2013

The 43rd Annual Portland Marathon Weekend of Events Takes Place Oct. 4-6 ©Portland Marathon Organisers

The 43rd Annual Portland Marathon Weekend of Events Takes Place Oct. 4-6

Organisation

By GRR 0

Welcome, There is a lot of information in this Newsletter about our Event. Please read everything carefully. Doing so will help you have an even more enjoyable experience!

Billy Rodgers

We are pleased that 4-time Boston Marathon winner and running legend Bill Rodgers will be with us again this year. He also has won the New York City Marathon 4 times and was a member of the US Olympic Team.

"Boston Billy" will be at a special booth at our Expo in the Portland Hilton and do a special presentation open to the public (see speaker schedule later in this newsletter). Please come see him. At the Expo, Bill will be at Booth #1 on the Ballroom floor.

Special Boston Themed Start

On Sunday Billy will be part of our starting ceremony that "Remembers Boston." That ceremony should be a wonderful occurrence. Billy will say a few words. We will have a moment of silence. Then everyone… yes, everyone will sing the National Anthem. The start will flow as the Neil Diamond rendition of "Sweet Caroline" is played.

The Portland Brewery's Food and Beverage Area

This year the Portland Brewery is providing a food and beverage (soft drinks and beer) area for the public and for our participants. The location called "The 26.3 Mile Gathering Place" will be located at the corner of SW Taylor and SW 3rd Avenue just past the area where participants leave the formal finish area on 3rd. It's a great place for those waiting for the runners and walkers to hang out. Also a great place for the participants after they finish. Carry an ID and credit card or cash and enjoy.

Our Two Events

As most know, although logistically together in many respects, the Portland Marathon and Portland Marathon Half are two separate and distinct events.

The Portland Half is a fast selling out event (in January) in terms of public or "open" entries. After open entries are sold the Half then becomes a charity event for the remainder of the registration year. After the limited "open entries" are sold out, Official Charities can provide a free entry if the person raises a designated sum for that charity. Or those trying to get in after the open entries are sold out and who do not wish to raise money by pledges, can pay a special charity fee and gain entry. This year over 32% of our entries are charity based. The national average for charity participants in full and half marathons is only 4% to 5%.

Why No Transfers

To protect the integrity of the charity based Half we do not allow transfers unless a full charity fee for the Half is paid before the Full Marathon sells out and all registration is closed.

Of course, some events do allow transfers and make a lot of money doing so. But to allow transfers between our two events would clearly defeat the charity purpose of the Half. We cannot permit a backdoor method to enter the Half nor allow Full Marathoners to crash the Half (see the related article below and in our pre-event publication).

We also do not permit the sale or transfer of a registration bib or entry. We see individuals seeking to buy and sell entries to Portland Marathon events from time to time on eBay and Craigslist. Actually trying to do such a transfer is dangerous to the person that would use another person's bib and the transferrer. Legally such a transaction is both False Impersonation and Fraud. Fortunately, few would even think to do something like this because allowing someone else to use a bib/number is a breech of runner ethics.

But as you can imagine, this issue of unauthorized transfers is a serious matter. Two years ago, the second place woman's finisher in the Half ran with another person's number. That caused endless problems for all involved.

The Weather

As I write this column Portland is experiencing a storm that is the tail end of a Pacific Typhon. However, the forecast for Marathon weekend looks quite good. Typically the Marathon (32 of my 33 years) has experienced great weather. Rain only once. Usually we have early morning temperatures in the low and mid 50s with a daily high in the 60s. We have ordered great weather for you. We trust it will be here for you to enjoy a great running experience.

Enjoy Portland and have a great run or walk,

Les Smith
Event Director

What You Need to Know:

Review this information to become fully knowledgeable on the 2013 Portland Marathon weekend of events!

