EC marathon returns with record-setting number of participants

EAU CLAIRE — The 18th annual Eau Claire Marathon returns this weekend with a record-setting number of participants across all events both Saturday and Sunday.

Race director Emi Uelmen is upbeat about this weekend’s festivities, calling it “the biggest race weekend of the year.”

Between all the races over two days, 5,800 people have signed up to compete. That is up from 5,000 last year, which was the previous record.

“We have a big jump, and we have a couple days left,” Uelmen said Thursday. “We have over 1,000 marathoners — we’ve never had that before.”

In the other races, 2,400 runners will participate in the half-marathon, 1,000 in a 5k (3.1 mile) and 600 in the 10K (6.2 mile) races. There also are runners in relays and kids races.

The expo will again take place at the Sonnentag on Saturday with vendors lined up there.

Since the race is a consistent event every spring, Uelmen said people know what to expect, including which roads will be closed during the races.

“There are no changes to the course,” she said. No roads on the course are under construction, either. “The city has been working with us and cleaning the roads.”

Because they have so many runners who return every year, Uelmen said they wanted to single out the new participants, who will all be given a blue wristband. She encouraged other runners to approach them, welcome them to Eau Claire, and answer any questions those newcomers might have.

“We want to tell them about Eau Claire,” she said.

The preliminary forecast calls for a high of 57 degrees Fahrenheit on Saturday and 65 degrees Fahrenheit on Sunday, with no rain expected.

“It’s looking like it’s going to be perfect,” Uelmen said.

The Eau Claire Marathon events begin Saturday with the Kids’ Obstacle Run at 1:30 p.m., followed by the 10K Charity Classic presented by Royal Credit Union at 4 p.m., then a 5K at 6 p.m. Those races will now begin in Carson Park and finish behind the Sonnentag. Note some of those race times have changed from previous years.

The full marathon and marathon relay will both start at 7 a.m. Sunday, with the half-marathon beginning at 8:30 a.m. The marathon is a Boston Marathon qualifying race, which has been a draw for top runners. The half-marathon and marathon both start and finish in downtown. Runners will cross the finish line next to the Pablo Center at the Confluence. This is the second time the relay and the full marathon will start together. In the past, the relay teams have started 15 minutes later.

Uelmen said she really likes having the Sunday races start and finish downtown, as it gives spectators numerous opportunities to see the runners.

“Our runners put on the race — we do what we like to see at races,” she said.

The Eau Claire Marathon was started in 2009 with race directors Karen and Kevin Dreschel. Uelmen and her father, Pat Toutant, took over the marathon in November 2013 and have been running it ever since. The 18 annual races include the virtual marathon held in 2020 because of the pandemic. The start and finish was in Carson Park from 2009 through 2019. However, racers disliked going uphill into the park to finish, and there was a lack of parking and other amenities, so the decision was made to relocate to downtown in 2021.

For more information, including road closures during the race, visit eauclairemarathon.com.