Portland Fit and Vancouver Fit now have several programs for our members to choose from. All of these groups join Portland Fit each season and there is just one membership. It's up to you which program you want to follow!

Run a Marathon
The foundation of all our training programs, our 27-week award-winning training program will get you in shape for the Portland Marathon or the Fall marathon of your choice. Color-coded to your ability level, you train with runners of your pace while learning all the key elements of endurance training through our weekly seminars. The group meets once-a-week for their long run of the week and is helped by head coaches and assistant coaches whose purpose in life is to help others train for marathons.

Walk a Marathon
Almost identical to our running program, walkers follow a similar 27-week training schedule, but they have their own coaches and learn special topics specific to walking a marathon. A lot of the issues are the same, but walkers do face slightly different challenges due to the longer duration of their event. Our walking members also learn about speed walking (race walking) and nordic walking.

Run/Walk a Half-Marathon
Portland Fit alumni and new members alike may have different goals. If your goals include a half-marathon distance rather than full marathon distance, join us to prepare for the Helvetia Half-Marathon in June. Our half-marathon program is identical to the main program for the first three months -- both groups participate in the Helvetia Half. After that, you can elect to continue toward a full marathon, switch to a maintenance program of lower mileage, or other fitness goals.

Hood to Coast Training
We'd like to say we've got a special program for HTC preparation, but frankly we can't come up with a better method than our regular marathon training schedule. The Hood to Coast and Portland to Coast Relays come at the perfect time during our training season and Portland Fit members that have been following our regular program are perfectly prepared for these unique events. We do suggest a few tweaks to our schedule (like trying two-runs-a-day a couple of times before the big event), but basically it's all about ramping up your mileage and learning critical things like hydration, nutrition, and stretching after your runs and walks. And that's the same thing we're learning in our regular program!

Core Strength & Speed (CSS) Training Group (Advanced Training)
Completed your fastest marathon yet! The Core Strength and Speed (CSS) program is a 27 week marathon training program for anyone that wants to complete their fastest marathon yet. The CSS program is designed to strengthen your core muscles and train your body to run faster. The program is open to all runners and walkers that have previously completed a marathon. This intensive program meets multiple times per week and yields amazing results, but it's not easy!

One Hour Club
Our newest concept, this group is all about maintaining our fitness throughout the summer without focusing on specific races or events. While our other programs follow the 27-week schedule and start meeting at earlier start times in order to finish our long runs and walks by 9:15am, this group will continue to meet at 8:00am all summer and run or walk for one hour. All members will run or walk with the regular group for the first few weeks of the program. But at some point we'll begin hosting our new "One Hour Club" at 8:00am every Saturday and Sunday. We'll run or walk in one direction for 30 minutes and then turn around -- it's that simple! This group is open to returning members looking for something different, new members wanting to start slow, or members wanting to switch from the Half or HTC events.

So pick the program that's right for you and join Portland Fit today!