Packet Pick Up

You must pick up your own participant packet at the Sports & Fitness Expo. There is no packet pick up on Sunday. To pick up your packet, know your bib number and bring your photo ID. Look up your bib below (search using your last name only):
Full Marathon Participants:

Half Marathon Participants:

Getting to the Event

With over 15,000 people converging downtown, the Portland Marathon strongly recommends public transportation for participants and spectators. Portland's MAX light rail system has many convenient park & ride locations and will drop you off just a few blocks from the start/finish line. Bus and light rail service is limited on Sundays so please use the trip planner at TriMet.org to plan your race day trip in advance. Please plan to arrive downtown by 6 a.m. Go to our "Getting to the Event" page for more details.

Course Maps

Portland Marathon & Half Course Map
Start Area Map
Finish Area Map
Spectator Map
Spectator Guide
10k Family Walk

Participant Tracking &
Social Media on Race Day

Family and friends can track participants using the tracking system that will be available on our web site the day of the race. The Portland Marathon also encourages participants to share their Expo and Event experiences via social media using the #pdxmarathon. We will be doing live updates throughout the day on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Access the Virtual Goodie Bag Now!

Don't wait! There are tons of deals and opportunities available for you inside the Portland Marathon's Virtual Goodie Bag, including becoming a product tester for Nike Running! Access it now by clicking the link below!

Virtual Goodie Bag

Finding your Place at the Starting Line

You will learn your corral assignment when you pick up your bib. Corrals A and B are entered on SW 5th and Salmon. Corrals C and D are entered by going down SW Jefferson (toward the River) and entering on SW 2nd or 1st Ave. Corrals E, F and W are entered from 5th Ave. by going down SW Yamhill (going toward the River). [Note: There is no G corral this year. E and F have been moved West by one street… see the maps with this Newsletter… the back of the bib is incorrect on those two corrals… but everything else is correct]. View the starting map here.

Register Your Youngsters for the Kids Run!

There is still time to register your youngster for the Portland Marathon Kid's Fun Run & Festival, Saturday, Oct. 5 at Lincoln High School. Dedicated to youth, ages 2-12, the festival will be fun-filled and include the following events:

Walk Run Wheel! – The first event will be our inaugural "Walk Run Wheel" event, a 1/2 mile distance event for disabled youth. All ages and abilities are welcome to participate!
Toddler Dash – Kid's ages 2 to 4 will do 1/4 mile (1 lap) around our course while navigating obstacles.
Kid's Fun Run – Kid's ages 5 to 8 will do a 1/2 mile distance (2 laps) around our course while navigating obstacles.
Mini Marathoner Run – Kid's ages 9 to 12 will do a one mile distance (4 laps) around our course.

The festival also includes field games, airbrush face painting, prizes, healthy snacks & beverages, inflatable obstacle courses, booths representing different fitness activities to try out, and photos with local mascots including Timber Joey of the Portland Timbers, Blaze the Trail Cat of the Portland Trail Blazers, and more!

If you answered YES to the above questions, please visit the Portland Marathon Medical Advice Table (Booth #5) sponsored by Metro West Ambulance at the Sports & Fitness Expo to receive your First Responder bracelet and WEAR it on Event Day to identify you as a First Responder. The bracelet is FREE with a suggested donation of any amount that goes to the Speak with Your Feet Campaign to benefit the Boston Marathon victims.

Rooms still Available!

Now is the time to make a night or two nights out of your visit to Portland. There are still rooms available at several of our partner hotels. Visit our Travel Page to find out more.

What Moves You? | A Documentary being filmed at the 2013 Portland Marathon

The human race starts with a story. What's yours?

What Moves You? is a short film intent on finding out why runners love to run. Visit the filmakers at the Portland Marathon Expo on Friday & Saturday to learn more about the project and let them know: What Moves You? Follow them:

Trust us it's certified – In every way!

By Chris Hardman, Course Director and Richard Busby, Course Technical Director

Last year, we received inquiries from several participants in the Portland Marathon… they all asked: "Why was the distance measured by my GPS watch longer than the official Marathon distance of 26.22 miles?" "Is the course wrong?"
Experience has shown that the comparison of a marathon course measured by the approved method with the read-out by on a GPS watch worn by a runner on race day reveals the GPS readings are slightly longer than the certified distance. Because of such long course concerns, we recently measured the marathon course following a route more like that a runner would take, than cutting each corner as required for certification.

