Maine Marathon

Gooooood Morning Friendos!

We've got some great news to share ahead of race weekend!

We are moving the expo *again* but to UNE Portland's Innovation Hall (Building 21 on the map)! We will be in the first floor function room and small function room!

We heard your feedback from the runner survey and we're hoping this partnership will allow for better flow through the expo, more vendors, and an improved runner experience.

More details will be available, including volunteer opportunities, parking details, & expo map, as we get closer to race weekend. We can't wait for the weekend of October 3rd!

ID: A map of the University of New England's Portland campus

Fourth up in the 2026 Maine Marathon Ambassador lineup is Brandon Richards (& Baxter 🐲)

Brandon (he/him) hasn't always been a runner. Back in 2016, he signed up for his first ever race, which happen to be the Maine Marathon. It was supposed to be a one-time thing. Luckily, he discovered the joys of running and changed his mind. Despite not being the best or fastest he still chooses to come out every year to run the marathon. This year will mark the 10th time running the Maine Marathon.

When not running marathons, he enjoys running races of shorter distances. He has been known to have some fun and run in costume. Each year he will do so at the MTC Turkey Trot (turkey), Moxie 5K (moxie can) and whatever race he can dress up as a lobster. His favorite part is getting a chance to interact with the runners and spectators in a way that he wouldn’t normally be able to. When not racing he enjoys running with his run group every week at Finish Strong PT. He is also a member of the Bath Iron Works corporate track team. When not running he enjoys hiking and playing pickleball.

Community is important to him. He wants to make sure to visit different run clubs around. To help with navigating this adventure Brandon has enlisted his sidekick Baxter the Dragon (named after Baxter Blvd) to help tell the stories along the way. If you see either Brandon or Baxter on your travels make sure to say hello. You can follow the duo on Instragram at .the.dragon

ID: Brandon, a white man, is staring at the camera with his mouth wide open. He has a red plushie dragon (Baxter) on his shoulder.

Happy Monday - the 2026 Maine Marathon Ambassador announcements continue!

Next up is James DeMuro:

James (he/him), originally from Lyndhurst, NJ, moved to Portland, ME, in 2014 and has spent the past five years as an L.L. Bean employee. He began running casually in 2020 as a way to get outside during the pandemic, but it quickly grew into a deeper passion. In 2023, he joined the Valor Track Club and became a member of the Maine Track Club, finding a supportive and motivating community within both groups.

James has completed five marathons and plans to take on many more, with the long‑term goal of qualifying for the Boston Marathon. He credits his continued progress to the encouragement of friends and the guidance of his running coach, Paige, at Valor Track Club. Grateful for the kindness and camaraderie he’s found in the running community in and around Portland, James looks forward to giving back through his involvement with Valor and Maine Track club.

James is running the half this year and you can follow his running adventures on Instagram at

ID: James, a white man, is mid-stride at CIM last December. He's in a Valor Track Club singlet and running attire. There are out of focus runners in the background.

and we're back to announce the 2026 Maine Marathon Ambassadors!

And first up is Becca Redman!

Born and raised in Portland, Becca worked in local coffee shops and took a sidequest to Buffalo before completing the teacher education program at the University of Southern Maine. She is currently the technology integrator for Richmond Schools.

Becca loves the wilderness, live music, and all things Star Wars. She lives in Gardiner with her wife (2019 Ambassador Rebecca Lovejoy), stepdaughter, three mischievous cats, and two rescue dogs.

If you asked Becca 5 years ago if she was a runner, she would have laughed. Now, she’ll tell you she loves running. That love took time (and a fair amount of stubbornness) to grow. She started in 2022, with the goal of running a 5k. At the time, running a mile without stopping was difficult. A couple months into training, a fractured femur sidelined her completely. This was a frustrating detour, but with the support of the running community, she worked her way back.

Since then, she’s run dozens of 5 & 10Ks, completed multiple half marathons (Maine and Millinocket), tackled the Back Cove Backyard Ultra, and participated in the Weekly Back Cove 5k series each summer.

For Becca, running isn’t about being fast. It’s about mental fortitude, showing up for yourself and having fun. As an ambassador, she hopes to share that message and encourage reluctant runners to take that first step. Once you get started, it’s amazing to discover what you are capable of.

This October, Becca will run her first full marathon. Follow her training on Insta:

ID: Becca, a white woman, is wearing glasses, a hat, and a rain jacket while sitting on a mountain top.

Head's up!

Due to weather forecasts for astronomical high tides, extreme wind, potential for flooding on the course, and dangerous wind chill, we have made the difficult decision to postpone the race until Sunday, March 1.

All 2026 registrants will be automatically moved to the new date, no actions needed on your part. Any runners who have chosen to defer to the 2027 race or switched to the virtual, may re-enter the 2026 in-person race on the new date of March 1. Please, email [email protected] if you’ve deferred and want to run the March 1, 2026 event. We will be processing these over the next week.

If you’re unable to run on the March 1st date, we have updated our deferral policy and are allowing deferments to the February 7, 2027 race. Purchased shirts can not be transferred to 2027, and must be collected up at Packet Pickup (Feb 28), or at Marathon Sports from March 8-April 1. More details in an email that is deploying to all registered runners this afternoon.

Packet pickup will now be February 28 at Finish Strong PT. Race date is 9:45 am on Sunday, March 1, on the full 10 mile race course.

Volunteers - If you are able to transfer to Feb 28/ March 1st, same position/ same time slot please email [email protected] to confirm or cancel.

Registration for the March 1 race will be open until we reach our cap or February 28 at 1:00 pm.

PLEASE DO NOT RUN THE MID WINTER COURSE ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 1.