Eau Claire Marathon
[18] Don Alexander, who finished second in the marathon in 2016, said the crowd support near the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire campus was "as good as Boylston Street in Boston.
The Indianhead Track Club Eau Claire Marathon was first run on May 2, 1982 with 95 finishers and was directed by Rick Kettner.
[23][24][25] The 1982 race started at Wilson Park and finished at Eau Claire North High School.
[26] The 1983 course started at the corner of Grand and Graham in Eau Claire and finished at the Lake Altoona pavilion, and was run by more than 100 runners.
[36] According to Karen Drechsel, 1700 runners participated in Eau Claire Marathon-affiliated events including 270 in the marathon during its inaugural year.
[42][43] A total of 1,800 runners participated in all three Eau Claire Marathon-affiliated events the second year including 178 who ran the marathon.
The Eau Claire Convention and Visitors Bureau estimates the race brought $256,500 to the local economy.
[51][52] University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire students volunteered to stuff race packets for marathon participants.
[59] After having raised $120,000 for the Eau Claire YMCA to put up a new building, Karen Drechsel announced in November 2013 that the 2014 race would not take place.
[60] Mike Salm, who directed the Buckshot Run that year, said he was "shocked" at the cancellation but understood if the Drechsels were burned out.
Less than three weeks later, the Eau Claire Marathon organization announced Pat Toutant would be the new race director and would be sponsored by Scheels.
Second, the starting time of the marathon, half-marathon, and two mile races were staggered to reduce congestion in Carson Park.
And third, race officials were able to get the city of Eau Claire to open bathrooms in Carson Park for the event.
[71] In addition, rain required the race be re-routed near Owen Park and Hobbs Municipal Ice Center.
Schaffer attended over 100 meetings in the span of a month to plan university engagement with the marathon, including the Blugolds Athletic Band.
[88] In addition, the Eau Claire City Council approved a liquor license for the marathon's post race celebration for the first time after contentious debate.
[90] After the Milwaukee Marathon was short by 0.8 miles (1.3 km) in 2017 and too long in 2016, Toutant assured runners that the Eau Claire Marathon is independently certified and he bikes the route himself to make sure the course is the correct distance and set up correctly on race day.
[91] The ninth running of the Eau Claire Marathon took place in 2017 with slightly more than 4000 runners participating in affiliated events.
[116] The Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation awarded the Eau Claire Police a $33,238.94 grant to make this acquisition.
[119] As of 2013, Debbie Market led a group of student volunteers to run a themed water station along the race course.
[120] Also in the same year, Tom O'Leary the cross country coach from Byron, Minnesota ran the Eau Claire Marathon.
[121] Chris Lundstrom and Dr. Stacy Ingram at the University of Minnesota started a kinesiology class in which 40% of the final grade is completing the Eau Claire Marathon.
[131][132] Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker wore a "Run EC" hat promoting the Eau Claire Marathon while touring the state in 2016.
[133] The Wisconsin Department of Tourism awarded the Eau Claire Marathon a $39,500 marketing grant in 2021 to help grow the economic impact of nonprofit events.
