Kristen Miller's Staging Area

As part of my quest to complete a half marathon in all 50 states, I headed to Portland for the Shipyard Old Port Half Marathon. Overall, this was a well-organized race in a beautiful coastal city and one I would absolutely recommend for anyone looking to check Maine off their list.

The course was more challenging than I expected coming off of the Indy Mini. There is a significant climb around mile 3 followed by a very steep downhill. The downhill was steep enough that I found myself weaving side-to-side at times to avoid pounding my quads too much. As someone from Indiana, where hills are few and far between, some of the climbs felt more like mountains than hills!

One of my favorite parts of the course was the amount of running along the bay and on softer trail surfaces. The scenery was beautiful, and the mix of paved and softer surfaces helped break up the miles and provided a welcome change from a typical road race.

The most difficult part of the race came near mile 12. While the elevation profile may make it look manageable, the timing of the climb makes it far more challenging than it appears. By that point, the temperatures had warmed up, my legs were already taxed from the earlier climb and downhill, and the final hill seemed to go on forever. It was the only point in the race where I seriously questioned how much I had left in the tank. Conquering that final climb made crossing the finish line feel even more rewarding.

Race morning logistics were excellent. Everything was clearly organized, volunteers were plentiful, and despite not seeing a specific start-line address beforehand, the race was incredibly easy to find. Staying downtown, I simply followed the crowd of runners.

The weather was nearly perfect for running, with temperatures in the upper 50s at the start. Aid stations were well stocked, volunteers were enthusiastic, and fuel options included both GU and Untapped maple syrup products.

One thing future runners should know is that the 5K shares portions of the half marathon course and starts roughly 30 minutes later. This created some congestion in the narrower trail sections as half marathon runners intersected with 5K participants near the end of their race. Everyone was courteous and walkers stayed to the right, but it did make maintaining pace more difficult for a short stretch.

The expo was very small but extremely efficient. There were plenty of volunteers, packet pickup was quick, and a vendor offered useful race-day supplies such as gels, salt tabs, and electrolyte mixes.

The race swag was outstanding! Registration included a full zip-up jacket, one of the nicest race items I’ve received. FREE race photos were available within hours of finishing, which was a pleasant surprise and something I wish more races offered.

The finish-line area was lively and well stocked with snacks. There was also a large post-race party with plenty of pizza. The only downside was the very long line for the included adult beverages, which was long enough that we decided to skip it. I also missed receiving my medal initially because I only saw one volunteer handing them out and had already moved through the finish area for snacks before realizing it, requiring me to backtrack to pick it up. It could have just been timing OR it could have been that I was focused on finding food and my family but make sure to get your medal!

For lodging, we stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn Waterfront, about a 10-minute walk from the start and finish area. The location was excellent for race weekend, with easy access to restaurants, shops, and the waterfront. We booked through Costco Travel and included breakfast, which provided a full sit-down meal each morning.

One unexpected perk was that the hotel sits directly on the race course around the five-mile mark. Since I’m not exactly a speedy runner, my family was able to walk me to the start line, head back to the hotel for breakfast, and then come back outside in time to cheer and give me a high-five as I ran past. It was a fun way for them to be involved without spending hours waiting at the finish line and made the race experience even more enjoyable.

The hotel also made a great base for exploring Portland, including a lobster boat excursion we booked from the nearby port.

Final Thoughts

This is not a flat or particularly fast course, but it’s a memorable one. Between the coastal views, trail sections, excellent organization, generous swag, free race photos, and vibrant post-race atmosphere, the Shipyard Old Port Half Marathon delivers a terrific Maine race experience.

For runners pursuing a 50-state goal, this race checks a lot of boxes: a fun destination city, easy race logistics, beautiful scenery, family-friendly spectator opportunities, and a course that is challenging enough to be rewarding without being overwhelming.

Really solid race experience overall with a few tough spots that made it memorable.

The start was one of the best parts and I was nervous after a not great corral experience with RNR Las Vegas—Nashville had super well organized corrals and a smooth, quick rollout. Huge bonus that everything lined up right outside where I stayed at the Grand Hyatt. It made race morning feel easy and low-stress, which doesn’t happen often.

The course was no joke early on. The hills hit right away and definitely forced me to lock in, and the heat and humidity added another layer of challenge.

The volunteers were incredible. Even when some aid stations were running low and people were scrambling to keep cups filled, their energy and effort never dropped. You could tell they were doing everything they could to support runners.

Also worth mentioning—the Lululemon swag. It’s pricey, but the quality is top-notch and actually worth it if you care about gear you’ll wear again.

Overall: great organization, convenient start, tough but rewarding course, and amazing volunteers. Just come ready for hills and weather.