The Eugene Marathon, is a

marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of kilometres ( 26 mi 385 yd), usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There ...

established in 2007, which takes place in

Eugene, Oregon Eugene ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lane County, Oregon, United States. It is located at the southern end of the Willamette Valley, near the confluence of the McKenzie River (Oregon), McKenzie and Willamette River, Willamette rivers, ...

. The main event is accompanied by a half marathon, 5K and kids run. The marathon is certified by the

USATF USA Track & Field (USATF) is a United States national governing body for the sports of track and field, cross country running, road running, and racewalking (known as the sport of athletics outside the US). The USATF was known between 1979 and 1 ...

, and is a qualifying event for both the

Boston Marathon The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon race hosted by eight cities and towns in greater Boston in eastern Massachusetts, United States. It is traditionally held on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897, the event was ins ...

and the United States Olympic Trials (track and field), United States Olympic Trials. The event features live music performed along the marathon and half-marathon routes, and at the finish as well. The tagline for the event is "Running in the Footsteps of Legends" in honor of the Eugene area's history in the sport, as well as the University of Oregon's tradition of producing great runners.

History

The marathon, established in 2007, was the first major marathon to be held in Eugene since 1984, when the last Nike OTC Marathon was staged. Nearly 5000 entrants participated in the inaugural 2007 marathon events, which featured about thirty elite athletes, many of whom were shooting for qualifying marks for the United States at the Olympics, US Olympic Trials, which were held in New York City in November. The Eugene area regularly hosts track and field championship events, which in the past have included several National Collegiate Athletic Association track championships and US Olympic Marathon Trials in 1972, 1976 and 1980. In 2021, Eugene will be the first city in the United States to host the International Association of Athletics Federation's 2021 World Championships in Athletics, which is billed as the world's largest sporting event in 2021. The 2020 edition of the race was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic in Oregon, pandemic, with registrants having the option of transferring their registration to 2021 or 2022 for free.

Course

The Eugene Marathon has been certified by USA Track and Field, the sport's governing body in the United States, at . The course is laid out primarily on city streets and bike paths along the Willamette River, following many of the roads and trails used by Oregon's significant runners, such as Steve Prefontaine, Alberto Salazar, Bill McChesney (athlete), Bill McChesney and Mary Decker Slaney. The Eugene Marathon begins in front of Hayward Field on the University of Oregon campus. Hayward Field was under construction in preparation for the IAAF's 2021 World Championships in Athletics, so the Eugene Marathon began instead at Autzen Stadium between 2019 and 2021. Runners cross the Willamette River and go through downtown and the campus area, then down past South Eugene High School and through Amazon Park. They continue into the edge of the South Hills, then turn back north and eventually get on the riverfront trail system. From here they make a loop that travels through the River Road, Oregon, River Road neighborhood and then across the Owosso Drive footbridge to the Delta Ponds area, Alton Baker Park, and eventually east to Springfield, Oregon, Springfield before circling back to finish at Autzen Stadium. The marathon is a

and US Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier event, and its certification allows record breaking performances to qualify as new world records.

Community impact

Proceeds from the event benefit various community causes such as CASA of Lane County, American Cancer Society, the Lane County food bank, Pre's Trail, and others.

Winners

Course record

Leadership

* Founder/Principle: Andy Heily * Executive Race Director: Courtney Heily * Race Director: Ian Dobson * Director of Event Operations: Becky Radliff * Marketing and Content Coordinator: Jon Marx

References

{{reflist

External links

EugeneMarathon.com
- Official website
MarathonGuide.com
- 'Eugene Marathon & Half Marathon, 5K, Kids Run - Eugene, OR USA'
OregonLive.com
- ' Eugene Marathon to honor city's past', Doug Binder, ''The Oregonian'' (January 8, 2007)
RunnerSpace.com
- Fan site with Highlight video and start/finish videos Recurring sporting events established in 2007 Marathons in the United States Sports in Eugene, Oregon Sports competitions in Oregon 2007 establishments in Oregon Annual events in Eugene, Oregon