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☰
Portland Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Portland Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 3.5 
Organization 4.2 
Spectators 4.3
Number of comments: 295 [displaying comments 201 to 211]
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Gavin Kentch from Portland, Oregon
(10/13/2005)
"at least it's well organized" (about: 2005)
6-10 previous marathons
| 4-5 Portland Marathons
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I'd say it's telling that the race touts itself as 'the best organized' marathon in North America -- not the biggest or the fastest or the most scenic, but the best organized. On that front, I'd say it comes through: This is an extremely well-organized race. Other than that, yes, the course is remarkably unattractive; if this is all you see of Portland, you won't be too impressed, and you shouldn't be. If you're coming in from out of town for the run, come a few days early, and go for your last easy runs in Forest Park. Or better yet, save your airfare for a truly attractive course -- the Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon in Anchorage, say -- and come through Portland some other time to go for a run in some of the more scenic parts of the city. If you're looking for a reasonably fast and easy course, you could certainly do much worse than Portland. However, if you're looking for a course equal to the city it showcases, I'd have to recommend looking elsewhere. | |
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J. S. from Los Angeles, CA
(10/12/2005)
"Great course, the rest was overrated by others..." (about: 2005)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Portland Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 First let me qualify by saying that I had really high expectations b/c everybody (even the course website) said that this was the best organized race in the country; I think not. San Diego's rock n' roll marathon and the Seattle marathon beat the pants off of Portland in this arena. The start line was really crowded, so crowded that I think it stressed me out (not a good way to begin 26.2). A sharp turn and road narrowing at mile 1 forced runners to walk through the bottle-neck and the race was similarly crowded for the entire distance (at least in the 4hrs pace group). Post-race processing really sucked, again b/c of the crowds. Spectators were not able to access the finish, so there would be no hugging those who'd stood around all day in the cold to cheer you on as you crossed the line. There was also no place to sit and stretch and the people in the medical tent were without supplies so they couldn't do much other than rub your legs and give words of encouragement. There was only 1 water table post-race, and there would be no fighting backwards through the crowd if you thought you'd better hydrate more, even if you hadn't just run a marathon! Plus, though free food was plentiful, you couldn't take any of it with you - I really wanted to stretch, re-hydrate, and eat, but I also wanted to give my race supporters a great big 'thank you' and was rather disappointed that I had to choose between these 2 options. That said, aid stations on the course were frequent and spectators numerous, splits were called more often than I'd expected, and the course was so flat that even the 'hill' at mile 17 felt like nothing (of course, I ran Seattle the year prior and trained on hills). If you want to run the Portland marathon, please do, but run this one for the great weather and excellent course; forget any expectations you may have had about a post race party on site and just head to the local brewery for your celebrations. | |
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R. P. from Dallas, Texas
(10/12/2005)
"Great race!!!" (about: 2005)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Portland Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is a great event. Top flight organization and the community really gets behind the whole event. Registration and packet pick-up is easy and the expo is well done. Weather was great and course support was first rate. I've seen alot of races (35) and this is one of the most solid running organizations I've seen. However, the race is advertised as fast and flat. This may be true if you are from the great Northwest, but to us flatlanders it had some tough climbs (especially at the bridge between miles 16 and 17) and the downhills are steep, quad killers. | |
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Jake Zulewski from Kalamazoo, Michigan
(10/12/2005)
"Well organized, loved the live music!" (about: 2005)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Portland Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 OK, the organization of this race lived up to the hype. Volunteers galore, easy race packet pick-up, and a fantastic starting and finish line. Also, the live music was both diverse and plentiful. It seemed like as soon as you were out of earshot from one band, you'd hear another one down the road. As for the course, the hills were not that bad and the scenery was less than spectacular at times, but for good reason. Perhaps there's a way to eliminate the out-and-back through the industrial area. Otherwise, a good marathon experience. | |
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Mark Coughlin from Atlanta, GA
(10/11/2005)
