Shamrock Showdown 8K Leads the Celebration at Shamrock Run Fest presented by Toyota

March 17, 2026

Annual St. Patrick’s Day themed running event draws 18,000 runners, sees history-making performances by teams and individuals in the 8K event

PORTLAND, Ore. (March 17, 2026) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – The 48th annual Shamrock Run Fest presented by Toyota returned on March 15, hosting over 18,000 participants who explored the City of Portland across multiple distances, including a half marathon, 8K, 5K and the children’s Doernbecher Leprechaun Lap. At this year’s event, local Portland runners made their mark on the podium and in the event’s history books. In particular, the 2026 edition featured top performances by local run clubs and a new women’s course record in the Shamrock Showdown 8K.

A powerful presence during Shamrock Run Fest presented by Toyota race weekend was the over 574 local run clubs and teams that took part. They spanned corporate coworkers, local gyms and fitness studios, newly founded recreational run clubs and legendary elite training groups. Each team can enjoy special perks and benefits for registering together, and also compete to earn the top average chip time in their race and division.

The winning teams included:

• Adidas NAM in the women’s half marathon with an average time of 1:42:35
• Raza Runners in the men’s half marathon with an average time of 1:17:41
• Rose City Track Club in the women’s 8K with an average of 28:13
• Portland Bureau of Runners in the men’s 8K with an average of 23:45
• Rose City Track Club in the women’s 5K with an average time of 20:50
• Raza Runners in the men’s 5K with an average time of 16:22

Portlander Liam Meirow, a local legend and professional runner representing Nike’s ACG, was the men’s half marathon champion and overall first-place finisher. He completed the 13.1 miles in 1:07:31. He also won the Twilly Hilly Challenge, a featured, challenging segment within the race that tasks participants with conquering the steep Terwilliger Hill. Meirow was followed by the men’s half marathon second-place finisher, William Thompson. Zach Steele took the third-place spot for the men’s half marathon.

The women’s half marathon course was led by Eva Scott, a Portland local and Bowerman Track Club youth coach, who finished with a time of 1:18:59. She also took home her second consecutive win of the Twilly Hilly Challenge. Second and third-place finishers for the women’s half marathon were Ari Fisher and Katie Koenig.

Jenny Schilling, a Portland resident, took first in the women’s division of the Shamrock Showdown 8K while setting a new course record: 26:03. The men’s 8K division was led by Jackson Mestler, a University of Oregon alumni and professional runner representing ASICS, who finished with a time of 22:56. Rounding out the podium for the 8K were the men’s second and third place finishers, Jake Ritter and Luis Vargas, as well as Maddie Meyers and Aoibhe Richardson for the women’s division.

Both the female and male winners of the Shamrock Showdown 8K were awarded their weight in beer. The award ceremony featured each winner balancing cases of beer on a seesaw until balancing the beer with their own body weight. The ceremony historically draws a crowd to cheer on the winners as they claim their unique winnings. This year, the beer was stacked on the seesaw by the 2017 champion, John Carle, a nod to past winners and the decades-long event’s history.

The 5K men’s champion was Scott Olberding, with a time of 15:52. McKenna Ramsay, the women’s division leader, completed the 3.1-mile course with a time of 17:34.

“Portland is a city deeply rooted in running and the community that it creates for all who participate,” said Alex Jee, community and teams director at Motiv Sports, producer of the Shamrock Run Fest presented by Toyota. “That connection, competition and culture were all on full display at this weekend’s event, which has been drawing the largest, most enthusiastic crowd for nearly half a century.”

The celebration continued post-race with the event’s partner Kells Irish Pub. The historic Portland bar welcomed runners, spectators and locals with live Irish music, the city’s infamous craft beer and a celebratory atmosphere true to St. Patrick’s Day.

The Shamrock Run Fest presented by Toyota continued its partnership with OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, with donations from the Run Fest directly benefiting their Child Life Program. The event also continued its partnership with Toyota, which included a giveaway of a brand-new 2026 4Runner SR5 valued at $45,980. Oregon and SW Washington residents were able to enter the giveaway leading up to race weekend, with a lucky local winning the car at the expo the day before the race.

For more information about the Shamrock Run Fest presented by Toyota, visit www.ShamrockRun.com and follow the event on Facebook and Instagram.

ABOUT SHAMROCK RUN FEST PRESENTED BY TOYOTA, AND MOTIV SPORTS

Founded in 1979, the Shamrock Run Fest presented by Toyota is the largest running and walking event in Oregon. The 48th edition took place Sunday, March 15, 2026. The event offers races at a variety of distances, including a half marathon, 8K, and 5K, as well as the Shamrock Stride Walk and the children’s Doernbecher Leprechaun Lap. Event weekend culminates with a finish line festival at Waterfront Park, a beer garden and live entertainment from local musicians. Race weekend kicked off with the Shamrock Run Fest Fitness Fair at the Oregon Convention Center on March 13-14, where participants picked up their race numbers. The Fitness Fair features dozens of exhibitors, renowned athletes, contests and giveaways. The event’s primary beneficiary is Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, which has been affiliated with Shamrock for the past 28 years. For more information or to register, visit ShamrockRun.com. The Shamrock Run Fest presented by Toyota is produced by Motiv Sports. Motiv Sports was founded in 2015, and creates, markets, manages and delivers world-class endurance events all around the world.