PeaceHealth APPLETREE Full & Half Marathon,                          First Responder Marathon Relay, 5K
September 7th & 8th, 2024
Vancouver, WA

PeaceHealth APPLETREE Full & Half Marathon,                         First Responder Marathon Relay, 5K
September 7th & 8th, 2024
Vancouver, WA

PeaceHealth APPLETREE Full & Half Marathon,                              First Responder Marathon Relay, 5K
September 7th & 8th, 2024
Vancouver, WA

About The Race

RUN THROUGH HISTORY AT THE PEACEHEALTH APPLETREE MARATHON, FIRST RESPONDER RELAY MARATHON, HALF MARATHON & SUNSET 5K

Join us for the 7th Annual PEACEHEALTH APPLETREE Boston-Qualifying Marathon, NEW First Responder’s Relay Marathon, Half Marathon & Sunset 5K. This “Run Through History” will take you on a flat, fast and scenic course through Fort Vancouver, Officer’s Row, the Army Barracks, Pearson Airport – the oldest operating airport in the USA, the Historical Old Apple Tree, along the majestic Columbia River and many other historical vantage points. There’s so much to see that the miles will fly by!

This event will quickly be regarded as one of the prettiest and most unique courses in the Northwest and perhaps the USA! When do you get to experience a history lesson during your race?!

The quaint community of Vancouver WA will welcome you and your family with open arms and provide you with a racing experience that you just can’t get anywhere else. The volunteer support is off the charts and the energy along the course will make it an enjoyable experience that you will want to return to year after year.

The Marathon is a 2-Loop, spectator-friendly, flat & fast Boston Qualifying course highlighting the beauty of this community and offers an exciting racing experience with energetic water stations EVERY mile and plenty of entertainment to keep you engaged. The Half Marathon will offer the same experience with the joy of knowing you get to start the party a little earlier than your Marathon counterparts!

NEW this year is our First Responder’s Marathon Relay created to honor all our first responders – Peace Officers, Health Care Professionals, Fire Safety and those in our military branches.  We offer relays for those teams as small as two members up to nine members (with additional alternates), customized relay shirts and the opportunity to compete within their profession as well as against other divisions to obtain the coveted 2023 Peacehealth Appletree First Responder Baton inspired by the logo created by PAL’s, the beneficiary of the race.

The Sunset 5K will offer a shorter distance for our friends, family, and others in the community who would like the opportunity to enjoy the racing experience. It will also allow for a Pre-race shake-down for our Marathon and Half Marathon athletes and the opportunity for them to earn the coveted BEAST medal for an athlete who races both Saturday and Sunday.

Since Vancouver WA is right across the river from Portland OR, you are within a 20-minute drive to the PDX International Airport and minutes away from the big city.

WHY APPLETREE? Vancouver WA is known for its history including the Old Apple Tree Park, home of the Oldest Apple Tree in the Northwest and maybe even the entire Pacific West Coast. The APPLETREE Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K will celebrate all this history, capture the beauty of the Northwest and create a theme of all things ‘APPLE’.

Click here to learn more about the Old Apple Tree.

Race Starts in:

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You’re going to love running through Historical Vancouver USA

Date & Time

09/7/2024 & 09/8/2024

  • Saturday, September 7th
    6:00pm – 5K Sunset Run
  • Sunday, September 8th
    7:00am – Marathon and First Responder’s Relay start
    8:00am – Half Marathon start

Master Schedule Coming Soon!

Location Details

The Start/Finish line will be on Officers Row in front of the Historical Grant House with post-race festivities within and around Fort Vancouver National Historic Site

The Grant House

1101 Officers Row, Vancouver, WA 98661

PARKING

We have arranged for athletes and spectators to park at Hudson’s Bay High-school and Clark College Red Lots #1 and #2. You can also park in Downtown Vancouver on the streets for free on weekends. Any of the options offered in Pre-race instructions will give you a short walk to the Start/Finish line on race day – consider it your warmup. Best and closest options are Hudson’s Bay High-school and Downtown. Just remember to park North of Officer’s Row to minimize delays when you are trying to leave.

Click here to see a map for parking.

