Eau Claire Marathon - Race Reviews

As a proud UWEC alumnus, this race delivered. The finish through campus was emotional. Excellent race organization and runner support, which should receive extra kudos for delivering through COVID. Only cons are a few abandoned stretches that get a little lonely, and the slower half marathoners clogging up the roads once the full catches them.

I registered to run this marathon in the spring of 2020. It was deferred to autumn 2020, then to the spring of 2021, then to the autumn 2021. So there was lots of time to look forward to this event. It is scheduled to go back to the spring, for 2022. This was my first visit to the community itself. I have driven Highway 29 through the area many times before, but it was nice to get downtown this time. Eau Claire has lots of waterways and lots of bridges. The start and finish line were in a downtown area. Packet pickup was in a Phoenix Park, right next to where the start-line was to be set up, and the finish line was across a bridge (river) from the park. There was parking available - both on the street and in parking garages. Though parking can sometimes be difficult in downtown areas, this seemed to work out okay. For me, I parked up the hill from the finish line - close to the old high school, then walked to the staging area for the start. It worked out fine. While I would not call this a large size event, there were just an incredible number of volunteers working. Of course there are vendors at the expo always trying to make a buck selling their stuff. Parking was available close to the park, and packet pick-up was a breeze. There were staff and volunteers available to answer questions too. Emi Uelmen was the race director, and while I did not meet him in person, I was acquainted with him thru e-mails trying to get re-registered for 2021 (deferred runners from 2020 still had to re-register and pay a smaller fee). I got my registration completed kind of late, and the RD was most helpful. I found reasonably priced motel accommodations near ground zero for the marathon. That was nice. When I arrived at the park on race day morning, it was still fairly dark out, and the bridges there near the park were lit up with neon-type lighting. It was spectacular, and I have never seen anything like it before. It is worth seeing if you ever spend the night in Eau Claire. It was a bit cold for shorts and a tank-top during the pre-race time (mid-50's) but this event did not offer bag-drop because of the on-going China virus pandemic issues - so I heard from a volunteer. It would have been nice to have a sweatshirt on until the race started, but it was not that big of deal. It was going to be in the mid-70's by mid-day, and we would warm up after we started to run. Many roads were closed for this event, so it was (had to be) coordinated very well with the community and law enforcement ahead of time. And by the way, Law enforcement did a great job throughout. The race started on a bridge adjacent to the park, and the road was closed to automobile traffic. The early part of the race was on the roads thru the downtown area - which were all closed. I do not have a good feeling for what percentage of this course was on roads and how much was on paved bike & foot path, the there was a mixture of both. Also there was an out-and-back stretch on a gravel road that was about 2 miles or so. We passed mile-post 10 & 11 on that stretch. After that, we rounded a corner and there was the airport, and then the half-way point. We actually went around the perimeter of the airport, but on the back side, we could not see the airport complex. There were a couple of pretty long straight stretches getting us back in to town. We got to see a bit more of the city, then we transitioned on to the campus of University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire. Transitioning through the campus, there was a group of perhaps 30 students playing volleyball - I think, and when they saw me coming, they stopped and all cheered for me as I passed. It was thunderous. What a sensation. After I was past them, they went back to their game. How cool! This course had a 6-hour time limit for road closure and for volunteer time commitment, so after 6 hours, the roads re-opened (but the staff assured us slower runners that the timing would continue, and that they would wait for everyone on the course to finish; I think that there were 3 or 4 people still behind me). That was well done. I reached the 6-hour point on the university campus. When I exited the campus, a busy road was open - that I had to cross. I had to wait for automobile traffic to clear. Then, beyond that, I had about a mile to go. I did not see any signs at that point and was running alone. So I had to be careful. I saw a water station down the road being dis-assembled, so I headed toward that. Volunteers were just closing up shop, so they pointed me toward the finish line (to the traffic light, then right, then over the bride and left - with the finish line straight ahead). It was perfect! At the finish line they gave out the medals and handed the runners a plastic bag with post race food (chips, cookies, water, a stinger wafer&). It seemed like nothing was left to chance with this marathon. Everything was very well done. There was lots of planning, coordination, and hard work. And there were lots of fans along the way for a smaller sized community event. And the kids on the university campus were simply amazing. This was not a flat course; there were ups and downs along the way, but no aggressive hills. I highly recommend this marathon! It might not one of the cheaper marathons out there, but it was a very worthwhile experience.

The year I ran this course, it was extremely scenic. The bridge crossings were wonderful, and it even ran onto a dirt road briefly which I enjoyed as it felt good on the legs. Spectators were few or far between, mostly due to the course location, which did not bother me. Towards the end, spectators picked up around mile 21, which is really nice for when you're feeling low. Pacer was a great running partner. Good enthusiasm and attitude. The organization of the race was amazing. Very well taken care of from the expo, the start, aid stations, traffic control, and the finish line.

