By Andy Peterson

Video

EUGENE, Ore. - About 2000 runners and walkers took part in the Eugene Marathon Sunday morning, a 26-mile trek criss-crossing Eugene and Springfield. Nearly 3000 more joined a half-marathon, 5-K, and Kids' Run, on a day where the weather could not have been better.

As an historic day dawned in Eugene, runners marked the return of a major marathon to "Track Town USA".

It's being billed as a chance to run "in the footsteps of legends," and as the starting gun sends runners dashing from the temple of track, Hayward Field, the Eugene Marathon returns after a 25-year absence.

"When I ran the Portland Marathon, I said that that would be my last marathon," says Ken Harwell of Springfield. "And then Eugene put on a marathon, said they were going to have one, and I thought I live in Springfield/Eugene, I'd just as well do that. So this will be probably my last one, here."

Like Harwell, about half of Sunday's runners are local. Meanwhile, Kim Danahy and Kelly Richards came all the way from Texas to run the race, bringing about a dozen friends with them.

"I came out here last May for the Prefontaine Classic," says Richards, of Lake Grapevine, Texas, "and I was ready to move. I mean, I just loved the area."

"I'm not as nervous as I should be," her friend, Danahy, says. "But I just think it's so exciting just to be here and experience history, because this is the first one. You know, going down in the history books."

Runners and walkers have come here to Eugene from all over -- including 45 states and nine different countries -- and some.... Read More

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