We used a Jones counter, the standard instrument used to certify courses, and a Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS watch. The Jones counter had the route we took being 26.27 miles long and the Garmin recorded 26.35 miles. The Portland Marathon was measured using the procedure required by USA Track and Field, (USTF) Road Running Technical Committee, the governing body for US road running. The course was also certified by USTF/RRTC and IAAF/AIMS. USTF and AIMS have strict methodology for measuring courses for certification.

The standard measurement device used is a Jones counter which is attached to the front wheel of a standard bicycle and must be calibrated before and after the measurement ride. A Jones counter typically shows around 15,300 counts per mile, or about one count every three inches. Our course was measured in this fashion by two very experienced and certified course measurers.

The measurement process requires measuring the shortest-possible distance a runner can run on race day. To ensure this, the measuring bicycle is required to ride 30 cm from the curb at each corner. The measurer must also ride the straightest line through curves and turns. The goal of this is to make sure that on race day all participants run at least the full distance of the marathon or other certified distance, as the case may be.

The former Chair of the RRTC has estimated that for the Portland Marathon course, with something like 36 turns, a runner going 1 meter wider than the shortest possible route on each turn would run an extra 53.6 meters. To permit our measurement team to follow this process as closely as possible, the measurement of the Portland Marathon course was done early on a weekend day to minimize traffic allowing us to measure the shortest route possible. On race day with over 10,000 other participants, running that ˝shortest distance˝ course would prove to be extremely difficult due to, among other things, runner traffic and the location of water stations.

The course certification process also requires the inclusion of a short course prevention factor, the measurer must add 1 meter of additional length to the course for every 1,000 meters of course length. Thus a 10 km certified course is measured to be 10,010 meters long. And, a certified marathon course has an additional 42 meters added to its length. It is well recognized that GPS devices available to the general public are about 1% percent inaccurate when compared to the mechanical measurement of a known distance using the bicycle counter mentioned above.

Many factors can affect the accuracy of a GPS watch. Tall buildings along the route, rain, trees covering the course, elevation changes and the number of satellite signals received all affect the accuracy of the GPS measurement.

Volunteers

We couldn't do it without you! For volunteer questions, please read through the volunteer FAQs, contact your team leader or Helen Smith at volunteer@portlandmarathon.org.

Expo Lecture Schedule:

(Held in Broadway Rooms 2 – 4 | Plaza Level; No Admission Charge)

Friday, October 4, 2013
Planning Your Marathon – 3 p.m. *Presented by Patti and Warren Finke

Saturday, October 5, 2013
Planning Your Marathon – 1 p.m. *Presented by Patti and Warren Finke

Billy Remembers Boston – 2 p.m. *Presented by 4-time Boston winner Bill Rodgers and moderated by Martin Rudow (publisher of Northwest Runner Magazine)

Walking the Portland Marathon and Half Marathon – 3:30 p.m. Tips for Success; Questions and Answers About the Competitive/Non-Competitive Walk Divisions. *Presented by Judy Heller and Marie VerMeer

A twist on an old classic: The Friendship Bracelet

Design your own online or order one of the official Portland Marathon Wearshare bracelets today (made in Portland). You get two! One to wear and one to share for just $7.

Runner's run for all kinds of reasons, which is why Wearshare partnered with the Portland Marathon to allow you to create a customized bracelet that highlights YOUR inspiration: photos of your spouse, children, loved ones, quotes that remind and inspire.

Checkout the Official Portland Marathon design and ORDER, or DESIGN to create your own!