I ran the half marathon and my only complaint was the starting time. Every race that I have run that had both a marathon and half marathon started at the same time. This year the marathoners started at 7:15 when it was cool, but the half marathoners were forced to wait two hours later at 9:15 when the temperature rose about ten degrees. I don't understand why the half marathoners were forced to run in the heat.

The Eau Claire race organizers are brilliant and know how to take care of runners. They have the entire city of Eau Claire support this race and it helps put smiles on the runners faces (even after 20+ miles of running). Like many races, the volunteers are great and spectators are enthusiastic. What sets Eau Claire apart is that the half marathoners start two hours after the marathoners do, then join up with them for the final eight miles of the race. This brings out extra spectators, adds energy, and reduces boredom. The course is relatively flat, with one tough hill at mile 11, right after a three mile out and back on a gravel road (it's better than it sounds because it runs through a forest). Miles 13-17 run on a bike trail and are a bit boring, but miles 20-25 have great scenery (the joyous blue/gold mile, a river trail, the downtown, etc) and LOTS of crowd support. The food on this marathon is tremendous, with candy, bananas, and popsickles. The Eau Claire Marathon has grown exponentially over the past three years and I would expect that to continue. They take good care of runners and they want everyone to have a good time. I used to recommend Green Bay as the best marathon in Wisconsin. Not anymore. Eau Claire is number one in the Badger State.

I was pleasantly surprised with the Eau Claire marathon starting with the Expo which was larger than I thought and well organized. The race route was very enjoyable and the fan support was great. The weather was fantastic and the finish line organization was superb. I highly recommend this marathon!

The Eau Claire Marathon is a great event for all ages. I started doing this race 3 years ago with a 5k.This was the best race I have ever done. When you have the organizers right there cheering you on and giving you high 5's on the last stretch to the finish, that says and means alot! I proceeded to challenge myself with doing the relay these last 2 years. The relay is a fun event in which you ate able to cheer your teammates on amd finish as a team with lots of spectators along the way. I have transitioned my family into doing runs with me now and in 2017, we as a family ranging in age from 7-39 will be partaking in the 5k together. We will start together and finish together. It's a great event no matter what your abilities or age you are. If you put your mind to it, you can do it! ! Hoping to do my first half in 2018.

This marathon was my 6th. I truly enjoyed the scenery as you run over a waterfall on one of the bridges. Great weather this year,sunny and mid 50's at the finish. Race director did a great job. He gave everyone a high five at the finish line. I didn't like running uphill at the finish but not a bad race overall. I pr'd by 11 minutes. I would suggest to the event coordinators to remove the cars that were for sale in the parking lot next to the finish and after race party. I found that to be extremely tacky. No one is interested in looking at a car after running a marathon. Other than that I would definitely put it on my bucket list. Running through the UW Eau Claire campus was a lot of fun. The students really came out to support the runners. Lots of positive energy from them!

Pros: 1) Course has a lot of nice scenery. 2) Well organized. 3) Reasonable cost. 4) Surprisingly good crowd support for small race. Cons: 1) Difficult to find drop bag area and bags should have been better with drawstring. 2) Several significant hills, but not unreasonable. Not ideal to have steep hill right before finish. This was first year I have run this race. Some great views crossing rivers and the students cheering through the university campus were loud and fantastic! Nice to have pacers and shuttle buses. Weather was perfect this year and course is conducive to fast times despite a few significant hills. I would definitely recommend this race!

This was my first marathon and it was a great experience. The course is well shaded and scenic, for the most part (I remember a hot flat stretch around mile 13 or so). There are some hills and a dirt stretch at the beginning of the last 10k. The crowd support is great! I ran it in just over 5 hours and still had people cheering me on at the end. Definitely recommend this race!

This was my first marathon. I have run 3 since this one. This course was hiller than I thought it would be. There were a decent amount of specators. I liked running through the campus around mile 22ish? It had an ugly hill at mile 26, but it was overall a good race.

I did not research this marathon a lot before picking it to run. With that said, it was a great marathon with a scenic course. The event was very well organized and the volunteers and spectators were great too.

The full marathon course was very nice. You run through wooded parks, the neighborboods of Eau Claire, on a bike trail near the water, through downtown and through UWEC campus. I could have done without the hill right before the finish but overall, the hills are not an issue. The only part of the course I really didn't like were around mile 21-22 on the dirt trail towards the end of the race. After mile 21, I'd rather not change running surfaces. It's definately a PR or Boston qualifier course if that's you goal. For a young marathon, the organization was excellent. The expo was really a packet pick up with a couple booths but I thought it was fine. Much better than fighting crowds at the bigger events. The course itself was well marked and volunteers guided you at every turn. Finishers were provided fruit, bagels, sandwiches and plenty of water. If you're looking for a reasonably priced marathon where you can park your car next to the start/finish, want friendly volunteers and spectators, give it a try.

I PR'd this marathon by 14 minutes! 90% of this course has great scenery (the other 10% is through an industrial area). This year's weather was ideal. The course was very well marked and the race officials did a great job of keeping the marathoners on the correct course. My only suggestments for improvement would be: a better medal (I would pay higher registration for better swag) and chocolate milk at the finish line (seems doable for 'America's Dairyland'). Great Job Eau Claire.

