2027 Eau Claire Marathon - May 2 Countdown

Q: When is the 2027 Eau Claire Marathon and what time does it start?

The 2027 Eau Claire Marathon is on Sunday, May 2, 2027, with the full marathon starting at 7:00 a.m. Central Time at Phoenix Park in downtown Eau Claire. The four-person relay also goes off at 7:00 a.m., and the half marathon follows at 8:30 a.m. The 5K and 10K are held the day before on Saturday, May 1, as part of the same race weekend.

Q: What is special about the Eau Claire Marathon course?

It is a riverfront city loop that crosses eight bridges over the Chippewa and Eau Claire rivers across the 26.2 miles, starting and finishing by Phoenix Park downtown. Local highlights include a musical mile of live bands, the Blugold mile through the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's lower campus where students line the route, and the Barstow Block Party near mile 23.5. It was voted Wisconsin's best marathon in 2025.

Q: Is the Eau Claire Marathon course flat or hilly?

It is best described as rolling, not pancake-flat. The course climbs about +180 m (590 ft) in total, but the net elevation change start to finish is only a couple of feet, so every rise is paid back by a descent rather than one long climb. Run the gentle ups and downs evenly and you can hold a steady rhythm — use the pace calculator to plan splits that account for the undulations.

Q: Is the Eau Claire Marathon a Boston qualifier?

Yes. The course is USATF-certified and a Boston-qualifying race, so a qualifying time here counts toward Boston Marathon entry. The rolling-but-net-flat profile and small, well-organized field make it a realistic BQ attempt for runners who pace evenly. Check your target time on the Boston qualifying calculator.

Q: What is the time limit for the Eau Claire Marathon?

The course stays open for 6.5 hours from the 7:00 a.m. start, with water stations, course marshals, and medical support staffed to that pace. That works out to roughly a 14:53 per mile (9:15 per km) pace to stay ahead of support. Runners who pass that cutoff may be asked to move to the sidewalk but can still finish and earn a medal.

Q: How do I register for the Eau Claire Marathon?

Registration is handled online through the official Eau Claire Marathon site; there is no lottery — entry is first-come, first-served, and prices step up as race day approaches (roughly $90 early to about $160 race week for 2027). The full marathon, half marathon, four-person relay, 10K, 5K, and kids' runs are all part of the same weekend, so register early for the best price.

Q: How big is the Eau Claire Marathon?

It is a small-to-mid-sized regional marathon. The full marathon drew around 866 finishers in 2026, while the full race weekend — marathon, half, relay, 10K, 5K, and kids' runs combined — brings several thousand participants to downtown Eau Claire. Expect warm, community-driven support at Phoenix Park, the Blugold mile, and the Barstow Block Party, with quieter stretches along the riverfront paths.

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Race Information

Race	2027 Eau Claire Marathon - May 2
City	Eau Claire
Date	2027-05-02 at 07:00
Field Size	~866 runners
Time Limit	6 hours 30 min
Cutoff pace	9:15/km
Course speed	Challenging course Speed index 1.13 — median of the last 4 winners' times against the global same-year median. Winner times track elite fields and prize money, so this reads the course as a proxy, not a pure measurement.
Timezone	America/Chicago
Official Site	Eau Claire Marathon

Race Day Weather

Average Temperature	9.5°C / 49°F
Humidity	76%
Wind	24.3 km/h
Rain Chance	43%
Typical Conditions	Cool, often-overcast early-May Wisconsin morning — spring temperatures around 51 degrees F (11 degrees C) at the 7:00 a.m. start, with daytime highs near the mid-60s F

What to Prepare: An early-May morning in Eau Claire usually starts cool and damp, around 51 degrees F (11 degrees C), and climbs toward the mid-60s F as the sun rises over the rivers — close to ideal racing weather. Spring in northern Wisconsin is changeable, though, so a throwaway long-sleeve and gloves you can shed are smart, and check the forecast the week before for a possible rain layer or a gusty riverside front.

Based on historical averages for race week. Use our Weather Score Calculator and What to Wear Guide for personalized advice.

Wind Impact on Race Day

Wind at 24.3 km/h can affect your marathon pace by 5-15 seconds per kilometer. Headwinds slow you down exponentially — a 20 km/h wind costs more than twice a 10 km/h wind.