Their Cheatin' Hearts

By Chris Hardman, Course Director

An A+ for Audacity

Some years ago, it was discovered that several persons had jumped into the Portland Marathon somewhere near the intersection of Salmon and Naito Parkway at the 26-mile point. It is believed these individuals acted as if they were late finishers of the Five-Miler, but at the last minute uncovered a Marathon number and joined the first of the Marathoners who were beginning to cross the finish line. Even more disturbing, was the discovery that several of these cheaters had done the same thing in our two previous events! Their actions were actually quite incredible. For example, when finish photos were reviewed, one cheater had the audacity to run to the finish carrying his bib in his hand! And behind the bib, he was sporting a bit of a pot belly. Other event directors who reviewed the photo agreed there's no way anyone carrying that extra weight could have run a marathon in 2:42.

Course-Cutting Cheaters

Another form of cheating involved participants who "cut the course." This most frequently occurred on NW Front Avenue after the 6.5-mile mark. The typical course-cutting cheaters would stop at an aid station on the east side of the street, and then very nonchalantly cross over to the west side of the
street and file in with the runners heading in the other direction who had already passed the turnaround point. These course-cutters commonly removed about four miles from the 26.2-mile total. Another maneuver we discovered involved cheaters who went beyond the turnaround on Front Avenue,
crossed a railroad overpass bridge, proceeded to St. Helens Road, and jumped back in at the 14-mile point.

Of course, it was a fairly easy task to stop most of the above kind of cheating by placing course monitors and hidden video cameras in the areas where course-cutting commonly occurred. Also, the adoption of chip timing for all runners and walkers in 2000 made it possible to prove a runner had course-cut through the missing mat readings in their results. There is now a timing mat placed near the point of the 9-mile turnaround as well as two others strategically located along that stretch of the course where it is possible to shortcut to St. Helens Road. There are also additional camera points along these portions of the course.
Skipped mat = skipped mileage = disqualification.

The Portland Marathon maintains a policy of careful review of all event results before certifying them as final. If someone misses a timing mat, the incident is reviewed. When necessary, those persons without mat point readings are removed from the official results and sent a letter of inquiry about
their conduct. In addition, other event directors are warned about the most serious cheaters and the evidence collected on them at our event. Again, we are talking about the hard core cheater, not someone who inadvertently missed a mat.

Cracking Down on Bandits or Turkeys

In the parlance of running/walking event management, bandits and turkeys are individuals who are not registered, who simply decide to run or walk the course as if they were, and with the full intention of using the services provided for paying registrants, and also helping themselves to the food and goodies at the finish. Unfortunately, with the absence of a true finish chute as used in the pre-timing system days, it has actually become easier for this class of cheater to cross the finish line unquestioned.

Bandits have always been the bane of marathons and are scorned by legitimate runners and walkers. Fortunately, registered runners and walkers have a wonderful ability to spot these cheaters and generally try to shame them off the course. In the past we have received letters from participants about bandits they have encountered without a running number or a timing tag. For example, runners have chanted and yelled loudly at bandits to let them know they are not welcome. Legitimate runners and walkers do not like bandits who take the course refreshments and use the porta-potties meant for those who have paid for the event. We've also received letters from registered runners and walkers who have confronted bandits who try to take finish area goodies, including medals, space blankets, shirts, food and even the little commemorative trees and roses that are offered to true Portland Marathon finishers.

The Bridge Checkpoint

Because the Marathon course goes over the St. Johns Bridge, a unique opportunity is presented to determine the legitimacy of those about to cross the bridge just past the 16-mile mark of the course. What happened on a more or less informal basis was the establishment of a "Checkpoint Charlie" at the base of the ramp leading to the bridge. All persons without a running number or a timing tag are now challenged as they approach the ramp to the
bridge.

The overwhelming support by participants witnessing bandits being removed has made it apparent that this "checkpoint" will remain an established location. Indeed, both the Department of Transportation and the Police Department support the Marathon in this undertaking. As one charity runner noted, the unrealized registration dollars from bandits would amount to a very nice contribution to more than one of the civic, service or school
groups which are annually supported by Portland Marathon donations.

