Foot Traffic Flat Marathon
Sauvie Island farm roads carry a certified marathon with no elevation change end to end, held every Fourth of July and capped tight enough to sell out.
Every link above goes to the race, its timing provider, or an official registration partner. Last checked August 4, 2026.
Quick facts
- Flat by certificate rather than by branding, on active USATF course OR23006JH.
- Limited entry that fills every year, with registration opening in the fall and no deferrals afterward.
- Five and a half hours of course time, with an optional early start forty minutes ahead of the gun.
- One bridge on and off the island, three grass parking fields, and a paid shuttle from northwest Portland.
- Open farm roads with one lane still live to local traffic, minimal shade and few spectators.
2027 Foot Traffic Flat Marathon registration
Registration for the 2027 Foot Traffic Flat Marathon runs through the official registration page at foottraffic.us.
About the Foot Traffic Flat Marathon
A Portland running store puts this on inside a working farm, and the Fourth of July date has never moved. The marathon leaves first, a little after six, and draws the fewest entries of the day; the half takes most of them, with the quarter and 5K behind that. Entry opens in the fall and closes when the race fills, so the opening morning matters more than any published deadline. There are no refunds and no deferrals to a later year, though a bib can be handed to another runner or switched to another distance. Proceeds go to the island community and its volunteer fire department.
Course
Everything begins and ends at the Pumpkin Patch, a farm near the bridge end of the island. The half is one clockwise loop of the island's farm roads and the marathon runs that loop plus an out and back on Sauvie Island Road. Flatness is a matter of record here rather than branding: USATF course OR23006JH shows no elevation change from start to finish and no separation between the two. What the certificate cannot tell you is that the marathon-only out and back carries a few gentle rolls the loop does not, on top of a short lift onto the levee and a small rise near the island school. Everything is paved. You run past pumpkin fields, berry rows, barns and the wildlife area, with very little shade and almost no spectators once the farm is behind you. Only the clockwise lane closes, so local traffic keeps moving the other way. Fourteen water stations serve the full, each with restrooms, and runners are encouraged to carry a collapsible cup instead of taking paper.
Race-day weather
Early July around Portland usually starts in the mid to upper 50s and works toward the high 70s or better as the day goes on. The island is open farmland with almost no tree cover, so by mid-morning there is nowhere on the route to get out of the light, and anyone running close to the cap spends the last stretch of it fully exposed. That is the argument for taking the optional early start. A gray, 60-degree Fourth is equally normal here, and that is the version that produces the fast times.
Past Foot Traffic Flat Marathon dates and results
| Year | Date | Status | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Sunday, July 4, 2027 | Projected | — |
| 2026 | Saturday, July 4, 2026 | Completed | Open results |
| 2025 | Friday, July 4, 2025 | Completed | Open results |
| 2024 | Thursday, July 4, 2024 | Completed | Open results |
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Foot Traffic Flat Marathon FAQ
When is the Foot Traffic Flat Marathon?
The 2027 Foot Traffic Flat Marathon is on Sunday, July 4, 2027.
How do I register for the Foot Traffic Flat Marathon?
Register for the Foot Traffic Flat Marathon through the official registration link: marathonscout.com/go/foot-traffic-flat-marathon/register. It opens the race registration page at foottraffic.us.
Can I use the Foot Traffic Flat Marathon for Boston qualifying?
Marathon Scout marks the Foot Traffic Flat Marathon course as a Boston qualifier. Check the current Boston qualifying times and confirm current course certification with the race before registering. Starting with 2027 registration, the B.A.A. adds 5 minutes to times from courses with 1,500 to 2,999 feet of net downhill and 10 minutes to courses with 3,000 to 5,999 feet, and does not accept courses with 6,000 feet or more. See the net-downhill course index if this course loses significant elevation.
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