Start Line Stories with Team OCCU’s Drew Gerg
Local runner Drew Gerg at Hayward Field after the 2025 Eugene Marathon.
There’s nothing quite like the act of running and there’s nothing quite like doing it in a community like Eugene and Springfield, aka Track Town USA. Even if you grew up here, like 5-time Eugene Marathon participant Drew Gerg, who was born and raised in the Eugene/Springfield area and ran track and cross country at Springfield High School, it just never gets old.
And that’s why Drew - now a full-time marketing analyst at OCCU and a father of two young kids, always has the last weekend in April circled on his calendar to run the Eugene half marathon.
His first experience with the Eugene Marathon was as a volunteer with the Springfield High track and field team. Then, in the spring of 2017, he became a marathoner at the 2017 Eugene Marathon. After a few years off from racing, he returned to the roads in 2022 and is currently training for his sixth half marathon as a part of Team OCCU this April.
Here’s a little snippet of what is getting Drew to the start line in less than 12 weeks:
Name: Drew Gerg
Age: 34
Where are you from and where is home now?
I was born and raised here in Eugene and Springfield.
What’s your local run club or training group and tell us about it?
I used to do the weekly training runs at Run Hub before COVID, but I haven’t joined back up. I do majority solo training, but I have a small group of friends that I get with monthly. I have small kids, so I just run when I can.
Why Eugene 2026?
I just love this race! And I love the community! I’ve lived here my whole life and I know so many other people who run it every year. So it’s really about that community spirit for me. That’s why I keep coming back. Plus that finish on the track at Hayward never gets old. I don’t know if there’s another race that’s better — especially for a half marathon. I’ve earmarked the last weekend in April every year to run the half marathon and I don’t see that changing.
Current Total Marathon & Half Marathon Count:
5 Halfs and 1 Full Marathon (Eugene in 2017)
Favorite road race or racing experience?
I ran in high school and we went to a running camp (Steens) in my junior year of high school. It was at almost 10,000-feet elevation and I remember doing a full uphill 20K and that was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. And I was sick too that week. It was just craziness.
What kind of training plan are you following and do you have a specific goal on race day?
Every year that I’ve done the half marathon, I’ve been able to improve my pace. The first time I did it, I ran a 9-minute mile pace, then I got it down to an 8-minute pace, and this year I’m going for 7:30-pace. I’ve been able to train this year without any injuries for a longer period, so I’m feeling good about hitting my goal. Right now, I do 30 miles a week, with two easier runs and one workout at the track or hills; then one long run once a week on Saturdays. I’ve tried to add more speed this year to try to hit that pace goal this year. And a couple of my close friends got into running recently so we’ve been doing some workouts up at Pisgah and that’s always fun to have people to workout with.
Finish the sentence: What I love so much about running is _____
It’s a place for me to have some down time during a stressful day, a way to stay healthy, and it’s a way to push myself and strive to make myself better. And, the older I get, the more I appreciate how running helps me stay in a good place mentally.
What started your running journey?
I played basketball in high school and I started running to stay in shape in the off season. I realized quickly that I was way better at running than basketball, so I had some success and I just kept doing it. It keeps me healthy and 18 years later, I’m still running. All these years later, I’ve got all this workout equipment at home and I’d still rather go for a run outdoors.