The Portland Marathon
By Julia Weatherby

The 2002 Portland Marathon. A good excuse to visit the place I grew up, gather the family together, and get in a good run! After completing my first marathon, Motorola, I began making plans to run the marathon on October 6. After discussing my plans with my sisters, two of them wanted to run it with me, while the other two questioned our sanity. We talked the rest of our family into being volunteers as a way to involve everyone.

Over the summer, I discovered the implications of training for a fall marathon in Texas. Every outdoor run would be in the heat and humidity. Fortunately I had the opportunity to escape the humidity and train with my sister Judy in Portland. I also spent much of the summer with my grandma who lives on a steep hill near Los Angeles. Meanwhile, my parents joined Volkssport, an organization that encourages non-competitive walking. They decided to participate in the Mayor's Walk 10K, an organized event along the last 6.2 miles of the marathon route. In the end, Judy and I trained for the marathon, while Mom, Dad, Mary, Catherine and Jenny trained for the 10K.

Catherine and I flew in for the event. Dressed in my Mizuno jacket and shoes, I was recognized on the plane as a marathoner and met other athletes journeying to Portland. At the Expo, I found the finishing touch to my marathon outfit, an orange Mizuno hat. The hat ended up being an excellent accessory as it made me easy to spot for my family. My new cell phone was also important, as it's my connection to my support team. This team of friends from DC to LA didn't have the ability to be on the sidelines cheering. On the morning of the race, I sent an email informing them how to send me text messages to my phone.

The starting weather was suprisingly warm at 64 degrees and overcast. Judy aimed to run a 4 hour marathon, while I was just hoping to beat 5 hours. Therefore we did the sisterly thing and met in the middle, seeding ourselves just in front of the 4:30 pace group. We ran the first few miles together through downtown Portland, Chinatown and along the waterfront. Then Judy zoomed ahead so she could meet her goal time. We ran past streets lined with spectators, cheerleaders, bands, a bell choir and even a harp! I thought I heard raindrops, but soon realized it was only a fountain.

Miles 7 to 11 created an out and back through the shipping yards where dock workers watched us waving their lockout signs. I cheered on the fastest runners and especially Judy who was now in front of the 4:15 pace group. Many of my fellow runners wore purple Team in Training singlets. They were definitely one large team, cheering each other on mile after mile. My friends sent supportive short notes such as, "Run Comet Run!" and "Go Baby Go! That's actually Pimlico Race Course's slogan, but if the shoe fits... In previous years, slower marathoners have been delayed by train crossings, so my mind was not at ease until I passed the last set of tracks in the 12th mile. Apparently, the 5 hour pace group was again stopped briefly.

I couldn't believe my time crossing the half marathon point. Although it seemed the 4:30 pace group was breathing down my neck, I was still well ahead of them. We continued north along a highway with occasional views of the St. John's Bridge at mile 17. Discussions between runners centered around that dreaded mile 17 hill. While starting up the hill, my mantra of "I love hills" quickly transformed into "This is nothing compared to the hills at Grandma's place!"

At the top of the bridge, I gave my family a call to see where they were in their walk. They were up the river on the Steel Bridge, only a mile from the finish! Having conquered the big hill, my spirits were renewed and I enjoyed running through the north Portland neighborhoods and by the University of Portland, the school my parents attended. It was neat to know that from this point on, I was following in the footsteps of my entire family.

Humorous text messages continued to support me. "Dear Energizer Bunny, Still going?" I was still going. At mile 23, the 4:30 pace group appeared and passed me by. We ran by the Rose Garden, my favorite place to catch a game with the WNBA Fire or NBA Blazers. In the last miles, I chatted with quite a few friendly Texans proudly running in Texas shorts. I had just enough energy to give my family a six second call to warn them I was at the Steel Bridge. I ran past the last water stop and was soon joined by my family who jumped up to run the last couple of blocks with me.

I crossed the marathon finisher's line ecstatic that I finished in 4:34, beating my Motorola time by nearly 45 minutes. I was given a finisher's medal, shirt, rose and the most delicious looking grapes I'd ever seen. My sister, Judy Zerzan finished in 4:20. After leaving me, she had sped up to her 4 hour goal pace. Around mile 18, she crashed, slowed down, yet still finished with a new PR. The Mayor's 10K Walk was untimed, and a highlight for my family was watching the front runners go by.

It was quite rewarding to involve my whole family in such a special and fun event. Next time, we will probably ask someone to help support us and take photos. Learn more about the Portland Marathon at http://www.portlandmarathon.org

Julia Weatherby, 26, is a triathlete and marathoner. When not racing, she travels the country as an IBM technical consultant.

This article originally appeared in Running Austin, the bi-monthly publication of the Austin Runners Club.