By Andrea Damewood

The Register-Guard

Staying up until the wee hours of the morning preparing. Waking up early. Charting points to hit on the 26.2 mile course. Memorizing split times.

For many, just being a spectator at the Eugene Marathon is a sport unto itself.

The event’s second running Sunday drew nearly 1,000 more participants than its inaugural run last year — and along with them came their dedicated support teams.

More than 1,700 people completed the full marathon, while 2,600 more finished the half-marathon, and another 500-plus took part in a related 5-kilometer run or one-mile kids’ race, according to the marathon’s Web site.

Making one’s way through the throng requires logistics, fans said.

“You need to do your research,” said Alex Hernandez of Los Angeles, who waited near Alton Baker Park to support his wife, Kelsie, with her parents and two huge neon yellow signs in tow. “We’ve been at miles three, six and nine, and we’ll walk across to the finish line. It’s a timing issue — you have to know your loved one’s time to be there when they are.”

At the 7 a.m. starting point near Hayward Field, fans unfolded lawn chairs and laid out coffee and bagels. At the Autzen Stadium finish line, at least 2,000 gathered to watch male and female winners Matt Norminton of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and Erin Kaspar of Oakland, Calif., finish with times of 2 hours 22 minutes and 4 seconds and 2:52:52, respectively.