Emi is the race director, owner, and creative force behind ECM’s biggest ideas! Her vision is to create a race runners love so much they come back year after year—and bring a friend along, too. Every choice she makes centers on the runner’s experience. Emi gives our committee the tools and support we need to shine, and in turn, we help her bring the Biggest Small Town Race in the U.S. to life.

email her at: emi.uelmen@eauclairemarathon.com

Heather began as an ECM runner who helped with the kids’ run and has since grown into a member of our committee. If you’ve ever ordered merchandise, there’s a good chance it was shipped straight from her kitchen! Heather loves listening, learning, and sharing thoughtful input on our plans—then rolling up her sleeves to help bring them to life. She especially enjoys being at the finish line, cheering on runners and celebrating their accomplishments.  

email her at: heather@eauclairemarathon.com

Abby is ECM’s only full-time employee and the ultimate multitasker! Her main focus is on sponsorships and volunteers, but her reach goes way beyond that. Abby helps plan and execute the 5K Race Series and is involved in nearly every detail of race weekend—marketing, product design, medical, race shirts, medals—you name it, she’s part of it! 

email her at: abby@eauclairemarathon.com

When you register for RUNEC, that’s Tami behind the screen! Need to transfer? No problem—Tami’s got it. Same-day registration or a tech hiccup? She’s your go-to! By day, she’s a Senior Solutions Architect, which explains why our registration runs like clockwork.

Email her at: registration@eauclairemarathon.com

Our amazing expo? That’s all Joy! She builds and maintains relationships with vendors for Bib Perks, expo booths, and business partners across our race events. With her detailed maps, Joy designs the layout and flow of the expo, downtown vendor areas, kids’ run partners, and even the beer tent and entertainment zone. In her role as a Property Management Associate at Oakwood Mall, Joy’s strength in organization and negotiation shines—skills she brings straight to ECM.

Email her at: joy@eauclairemarathon.com

If you’ve listened to ECM’s Running on Air podcast, you’ve heard the voices of Emily & Adam! This powerhouse team plans and produces every episode, sharing the amazing stories that make our community shine. They’re also the reason the Blugold Mile is back on race weekend! With Emily as the Senior Development Officer for the UW-Eau Claire Foundation and Adam, Director of University Housing at UW-Stout, they’re pros at recruiting student groups and teams who bring all the excitement and encouragement to campus. Emily leads our runner recruitment team and works with our social media intern. Annually, Adam creates and designs our Participant Guide that has everything our participants need to know. For the 5K Race Series, they’re hands-on—setting up start and finish lines and keeping the energy high (with Adam on the mic, of course!).

email Emily at: emily@eauclairemarathon.com

email Adam at: adam@eauclairemarathon.com

Pat has been part of the Eau Claire Marathon since day one — and he’s truly done it all. Race Director. Zone Leader. Course checker. No-parking sign installer. Finish-line greeter.

If it needs doing, Pat has the tools for it and he’s on it.

Simply put, ECM wouldn’t be what it is today without his belief in this community and the committee behind it.

Every event needs a Noah! With his positive attitude and “can-do-anything” spirit, he’s the guy who does it all—leading volunteers, setting up the course, directing traffic, counting T-shirts (more than once! ), and packing a U-Haul like a pro.
We’re beyond lucky that he even takes time off work during race week to help. His dedication is a big reason ECM is the very best it can be.

Now if only we could figure out a way to multiply Noahs…

When you step up to the start line, chances are you’ll spot this husband-and-wife duo!
With years of experience as longtime ECM committee members, Matt & Shelly make sure every runner kicks off on a safe (and speedy!) start.
Once the final runner is on their way, they rally a crew to take down the start line —then dash off to the finish to cheer everyone in.
They just might be the last faces you see at the start and the first ones you see at the finish!

Every race needs a hero behind the scenes — and for ECM, that’s Jason!
Need a tool? He’s got it.
Something broken? Jason’s your fixer.
Course set-up, take-down, and everything in between? He’s already there.
And the best part? He usually does it all in costume — bringing fun and personality to every mile!
We’re so grateful for Jason’s energy, creativity, and endless “can-do” spirit that keeps ECM running strong.

Nope, you’re not seeing double—Laurel & Kelsey really are our finish line twin team! Side by side, they fine-tune the finish line each year with smart suggestions, lead a big crew of volunteers, and make sure every barricade, table, sign, and flag is right where it belongs. Thanks to their hard work, the chute runs smoothly and every runner gets the finish line celebration they deserve!

Meet two of our newest committee members who’ve already made a big impact!Sadie brings creativity and sustainability to ECM through her passion project, Second Wind Upcycled Wear — transforming old Eau Claire Marathon apparel into something brand new! From t-shirts turned into pants to logo gear reimagined as bags, her pieces will be available at our ECM Expo this spring. Together, Sadie and Colton have jumped right in to support both race weekend and our 5K Race Series.

