Prior to running the half marathon this year (2019), I last ran the marathon back in 2011 when it…read morewas under a different ownership. It is now organized by and part of the Revel race series. They're known for their rather extreme downhill courses, but this one is not one of those. There's plenty of rollers on this course so be sure to do your hill training! The race was very well organized from the expo to the post race festivities. The expo was conveniently located at the Oregon Convention Center. The start and finish lines were located on the Pacific Highway next to the Tom McCall Waterfront Park. There were a lot of portapotties available. One of the big highlights of this race was that they provided a lot of post race goodies which included a slice of Pizza Hut pizza, Voodoo Doughnut, Salt & Straw ice cream, and grilled cheese sandwich. I'm glad to see that the race has improved quite a bit under the new management. I wouldn't mind returning to run this race again.

I raced in the 2021 Austin Half Marathon, and Pasadena Half Marathon, but the organizers for this…read moreevent were the best by a huge mile. The 2021 marathon was great. Loved the medal and the swag they gave out this year. Post-race we received a Voodoo donut, sage, a rose, bananas, water, beer, a slice of pizza from Pizza Hut, bottles of Topo Chico, and an awesome medal! The expo was a little disappointing and picture opportunities were just so-so. Overall, the event was awesome. I look forward to next year's 50th anniversary of the Portland Marathon. I hope they do it big.

I have done many Spartan Races (this one was my 8th race) at many different venues and this venue…read moreis by far my favorite and by far the muddiest! If you are ever planning on doing this race, plan to arrive very early because the parking situation this year was horrible. I heard that people were waiting in line at least an hour to park. Luckily I took uber so I did not have that problem. The event was very organized. Everything was clearly marked and knowing where to go was easy. Also, it costs $5 to check your bag. Cash only. The barbed wire crawl was by far the muddiest part of the race.. MUD everywhere! I had a great time rolling in the mud for a few minutes. There were also two different sets of mud moats on this course (basically walking and climbing through a bunch of mud). Some of the other obstacles included wall climbs, monkey bars, bucket carry, sandbag carry, atlas carry (basically a boulder carry), plate drag, tire flip (my favorite!), hercules hoist and a dunk wall so you can clean off at the end of the race. I highly recommend training prior to this event. This race is no walk in the park. I recommend incline walking and hikes because the hills will defiantly get you if you haven't trained prior. I also recommend resistance and strength training. The majority of the obstacles require both upper and lower body strength to accomplish. Make sure to wear clothes and shoes you don't mind getting dirty. In most cases, the shoes you wear you probably won't ever wear again unless its for another obstacle course race. At the finish line, you are rewarded with a medal, finisher shirt, a banana, Clif bar, Fit Aid drink, and of course free beer. If you ever have a chance to do a Spartan Race, do it! The feeling of accomplishment at the finish line is incredible!

Gawd. My knees. They look like I fought 30 ninjas on a field of sharpened Legos, only using only my…read moreknees. Despite that, this was one of the best organized obstacle runs I have ever done. And the swag was rad! You're given a timing chip, a headband pre-printed with your bib number to run with. That, with the bib number on your arm, and the bib itself, they really want to make sure they identify you for the many photographers on the path. Some of you may be going, "Wow, but it's only a 5K" and though I prefer long distance running/obstacle courses, I have to tell you: I was surprised. It also took us nearly a hour and a half to complete. The combination of the constant steep hills, the intensity of the obstacles of themselves...this race does not disappoint! I've done a couple of Tough Mudders, and I have to say that this was just as physical, even though TM is 4x the distance with about 10 more obstacles. And I could never do another Warrior Dash or Survivor Mud Run after doing this 5K; I've been spoiled! Flipping tractor tires, scaling walls, horizontal hand/feet walks, inverted wall climbs, rope climbs over water, dragging another tractor tire only to have to pull it by rope immediately after. Running up a trail with a sandbag, using pulleys to lift cement buckets, throwing a spear, a constant tirade of mud, water, and knee crawling under barbed wire, swimming under a wall...and I can't forget about dragging a cement block with a chain while carrying a log on your shoulder! Here, I ran into the most difficult obstacle I have ever done. A huge, STEEP mud hill re-wetted constantly that you had to try and belly-climb--all under barbed wire. You made some headway, then would slide down on a sea of people. Your entire body stays flexed the whole time, and it took us about 20 minutes to do it. The top 1/3, there's a rope to drag yourself up the rest of the way. The barbed wire caught me at least 7x during it, and managed to rip my Team Pandavores tank top! Oh yeah...any time that you didn't do something correctly (my spear missed the target) you have to do 30 burpees as punishment. I had to do 60 of them total over the course. So the rules of engagement: help your fellow Spartan ALWAYS, ALWAYS stop for water, wear fingerless gloves, be on time for your run, and train for hills. Most people walked a majority of the course--that's how steep it is O_o The next time I do this, I hope I don't have a nagging back injury so I can run for time!! I also recommend making a weekend of it; I came from Seattle for Spartan and had a built-in excuse to enjoy some fun in Portland. The 5th star is missing just because there were too many knee obstacles, but next time, we'll just tape our knees to prepare!

