October is upon us and that means fall marathon season is here. The Berlin Marathon saw record-breaking performances last weekend, and this weekend we get some notable American marathons. Among them is the 2023 Portland Marathon in Oregon, which takes place on Sunday, October 1. Notably, the Maine Marathon will also be taking place this weekend in Portland, Maine.
Start time + time limits
The marathon starts at 7 a.m. PT and the accompanying half marathon starts at 7:15 a.m. Runners can begin lining up at 6:30 a.m.
The course time limit for the full marathon is based on a 15 minute per mile pace, which equates to a 6:33 marathon. The half marathon time line is based on a 30 minute per mile pace, which equates to a 6:33 half marathon. The time limits will be enforced based on the time at which the last runner starts each race. The enforcement will happen at each mile marker every 15 minutes.
How to watch
The local news will have coverage of the marathon, but there will not be full TV coverage or a live stream. Thus, the only way to catch the Portland Marathon will be in person. There is ample information on viewing the action in the course guide here. When it comes to the race course, the basic rule is that you can’t spectate on the bridges, but the majority of the course is open to cheer on runners.
Course map
The course map is broken down here and we’ve embedded a printable PDF before. The race will begin at the intersection of Naito Parkway and Salmon Street near Waterfront Park. The race will also finish at the same point after marathon runners weave through downtown Portland and across four bridges.
Weather
The forecast at AccuWeather calls for favorable weather for the race. It will be around 62 degrees in the morning and getting up to 68 by the afternoon. It will be mostly sunny with no rain in the forecast. Winds will be around 5 mph with gusts up to 13 mph.
Prize money
One source says there is prize money for top three overall men and overall women in the marathon and half marathon, and top three age division awards. It says prizes are equal for men’s and women’s categories and based on gun time not chip time. It does not specify how much the prize money is.
Who won the last race?
Matt Spear won last year’s race with a time of 2:37:32. The top three were Spea, Paul Blamer (2:38:18), and Jacob Goertz (2:41:01). The top three women were Lydia Tay (2:53:42), Crystal Query (3:03:38), and Jamie Gibbs (3:03:50).