Danny wears many hats at ECM! Not only is he a dedicated committee member, but he also supports us as a business sponsor through his company, Window World, providing bibs for every participant. When he’s not running in our ECM 5K Race Series, Danny is always ready to step in wherever help is needed. On race weekend, he takes on the role of zone leader for part of our full and half marathon courses—setting up barricades, signage, and flags, and making sure volunteers are confident in their roles. We’re grateful to Danny for the countless ways he helps make ECM a success!

With a passion for making ECM welcoming to ALL, Danielle is our go-to gal for inclusivity and creativity.

She has a knack for taking a new idea and running (literally!) with it.
Thanks to her, the Back of the Pack gets more love and celebration than ever before.
The Rainb-EAU Mile was 100% her creation.

Her energy, vision, and out-of-the-box thinking ensure ECM is a place where everyone feels at home — no matter their pace.

This powerhouse pair is a team both on and off the race course.
By day: dedicated teachers
By race weekend: the masterminds behind Cheri Uelmen's Fantastically Fun Kids’ Run. But that’s not all… They run one of our half/full marathon zones, jump in to help with our 5K series AND keep the fun alive sweeping races as part of the official “Party in the Back” crew
They’ve been with us since the start of our current leadership team — and we can’t thank them enough for the joy, energy, and miles they bring to the ECM family.

Dustin and his family proudly serve as our ECM Legacy Ambassador family—every generation, from youngest to oldest, takes part in our events! Dustin was such an outstanding ambassador that bringing him onto the race committee was an easy decision. In the off-season, he puts his strong community connections to work by helping recruit new sponsors. On race weekend, you’ll find him welcoming people to the expo as well as leading a team of volunteers to set up the chute barricades—and jumping in wherever else he’s needed.

Kayse leads the charge on all things sustainability at the Eau Claire Marathon. Her passion for reducing ECM’s environmental footprint is a major reason we continue working toward our goal of becoming the most sustainable race in Wisconsin.

Kayse ensures that every step of our race is a step toward a greener future.

If you’ve ever stood near the awards area on race day, chances are you’ve met Tina. She’s one of the friendly faces handing out awards to overall and age-group winners—cheering on runners she’s watched return year after year and welcoming those earning their first podium spot.

One of Tina’s favorite moments is seeing kids experience their very first race—often a 5K—and watching their faces light up when they realize they placed. She always makes a point to tell them she hopes to see them back again next year.

At ECM, we want every runner to feel at home in Eau Claire — and Nick & Evelyn make that happen!

They shine at building community connections, partner with local businesses to make participants feel truly welcomed and support volunteers and jump in wherever help is needed

When they’re not running the 5K, you’ll spot them cruising on an ATV , making sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes.

Nicole—along with the Valley Girls Cycling Club—are our true superheroes on wheels. As leaders of the ECM bike team, they help keep a watchful eye on the entire course from start to finish.

Before race day, you’ll find them riding the route to make sure everything is ready. On race day, they lead out the fastest runners, then fan out mile by mile—supporting participants, assisting volunteers, and helping keep the course safe and running smoothly.

If you’ve ever grabbed a cup of water or Gatorade on the course, you have Mary and Dan to thank!

Mary has been a dedicated Eau Claire Marathon Committee member from the very beginning—partnering with Culligan, ordering supplies, coordinating water stops, and recruiting the incredible volunteers who keep runners hydrated across every distance. Dan is right by her side each year, from riding the Culligan truck at sunrise to delivering supplies and sweeping the course after the last runner crosses the finish line.

Judy & Joe have been fueling ECM runners for years!  After you cross that finish line , they’re the reason you’ve got tasty post-race bites waiting.

From planning the snacks , picking them up , setting up the tents , and handing it all out with big smiles and cheers —Judy & Joe make sure every runner celebrates with food and fun! 

They’re truly the top bananas at the finish line.

As our ECM Runner Recruiter, Wade is the perfect fit. From connecting with running clubs to promoting ECM at regional events, he loves sharing what makes this race so special — and building connections with runners along the way.

One of Wade’s favorite moments on race weekend? The energy on the Blugold Mile through UW–Eau Claire. Watching runners move through campus, surrounded by cheering spectators, is something he calls “a thing of beauty.”

Both Karen and Pat know that the shared "I Can" attitude of the ECM team is what allows all ECM events to be great for all who participate.  Karen has joined the ECM team to assist with the volunteers for the ECM 5K series and EC Marathon, making sure they have all the information that is needed when signing up and while volunteering.  Being on the committee gives Pat a chance to be really involved and he is up for any task that is handed to him.  He likes to say he simply does what Heather tells him to do!

Kevin S was “recruited” to the Eau Claire Marathon committee by the other Kevin (Kevin R), a longtime and active member of the team. Together, they take on the important task of setting up the final miles of the course — including the legendary Blugold Mile — helping ensure runners finish strong.