Video: Eugene Marathon 2024 race kicks off outside Hayward Field
Runners hit the course as the 2024 Eugene Marathon starts outside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon.
- The Eugene Marathon’s Show Your Bib program provides local business discounts through race bibs and volunteer t-shirts.
- Ten Market District businesses are offering discounts to runners and volunteers throughout race weekend.
The 2025 Eugene Marathon is officially sold out, with nearly 14,000 runners registered to race in the weekend’s events across a variety of distances.
If you were lucky enough to snag a spot in the starting corral, your race bib is a ticket not only to Eugene’s hallmark marathon but also a variety of discounts at local businesses.
The Eugene Marathon’s Show Your Bib program offers runners and volunteers discounts at participating businesses. Whether runners are looking for some post-race fuel or to celebrate in style with new clothes, the option to “Show Your Bib” provides a price cut and an opportunity to patronize some local businesses that call the 5th Street Market District home.
Becky Radliff, Eugene Marathon director of marketing, said 2025 will be the marathon’s biggest yet in terms of the number of registered runners and volunteers, beating out 2024’s record numbers as the race continues to grow in popularity. The 2025 races have about 10,000 runners registered for April 27’s full and half-marathon events and about 4,000 runners in April 26’s 5K and the Kids’ Duck Dash. There are runners from all 50 states and 29 countries.
”Globally, there’s a post-COVID running boom, so all races are seeing this kind of growth. Although most races around the globe are seeing about a 10 to 15% growth rate, we’re a little bit higher than that, seeing just about 20% growth year-to-year,” Radliff said. ”We actually have more volunteers than ever before. We’ve got close to 1,500 volunteers, which is like 300 or 400 more than last year, so huge growth in that area, as well.”
How Eugene Marathon runners can support local businesses
With thousands of runners and volunteers preparing to participate in the Eugene Marathon, opportunities to support local businesses are also available.
Larecea Smith, Eugene Marathon director of community programs, started the Show Your Bib program in 2023 to encourage out-of-towners and Eugeneans alike to enjoy race weekend and celebrate afterward with local businesses that otherwise may not have been on their radar.
“I grew up in Eugene and I love all of our local businesses. I just felt like it was a good opportunity for exposure for these businesses and for people that are out of town to come in and have suggestions of places to stop in, explore and engage with these stores that might not have been on their radar previously,” Smith said. “They’re places that I love and enjoy going to so I want to spread the love.”
She said businesses share positive experiences from their race weekend discount participation and that hopefully, as interest and participation in the Eugene Marathon increase, so will the number of Show Your Bib businesses.
“I think next year, just with the positive feedback that we’ve received, we’ll expand it beyond 5th Street and do all of Eugene-Springfield,” Smith said. “We’re definitely looking to expand the program.”
Eugene Marathon local business discounts
Here’s a list of Market District businesses where runners and volunteers can show their bibs or volunteer t-shirts from April 25 to 27 to receive discounts:
- Cornucopia, 10% off
- Eugene Burger Company, 10% off
- Gilt & Gossamer, 10% off
- GG Shoes, 10% off
- Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream, 25% off
- Made in Oregon, receive a free eco shopping bag with purchase
- MECCA, 10% off
- Sassy Kitchen and Gifts, 10% off
- Title Nine, 15% off
- Will Leather Goods, 10% off
Hannarose McGuinness is The Register-Guard’s growth and development reporter. You can reach her at hmcguinness@registerguard.com.
