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.