Event Jumping Cheating – Full to Half

When we started our Portland Marathon Half three years ago we encountered another common form of "crash cheating." This involves Marathon runners who decide on event weekend, or even after starting to run the Marathon, that they will "jump" to the Half Marathon course and finish that event instead.
Throughout the year, and particularly in the pre-event announcements, the Portland Marathon makes it clear that there are no transfers between events on Marathon weekend or at any time before. If a person wants to run in the Half they can do so-but as a charity runner who pays in a different way.
Some events allow transfers but the Portland Marathon Half becomes a charity based event after it sells out and closes in January, a full eight months before the actual event. During that time those who want into the event (even into mid-September) can get into the Half one of two ways: 1) "Free" by running and raising a small amount of money for one of our charities, or 2) By paying the Charity Entry Fee, which is double the original entry fee. Half of
that money goes to the Portland Marathon's charity program that results in over $200,000 in donations and grants to other nonprofits, school activity groups and school athletic teams.

Allowing a normal transfer undercuts the charity program. The Portland Marathon is not interested in the transfer fees and administrative hassle of such transfers. The integrity of the Charity Program trumps any of that fee potential. That said, it is actually easy for us to catch the few Half Marathon crashers who decide to jump from the Full to the Half. Indeed, they are clearly visible and their chip will automatically disqualify them.

Are We Being Too Hard on Bandits?

Some bandits like to complain that the Marathon does not adequately announce the restrictions in place against them. We know of no other events which publish instructions or advice for those seeking to run without registering and paying an entry fee. And for those who claim they cannot afford to run the Marathon, there are plenty of charities providing free entry and other rewards/perks for anyone willing to fundraise in return.

What makes a person a bandit? The reasons are probably numerous enough to fill several dissertations. Regardless of the reasons, our focus here is to emphasize that the presence of bandits on the course is an unfair imposition on those who are there legitimately, and adversely impacts the quality of the event by placing an added burden on the services and facilities intended for registered participants of that event only. Keeping our course bandit-free is just part of our overall mission to ensure we provide the best marathon experience possible for each and every one of our participants.

Thank you Portland!

We always look forward to a great community event! Get a $50 Visa gift card for test-driving the all-new 2014 MDX! And don't forget to stop by our booth and say hi at the race!

Your Stories

Dear Portland Marathon,
I used to run a lot. Now I run a little, and bike quite a bit. My first Portland Marathon was in 1984, just under 3:05. Each one since has been slower, since 1984 was my fastest in Portland, and anywhere. I estimate I've run about 100 marathons. I probably should train more if I want to keep doing the marathon, but all the volunteers are so nice and helpful that every year I figure I can rely on them to help me finish. And I can't quit, anyway, because Salem runner Jay Howe, a real runner, is just behind me in consecutive, completed Portland Marathons. My one mark of distinction is that I believe I have more CUMULATIVE time on the Portland course than any other participant on planet Earth. I would send you an "action" photo, but none exist. – Doug Marshall

Dear colleagues,
I came to Portland, OR, from Russia in June 1993 as an Alfred Friendly Press Fellow and spent some unforgettable months working for The Oregonian, the great newspaper of the American North-West. Since the first day in the States I started jogging (I never had done that before though I went in for fencing for many years in Russia). Early morning Portland looked like a jogging city and it impressed me when I jogged through the Rose Garden doing my 6 miles every morning. My colleagues at The O. invited me to take part in the Cascade Runoff and I liked running together. So, when I heard about the Marathon I couldn't miss the opportunity. It was hard I must say. Especially because I took miles for kilometers and spurted way before the finish. Still, I found strength for the second spurt when I saw the long-awaited sign. And after crossing the line fell down on the grass to be tenderly covered with a heat-saving blanket. The participant's medal I keep until this day and my only regret is that I never reсeived my marathon pix. When they were ready I'd left for Russia already to continue serving in the young Russian free press and to use the skills and knowledge I'd learned in Portland and The Great O. Now I work for another great American brand — Forbes, Russia. – Alex Levinsky

