I am no pro but I’ve run in 3 different countries and that finish was by far the best! The route was through the campus and gorgeous scenery. The people along the route and related to the production were wonderful. It was my first time in AL and I loved it. I highly recommend this run fest to everyone!!!
Well organized, but hilly!
I live in Auburn, so I know how hilly it is, but sometimes you forget until you’re running. This race was so well organized and the route was great, even … MORE
I live in Auburn, so I know how hilly it is, but sometimes you forget until you’re running. This race was so well organized and the route was great, even though it was challenging. Finishing on the 50 was a great experience and they made the entire thing so easy. Packet pickup was a breeze and the swag/medal is so nice. Only thing I would change is to have Aubie at the finish 🙂