Mayor’s Office Takes a Do-Over on Who Will Run the Portland Marathon

Wheeler's office says they have a plan to "a plan to "revise some of the constraints and reopen the application process."

Portland Marathon in 2012 (nprpdx / Flickr)
By Rachel Monahan

Mayor Ted Wheeler's office announced Wednesday that the city would redo the process for selecting a new operator for the 2019 Portland Marathon.

A press release from the mayor's office stated that there was a plan to "revise some of the constraints and reopen the application process."

The mayor's office did not answer what the new constraints were, but in the past the key constraint was how many police officers would be available to handle the event. Previous routes required more officers than the bureau could make available.

The longtime race director of the Portland Marathon was forced out in 2017. He settled with Oregon Department of Justice this year after they found he had improperly borrowed money from his nonprofit organization that organized the race.

A new group, Run With Paula, was in charge of the 2018 marathon.

“We have a rare opportunity to start over again and design a marathon that evolves and elevates this long-standing Portland tradition,” said Wheeler in a statement on Wednesday.

That do-over has the support of the Portland Business Alliance.

“A marathon in Portland with bold vision will bolster local businesses by attracting national and international competitors, along with spectators that can patronize our prized restaurants, accommodations, and diverse shopping experiences,” said Andrew Hoan, President & CEO of the PBA, in a statement sent by the mayor’s office.

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