Event Highlights & Post-event Festivities

Boston Qualifying Marathon Course

  • Extremely Scenic courses highlighting the history of the community, the Columbia River and views of majestic Mt. Hood
  • “Run through History”
  • Flat & Fast Courses – A great opportunity for a PR and to qualify for the Boston Marathon
  • One Loop for the Half Marathon / 2 Loops for the Marathon and First Responder Relay
  • Spectator-Friendly
  • Live band Saturday 6-8 pm
  • 5K Sunset Run
  • BEAST Medal for those who race Saturday & Sunday
  • Post Event Meal & Party
  • All things APPLE – Apple Pie, Apple Bling…Apple, Apple, Apple!
  • FREE Beer courtesy of Backwoods Brewing Company
  • The PEACEHEALTH APPLETREE MARATHON will be your first opportunity to qualify for BOSTON 2025
  • Incredible race support with water stations and entertainment EVERY mile
  • First Responder Relay honoring our first responders – who will win the coveted baton?
  • Technical Runner’s t-shirt
  • Finisher’s Medal
  • Chip Timing
  • Sense of accomplishment – Feels so good!
  • Plus – Remember that “An Apple a Day, Keeps the Doctor Away!”

Note: The PEACEHEALTH APPLETREE Marathon Festival will be capped at 3000 athletes so register early so you don’t miss out! First Responder Relay is limited to 10 teams.

Read all the press APPLETREE received after it’s inaugural year:

PEACEHEALTH SW MEDICAL CENTER SIGNS ON AS EXCLUSIVE HEALTH & WELLNESS PARTNER FOR THE APPLETREE MARATHON

See what Running USA had to say about AppleTree

See what Endurance Sportswire had to say about AppleTree

Touring through the Historical Landmarks: We encourage you to spend a few extra days in Vancouver and enjoy everything our community has to offer. If you would like to tour the area and take in all the history at a more leisurely pace, there are plenty of opportunities for Walking and Cycling Tours and even Segway Tours if you want to save your legs for race day.

Click here for options to explore the History of Vancouver in a Fun Way!

Here’s some Historical Information about the area for all you History Buffs.

Check out this article below listing the 20 coolest things about Vancouver. During our APPLETREE Marathon, Half & 5K, you’ll be passing by or very close to most of the areas on this list! Our course is truly a ‘Run though History’ and you’ll enjoy so much beauty!

Check out the article ’20 Reasons to LOVE Vancouver

 

 

PHOTO CREDITS: VISIT VANCOUVER USA

Packet Pickup Details

Remember your ID and USAT Membership Card (if applicable). It’s a USAT requirement! If you’re picking up a package for someone else, please be sure to have their signed authorization form and a copy of their ID.

Registration package pick up location changes so pay attention to times and days listed below. If you unable to pickup at any of the times listed below, please email us at registration@whyracingevents.com to make other arrangements.

Foot Traffic Vancouver FRIDAY, September 6th from 10 AM to 6 PM
Foot Traffic, 305 SE Chkalov Dr., Vancouver, WA 98683

SATURDAY at Officers Row 2 PM – 7 PM
1101 Officers Row, Vancouver, WA 98661

SUNDAY at Officers Row 6 AM - 9 AM 
1101 Officers Row, Vancouver, WA 98661

 

Awards & Celebrations

Course Records

5k:

2021 – Nickolas Marty – 16:19
2019 – Alexis Leone – 19:23

Half Marathon:

2019 – Brandon Laan – 1:12:46
2021 – Amanda Phillips – 1:12:43

Marathon: 

2021 – Vincent Hamilton – 2:39:21
2021 – Kari Hamilton-  2:59:19

Every runner/walker is a winner in our eyes! But to reward those speedsters, here’s what we’ve come up with: 

  • Awards for the Top 3 Overall Male & Female and Master Champions for all distances
  • Top 3 Age Group Winners in the following categories and for the Marathon Relay Divisions (Male, Female & Co-Ed)

9 and under, 10-14, 15-19yrs, 20-24yrs, 25-29yrs, 30-34yrs, 35-39yrs, 40-44yrs, 45-49yrs, 50-54yrs, 55-59yrs, 60-64yrs, 65-69yrs, 70-74yrs, 75-79yrs, 80+

Note: We will not be able to provide awards for walkers due to the inability to control adherence to walking only during the event.