"Good outweighs the bad" (about: 2005)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Portland Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I came to compete and try to run a fast time, so my comments reflect that perspective. This was my first trip to Portland. I'll start with positive thoughts because overall, I was happy. POSITIVE: Nice course. Yes, a few ugly spots, but I didn't mind them - not even the out-and-back stretch by the warehouses. Hey, it was pancake flat there, and I was trying to make time. Clearly, they were trying to limit the hills, which I appreciate. I liked the fact that you could see a lot of the field going the opposite way along that part. I truly enjoyed the music along the way. Not only was it plentiful, but it was very good! The crowd support was pretty good for a race of this size - especially toward the end. I enjoyed the scenery in the later miles, heading back toward downtown. Nice goodies and such after the finish. I enjoyed the free beer at the awards ceremony! The volunteers were very friendly and helpful. NEGATIVE: Most people would not worry about this, but it really bugged me. The mile marks are VERY inaccurate. I was running with two other experienced guys and we were clicking off a very steady pace, yet even on flat stretches, the mile splits were fluctuating as much as :28. Another tell-tale sign was that the 13-mile mark was only about 30-40 meters from the halfway mat. It should have been 1/10th of a mile or about 160 meters away! There is really no excuse for that kind of sloppiness and it makes you question the overall accuracy of the course. The hills were a significant, but acceptable, factor. The second, really big hill leading up to and over the bridge, was tougher than expected. Still, it would be hard to come up with an easier course in a hilly town like Portland. I knew this would not be a Chicago-flat course. The aid stations were a little confusing. It was hard to tell whether you were getting water or 'Glucose' - the cups looked the same - and at one point I dumped a cup of 'Glucose' on my head, thinking it was water and my eyes burned for several minutes. Personally, I prefer more standard brands of sports drink (Gatorade, PowerAde), since it is hard to know how these obscure ones will work for you. There should be some bottled water at the finish, and not just little cups. MY VERDICT: A nice marathon, good course, medium-fast, nice people, great city, generally well organized, with a few small problems. I'm glad I experienced it and may come back some day. | |
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E. F. from Maple Valley, WA
(10/11/2005)
"A little overrated" (about: 2005)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Portland Marathon
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was my third marathon (also third in three months - Seafair, SF) so I'm starting to get an idea of what expectations should be. Organization and support were nearly flawless. The only significant gaffe was the lack of room at the start. At the gun, there were a number of spectators deep within the field. The course was poor at best, with tons of potholes and many other hazzards including large puddles and train tracks where there wasn't enough room for the entire field on the paved surface. The local support was great. Not so sure I need to see those belly dancers, but the worship band was a great surprise. Those good Samaritans with the beer station were truly a blessing. They could stand to run this event in September when it not as likely to be as cold/damp. The medal is good bling - nice commemoration of Lewis and Clark (and Sacagawea). Not so sure I would run this one again. | |
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B. C. from Silverton, Oregon
(10/11/2005)
"Nothing to Compare To" (about: 2005)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Portland Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was my first marathon, so it suffers from a lack of comparison. My overall impression is that this is a very well organized marathon, with plenty of aid stations along the way to keep you adequately hydrated. I felt that the course was a little boring from an aesthetic standpoint, but I was more focused on getting through the race than I was looking at the pretty scenery (or lack thereof). People were friendly and encouraging and the after-race area had tons of food and liquids. The t-shirt and medal were top-notch. I would recommend this marathon to anyone. | |
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M. M. from Little Rock, AR
(10/10/2005)
"More hilly than expected and not as scenic either." (about: 2005)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Portland Marathon
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Let me start with what was good. The race is very well organized and the after-race welcoming crew is great.... Lots of food and a neat giveaways (i.e. roses, little evergreen trees, great food items, and a super cool 'finisher' long-sleeve singlet). I really expected the marathon to showcase more of Portland. I felt the scenery was pretty in parts but a lot of it was overlooking warehouses and industrial parks and it definitely was not as pretty as I expected. This was my first trip to Portland and I was really hoping to see the beautiful part of Portland that everyone speaks so highly of. There were a couple down-and-back parts with some hairpin turns, which can get a bit boring on a 26-mile run. Also, according to the grade map on the website, the course appears to have only two very doable hills on the course. The course felt like it was a lot more uphill and the downhill parts were pretty steep grades that were very hard on the knees. This wouldn't be a course I would recommend to run for a PR or as a qualifier. If you don't have to travel far, then it might be worth it, but it has been the least favorite of the eight others I have done. | |
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Hazel Chase from Tucson, AZ
(10/10/2005)
"Friendly, well-organized, SO FUN!" (about: 2005)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Portland Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Portland Marathon really takes care of its runners. Great course and lots of water, gel, sports drink along the way. I liked the gummy bears and some Snickers Marathon bars. We felt so special and important in this marathon. Definitely a great and wonderful experience! I hope all marathons have this kind of support and energy. | |
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Tom O'Brien from Gold Beach, OR
(10/10/2005)
"memorable first marathon" (about: 2005)
First Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Swept up in the sea of humanity facing the limits of their bodies and ninds nurtured by the volunteers, musicians, and spectators who urge you along in your challenge. |
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