Portland Marathon cancelled (Read 330 times)

Well this is pretty sad. It's been held continuously since 1972. I guess there will be a lot of people looking for alternate fall marathon options. I had hoped to run it at some point, I suppose some organization is likely to come along and revive it.

The Portland Marathon board of directors has canceled this October’s race and plans to dissolve the 47-year-old organization following a state investigation into the group’s operations.

On its website Friday, the board said it was a “difficult and painful decision” to scuttle the Oct. 7 race and that 2,500 race registrants will get a full refund.

The announcement followed a settlement between the former director of the race, Les Smith, and the Oregon Department of Justice, after an investigation found that Smith and companies he ran illegally borrowed hundreds of thousands of dollars from the organization that puts on the race.

Michael Cox, a spokesman for Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, said via email that the city had earlier contacted the organization to let them know they would be opening a new search for an organization to put on a marathon in the city beginning in 2019. After that, Cox said, the organization told the city that starting a search “would undermine their ability to produce a race in 2018.”

The organization said Friday that its decision to cancel the 2018 race was based on several factors, including a decline in registered runners and its understanding that city officials wanted changes. The city is looking at options for holding a race this year without the organization, Cox said.

As part of Smith’s settlement with the state, he is required to pay $865,000, must dissolve a for-profit business he ran and is prohibited from serving as an officer of any charity, or being involved with organized races. Smith admitted no wrongdoing.

The settlement was only the most recent jolt on what had already been a rough road for the race. In 2016 the race was nearly shut down by Portland city officials over its safety plan, and officials accidentally awarded the first-place trophy to the wrong person; the following year the race was again nearly shut down by officials over police staffing concerns.

Members of the Portland Marathon board of directors did not return messages seeking comment Friday, and a law firm that previously listed Smith as an employee appeared to have removed his information from their website, and confirmed he no longer worked for the organization.

 

It always seems odd when someone has to pay close to $1M but yet not admit wrong doing.  Seems to me writing that check is an admission in and of itself.

My guess is that he's going to either fight the decision or won't admit it publicly because then there's no making excuses to future employers, friends, family, etc.

Then again, we have convicted murders who were caught in the act, found guilty, and still maintain innocence until their death. The human psyche is weird.

Portland was my very first marathon in 2001. I ran it 6 times over the next 9 years, but decided in 2009 I wouldn't run it again because the RD was being such an incredible dick to runners who asked the race simple questions. Not an exaggeration because he was mean once... I mean, he was a dick constantly. In the following years, the race became a shell of its former self. And when certain oopses happened, the RD would sometimes blame the runners. Trains blocking the course, one year, the race was the wrong distance. One year, the race almost didn't happen because of protesters... but then did happen... it almost felt like an architected drama made to increase the hero worship of the RD. Meanwhile, other RDs and local running club folks didn't really dig him either. Then last year the race was TERRIBLE.

 

Good riddance.

 

If it returns down the road, it will almost assuredly be better. I still won't come back though.

I had no idea of any of this. Sad because it was on my list, if for no other reason than somewhat limited fall options in the PNW.

link to the story, which sounds very encouraging, i may add: http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2018/06/run_with_paula_will_host_2018_portland_marathon.html

Scheduled for Oct. 7th. Reading the comments, it seems it will be the same course at least for this year.

This seems weird to me.  Does the city of Portland own the name of 'Portland Marathon'?  I suppose by hook or crook they do own it as if some random person were to try to put it on they could deny the permits.

I don't know, but the race is now officially called the Portlandathon.

You're from Seattle; surely you're familiar with Portlandia (the statue, not the show (which BTW I had a cameo in once   )? They got permission from the artist for that logo.

All the symbolism goes back to 1878 -- just a little before #metoo.

I'm the angry nerd in the Rubik's-cube shirt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHUUDhzLUjU

Absolutely nothing about it strikes me as liberal or makes feel uneasy (and that was before I knew it was a symbol of the city)

Also, I would hope standing up against and calling out sexual harassment and assault is something everyone supports, regardless of political persuasions.