Those of you not running a spring marathon may want to check out the free long run hosted by the Portland Marathon Clinic. This group helps prepare runners for their fall marathon with a weekly run led by experienced pace group leaders, with mileage progression tailored to the 2017 Portland Marathon.
The run on Saturday, May 6, will offer two distances: 8 miles and 10 miles. The run will start at 8a sharp from Club Sport at 18120 SW Lower Boones Ferry Road. There is parking at the Tualatin Foursquare Church, which is off Childs Road across from the Metro Gymnastics Parking Lot. Please do not park in ClubSport’s lot, Metro’s lot or the Platt Electric lot as those are used by the regular ClubSport and Metro customers on weekends.
All runners should bring their own nutrition and hydration. For me, a gel at 5 miles is my regular plan; you’ll need to find out what works for you and this is the time to start trying things out. There is a drinking fountain and restroom at the turnaround for the 10-milers at Jurgens Park. The route meanders through Tualatin, starting out on a little out and back along SW Upper Boones Ferry Road to the stoplight at Rivendell Drive. From there, you’ll run on the north side of the road to the turn on SW Boones Ferry that will go past the Tualatin Community Park. You’ll continue past the police station and up to Tualatin Road as it winds around to SW 124th Ave. From there, you’ll turn right and go up to Highway 99, which has a nice wide sidewalk at this point.
After just a short distance on Hwy 99, you’ll head back into residential neighborhoods at SW Hazelbrook and run from there to Jurgens Park, then back south to Tualatin Road. Retracing your steps, the 8 milers will be done at the corner where Boones Ferry splits into Upper and Lower, while the 10-milers will continue on a 1-mile out and back that will go on the new Tualatin River Greenway Trail under I-5. Check out the full route here.
