the river paths and the solo second half
By PaceKit Team · Updated April 2026
At approximately mile 10, the Eugene Marathon and Half Marathon courses split at the Knickerbocker Footbridge. The half marathon runners loop west through Alton Baker Park and return to Hayward Field. The full marathon runners continue east toward Springfield, then loop back west along the Ruth Bascom Riverbank Path System for the final 15+ miles of the race.
The character of the race changes completely.
The first 10 miles are city running: University of Oregon neighborhoods, residential streets, campus landmarks, and the energy of the combined marathon/half marathon field. Spectators are dense. The crowd noise is consistent. You pass Hayward Field at mile 9, which gives you a preview of where you'll finish and a burst of energy from the stadium-adjacent spectators.
After the split, you're on the river paths. The Ruth Bascom system is a network of paved multi-use paths that wind along the Willamette River through parks, under bridges, and past wetlands. The surface is smooth asphalt. The paths are sheltered by trees, which blocks wind and provides shade. Traffic is nonexistent because the paths are pedestrian-only. It is, objectively, excellent terrain for the second half of a marathon.
But it's quieter. Spectator access is limited on the river paths. The field is thinner. The turns and curves of the winding path create a different rhythm than the straight city roads of the first half. Runners have described the second half as "scenic but lonely" and "gorgeous but you're in the pain cave." The views of the Willamette River, the footbridge crossings, and the park landscape are genuinely beautiful, but beauty hits differently at mile 20 than at mile 5.
The final miles bring you back toward Eugene's downtown and the new Downtown Riverfront Park before you rejoin the half marathon course for the last half mile into Hayward Field. The crowd noise returns. The stadium appears. And then you're on the track.
The practical advice for the second half: stay patient on the winding paths. Don't chase tangents aggressively around curves (you'll spend energy zigzagging). Use the shelter from wind as an advantage. Eat and drink consistently because the effort of path running with gentle curves burns slightly more than straight-line road running. And know that the quiet of the river paths is temporary. The Hayward Field crowd is waiting.