Portland Marathon & Half Marathon

Sunday, October 1, 2023 • Portland, OR • Course Map

You’ll get to run the beautifully scenic streets and riverside parkways of Oregon’s largest city at its flagship Portland Marathon & Half Marathon, which makes its 51st annual running this fall along an loop course that’s been called the “Best Race in October” by no less than Runner’s World magazine in recent years.

Mostly flat, with a few hilly stretches. The race begins in downtown Portland along Southwest Salmon Street, next to Waterfront Park. From there, you’ll turn left onto Southwest 1st Avenue and head south. You’ll remain on 1st Avenue until it meets up with Naito Parkway, which you’ll follow all the way under the Portland Aerial Tram and across the South Waterfront on Macadam Avenue.

There, you’ll continue for the next few miles along a fast, flat, and tree-lined stretch of South Portland before crossing the Sellwood Bridge and entering the Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood.

Run through Sellwood-Moreland and Brooklyn. The east side of the bridge leads runners through the charming homes of Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood and over the bluff on Sellwood Avenue, while heading north toward the Brooklyn neighborhood.

By the time runners enter Brooklyn, the race is over halfway done, and the course isn’t quite as flat as it used to be (although any hills here are still minor). But the course does continue with a few turns north along the river for a flat stretch along the Eastbank Esplanade as the course continues north toward the second (and final) bridge crossing of the course.

After crossing the Burnside Bridge and returning to the west side of the river, it’s smooth sailing for the last mile all the way back to the finish line at Waterfront Park.

Both the full marathon and the half marathon are USATF-certified courses, and the full marathon is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon.

Open to runners and walkers. Organizers welcome both runners and walkers to take part in the race, but note that if you fall behind a pace of 15 minutes per mile, at 1:00 PM they will ask walkers to move to the “off-street” course, which means you’ll run/walk on the sidewalk for the rest of the race.

Runners make their way across Portland’s Johns Bridge at the Portland Marathon & Half Marathon. (Courtesy Imogene Huxham/flickr)

Race Weather & Climate

Nestled in Oregon’s Willamette Valley region along the banks of the river by the same name, Portland typically sees chilly to mild weather in October, which brings temperatures that average between the mid-40s and the mid-60s. The area usually sees warm, dry summers and cool, rainy winters, so the seasons are beginning to change when the race is held.

On race day (Oct. 1), the average low is 48ºF and the average high is 68ºF.

Past Results

Course Map

See the race route map for the Portland Half Marathon here.

Starting Time

7:10 AM

Course Time Limit

6 hours

Fees

$99 – $135 for the half marathon
$130 – $165 for the full marathon

Official Race Website

portlandmarathon.com

See more races — Oregon

When is the Portland Marathon?

The Portland Marathon is October 1, 2023.

How much does the Portland Marathon cost?

The Portland Marathon costs between $99 and $135 for the half marathon and $130 to $165 for the full marathon.

How many people run the Portland Marathon?

Over 7,000 runners participate in the Portland Marathon.