Starting at the Gordon Faber Recreational Complex, basically where the Hillsboro Hops play ball at…read moreRon Tonkin Stadium, and heading towards Helvetia Market, the countryside, and Helvetia Tavern is this little event called the Helvetia Half Marathon. This event has been running for 25 years now, and is typically held at the end of May. If you're not ready to run a half marathon (like myself) then they also offer a 5K and 10K course. Cost is between $54 to $135, depending on when you register. Packet Pick-up: ~ At the Portland Running Company in Beaverton. Race Day: ~ 8am Start ~ On Century Blvd just outside of the stadium. I only ran the 10K and only saw data centers and farmland lol. But my friend that ran the half said that it became a bit hilly after the 10K mark. Finishline: ~ It ends back onto the playing field of the stadium, and along the outfield. A medal awarded at the end. Food/Beer/Live Music: ~ Burgers were provided by Helvetia Tavern and three types of beers from Rogue Brewery. Live music provided by Party of 4! Those guys were awesome! Overall, it was a good run in my opinion. Not overkill with hills but also not as scenic as I thought. Would I run it again? Yeah why not!

Another summer ending run!…read more (per the website) THIS RACE IS PUT ON BY COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY Packet Pick-up Day was held on a Saturday with a few vendors presenting a few running items and, of course, the major sponsor by Nike. The running schwag was actually really nice. The draw string goodie bag was actually made of good quality. It was filled with a Nike water bottle, running pouch for your phone/keys, the MLK Dream Run t-shirt, a bag of bagels from Dave's Killer Bread, and a few other items by other sponsors. Race Day Sunday: Starting at the Portland Community College Campus, the run basically is a few blocks that heads towards Peninsula Park (north). Then runs in a square, or rectangle if you're running the 10K/15K, towards Martin Luther King Blvd (south), and back to the PCC campus. The participants here seemed a bit smaller, I'd say less than a thousand, than the Beaverton Run the weekend before. Likely because this does not include a Half. 8am started with the 15K runners, followed by the 10K runners, and around 8:25am the 5K runners/walkers were on their way. The run was flat. So, there were no challenging elevation issues. A few negatives, but I'm not reducing a star: ~ No parking information, so street park. ~ I didn't see enough water stations, but that's probably because they didn't have enough volunteers. Luckily, I had hydration gels. ~ No medal at the end. At least no medal for everyone that joined for health reasons. Medals only awarded to the top timed runners of certain categories; Gender, age group, etc. Regards, I still had a good run and would do it again. Plus my Adidas' rival, did provid a lot of items which made it well worth it.

Best social running event! 4th Thursday from April-October, Road Runner Sports hosts the greatest…read moreFREE scavenger-hunt-meets-fun-run. Run or walk 3-5miles, win prizes, drink free beer (or root beer floats), win prizes, and have a great time! It's a group atmosphere so come alone or bring friends, but either way, you're sure to meet new friends.Thanks, Road Runner!

Road Runner Sports has found a way to make running fun for the whole family with a free monthly…read moreevent catering to runners of all levels. There are prizes to win, snacks to taste, shoes to try and so much fun to be had. There is usually a theme to coordinate with the season or holiday. There are pace groups if you want to have the best time. No one leaves the event upset or sad. Everyone is smiling and ready for the next month's event. I highly recommend checking out the Discovery Run with your friends and family!

My review may be biased because I live on the Williamette waterfront and have front row seats to…read morethe race, but I love the Dragon Boats! They are so vibrant and whimsical, each a different color combo and dragon face. They look spectacular on the river, especially on a sunny, blue sky day. For me, it's a sign that spring is coming when in early March the dragonboat teams start practicing. Diligently, they are out there every single morning and evening, in the dark! And freezing cold! The teams take turns in the boats to get in their practice time. For me, the twice daily practices provide a few hours of viewing, like live art. Sitting on the balcony with my coffee, reading the news while watching the dragon boats, is the way I start and end my days for three solid months. In the evenings, they start as early as 4:000pm and because there are so many teams, the boats are out on the river until about 8pm. What a backdrop! I'm super lucky, I'm not confused! This weekend is the actual Dragon Boat races and the Williamette is bustling with several private boats and individual kayaks all here to watch, along with the infamous Portland Beer Paddle boats, and a small crowd of people sitting on the grass at Riverside Marina cheering for the teams. Last year I hosted an open house so my friends could watch the races, take in the view, and enjoy delicious food, drinks and friendship. It has become my annual "thing." During Rose Festival, if you are going to City Fair, the Saturday Market, a walk along Tom McCall Park or the Eastern Esplanade, go during the weekend the boats are racing and see these magnificent boats and cheer on the dedicated crews that race!

