First-time runner Jax Siddall shatters Eugene Marathon men’s record

Jax Siddall turned his first marathon into a record-breaker at Hayward Field, running 2:15:02 to shatter the Eugene Marathon men’s course mark by more than a minute. The former collegiate 10,000-meter runner from Lebanon, Ohio, crossed the finish inside TrackTown USA with a result that instantly stood out in a city where running is part of the civic identity.

The 2026 Eugene Marathon drew more than 10,000 runners across the half and full distances, sending them from Agate Street in the shadow of Hayward Field through Eugene and Springfield before bringing them back along the Willamette River and the new Downtown Riverfront Park. The marathon finished on the track inside Hayward Field, a setting that gave Siddall’s debut at 26.2 miles added weight. Eugene Marathon officials said the event was the 19th running since it began in 2007, was sold out, and remained the Pacific Northwest’s largest marathon.

Siddall’s performance carried extra significance because of how new he was to the distance. He had the background of a U.S. road and track runner, with a 10,000-meter personal best of 29:03.54 set in Philadelphia in 2024, and prior half-marathon experience. Even with cramping during the race, he held together long enough to deliver a breakthrough that now gives Eugene a new standard and gives local runners a fresh benchmark to chase on a course that has defined the event for more than a decade.

Amanda Martin also left Eugene with a result that will be remembered. She won the women’s marathon by more than three minutes and posted the third-fastest time in course history. World Athletics lists her personal-best marathon at 2:42:06, set in Sacramento in 2023, and her half-marathon best at 1:14:56 in Atlanta earlier this year, underscoring how sharply she improved in Eugene.

The race weekend also depended on the volunteer network and support crews that keep the event moving. Gear check opened at 5:45 a.m., the marathon course included 12 aid stations, and water and Gatorade Endurance Lemon Lime were available at every stop. Bananas were placed at miles 14 and 22, while Gu Energy Gels were set out at miles 8, 20 and 25. The event has doubled in size over the last three years, and its Run for a Reason program involved 20 local charities in 2026 after raising just over $284,000 in 2025. Team Ronald McDonald House has raised more than $340,000 since using the Eugene Marathon as a fundraising platform five years ago, a reminder that the race’s impact reaches far beyond the finish line.