I LOVE this race! So fast, so fun, and the best part is: Headphones are banned! So, instead of passing people that won't talk to you, you can chit-chat a bit with the rest of the crowd. SO GOOD!

I walked/ran this marathon after training with Team In Training, and after raising nearly $3000! I did finish the course, albeit slowly.

Why they couldn't just have somebody waiting at the finish line officially to let us finish, I don't know. I am extremely proud that I crossed the finish line, but very disappointed that my name will never be in any official results.

The course was nice and pretty, but the road was at a slant the whole way. I just wish I would have gotten a "finisher" medal instead of a "participant" medal. I crossed that finish line.

The marathon college was well-organized, and the speakers (including Joan Benoit Samuelson!) were interesting, encouraging, and really cool about answering questions.

The course was breathtaking, and spectators were clumped in key spots to provide inspiration without detracting from the overall peaceful quality of the course. I especially appreciated that, in addition to the normal water and Gatorade, we were able to have whatever drinks we wanted at any/all of the aid stations - we simply dropped them off in marked boxes at the start of the race and the volunteers made sure to get them to the specified stations. Most races only do this for elite runners.

And, of course, I can't imagine a better way to celebrate finishing a marathon than by enjoying Napa Valley wineries and cuisine.

This was my 12th marathon. While the Colorado Marathon in Fort Collins is probably more scenic, this was a beautiful run.

The good:
- Point-to-point course.
- Fast; I PR'd by more than 6 minutes.
- None of the things people usually whine about. There were plenty of toilets, well-stocked aid stations, great medals and shirts, plenty of post-race amenities.

I have a hard time coming up with ways to improve this race. I've run races big and small, including Boston and Chicago, and this one is probably my new favorite. Top-notch in all respects.

One other thing I'll add, though, in case it's relevant for you: the race is entirely rural, so if you need cheering fans as part of your race day, you won't find them here. Just grapevines!

The course was much hillier than I expected, but it was a great way to see Napa - seeing a fox run through the vineyards was particularly nice. I was quite surprised that a race this size had no timing chips. There are limited areas for fan support, but overall, the race was quite enjoyable.

I ran Napa this year, my 6th marathon. I stayed at the Marriott, the hub for the weekend, and found the hotel fine - clean, spacious, nice service, good room service, and very convenient. There are drug stores, grocery stores, etc., very close by, which is convenient for buying snacks, drinks, etc. The expo is small - in a tiny room with not much for sale, but getting in and out was easy and the volunteers there were very friendly. The pasta dinner was delicious - tons of food, and probably 5-6 types of pasta. We didn't stay for the speeches but enjoyed the food. The bus to the race start was convenient, although I recommend being first in line for it so you can begin heading to the start.

When we arrived at the start, things were a bit chaotic. The "START" banner hadn't been put up and there were 4 teenage boys wrestling with it - not exactly a professional race crew! They don't use chip timing, so I started at the very front, but I sympathize with other runners who complained about losing time due to the lack of chips - there really is no reason a race of this caliber shouldn't have chip timing. I found the course hillier than expected - there are several long hills including a nasty one around mile 20/21, when you least want it! I found the road terrain to be extremely uneven - higher in the middle than on the sides, which made running on flat footing very difficult. I ended up with severe blisters, which has never happened to me before. The water stations were well-attended, fellow runners polite, and more spectators than I'd expected - a real plus. The sun is strong, so I recommend a hat and sunglasses if possible.

Finally, and my largest complaint, is that although I ran a PR, I ended up passing out at the finish and being taken into a med tent. In this tent, I was "treated by volunteers who were quite unsure of what to do - no one tried to cool me down, or elevate my feet. They are not allowed to administer IV fluids, so I was then taken my ambulance to the ER. However, the race organizers hadn't factored in that the best route for an ambulance to access the med tent was blocked by construction, so this delayed the ambulance's arrival - inexcusable, in my opinion. Furthermore, when we got to the hospital, under 1 mile away, no one there knew there was a marathon going on. You would think the race organizers would alert the local hospital.

So, the course is beautiful, but you can definitely tell this is a small-town race!

The course lived up to expectations. Very scenic, peaceful and free from traffic. There are a few rolling hills, but nothing too difficult. Expect to be running with the sun in your eyes for the last 6 miles. Plenty of water stations and great volunteers.

The organization was good, but still had plenty of room for improvement. The finish area was a bit of a disappointment. You finish along on a small driveway at the school, and spectators are not allowed in the area. Also, it's nice that there is a volunteer to greet you and ask if everything is okay, but it would have been nice if they would have provided some directions as to food, showers, bag pick-up, etc. As it was, I wandered around looking for things.

Packet pick-up was easy, but the expo was small compared to others. On race day, expect a 15-minute wait to board the bus. It was very windy and cold at the start in Calistoga, so take advantage of the sweat bag transport option. There were very long lines for the porta-potties and not very many along the course.

If you have spectators, you are given a map at the expo listing the best places for viewing. People tend to crowd into two locations at mile 9.5 and 16, but don't overlook the other locations.

Lastly, they seem to make a big deal about not wearing headphones on the race website. However, this was never mentioned at all during packet pick-up or pre-race. I didn't bring mine, but I saw a few people with music players on the course.

Overall, I would consider doing this race again.

Beautiful course, and exceptional volunteers. I'm a little annoyed that the bus got us to the start line late, however. I got off the bus and immediately got in line for the porta-potty. Still not enough time to get the job done and get up to the starting line. There were probably 200+ people still waiting in line for the johns when the gun went off. This wouldn't be that bad if the race was chip-timed, but it was not, so I lost about 3-4 minutes off my actual time. My only other complaint is that the packet pickup was a disorganized mess. Despite starting late, I still posted a PR on this really fast course, and had a great time. I'll definitely do Napa Valley again!!!

This was my 6th marathon and a great event to be privileged to participate in. The expo and presentations were outstanding for a race of this size. Hearing Joe Henderson, Dick Beardsley, Helen Klein and Joan Benoit-Samuelson was a huge treat and motivator. Though a bit chillier than expected at the windy start, temps raised quickly as the sun stayed with us in perfectly clear skies and the tailwind gave a nice gentle push up the early easy undulating hills. Beautiful landscape and so nice to be running in a spring in full blossom and warmth compared to the colder climate I left. Aid stations were well stocked and friendly. They seemed to be there just when I needed them (the orange slices saved me for the last 8 miles). The only glitch seemed to bet that my shuttle bus arriving 15 minutes prior to start. Many people trying to hit the porta-potties located smack in the middle of the start. Also seems that if they ban our Mp3's (OK with me), they should ban cell phones too. Amazed at how many people chat on phones when they run (in no way ruined this great race; just noticing more cell phone talkers at races these days). What a great race!! A huge thanks to the organizers and volunteers. A personal best was the icing on the cake.

Despite running one of my worst races ever, I had loads of fun. Beautiful course, and even for a flatlander, the hills weren't bad. While it's difficult for the spectators to get to a lot of places on the course, the ones that made it were enthusiastic and helped a lot.

The only negative was lack of chip-timing. Going into the event, I felt I was on cusp of BQ. Turned out I wasn't even close, but had I missed it by a minute or two due to lack of chip, I would have been upset.

I recommend staying at a B&B in Calistoga. Didn't have to get up so early to catch a bus to the start, met a lot of other fun running people, and seven inns went together to provide a pasta feed that featured a great talk from Dick Beardsley. Coming a few hours after hearing Joan Benoit Samuelson at the expo, there's no reason why I shouldn't have had enough inspiration to get that BQ. Oh, well, maybe next time, and maybe it will be here.