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Portland Marathon
Going The Distance
The definitive chronicle of the Portland Marthon
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Details
Course
Certification
The Portland Marathon in beautiful Portland Oregon, is the standard marathon distance - 26 miles, 385 yards. The course is USAT&F sanctioned and certified. It is also certified for Boston Marathon qualification. The course and all records will be listed with U.S.A. Track & Field Cert. #OR-08005-LB. The course has also been sanctioned, measured and certified by the Association of International Marathons (AIMS). In 1983, the Portland Marathon became one of the first U.S. Marathons to be part of the AIMS circuit.
Sanctioning and certification for the wheelchair division is annually requested. Except for industrial railroad crossings, the course has no obstacles of concern to wheelchair entrants. The course has only 21 turns.
Description
The Marathon and Marathon Walk begin and end at charming Chapman/Lownsdale/Schrunk Parks, which are in downtown Portland bordered by SW Salmon, SW Jefferson, SW Third and SW Fourth. (The starting line is on SW Salmon at SW 3rd.)
The course traces a route that embraces the many faces of this beautiful and friendly city. It includes the scenic riverfront, historic Old Town and various residential neighborhoods. Runners are treated to broad panoramas of the entire city the waterfront, a 3-mile bluff on the east side of Portland, and a dramatic view and crossing of the St. Johns Bridge, one of the most beautiful suspension bridges in the world. See course map.
The course minimizes turns and narrow streets. (It has 21 turns, 20 more than 90 degrees.)
The first five miles of the course are in downtown Portland. The start is a gradual 1 mile downhill with the next 2 + miles along Waterfront Park. This stretch has a gradual elevation gain of 140 feet followed by an immediate 2 mile easy downhill returning to the waterfront. The next section of the course from the 5 + mile mark to mile 12 is flat and flows through the northwest section of town.
The course makes another gradual downhill and heads along the flat border road of the Forest Park area through mile 17. The principal elevation gain of approximately 150 feet occurs over the next mile as runners go up to and over the beautiful St. John's Bridge. Thereafter it is a spectacular run along Portland's east bluff that faces the Willamette River from approximately mile 18 through mile 24.
There is an elevation loss of approximately 140 feet from mile 22 to 24 + with a slight rise as runners go over Portland's Broadway Bridge. Then it is back down to Marathon Avenue and onto Naito Parkway along the waterfront to the finish.
Click here to download our detailed map of the course and associated street closures.
Click here to download and read the detailed traffic impact report.
In 2008 nearly 29% of our competitors had personal bests!
Alternate Course
The Portland Marathon initiates its Alternate Course at 1:30 p.m. (61/2 hours into the event), by "swinging the gate."
The "Gate" is at Willamette Boulevard and NE Killingsworth, between mile marks 21 and 22. All participants must use and remain on the sidewalks, and obey all traffic and crosswalk signals as they continue towards the Finish Line.
Alternate course participants will follow NE Killingsworth to NE Interstate Avenue. Follow Interstate to NE Broadway. Turn right and remain on the sidewalk and continue across the Broadway Bridge, down the Lovejoy ramp and turn right onto NW 9th Avenue. Continue on 9th to Naito Parkway. Turn right and follow the sidewalk paralleling Naito.
Participants must remain on the sidewalk and follow it under the Steel Bridge and up to NW Everett. Cross at Everett, turn left and return to Naito Parkway. Follow the sidewalk paralleling Naito to SW Salmon and continue to the Finish Line.