I ran this , finishing in 4H 36 m 541 secs and was first in my age division but I'm not even listed in the results Are the results chip time or clock time? Also I see in the results that a friend of mine who came in 15 minutes after me was listed as the age group winner for our age and they even have her age wrong. Mostly I'm wondering what happened to me and my results??? One change I think that could be made is put the second mat past the finish line, though I suppose a few seconds more because you already thought you were done wouldn't matter. Weren't we lucky with the weather!!

At age 41, this was my 3rd marathon, and all have been in the past 7 months. I was shooting for a BQ and missed it by 1 min, 33 sec! Bummer, oh well, will get it next time, but REALLY wanted to in my home town. The great part was that several relatives/friends came out and braved the cold to cheer me on. I ran through neighborhoods where I used to train in track and field and X-Country near Eau Claire, North where I went to hs. Many memories in Eau Claire that I was running by. The negative of course was the weather, but who can predict that. The weather stayed in the 30s and didn't make it up in the 40s as was forecasted. The first half went well, even the 2 hills weren't that bad really, it was getting on top near the airport, then about 5 miles going S on Hastings to Galloway that was brutal and taxing and threw off my pace. Drafting really didn't even work as wind was 20-30mph from the W. Organization was great; pasta feed night before excellent. Great value and small race on a certified course - you can't get that very often! Very little hassle - I parked about 40 ft from the finish! and was able to use the porta potty within 5 min of race start! awesome. The race had about 300 runners, which I believe included both marathon and half. One thing that could be improved, however, is making sure the turns are well-marked. There was a spot along the river downtown that I started going the wrong direction and then a couple people were there directing waved me back on course - they could've used arrows on the pavement or something. Also could've used more volunteers at water stops and who shouted gatorade or water because I wasn't sure which was which. Also, the part of the race on the trail was not good, at mile 23-25 when you're legs are tired, I would've preferred to just stay on the road, skip the trail and go down Water Street, where more spectators would be, as the whole rest of race was road. Trail was wet and uneven w/ potholes of water. Would I run this again? Yes, but hoping for better weather next time!

This is a nice, small marathon. The course is not overly hilly and the scenery is nice. The wind and temperature were not kind this year and the spectators were few and far between, but the volunteers were great.

The mile markers were huge; you could see them a quarter-mile away. Also, the after-race food was very good. Along with the water, milk, fruit, juice and yogurt, there were nice ham or turkey sandwiches. Everyone was so nice that I am glad I picked this race for my Wisconsin marathon!

For my first marathon I was just taking everything in as it came. The start/finish line was easy to find. The course had good scenery, with all of the river valleys and parks and the revamped downtown area. The volunteers in bright green shirts were helpful and very encouraging. Aid and water stations were well spaced, and the two GU stations were a definite PLUS. Only two small gripes: there were only 11 porta-potties at the start line for 1,200 people, and the mile markers on the PDF terrain map seemed to be slightly off from their locations on the course. Overall it was a great experience; I just wish it were later in the year so that I could get more training in.

I really enjoyed this marathon. I was worried because I am a 5:00-ish marathon (5:01:07 this time) and I was afraid I would lonely by myself. I wasn't surrounded by other runners, but the volunteers at every stop, the spectators, and the people at the finish all made it a great day. The course is very flat by New England standards but it is pretty. Much of the running is along the river and I was never bored. I ran this race to get Wisconsin off of the 50-state list. Unless you need big crowds, this is a perfect race.

I want to thank the race directors as well as the City of Eau Claire for putting on a fantastic race. It was very organized and scenic. You will be sure to see more of us Canadian folks next year. Great memories of my first full marathon!

I ran it this past Sunday. It was low-key, but very well organized. There were only about 200 or so marathoners. There were several times that many half-marathoners. They all turned off at about mile 5, which made the next 21 miles pretty sparse. That was fine because the scenery was great (along the Chippewa River), and through downtown Eau Claire, which is a very beautiful city. However, I wish I had brought my iPod. The organization was fantastic. Water stops were plentiful and had Gatorade too. Many thanks to the race directors for putting on such a nice event. I look forward to running it again next year.

It's hard to believe that this was the first year of this race, based on how well things went. Beautiful course, plenty of well staffed water stops, good traffic control, adequate on-course porta-potties, and friendly volunteers. Need more porta-potties at the start, however, and as this race grows, parking may become an issue. This race gets an "A" for the first year!

You would never have known this was the first year for the event. The organization and management of the race was exceptional. Volunteers and/or police (smiling) were at every intersection, and the aid stations were well spaced, with lots of yellow-shirted volunteers. The loop course rolled around the city for the most part, with one good-sized hill around 12 miles in, and then a short, nasty one with about half a mile to go (it couldn't be helped). The shirt, medal, food, and aid tent were typical, but very nice.