The Eugene Marathon and Half Marathon is Sunday, and it will be bigger than ever. Marketing Director Becky Radliff said the number of runners has doubled since 2023, thanks to a post-COVID running boom.
“We are a destination race for people who want to experience Tracktown USA, experience Hayward Field,” she told KLCC. “They have heard about the iconic track or seen it on TV and they want the chance to finish a race, a marathon specifically, on that same track.”
Radliff said people are coming from all 50 states, two territories and 26 countries. She expects 10,000 runners for Sunday’s races, and another 4,000 in Saturday’s 5-kilometer race and kids’ Duck Dash.
The marathon sold out in January, two months earlier than last year, according to Radliff, and charity running teams benefitted. She said the Eugene Marathon had a longstanding goal of helping local charities use the race as a platform for their fundraising.
When regular registration closed, the group’s Run for a Reason program became a good option for people who hadn't signed up in time. Radliff said local nonprofits pre-purchased entries at a discount, and some of those teams still had openings.
“And then people who still wanted to get in the race, they were like, okay, which charity do I want to go with?” said Radliff. “And maybe they had a local connection to a Boys and Girls Club in their community, and so then they signed up to fundraise for our local Boys and Girls Club of Emerald Valley.”
With the program, a bib number is free in exchange for fundraising a few hundred dollars. Radliff expects 20 local nonprofits to take in a combined $600,000, which will double last year’s total.
This weekend’s races will close a few main roads, including Franklin Boulevard near Agate Street in Eugene, and Main Street in Springfield. Full details and timing are listed on the Eugene Marathon website.
Because of the large numbers of racers and spectators this year, Radliff encouraged runners to use the free shuttles from the Graduate Hotel, the Valley River Inn, or the hotels at Hutton Street and Kruse Way in Springfield.
Alternatively, she said they should plan to be dropped off many blocks away from the crowds and closures near the starting line outside Hayward Field. There’s also a free bike valet, Radliff said, and LTD buses, including the EmX line, which is convenient for the race route, are a great option.
