Group Participation Challenges

Participate with your running club, family and friends, organization, or business for opportunities to win awards, merch, race entries, and other Eau Claire Marathon event perks! We have three exciting ways for groups of all sizes, competitive spirit, and participation levels to participate; and the best part, it is all FREE! All you need to do is have your group sign up under your group name during registration and they are automatically entered, we’ll do the rest of the work from there!

Contact adam@eauclairemarathon.com with questions or for more information about our group participation challenges.

 

#RUNEC Traveling Trophy

This is our group size meets speed challenge! The #RUNEC Traveling Trophy is a competition between running groups & clubs in which participants may compete in any of the ECM events (5k, 10k, 13.1, 26.2, and Relay) and earn points within their gender (female, male, and non-binary) and age divisions (19 and under, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+) for their club. So the more participants your group has in different age , sex, and event categories, the better you will do (not necessarily about being the fastest)!

  • Each club can score up to two runners per event, gender, and age division. 

    The top runner in each division (including the fastest runners overall) earns 10 points down to 10th place in each division earning 1 point.

    Runners may qualify in both their respective age groups and open divisions (i.e.: earn 10 points for the fastest male 20-29yo 10k AND 10 points for fastest 10k overall). 

    The official #RUNEC Traveling Trophy will go to to the highest overall point-scoring club.

  • 1st Place will receive Traveling Trophy as well as $500 donation to charity of their choice (plus 4 free race entries for next year)

    2nd Place will receive a $250 donation to charity of their choice (plus 2 free entries for next year)

    3rd Place will receive a $100 donation to charity of their choice (plus 1 free entry for next year)

    4th Place will receive a 4th place banner plus more.

    5th Place will receive a 5th place banner plus more.

  • Are we competing against everyone that is running?  No, you are only completing against the other participating run clubs.

    How many runners do we need to compete? As many as you want to score!  You can score up to two runners per age/gender division and the open divisions.  We suggest you have at least 10 runners, but you can have as many you want.  The more runners, the better chances to score points.    

    What if a run club has team members that place 1st – 5th in a division?  We only score the top two runners for each run club per age/gender division – so that club will get points for 1st and for 2nd place in that division.  The 3rd – 5th place times for that run club will not count and the runners in 6th place will get the 3rd place points, etc.

    Won’t the largest run club win?  Definitely NOT!  A run club could have the most runners but all of them are 30-50 year olds.  This won’t help them in all the categories.

    Can G-Eau Big(Bigger) participants score in all events that they are running?  Definitely!

    How to participate? Select your group during the event registration process.

    Interested in learning more, email us at adam@eauclairemarathon.com

 

Biggest Small Town TEAM

This is our group size challenge! We know that not everyone is motivated by competition - so the more participants who register for any event under your team name, the more perks you will earn! In the “Biggest Small Town TEAM” challenge, earn perks for your team based on how many people you get to sign up with your organization. If you’re a business, encourage family and friends to sign up with your group to increase your numbers. Friends and family - this is a great way to host an amazing reunion experience with a creative family team name! Run clubs, you can earn these perks too!

  • 20 Participants - Bagels, Gatorade, and Q&A with Race Directors at a pre-race meet-up

    30 Participants - Exclusive group Port-o-potty on event weekend

    40 Participants - Roped off area for your group at Saturday and Sunday start lines

    50+ Participants - Tent, tables, and chairs provided in the roped off area (provided by us!)

  • In addition to the incremental perks, check out these other awesome awards:

    Our largest team will earn branded swag items from one of our sponsors.

    Each participating team will earn one free race entry for next year for every 25 participants you have signed up on your team (max 4 free race entries across all challenges).

    Any team that has at least 50 participants this year, will earn early access to our best registration deals for next year!

  • How do we coordinate our pre-race party? Once your group reaches 20 registered participants, we’ll reach out to your group leader to schedule a pre-race party with some of our race directors!

    How will our port-o-potty and/or roped off area remain private? If you earn the port-o-potty, we’ll work to station a volunteer to only allow group members in. Similarly, if you earn a roped off area, your port-o-potty will be in this space for only your group to use.

    When will we get our “additional perks?” We’ll reach out to your group leader after the race weekend to arrange any additional perks you have earned.

    How many free race entries can we earn? Any one group can earn up to four free race entries across all Group Participation Challenges. For example, if you took second in the Traveling Trophy (earning two free race entries) you could only earn two more additional race entries in the group size challenge.

 

It Takes a Small Town!

This is our volunteering challenge! If you have people in your group who are not runners or walkers, the “It Takes a Small Town” challenge is for them! In this challenge, the more volunteers your group has assisting us on race weekend, the more money you can earn for your organization or charity of choice. Volunteers from your group could either join the team of hundreds of other volunteers helping put on the race weekend (at the expo, intersections, and water stations) or they could organize a cheer station on the course to support our participants!

  • For every 10 volunteers or 1 cheer station on the course, you will earn $250 for your organization or a charity of your choice.

    The top three teams with the most volunteers will receive snacks at a team gathering after the race weekend!

  • How do I sign up to volunteer? Sign up to volunteer through our online registration system and be sure to select your group to give them credit.

    Do I need 10 people at a cheer station for it to count? In short, no. The more the merrier but we know that just a few people can be very enthusiastic! So as long as you register a cheer station on the curse, it will count as 10 volunteers.

    Where can I learn more about group volunteering? Email us at volunteer@eauclairemarathon.com.