Running The Eugene Marathon
Planning the perfect marathon is a seemingly impossible task. Will the weather be good? Is the course too hard? How am I even going to get there? It is even harder to answer those question when you have never run a marathon before. This was my experience as I toed the line for 2026 Eugene Marathon in Eugene, Oregon.
I will admit that I put more pressure on myself to ace my first marathon than I should have. All the stories of mile 20 meltdowns, dehydration and hills as long as the equator made me nervous about selecting a race that would leave me satisfied with my result. Of course, experienced marathoners could have just told me that the secret to running a fast marathon was in proper training, but what would be the fun in that?
Despite all of the factors I wanted in race conditions, the reason I chose to run the Eugene Marathon had nothing to do with a flat course, good weather or whether or not the free gels were at mile 5 or mile 7. The reason I chose the Eugene Marathon was for the history of running itself. Many fans of the sport know the likes of Ashton Eaton, Edward Cheserek and the legendary Steve Prefontaine. Many know that Eugene boasts the most beautifully designed track and field stadium on the continent. Many know the history of Eugene as Tracktown USA. Inevitably, the reason I chose to run the Eugene Marathon was that if I was going to run 26.2 miles it might as well be in the city I grew up dreaming of when I was a young runner. So I did.
My training leading up to the race went about as well it could. I was a few years removed from my less-than-romantic college career and had tirelessly battled injuries since. The key to unlocking the success of my first marathon would be to hire a coach who could do the hard work for me. This was a humbling decision since I myself have coached a number of successful runners including marathoners. The decision to not make my own decisions proved to be a brilliant…. decision.
My training block consisted of about 16 weeks of steady mileage and workouts. My biggest week was just shy of 60 miles, but I averaged 50 over the course of things. A few minor aches, a humbling long run (turns out you need water if you’re gonna run 17 hard miles) and a well executed taper delivered me to the front door of my first 26.2.
So how did it go? How was the Eugene Marathon? It was nothing short of incredible. The event was organized to perfection. The course was mostly flat with a few rolling hills in the early miles, and the atmosphere was exactly what you’d expect out of Tracktown USA. On race day I spotted Ashton Eaton, Alexi Pappas, Stephanie Bruce and even double Olympic medalist Grant Fisher—my personal running idol.
Of course, Grant wasn’t racing and that benefitted my finishing position by at least one. For the race itself, I ran the majority of the race tucked into a pack of mostly ladies who were attempting to run an Olympic trials qualifying time. While I felt like I should be “helping” the talented pack of ladies, the truth is that they were actually helping me. The ladies carried me through halfway in just under 1:19 and by mile 18 we were on pace for a 2:37. The packed had dwindled by this point, but the intensity had only grown. By mile 20 I was feeling comfortable enough to press into the pace and make my way to the finish line I had only ever seen on TV.
Miles 21-25 were lonely to say the least. The competition had spread out and the spectators had made their way to Heyward Field for one last cheer. By mile 26, a long line of enthusiastic fans stood with a roaring welcome as you headed into the stadium. In the stadium itself was a massive gathering of supportive spouses, proud moms, sleepy dads and slightly bored children waiting to cheer on their loved one. I know with certainty that much of this race would be in vain had my wife not been there to support me.
Rounding the curve and running down the final straight of Heyward field was pure magic. Crossing the line in a time of 2:36:21 checked off one of the last items on my running bucket list—several of which had been checked off in the prior say in Eugene. I stood dazed in the finish area before reuniting with my wife who was still cheering with a group of friends she made while she waited for me.
I took my pictures, collected my freebies and waddled back to the car. I was officially a marathoner and I did it at the Eugene Marathon. It wasn’t the flat course, the perfect weather or the incredible competition that made this race so special to me; it was the elation from my younger self knowing that after all these years of being a runner, he got to sprint down the straightaway of legendary Tracktown USA for shiny new PR.
