Whidbey Island Marathon welcomes Nichole Porath, a 2012 Olympic trials athlete who finished with a 2:44:12 marathon.

Porath, who is the world record holder for the women’s indoor marathon time, will be in Oak Harbor from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 13 speaking at the Health & Fitness Expo about her journey. She started as a Division III collegiate runner who never achieved national acclaim. The Expo, held at North Whidbey Middle School, is free and open to the public.

Motorists on Whidbey Island should be aware from 7 a.m. to around 2 p.m. Sunday, April 14 as they share the roadway with more than 1,600 runners in the 12th annual Whidbey Island Marathon.

The full marathon begins at Deception Pass State Park at Pass Lake at 7:15 a.m. and heads south to Deception Pass Bridge, finishing at Windjammer Park.

The half marathon starts at Windjammer Park at 8:15 a.m. and finishes at Windjammer Park.

The 5K Fun Run/Walk will be held Saturday morning, starting at North Whidbey Middle School  at 9 a.m. April 13 and finishing at North Whidbey Middle School.

The courses are open, meaning that most roads will be open to traffic and runners alike.

To see if weekend travel plans will be affected, visit www.whidbeyislandmarathon.com for a detailed look at the courses.

Road closures will affect: Deception Pass Bridge from Rosario Road on Highway 20 through Ducken Road on Highway 20 from 7:15 to 7:45 a.m. Sunday, April 14; Beeksma Drive to Pioneer Way to Bayshore Drive to Midway Blvd. to Whidbey Ave. to Regatta to Torpedo Road will be closed from 7:45 to 9 a.m.; and Scenic Heights Road from Highway 20 to Miller Road will be closed from 9 a.m. to noon with local access only.

Drivers, spectators and residents are advised to be aware of runners along the roadway. Law enforcement from Washington State Patrol, the Oak Harbor Police Department, the Island County Sheriff’s Office and NAS Whidbey Island Security will actively patrol the event to manage traffic and keep the runners safe.