This is what happens when dreams come true…read more.. Dragon boat racing has fascinated me for over 10 years and this year I finally got to live out my dream and paddle on a team. I've participated in team sports my whole life (except for that little 10-year gap), and this experience has been one of the best. A quick primer on dragon boat racing: The race has four boats with 16 paddlers, a caller, a tiller and a flag catcher in Taiwanese style dragon boats. These things are 1700 lb. beasts shared by the teams with a big 'ole drum to beat on top. Teams are divided into high school, women and mixed groups with the time trials on Saturday and the finals on Sunday. The race itself is an all out sprint for 3 minutes with stroke counts between 70 - 80 strokes per minute for most teams. It has a similar vibe to Hood-to-Coast (some teams are goofy and others dead serious), but this is a lot more fun for the spectators. Admission is free and there are great views of the race course, which starts by OMSI and crosses the river with the finish between the Hawthorne Bridge and the Riverplace Marina in front of the grassy bowl. And don't think of hopping on your boat to watch the races from the water, since the Coast Guard closes the river during the races. The most fearless member of the team is the flag catcher who is strapped to the front of the boat and has abs of steel to reach way in front of the boat to catch and control the flag which ends the race. I saw one of these poor souls go head first into the river yesterday. My team is amazing, but I just love the spirit and sense of camaraderie I see in all of the teams. Many paddlers are parents, so it is fun to see the crowds of family and friends, support their loved ones. There are year round teams who continue on to other races around the world, but many teams get together every year for an intense 10-week training session before the Rose Festival race. And the race weekend is a big picnic and celebration of all the work (no blood or tears, just a whole lot of sweat) it took to get here. So if you are in Portland to enjoy the Rose Festival, make sure you stop by and give a wave and a cheer to all the dragon boaters out there.

An excellent way to end the summer is with a running event, or with the cool September weather…read moredeveloping, why not continue running until winter? 2024 marked the 6th Annual Beaverton Half Marathon (BHM), prepared and presented by Runwithpaula Events, Inc. In the past, I've ran many 5K, 10K, 10-mile, and half marathon events. On Yelp, I even created a Collections of events listed. When I started having health and heart issues, I stopped running. I got the heart fixed, but then weight gain started, and depression set in. Why? Why did I stop running? Why would I do such a thing? I used every bad excuses of my weak heart condition, my dad just died, too busy and too much work, or my age. These "excuses" did absolutely nothing but sabotage my brain. So I made the decision to just STOP! WAKE UP! Get off my behind AND RUN! Which brings me to this event... (: so, enough about me hehe :) The BHM consists of the following: ~ Cost: Depending on how early you sign up, the price can start at $49 for the 5K, and $99 for joining the half marathon, last minute. Buying on Race Day adds another $20. ~ Packet Pick-up: at the Portland Running Company in Beaverton. ~ Starting Line / Finish Line: On the corner of SW Nimbus Ave & SW Gemini Dr. ~ The Course: The first 1.5 miles is shared by all runners and heads towards Fanno Creek Trail. The 10K and Half runners turn around at the same point, only the Half runners repeat the 6.2 mile loop. More details and couse maps on their website. My First Take: This event was smaller than expected, but that's a good thing! Friday, Packet Pick-up Day was quick and easy. The volunteers that helped out were in good spirits! I had my 5K shirt, my glass, and bib. The Portland Running Company even offered discounts on things as well. Come race day Saturday, the parking situation wasn't as bad as I thought. The surrounding business provided more than enough spaces in the entire area. So no issues with finding parking. At the starting line, it was hard to judge how many total runners and walkers attended, but I'd guess maybe about 1,000 to 1,500. Don't quote me on that. Again, I've been to larger running events in the past, so for me to get back into running, this was the perfect amount of elbow room. The 5K course was totally doable for anyone. Pretty flat with no steep inclines or anything. I ran/walked most of it to get that feeling back. In the end, I crossed the finish line, collected the medal, and recuperated at the Post-Party. With beer and a band playing in the background. My end goal was that, I wanted that "runner's high" feeling again! It didn't really happen, but I want it to fully come back. And I know it will eventually. In closing, I hope this helps out with those that are interested in running, or trying to get back into the swing of things (health-wise). And hopefully another yelper shares their thoughts about the 10K or Half courses as well. I would like to know, as I hope to run it some day.

This is a climbing festival put on once a year, in November, before Thanksgiving, by the Mazamas…read moreand assorted climbing sponsors. They usually have: a climbing competition, numerous clinics with world-class mountaineers/alpinists/rock climbers, a fun keynote event called "The Summit" where said world-class mountain athletes give a presentation and adult beverages abound. I have been to 2. In the interest of full disclosure: I helped plan the first one. I no longer have any involvement, however. Every year their quiver of mountain athletes gets more and more impressive! I'm eagerly awaiting the 2017 lineup now, and eyeing Alaska airline prices...