Calculate your wind-adjusted pace →

Race-Week Climate

Based on 20 years of race-week weather (2005-2024), MERRA-2 reanalysis

	Cooler	Typical	Warmer
Temperature	3.6°C	9.4°C	15°C
Dew point	-0.8°C	4.9°C	11.3°C

Wet-day chance: 43% Runnability: 71/100

Data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis), NASA Langley Research Center

Course Profile

Course Type	Riverfront city loop
Elevation Gain	180m
Terrain	Road and riverfront path (paved downtown streets, bridges and park paths, rolling)
Profile	A scenic one-lap loop through Eau Claire's downtown and along the Chippewa and Eau Claire rivers rather than a flat time-trial. The race starts and finishes by Phoenix Park in the heart of downtown, and its signature feature is water: over the 26.2 miles you cross eight bridges spanning the two rivers, weaving from riverfront paths to neighborhood streets and park trails. The course has built up a local reputation for community touches — a musical mile of live bands, the celebrated Blugold mile through the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's lower campus where students pack the route, and the Barstow Block Party crowd near mile 23.5 to carry you home. It is a genuinely rolling course — about +180 m (590 ft) of total climbing, but only a couple of feet of net elevation change start to finish, so the climbs are balanced by descents rather than one long grind. It is USATF-certified and a Boston qualifier with a 6.5-hour limit, making it a realistic small-field BQ attempt for runners who pace the rolling terrain evenly, voted Wisconsin's best marathon in 2025.
Boston Qualifier	Yes — Check your BQ time

Prepare for 2027 Eau Claire Marathon - May 2

Use our free training tools to get race-ready:

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Frequently Asked Questions

When is the 2027 Eau Claire Marathon and what time does it start?

The 2027 Eau Claire Marathon is on Sunday, May 2, 2027, with the full marathon starting at 7:00 a.m. Central Time at Phoenix Park in downtown Eau Claire. The four-person relay also goes off at 7:00 a.m., and the half marathon follows at 8:30 a.m. The 5K and 10K are held the day before on Saturday, May 1, as part of the same race weekend.

What is special about the Eau Claire Marathon course?

It is a riverfront city loop that crosses eight bridges over the Chippewa and Eau Claire rivers across the 26.2 miles, starting and finishing by Phoenix Park downtown. Local highlights include a musical mile of live bands, the Blugold mile through the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's lower campus where students line the route, and the Barstow Block Party near mile 23.5. It was voted Wisconsin's best marathon in 2025.

Is the Eau Claire Marathon course flat or hilly?

It is best described as rolling, not pancake-flat. The course climbs about +180 m (590 ft) in total, but the net elevation change start to finish is only a couple of feet, so every rise is paid back by a descent rather than one long climb. Run the gentle ups and downs evenly and you can hold a steady rhythm — use the pace calculator to plan splits that account for the undulations.

Is the Eau Claire Marathon a Boston qualifier?

Yes. The course is USATF-certified and a Boston-qualifying race, so a qualifying time here counts toward Boston Marathon entry. The rolling-but-net-flat profile and small, well-organized field make it a realistic BQ attempt for runners who pace evenly. Check your target time on the Boston qualifying calculator.

What is the time limit for the Eau Claire Marathon?

The course stays open for 6.5 hours from the 7:00 a.m. start, with water stations, course marshals, and medical support staffed to that pace. That works out to roughly a 14:53 per mile (9:15 per km) pace to stay ahead of support. Runners who pass that cutoff may be asked to move to the sidewalk but can still finish and earn a medal.

How do I register for the Eau Claire Marathon?

Registration is handled online through the official Eau Claire Marathon site; there is no lottery — entry is first-come, first-served, and prices step up as race day approaches (roughly $90 early to about $160 race week for 2027). The full marathon, half marathon, four-person relay, 10K, 5K, and kids' runs are all part of the same weekend, so register early for the best price.

How big is the Eau Claire Marathon?

It is a small-to-mid-sized regional marathon. The full marathon drew around 866 finishers in 2026, while the full race weekend — marathon, half, relay, 10K, 5K, and kids' runs combined — brings several thousand participants to downtown Eau Claire. Expect warm, community-driven support at Phoenix Park, the Blugold mile, and the Barstow Block Party, with quieter stretches along the riverfront paths.