Award Criteria:

  • If you choose to race in the Clydesdale (220+ pounds) or Athena (165+ pounds) categories, you are not eligible for Age Group awards. You must choose one or the other.

Beneficiary

GIVING BACK FEELS SO GOOD!

The main beneficiary of the APPLETREE Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K is the Police Activities LeagueThe Police Activities League is a non-profit organization that partners with law enforcement agencies to promote positive relationships between law enforcement officers and youth in the community through educational programs and recreational opportunities. PAL believes that it can help reduce the juvenile crime rates by empowering our youth to make responsible life choices. PAL offers many at-risk children with year-round programs and special events that foster teamwork, enforce citizenship, and provide the opportunities to work with law enforcement officers and caring adult mentors.

In addition, the PEACEHEALTH APPLETREE Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K is partnering with the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site  to help support their free public events, educational programming and, of course, the running trails and other recreational opportunitie. You’ll be happy to know that $1 from each registration will go to the nonprofit support organization, Friends of Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, which will be used to benefit the national park. The Friends works hand-in-glove with the National Park Service. If we have 3000 athletes, that’s $3,000 which will be raised for our beautiful urban national park! It’s a wonderful way–through the Friends–to show our support for the national park! Register as soon as possible and let’s max out this event at 3000 athletes!
The event will also be partnering with the The Historic Trust to highlight the history of our beautiful community of Vancouver WA.

Last, the APPLETREE is proud to support local school clubs/sports programs and other non-profit organizations through this event and all the races and fundraisers on the Why Racing Events calendar each year. Some of the programs that benefit rely solely on the donations made via these events. Contributions over the years from these NW races and fundraisers have exceeded $3 million dollars. We are very thankful to the athletes, sponsors, vendors, partners and volunteers who contribute to the success of our events, allowing us to offer this support!years from these NW races and fundraisers have exceeded $3 million dollars. We are very thankful to the athletes, sponsors, vendors, partners and volunteers who contribute to the success of our events, allowing us to offer this support!

What to Bring

Bring the obvious – running/walking shoes & gear, your bib number, etc. Watch the weather closely. The show goes on no matter what the weather is doing. Fortunately, if you’re dressed correctly, it shouldn’t matter. If it’s raining, you may want to layer with a water-proof running jacket. If it’s cold, wear some running gloves. Vaseline is always a good idea on any spots that might rub (underarms, under the ‘girls’ aka breast area, inner thighs, feet). Wear your Bib Number on the front of your shirt/jacket which also includes your disposable chip timing piece. Watch for the cameras en route and give us a big cheesy smile! Photos are FREE so give us your best post and make this race photo your profile shot!

Plus remember to bring a warm, clean change of clothing so you can enjoy the post-event festivities.

As a reminder, if your family is going to be cheering you along en route, remind them to bring cowbells, music, fun signs and pom poms to help keep your energy up along the course. Drop subtle hints to your family and loved ones about how much you’d love for them to have flowers and green balloons for you at the finish line.

Kid’s Events

Most kids will enjoy the Sunset 5K run/walk! Kids 12 and under get to register for FREE and kids 13 ~ 17 receive 50% off on their registration!

