The expo is perfectly sized! If you join a team (like I did) you get your bib from your team leader. This was great since no everyone has the run the same distance but you get to be a part of a group. It was easy to get to the expo thanks to the Portland Streetcar. More than enough samples and the swag they were selling was pretty cute! If I wasn't saving money I would have dropped some cash.

I am local to Portland already so getting to the start line was amazingly easy! An easy one-mile walk over one of Portland's bridges. The starts are staggered so there was never a crazy amount of crowds but you saw the people when you were running. Nothing is a bigger boast than seeing one of your friends crushing it! The turn arounds provided lots of chances to see people who were doing different distances.

The course goes through some different parts of Portland. But what makes the half marathon a challenge is the LONG hill you hit from about 4 miles until mile 8. The last mile is steep but once you get to the top you get some pretty amazing views of both the mountain and Portland. And finishing on a downhill means you can really push the pace the last bit!

The post-race party was happening from the moment I got there and was still rocking after I finished over 2 hours later! It was a see of green and happy people!

Your medal also doubles as a bottle opener which adds to the charm! The T-shirt was a great quality long sleeve which is such a nice change.

This race has a distance for everyone and if you are looking for a reason to visit Portland in the spring this is a great one to check out

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