Running to the Core: The PeaceHealth Appletree Full & Half Marathon

On the north side of the Columbia River is a sweet city with a lot to offer businesses, tourists, and what we here at Run Oregon care about most: runners. And the organizers – Why Racing Events – behind the PeaceHealth Appletree Full & Half Marathon, First Responders Marathon Relay, and 5K want you to get to see the very best of Vancouver, Washington.

And to help you make that happen, there are opportunities for you to run more than one event over the weekend. The Sunset 5K is on Saturday, September 6th at 6pm. It’s perfect timing and distance for the family to run together. And will give you a glimpse of the changes happening in the city.

Sunday September 7th is when the longer adventures occur. The Marathon, Marathon Relay, and Half Marathon are all on Sunday morning, with the marathon runners using the same flat, out-and-back courses as the half marathoners (just doing it twice).

This is only the 2nd year that the relay has been an option, and it’s meant to honor all first responders. You can have as little as 2 members or as many as 9 for that. The course is approved as a Boston Qualifier for those who are running the marathon solo. The full marathon and relay start at 7:00AM and the Half begins an hour later at 8:00AM.

All race participants have lots of perks through this weekend of races. Finishers receive a medal and technical runner’s t-shirt; those who run the Saturday night 5K and one of the Sunday morning races receive a Beast Medal. You’ll also get a post-event meal and a FREE beer courtesy of Backwoods Brewing Company.

Along the rest of the course are benefits like water stations and entertainment at every mile, beautiful views of the Columbia River and Mt. Hood, and no views of industrial areas or train delays. And of course, the Appletree races includes lots of apples for you: apple pie, apple cider, apple bling, and more.

Come see the beautiful city by the river over 3.1, 13.1, or 26.2 miles this September.