Portland Marathon
Portland, United States · October · Independent
Why people love it
- Start and finish at Tom McCall Waterfront Park, 11 m (36 ft) above sea level.
- Finisher rose, medal and a Voodoo Doughnut treat.
- Cheer zones and bell-ringing neighbourhoods; crowds are praised in most reviews.
- Water and sports drink every 3 km (2 mi), with gels at some stations.
Watch out for
- Hillier than expected: 290 m (950 ft) of gain, with a big climb near 16 km (10 mi).
- Rough or sloped pavement on parts of the course.
- Past errors include a 2019 lead group sent off course and a 2018 train delay of up to 22 minutes.
- Uncorralled starts and a crowded final mile where the distances merge.
- Bib pickup only before race day; 2027 is at waitlist stage.
Race
How racers feel about it, how well it is run, and how it treats a first timer. Counts for 28% of the overall score.
Toughness: Tough
- Racer satisfactionLoved3.9
RaceRaves rates it 4.2 of 5 from 37 ratings, praising crowds, medal and treats. Hills, rough pavement and finish congestion cost points. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationAdequate3.4
A freight train stopped runners up to 22 minutes in 2018, the 2019 lead group went off course, and recent starts were uncorralled. · Medium confidence
- First timer friendlyDoable3.4
A smaller field and friendly neighbourhoods, but hillier than expected, a congested start and finish, and no cutoff found. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialAverage2.8
Difficulty rated 3.4 of 5 with 290 m (950 ft) of gain. Reviewers call it hillier than advertised, with rough or sloped pavement. · Medium confidence
Course
Scenery, road surface, closures, and room to run. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Course sceneryBeautiful3.6
Bridge views, Chinatown and neighbourhoods; scenery scores 3.8 of 5. Some industrial stretches and alleys. · Medium confidence
- Room to runSome pinch points3.0
Two chutes at the 2019 start instead of corrals. Recent reviews report the half, 10K and marathon merging in the last mile. · Medium confidence
- Road surfaceMixed2.9
Rough, uneven or sloped roads are a repeated complaint on RaceRaves. · Medium confidence
- Road closuresPartly closed3.4
Neighbourhood streets are closed in sections, but a train blocked the 2018 half course and no full-closure report was found. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Course flatnessRolling2.8
About 290 m (950 ft) of gain. One review mentions a steep climb near 26 km (16 mi); later ones say more hills than expected. · Medium confidence
- Net downhillEven3.0
A loop from the waterfront. One report mentions downhills in the last 5 to 6 km (3 to 4 mi). Boston qualifier, not net downhill. · Medium confidence
Support
Crowds, aid stations, the start, and pacers. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Start logisticsSome waiting2.9
Congested start in 2025, with uncorralled or confusing starts reported in 2024 to 2026. Walking from the back to the mat takes minutes. · Medium confidence
- Pacers and timingSome pace groups3.4
Experienced pacers were noted in 2015, but an app marked a recent runner off course and a 2018 train affected timing. · Low confidence
- Crowd supportStrong4.3
The most consistent praise on RaceRaves: cheering neighbourhoods and cheer zones. In 2025 spectators rang bells and played music. · Medium confidence
- Aid stationsGood3.9
Water and sports drink every 3 km (2 mi) early and every 1.6 km (1 mi) later in 2019. Blankets ran out in 2018. · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 14% of the overall score.
- WindMostly calm3.8
No wind complaints in any review found, but the evidence is thin. · Low confidence
- Air temperaturePleasant4.2
Starts typically run 8 to 15 °C (46 to 59 °F). 2025 was warmer than expected; several reviewers had ideal weather. · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityReliable3.5
Typical Portland autumn: light rain at 9 °C (48 °F) in 2018, sunny and warm in 2025. Highs span 19 to 28 °C (82 °F). · Low confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy3.6
Waterfront start and finish plus neighbourhood cheer zones, but the finish area was overwhelmingly crowded in 2025. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level4.9
Start and finish are at 11 m (36 ft) above sea level. · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityGood3.8
A mid-sized city with downtown hotels. No race-weekend availability data. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueNormal3.3
No price data. A 2023 reviewer described parts of downtown as run-down. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable4.3
Start and finish are at the central waterfront, and transit is described as easy and cheap. · Medium confidence
- Travel easeEasy3.7
The airport is about 16 km (10 mi) from downtown with light rail, but it is a regional airport. · Medium confidence
- LogisticsSome complexity3.2
Packet pickup and expo are smooth but busy. There is no race-morning pickup. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodGreat4.5
A 2025 blog calls it a love letter to Portland, with Voodoo Doughnut, food trucks and craft beer. · Medium confidence
Entry
How hard it is to get a place, and what you get for the fee. Counts for 8% of the overall score.
- Getting inRegister early3.0
2027 is at waitlist stage with 799 early access places so far. Later open entry is expected but unconfirmed. · Low confidence
- Value for moneyGood value3.8
Entry runs from $55 early access to about $179. Medal, finisher rose, doughnut and beer; official gear is pricey. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Portland, Oregon, United States
- Typical month
- October
- Latest or next date
- 3 October 2027
- Organiser
- Independent
- Field size
- About 4,000 athletes
- First held
- 1972
- Distances
- 42.2 km (26.2 mi)
- Course type
- loop
- Climbing
- 290 m (950 ft)
- Boston qualifier
- Yes
- Surface
- Paved city streets, some rough and sloped
- How to get in
- open
- Air temperature
- 8–22 °C (46–72 °F)
- Humidity
- Moderate; Pacific Northwest autumn rain possible
- Altitude
- 11 m (36 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Portland International (PDX), 16 km (10 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Downtown, Pearl District, Lloyd District
- Booking
- Race weekend hotels near the Waterfront and downtown; reviewers say transit is easy and cheap.
What racers and reviewers say
- RaceRaves (37 ratings)Raced 2023-2026 · aggregator · Positive
Runners praise crowds, weather and the finish treats, but say it is hillier than expected, with rough pavement, messy starts and last-mile congestion in 2026.
“The crowd participation really shined.”
- Run Oregon Blog 2025Raced 2025 · blog · Positive
Big crowds with bells and music, aid every couple of miles with Skratch drink and GU, and an overwhelmed finish area. Biggest climb around mile 10, weather sunny and warm.
“This city is not broken. This city is alive with people who care.”
- Run Oregon Blog 2019Raced 2019 · blog · Mixed
New Brooksee loop through neighbourhoods and four bridges. Cool, cloudy. Two chutes at the start caused crowding; some runners went off course from missing signs. About 6,000 runners.
“worst parade ever”
- Run Oregon Blog 2018Raced 2018 · blog · Mixed
First Brooksee year: 9 °C (48 °F), light rain, packet pickup well run. A freight train stopped half-marathon runners for up to 22 min and results needed adjusting; blankets ran out.
- Laura Norris Running 2015Raced 2015 · blog · Positive
Old-organiser route with a steep climb at mile 16 to St Johns Bridge, frequent water, controlled pace groups and a finisher jacket, rose and sapling. Cool start, warmer later.
“a smaller race with a big city feel”
Show 1 more
- BibRave (Dan McDowell)Raced 2019 · aggregator · Negative
A 2019 report from a search summary only: the redesigned course was not fast but a good city tour, and the lead group was sent the wrong way and ended miles off course. The race director refunded him.
Raced Portland Marathon? Your notes on the course, conditions and logistics help the next athlete decide.
Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.
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