Eugene Marathon: Any race reports? How was it? Better or Worse?

I didn't have a problem with the heat, though I can't be sure that faster people didn't. Both the field and the crowds were significantly smaller than last year, probably much more to do with school being out of session than the potential for it to be too hot (July might be a bit warmer, but has a much lower chance of rain).

Just under 4,000 less finishers in all events this year (5k-half-full).

The weather ended up being a little better than predicted and cloud cover came in for most participants in the later stages of the race.

I don't know the exact temps but I think they all got lucky on that front. Didn't see any heat related issues from my vantage point at the finish.

Why 4000 less?

Wow. It really might be 4000 less.

It'll be interesting to see how "permanent" the date change is.

2571 marathon entries in 2013

source:

http://results.chronotrack.com/event/results/event/event-3271?lc=en

1361 marathon entries in 2014

source:

http://results.chronotrack.com/event/results/event/event-9643?lc=en

that's a lot :: wrote:

Why 4000 less?

Because it's in late July instead of April

that's a lot :: wrote:

Why 4000 less?

We had like 10+ people in Eugene last year and only one this year, and aside from the possibility of a hot day, the end of July is just really awkward timing for a marathon. Most people do a long spring race and then maybe a fall race before XC, with track in between. Pretty much nobody was training for a long race with this timing.

Was the goal to have a smaller event? Or did they really think July would attract more people?

With those numbers, I would say the move was an unmitigated disaster. Unless they wanted a smaller, more intimate event.

So what's the real reason for the move? Were they no longer able to get permits for April or something?

reason behind the move? wrote:

Was the goal to have a smaller event? Or did they really think July would attract more people?

With those numbers, I would say the move was an unmitigated disaster. Unless they wanted a smaller, more intimate event.

So what's the real reason for the move? Were they no longer able to get permits for April or something?

I think they were hoping they could turn Eugene into the go-to summer marathon for everyone in the country, and they also said they wanted it to become the go-to marathon for Olympic Trials qualifying. It looks like they destroyed a great local marathon in order to produce a shitty national marathon.

The 1979 and 1980 OTC marathons were in the 2nd week of September.

A big part of the change was to demonstrate that Eugene is capable of handling a large multi-day event. It is part of the long-term goal of a bid for World Championships.

Surveys noted the change in the time of year and economic factors as contributors to the smaller fields.

Availability of volunteers was also impacted by the coupling of the event with World Juniors.

They got quite lucky with the weather.

someone who knows a bit wrote:

They got quite lucky with the weather.

How?

someone who knows a bit wrote:

A big part of the change was to demonstrate that Eugene is capable of handling a large multi-day event. It is part of the long-term goal of a bid for World Championships.

Surveys noted the change in the time of year and economic factors as contributors to the smaller fields.

Availability of volunteers was also impacted by the coupling of the event with World Juniors.

They got quite lucky with the weather.

Agree with the weather. They got quite lucky as the temps predicted didn't happen and the overcast 2 hours in came with some cooler winds. Not sure how it felt from a runners stand point.

This was moved because of the world junior championship. The marathon and tracktown (the company in which vin is in charge of) agreed to a multi year contract for several years. With this agreement I believe they (vin?) was able to convince someone to move it. From my perspective it was a selfish sacrifice just to get more people at world juniors. The local news ran a story where their spokeswomen tried to put a positive spin on the reduced participation of 1/3 from last year by saying they are happy with the doubling of the international participants. Which will be gone next year...

They also said they want to keep having it occur adjacent to big track meets. Pre classic? Olympic trials? Does the date just move every year?

Just seems like a dumb move to me.

someone who knows a bit wrote:

They got quite lucky with the weather.

The weather today was pretty much how the weather is every since day in Eugene in July and August. Eugene in the summer has some of the most predictable weather I've seen anywhere.

From 8- noon? No, that isn't typical.

Right now at 6:40 pm. Yes.

Stevenson wrote:

From 8- noon? No, that isn't typical.

Right now at 6:40 pm. Yes.

Yes it is normal for this time of year.

7/27 high 88 low 60 (avg high 84 avg low 52)

7am 59

8am 65

9am 67

10am 70

11am 73

Great venue for a marathon, unfortunately the second half of the marathon is nearly all concrete.

shockman wrote:

Great venue for a marathon, unfortunately the second half of the marathon is nearly all concrete.

At least it isn't 7.7 times around Prefontaine's trail. Surprised some enterprising RD hasn't invented THAT marathon.

I had my eye on Eugene until they moved it. All the reviews I had read made it sound like a really good event, then suddenly it's in July?

Even if Eugene can have OK weather in July, the idea of training for a Summer marathon sounds horrible. And why would I fly all the way to Eugene to run in maybe, possibly, if we get lucky OK weather? It just doesn't work with how most competitive runners shape their race schedules.

I'm just one guy. So if a few hundred more folks like be bailed it can make a difference in the numbers.

Nordstrom wrote:

Stevenson wrote:

From 8- noon? No, that isn't typical.

Right now at 6:40 pm. Yes.

Yes it is normal for this time of year.

7/27 high 88 low 60 (avg high 84 avg low 52)

7am 59

8am 65

9am 67

10am 70

11am 73

Did you read the posts at all? Yes, the high and lows are fairly "normal". How we got from the low to the high with the overcast was not normal. What it was at 5am and 5pm are irrelevant to the race.

How you can claim your progression from 7am to 11am is "normal" is beyond me. But I look forward to your data to back it up. Links would be useful.

Do you even live in Eugene? Or are you just a weather website watcher?