If Little Princesses are not playing/dancing for you back at Mile 12, you'll notice you're hiking through more North Portland residential areas. A right turn on 25thStreet, left on Vaughn Street, down a small hill to…
Mile 13: on NW Vaughn, and slightly beyond it, the Halfway marker. You'll pass a chip-reading mat here to record your Half-Marathon "split" time. I usually scoot ahead of my walking buddies to cross the mat first. Ha ha.
Miles 14.5 - 16.5: Vaughn merged with the St. Helen's Highway, and you are now walking along the highway. Portland Marathon has it divided for us with traffic cones, so we have our own lane. But it's noisy with car traffic on the far side of the road. You'll pass a water station along this stretch, with more Porta-Potties. On your left are the West Hills, which may be showing hints of Fall Colors.
Lots of the cars and trucks will honk as they pass - not to annoy, but to show support! If you're walking alone, this is a good place for your headphones and music. It's also a good place to pick up an impromptu walking partner. Look around, make eye contact, make a friend.
Ahead, you noticed an itty-bitty suspension bridge: The St. Johns Bridge, spanning the Willamette River. You'll be crossing it in about 45 days. Minutes! I meant 45 minutes. The bridge grows steadily larger as you walk. This part of the walk is noisy with traffic, and the St. Johns Bridge seems to smirk at your efforts to approach.
Mile 16.5: You hit the ramp for the bridge. You'll climb it, pass Mile 17 half-way up, with music from the top to urge you on. Right at the top of the ramp onto the main span of the bridge. Views to the left and right are mostly industrial (sorry!). PORT-land is a port city and we have to put the docks somewhere. Way off to the right you can see where you've been and have yet to go - downtown Portland. It's inspiring, but something of a 'gut check'.
You'll reach the far side of the bridge, take a right, another right and hit a steep downhill part that's two blocks long.
Mile 18: Two-thirds of the way done! But the Marathon is something of a grind by now. If you're doing 15-minute miles, you've been walking for 4.5 hours. A left turn and up the last major hill onto Willamette Boulevard. It's a long hill, though gradual.
You've entered a really nice stretch of Portland. On the right are houses with views of the River between them. Some of the homeowners have parties out front and urge you on. One or two have yard displays and someone with a hose handy to spray you if you ask. Their aim is not always accurate. Be ready to dodge if the person in front wants a spray.
Mile 19: An aid/hydration station is here, with fresh fruit cut into bite-sized pieces. Watch out for banana peels in the street. It's a good idea to replenish some calories here with an energy bar or gel.
You'll cross a bridge over a railroad "cut" and find the famous Belly Dancers who perform here every year. They have gorgeous costumes, and it's always fun to see them. They have male dancers in their group too, in equally flamboyant costumes. Eye Candy for the lady walkers, but guy walkers find it vaguely disturbing. You just won't find fluffy silk garments at the Men's Wearhouse.
Mile 20: The next Aid/Hydration station is beside the University Of Portland. For many of us, this is also "The Wall". THIS is where the walk REALLY starts to suck. It's here that your training shows its worth. No matter how hard I train, no matter the weather, no matter what I ate/wore/thought, Mile 20 is The Wall.
Suddenly, I realize that my feet hurt. Suddenly, I'm tired, hungry, thirsty and sweaty and NO, I don't want a bite of your damn Cliff Bar because I'm TIRED of walking, I'm tired of YOU and I just want this to be OVER!!! DON'T touch me and if you try to be nice to me right now I'll SCREAM.
It's a fact of a Marathon. Somewhere along the way, your physical stamina starts to diminish. Your Determination takes over. Your Mental Training becomes vital when you hit The Wall.
My friends tell me that they all go through the same thing, somewhere along this part of the route. It may come later or even not at all for you. But the point where your physical ability changes to your mental determination WILL come. The strength to finish a Marathon is as much in your Head and Heart as it is in your Legs and Feet.
The Wall will come, The Wall will follow you to the finish. But at Mile 20, you're really close to the finish. Bring on The Wall. You'll beat it and finish and win.
Next Up: Passing The Wall to The Finish.
