Portland Marathon 2014: Route, Course Map, Times, Event Details

Thousands will flock to Portland, Oregon, to compete in the 2014 Portland Marathon on Sunday, and the 42nd annual installment promises to be one of the most packed and competitive events in its history.

The number of participants will nearly reach the five-digit mark in Sunday's madness. According to the marathon's official site, about 7,000 runners are taking on the full marathon and another 2,500 will participate in the half marathon.

That makes it a sold-out event, so you might prefer a spectator trip if you're making last-minute plans.

All-time records at the event haven't been broken since the 1990s for both the men's and women's sides, but two-time defending men's champion Jameson Mora finished just three minutes shy of Uli Steidl's 1997 record a year ago. Perhaps a record-breaking performance could be in store come Sunday morning.

Let's break down everything you need to know for the upcoming Portland Marathon.

2014 Portland Marathon

Where: Downtown Portland, Oregon

When: Sunday; starting corrals open 6 a.m. PST (9 a.m. ET); marathon waves begin 7 a.m. PST (10 a.m. ET). All times are listed on the event's official schedule.

Route: The event begins at 4th Avenue and Taylor Street and runs through Naito Parkway, Front Avenue, St. Helens Road, St. Johns Bridge, North Willamette Boulevard and finishes at the Justice Center after crossing over Broadway Bridge.

*Complete map of the marathon can be found at PortlandMarathon.org. Spectator information available here.

Event Information

Mary Schwalm/Associated Press

From the masses of people, to a plethora of different events, to even qualifying for the biggest marathon in America, the Portland Marathon isn't short on excitement heading into the 2014 race.

First and probably most gripping for long-distance enthusiasts is the qualification for the Boston Marathon available to participants. A question-and-answer segment at PortlandMarathon.org explained Sunday's race is a qualifier for the 2016 event, but it can also apply to 2015 if registration is still open.

Just like most any marquee event such as this, the participants are largely split up between those running in the full marathon versus the half marathon. And with 7,000 in the main event and 2,500 running the half, the concrete of downtown Portland is guaranteed to be crowded.

And if you can't be in attendance to cheer on your loved one, check out the marathon's live tracking on Sunday:

To help remedy the crowded streets, runners are sent off in waves—beginning at 7 a.m. PST and ending with the last participants crossing the start line by 7:30 a.m. PST—to spread everyone out as much as possible.

The spreading out will largely happen naturally, with thousands of registered participants in walking events instead of running. Oregon Encyclopedia's Joy Margheim noted walkers have amassed one-third of the finishers as far back as 2003, making it one of the most walking-friendly events of its kind.

The Nordic Walk and the Racewalk are both done on the half-marathon course, but the latter resembles the popular Olympic style of walking while the former is more traditional.

And with so many participants and such a huge event, it's not surprising to see so much money raised for charity. The marathon's official site reports over $2 million is raised for various charities, while the event itself donates more than $150,000 to nonprofit organizations every year. 

While the downtown area will be shut down for most of Sunday morning and early afternoon for the festivities, some folks will still need to find their way around. KATU's Michael Convery has the latest for Portland locals looking to navigate through the chaos:

But whether you're spectating, walking at your own pace or running all 26.2 miles, the Portland Marathon remains one of the best destinations to catch long-distance running—or participate in it—this time of the year.

From the prospect of qualifying for the Boston Marathon to a friendly competition among friends, the 42nd annual event should prove exciting once again. There may not be records shattered, but the top runners participating will be sprinting for a trip to Boston, and that should make for some blistering times.

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