RUN LIKE THE WIND. The Eau Claire Marathon will take place the weekend of April 30-May 1. (Photo by Branden Nall)

Grab your running shoes – or your sunnies, if you’re cheering someone on – and come on down to the iconic Eau Claire Marathon.

This year’s races will be Saturday, April 30, and Sunday, May 1, and will include a Boston qualifying marathon, a half marathon, a four-person marathon relay, a 5K, a 10K, Cheri Uelmen’s Fantastically Fun Kid’s Run, Cheri’s Crazy Challenge, and the G-Eau Big and G-Eau Bigger Challenges, which are new this year. 

The G-Eau Big challenge involves running two events that weekend, and the G-Eau Bigger challenge means running three events that weekend. There will be G-Eau Big swag for those who participate – as well as bragging rights, of course.

Cheri’s Crazy Challenge will also be available to try this year, if you complete the Fun Kids’ Run and the 5K on Saturday, you will receive three medals. 

The full marathon starts at 7am Sunday in Phoenix Park and winds its way through the city, crossing eight bridges, passing through the UW-Eau Claire campus on the so called “Blugold Mile,” and ending downtown on Graham Avenue. Non-runners will have plenty of opportunities to cheer competitors on along the route. Check out the map below:

THE HIGHEST OF FIVES. Participants in last year's Eau Claire Marathon Bridge2Bridge 5-mile race. (Photo by Andrea Paulseth)

For more info and to register, go to eauclairemarathon.com.

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