Course-wise, you can't beat this race! It's a lot of the same scenery (vineyards), so as long as you're into more tranquil runs, it's great. Not a lot of spectators, but those that come out are very supportive. The majority of the course, it's just you, fellow racers, and the scenery.

This race has a net downhill. There are a some rolling hills and about 3-4 more noteworthy inclines but none are too steep and all are followed by great downhills. Overall, a very fast course. To me, the hills kept things interesting and allowed my legs to use other muscle groups. Even though it is point-to-point there aren't a lot of straightaways that allow you to see how much further you have to go so it keeps you happy psychologically. In the first quarter of the course there were some roads with a fairly severe pitch that made it hard on the legs/ankles.

The weather this year was great. Tailwind all the way! The course is closed to traffic the first half of the race and there is minimal traffic on the course the second half. I was told this was a great course for spectators because you could drive on a parallel road and park close by. Also, since there are so few spectators, you can actually see your person as they come by (vs. say, NYC where there are tons of people lining the streets and competing for good spots).

Major props to the race for having women's size small tech shirts that I can actually wear. The expo was good for a marathon this size. Transportation to the start was great, and definitely enough port-a-potties.

My major gripe with this race is the lack of chip timing. When you train for a marathon you deserve to be credited for every second and minute you earned out there. There were also NO gun-time clocks out on the course (or even at the start line so you couldn't even tell how far behind the gun time you were). The finish line had a clock that was set on the ground and was not easy to see as you approached.

Aid stations were well-stocked but I would have liked them to be more frequent. I carried my own fluid, and I guess you know ahead of time the number of stations, but I heard people comment how they needed water and the next station was over a mile away.

If they would get chips I would rate this the BEST marathon. Instead, I'll say the course is great, but they need to upgrade a little bit to bring themselves up to standard. They've got the formula for a great race and I'm surprised they haven't brought in chip timing.

From the well-orchestrated transportation to the race to the unique duffle goody bag and tech shirt, this race was worth the registration fee. The course was far better than I expected, and turned out to be my fastest marathon yet, by 16 minutes!

There was a strong tailwind helping us the entire way and the hills were not nearly as intimidating as the elevation map lets on. The only somewhat difficult hill was because it was over a mile a long and between miles 19-20, but after the crest, it's all downhill or flat to the finish line. The scenery was spectacular... just make sure you get out and enjoy it the day before the race too.

I brought a group of friends down with me to wine-taste all day Saturday and it was perfect because I was forced to be the DD in preparation for the race and they all had a great time. Many hotel options exist very close to the finish line. Try to pick one that lets you check out late the day of the race so you can go back and shower and not have to check out at 5:00 a.m.

Such an awesome marathon for beginners. As you annihilate your personal record (by 24 minutes, if you're me or my best friend), make sure to take in the awesome, quiet, historic scenery around you. The aid stations rival Boston - Gatorade and water every mile and a half, plus bananas and oranges starting at mile 14 or so, GU at miles 14, 17, and 21, and, yes, sorbet around mile 18 and 24. Seriously, no matter how much your legs hurt, the promise of sorbet will keep you going.

Really, a charming, lazy, little marathon. The crowds aren't lined up for 26 miles, but they're enthusiastic. If you have family/friends along, it seems really easy for them to come and meet you at a couple different locations. Only negative: it's basically into the sun the entire way. Bring a visor. A must-see if you're in the Bay Area.

This was my 9th marathon and I liked it a lot. The course is nice, running through Napa. Hoped to find wine at the aid station (just kidding). LOL. I would do it again if it wouldn't be so far away. I do recommend it.

This was my 2nd marathon and so far my best experience. I wish I had taken a small camera with me. The weather was fantastic this year.

The Napa Valley Marathon will always be special to me. The organization is excellent, with a fun expo two nights prior. On Saturday night, there is a "Pasta Fest" and for what you pay, a modest $25/head, the quality is outstanding, lots of beer, wine, pasta, desserts to die for, and enough veggies, bread, etc. to satisfy any doubts you may have of being short on your glycogen reserves. Plus the speakers at the pasta fest are intimate, friendly, interesting, and humorous.

As for the course: the 2006 race was a nightmare for me, a first-time marathoner who began training only 3 months prior, overweight, older, and marred by many injuries as a result of incorrect training. Add to that being under-dressed for the cold rain and lack of sleep, and you could say, I met a challenge even running this to begin with.

That being said, with very cold temperatures and gelid rain, the organization was still quite good with plenty of shuttle buses taking all the runners to the Calistoga starting line.

At the starting line, there were sufficient portable-potties that were reasonably clean and sanitized.

Despite my personal setbacks, I managed a time of 4:41:15. The course had excellent traffic control. The starting line is a bonding experience. The start is relatively fast, so try and keep calm. Miles 1-12 are along the scenic Silverado Trail. You will pass many beautiful vineyards along a peaceful, more than likely foggy region.

Miles 13-19 are characterized by long stretches of endless straight road. I hit the wall at mile 12! I realized that I hit the wall when two runners seemingly sprinted by me and were really excited that they were comfortably on their 10:00/mile pace.

Because I hit the wall so early, miles 12-25 seemed to last forever. This again was my fault because of my lousy training program.

From the point of view of someone who had hit the wall so early in the marathon, I can say that miles 12-25 seemed like running through a battlefield of the dead. At mile 18, I had a slight celebration because I realized that each step would be a personal longest distance ever run.

If you hit the wall, the stretch from 16-23 will seem pointless. There are even moments where it is a nice gradual decline, but to me, the endless horizon only seemed like an incline to me.

Because I hit the wall quite early in the race, for miles 12-25, I was merely counting from 1 to 10 and trying to ignore my feelings of hopelessness and as a result could not appreciate how scenic the course was. I was tired, cold, very hungry - I needed a warm blanket, and probably needed to go to the bathroom too.

Throughout the run, the support was great and not excessive. The Napa Valley Run strongly caters to the introverted runner who prefers a calmer crowd energy and thrives with extra space to run in.

The post-race festivities are pretty fun too, and the shower area was great.

If you run this, be prepared for rain. Historically, the Napa Valley Marathon has not had too many storms. Last year, 2006 was a record year in terms of rainy days. Pretty much 60% of my training days had some rain. It looks like 2008 is projected to be a drought year, so try and come by this time around. If you are not running with a rain poncho, you will freeze like I did.

Although I was eaten alive by this marathon, I plan on running it in 2008. I registered for 2007 but because of an injury, I was not able to participate in it. The Napa Valley Marathon staff were sincerely accommodating in allowing me to defer because of injury.

I look forward to running this marathon again in 2008. This is truly a marathon I could very well run every year.

I enjoyed this race in spite of the rain and wind. However, after all I went through, I wish I had a shirt that fit - 40% of marathoners are women and many of us are small... so a men's shirt doesn't cut it!

Everything about this event was terrific. The course is gorgeous, and the pre-race activities and speakers were just right. The people who organize the event really care; they are proud of their event and great to the participants. I highly recommend the Napa Valley Marathon.

This is a fantastic race, including the course, the organization, the view, the size, the fans, and the local amenities. I toyed with skipping it due to less-than-stellar training, and am SO glad I didn't. I will run this one every year.

I loved this marathon - everything about it. To run a fast time, be sure to cut back on your marathon pace for the first half of the race. I tried to run an even pace through the hills in the first half of the race and paid dearly! Also, do some squats at the gym to get yourself ready for all of the declines.