If you’re a runner in Portland, there’s a good chance you have a trio of downtown races that define the city for you. Sure, I’m open to hearing other opinions, but I’d bet that 95% of people would name the Shamrock Half Marathon Run Fest (previously, Shamrock Run Portland), Bridge to Brews, and the Portland Marathon.
Over the past five to seven years, all three of these races have faced some level of upheaval. Closing down streets in Portland isn’t easy, and securing the necessary support from the city and police has been a challenge to put on safe and lawful events.
Bridge to Brews had to take a break and modify the event when it was no longer viable to put on a race that closed lanes of one of Portland’s main bridges. The Portland Marathon—well, we all remember the drama there. Shamrock has likely been the most consistent of the three, but even it has had to adapt to the evolving complexities of putting on large-scale events.
And so that’s why there is probably a key word in all of this: cohesion. Organizing races of this scale isn’t just about logistics—it’s about relationships, knowing the key players, and understanding what it takes to pull it all together. While we’ve seen great race directors step in over the years, it’s been three different entities each navigating the process on their own.
Enter Kapu Gaison. You may not know his name yet, but you probably should. Kapu is now the race director for all three of these major races—Shamrock, Bridge to Brews, and the Portland Marathon. Oh, and as a side note? He’s also leading the charge in reviving the once-beloved Oregon Wine Country Half this summer.
In a city where organizing large-scale races has become increasingly complex, having a single race director overseeing some of the Willamette Valley’s signature events feels like a positive. Here’s to hoping that Kapu’s leadership brings the potential for greater cohesion, streamlining the process and ensuring these races not only survive but thrive into the next running era.
