Your plan in four answers
Set for October 17, 2027, about 51 weeks out.
- Distances
- Marathon, Half marathon, 5 miles
- Terrain
- Hilly
- Taper starts
- September 29, 2027
Course
The Columbia Gorge Marathon course
Marathoners ride a shuttle from the Hood River Event Site to the start at the Mark O. Hatfield West trailhead, while the half starts and finishes at the Event Site on the Hood River waterfront.
Read the full course notes
The marathon runs east on the car-free Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail through the Twin Tunnels and down to Mosier (about mile 5), then climbs the old highway for 8 miles, gaining roughly 640 feet to the high point near the Rowena Plateau at mile 13. The return retraces that route: a long descent back to Mosier by mile 18, a 400-foot climb to mile 21 on the trail, then a fast drop into Hood River for the waterfront finish. In total the marathon gains about 1,882 feet and the half about 1,112 feet, with grades up to 5% on 100% paved surfaces; the half climbs about 400 feet in its first 3 miles onto the same historic highway, rolls to its turnaround and comes back down. Fall color, river views and a 3:00 p.m. finish-line closure (with early starts for slower runners and half walkers) make it welcoming for every pace.
- Terrain
- Hilly
- Distances
- Marathon, Half marathon, 5 miles
- Weather on race day
- Mid-October in Hood River usually means a cool start, around 40–50 °F at the 8:30 a.m. marathon gun, with afternoon highs in the low 60s. Showers are possible and the Gorge is famous for its wind, so bring a throwaway layer and gloves for the start and be ready to tuck in behind other runners on exposed stretches.
What to train for
This course is two big climbs and two big descents, so train both directions: do a weekly long run on hilly roads, building to 18 to 20 miles with a sustained 4 to 8 mile climb in the middle, and include 6 to 8 x 3 minutes uphill at marathon to half marathon effort.
Equally important is the quad strength to descend from mile 13 to 18 and from mile 21 to the finish, so add downhill strides and finish some long runs on a long descent at goal pace.
Pace by effort on the 8-mile climb to Rowena rather than by watch, and expect your fastest miles to come late. Practice fueling every 30 to 40 minutes, since aid stations are spaced every 1 to 3 miles.
Sample week
A sample Columbia Gorge Marathon training week
A week from the middle of the build, about six weeks out. Your plan sets the real distances and paces from your own fitness and adjusts them every week as you train.
- Monday
- Rest, or 20 minutes of mobility
- Tuesday Key session
- Hill repeats: 10 × 90 s up a steady grade, jog back down
- Wednesday
- Easy run, 6–7 mi
- Thursday Key session
- Goal-pace run, 10 mi with 6 mi at race pace
- Friday
- Recovery run, 4 mi, or cross-train
- Saturday Key session
- Long run, 16–18 mi on hilly ground, steady effort on the climbs
- Sunday
- Easy run, 4 mi, then 6 relaxed strides
Your build to race day
Taper
Tapering for the Columbia Gorge Marathon
Start the taper two to three weeks before race day. Cut your weekly volume by about a third, then by half in race week, and keep a few short efforts at race pace so your legs stay sharp. The course is hilly, so keep one short hill session in the first taper week to keep the climbs familiar. With the race on October 17, 2027, your taper starts around September 29, 2027.
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Build me a training plan for the Columbia Gorge Marathon on October 17, 2027. I run [distance] a week, [days] days a week, easy pace [pace].
Columbia Gorge Marathon training questions
How long should I train for the Columbia Gorge Marathon?
Most runners give a marathon sixteen to twenty weeks of focused training on top of an existing base. The plan above counts back from your actual race date, so if you have less time than that it builds the best plan the remaining weeks allow rather than pretending you have longer.
Is the Columbia Gorge Marathon course hilly?
Hilly. Marathoners ride a shuttle from the Hood River Event Site to the start at the Mark O.
What is the weather usually like at the Columbia Gorge Marathon?
Mid-October in Hood River usually means a cool start, around 40–50 °F at the 8:30 a.m. marathon gun, with afternoon highs in the low 60s. Showers are possible and the Gorge is famous for its wind, so bring a throwaway layer and gloves for the start and be ready to tuck in behind other runners on exposed stretches.
When should I start tapering for the Columbia Gorge Marathon?
Start the taper two to three weeks before race day. Cut your weekly volume by about a third, then by half in race week, and keep a few short efforts at race pace so your legs stay sharp. The course is hilly, so keep one short hill session in the first taper week to keep the climbs familiar. With the race on October 17, 2027, your taper starts around September 29, 2027.
Do I need an account to get a Columbia Gorge Marathon training plan?
No. The plan above builds in your browser with no account, no email, and no card. Make a free account only if you want to keep it, log your runs against it, and have the coach keep adapting it as your training goes.