FAQ’s

Can I register on Race Day? Can my friend pick up my packet?Can I get a refund? Can I transfer my registration to another race or athlete?
All registration and packet pickup related questions can be found under the main navigation heading titled “Registration & Packet Pickup”. If you cannot find the answer to your question, please email us at registration@whyracingevents.com
Are headsets, earbuds or any type of personal music device allowed in this race?
We prefer for athletes to NOT use music devices to maximize safety, assure a fair competitive environment and assure athletes can hear all course marshal instructions. With that said, we also understand that many athletes rely on music to help endure the challenge of running.  To accommodate the needs of our athletes while still assuring maximum safety and a fair, competitive environment, here is the arrangement that we can accommodate.
•    If you chose to use a personal music device, we ask that you always keep one ear open for instructions so only one ear-bud should be used at any time.
•    We also request that if you chose to use a personal music device that you keep the volume to a minimum to assure all instructions can be heard.
Will you offer a Bag Check:
Yes! If you would like to leave items at the start/finish area, we will provide a Bag-check location. We ask that you place your belongings in a bag with your first and last name and Bib # clearly taped to the outside of the bag so we can easily identify your bag. We will ask you to show your Bib # when you pick up your bag at the finish. Please understand that we can’t be responsible for your valuables so anything of value, please lock in your car.
Can I switch my t-shirt size?
Getting the shirt sizes accurate for all different body shapes and sizes is extremely difficult! Sometimes shirts run small and sometimes they run big but we often don’t know that until we have them in our hands. If the size of the ‘shirt’ you ordered does not fit, we will be hosting a ‘Shirt’ swap area at the Packet Pick up tent after the race. We cannot guarantee you will be able to swap but will do our best to accommodate your need.
Can I use roller blades, a bike or skateboard?
Unfortunately, for liability reasons, no bikes, skateboards or rollerblades are allowed.
Will you offer Awards for Walkers-only?
We will not be able to provide awards for walkers due to the inability to control adherence to walking only during the event.
How many porta-potties will you have at the start/finish area?
We have ordered Porta Potties for each water station so you will be able to access approximately once every mile.
How many porta-potties will be on the Course?
  • We’ve ordered Porta-potties for each water station so you will have an opportunity approximately every 1 mile for the Marathon/Half Marathon.
Where should my family go to cheer me along?
Good spots for your loved ones are:

  • Fort Vancouver Area – at the Start/Finish area
  • Officer’s Row – at the Start/Finish area
  • Beaches – Marathon/Half Marathon
  • Marine Park – Marathon/Half Marathon
  • Wintler Park – Marathon/Half Marathon
  • Warehouse 23 – Marathon/Half Marathon

Just remind them to be careful if they are going to drive along the course to cheer you on at various locations.  And also remind them to make awesome signs for you, bring their cowbells to help keep your energy up and flowers for the finish line!

Are Dogs allowed on course?
Unfortunately due to insurance requirements, only Service Dogs are allowed on course and must start at the end of the race after all other participants have started.
Are strollers allowed on course?
Yes, but due to insurance requirements, strollers must start at the end of the race after all other participants have started. With that said, a Half and Full Marathon for the kiddos might be a little much especially if the weather is poor. Unless you don’t mind hearing “Mom/Dad, How much longer?” for many hours. Plus it might be a little dangerous for your fellow walkers and runners to try to maneuver around you because some of the areas overlap and the intersections can be a little tight! But if you want to run with a stroller, you can do the 5K course but just start at the very end to help make sure you don’t run into anyone. Your time won’t start until you pass over the timing mat so it won’t affect your race time too much.

 

Travel & Accommodations

There is so much to do in our beautiful city of Vancouver WA. Make it a full weekend and enjoy so much of what our city and the surrounding area has to offer. View the following video for a glimpse of all there is to do in Vancouver WA. Plus Portland OR is literally right across the river so come for the weekend or stay a week or more and soak it all in!

For our out of town guests, if you are flying, you will need to schedule your flight arriving into Portland Oregon. The event start and finish and local hotels are a 20 minute cab ride from the airport.

Restaurants

Training & Preparation
Ok, Step #1. Register! That puts purpose to your training and forces you to commit – an important part of getting to the finish line!
Sponsors & Exhibitors
Our athletes – triathletes, duathletes, runners, walkers, cyclists – are active, educated, middle to high income earners who are committed to their fitness while also supporting our community.
Volunteers
This event requires a ton of volunteers so if you can recruit friends, family, companies, churches, or sports teams to help that would be extremely helpful. They will get front row seats to all the action!

Partners

Sponsors

Beneficiary

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CONNECT

Follow @why_racing_events and use #WhyRacing to share photos!

CONTACT

WHY Racing Events Inc.
210 E. 4th St, Suite B 
La Center , WA 98629

Phone: (360) 314-4682

Email: info@whyracingevents.com