Portland Marathon

Course & Elevation

The Portland Marathon is the Oregon city's marathon, held on the first Sunday of October, and the 2027 race is set for 3 October. It offers a full marathon, a half marathon, a 10K and a Kids Run, and the marathon distance is USATF certified and a Boston Marathon qualifier according to the organisers. The race starts and finishes at Tom McCall Waterfront Park, at Salmon Street and Naito Parkway, and crosses the Willamette River several times, passing through downtown and the Pearl District. The course historically ran clockwise from downtown to the St. Johns Bridge via Highway 30 and then down the bluff on Willamette Boulevard before returning to the downtown area. The first Portland Marathon was held in 1972 on Sauvie Island and drew 86 participants; it has been held annually since and is one of the longest-running consecutive marathons in the United States. The organisers mention the same climb at Reed College and the same bridge bends across the Willamette. The 2026 edition, the 54th, drew nearly 15,000 registered runners across all distances, the largest field in its history. It is produced by Motiv Sports.