Hello,
I have been running full marathons since 2006, and my original goal was to complete 50 without repeating one. Prior to the 2013 Boston Marathon, I have never not completed a marathon and Boston would have been my 46th. I was stopped a couple of miles short of the finish with a group of other runners and after a period of time bussed back to a large Catholic Chuch at the University of Massachucetts. We didn't really know what had happened other than the race had been stopped because there had been an "incident" at the finish line. We had no idea that the death and injuries were as severe as they were, and were unable to learn more or contact family because cell phones were not working. I was able to return to my hotel room at 9:30 pm. As I have said before, while I was disappointed at not finishing and unable to contact concerned family members for several hours, these experiences were mild in comparison to the death and horrifying injuries the many spectators suffered. I have nothing but praise for the manner in which the emergency responders, the volunteers, the event organizers, the spectators, and the people of Boston responded to this crisis. I very much appreciate what you are doing in support of the Boston Marathon and the running community at large, and would also very much like to celebrate at the conclusion of the Portland Marathon. While the runners were not physically injured by the explosions, many of us were impacted by the shocking end of the race, and would like to bring some closure to it, as you are suggesting we do at the Portland Marathon. – Steve, from Canada

Portland Marathon,
2013 was my first Boston Marathon and only my fourth marathon. I had suffered an injury and knew the marathon was going to be tough on me, but little did I know how tough. I was on Common Wealth Ave. just before Massachusetts Ave when I heard the explosions. Although I had no idea what they were, I did know that it was an abnormal sound. It's hard to explain exactly what they sounded like…maybe a combination of a cannon and thunder. I ran for maybe another 2-3 minutes when I came to the closure just past Massachusetts. The is the location where you saw hundreds of runners stopped in the new photos and in the coverage on television. When I got there, I was one of 20-25 people. I thought 'Holy Sh*t' if they are shutting down the Boston Marathon those explosions I heard were serious. I don't usually race with my cell phone, but this time I had it with me. I immediately called one of my two friends who were waiting for me at the finish line. She said we have to get out of here now because two bombs just exploded near the finish line across the street from where they were standing. I immediately walked off the course with my cell phone to my ear. None of us knew where we were or had ever been to Boston before, but we some how managed to navigate our way to an intersection away from Boylston to meet despite losing cell service half way there. Upon meeting we were relieved, but shell shocked. I had no water or food with me and I was now freezing. I take the water and food at the end of the races automatically and now know how important they are to my recovery. Someone on the street gave me a bottle of water and another runner, who had made it through the finish line, gave me her bag of half eaten Hawaiian Sweet Rolls which I gladly ate. Texts and phones messages were coming in and I couldn't really respond nor did I have service. We walked the two plus miles back to the hotel in a stupor trying to let family members know we were okay and not to worry. As a sit and write this over a month later I still find it very surreal. I feel so incredibly lucky and thankful that my friends were not physically harmed when so many were. It means so much that the BAA is allowing us non-finishers to have the opportunity to go back and redeem ourselves. I will be there in 2014 and I will cross the finish line stronger! – Lisa

2014 HALF & FULL Registration Continues
Increase in Fees Expected October 15th

Registrstion for the Portland Marathon Half and Full Marathon opened on September 1st. The number registered for both are at record levels. And, the first price plateau based on the number of entries will reached about October 15th.

We have been asked by our local runners and many of our out of town veterans to open the entry for the two events early, in particular the Portland Marathon Half. The Half will be in its 5th year in 2014 and with all of its great swag has taken on a fast track registration pattern.

This charity based event is limited to only 2500 public or "open" entries and has been closing earlier every year, last year the open registrations were sold out in early January. If the current pace for 2014 registration continues the Half may be sold out about Thanksgiving!

We are also finding that the number of walkers participating in the Half has been increasing. And the Half is attracting out of State participants as well. The 2013 Half has 41 States and 16 Countries represented.

Please tell your friends about the tight deadline for registering for the Portland Marathon Half. We do not want any of those who could have registered in time to miss out.

author: GRR