I truly enjoyed my first marathon in Napa. I have done two half-marathons in the past two months, and Napa definitely has fewer spectators to cheer you on. I missed the cheering during miles 17-21 when I needed them the most, but the beauty of the course and the low-key atmosphere made up for it. The water stations and bathrooms were well spread out and volunteers were very friendly and supportive. The expo was small and enjoyable, versus the bigger, overwhelming ones at big-city marathons. I would definitely recommend this marathon to anyone wanting a peaceful, low-key, simplistic marathon... and the weather could not have been more perfect!

Excellent event this year. The amenities were first-rate (long-sleeve technical shirt and Asics gear bag for gear check). The expo offered everything you would need, without excess. That pretty much goes for the whole event - just what a runner would want, without the distraction of excessive stimulation.

Very scenic run along the Silverado Trail through wine country, and the weather was just about as perfect as could be. Where there were spectators, they were enthusiastic and encouraging. The peace of the countryside without the throngs in the big cities was well worth the extra work in the hills. I am very glad to have been able to run this race.

My second, my daughter's first. Great experience. We were slow but the volunteers were wonderful to us just the same (especially the raspberry sorbet at mile 24 or so - my daughter wouldn't have been able to make it without you). The course map shows gentle declines but it seemed there were a lot of uphill sections. After reading the comments about the weather in 2006, I'm glad we did it in 2005 - it was just beautiful.

I ran this race in 2005 and it is still my PR. I returned in 2006 hoping to beat my PR by 5 minutes to get a 3:30 and qualify for Boston. Unfortunately, getting food poisoning the night before at a Calistoga restaurant and the inclement weather gave me one of my worst marathon times (coming in over 4 hours). However, this is not the organization's fault.

This was my 16th marathon and I still think it's one of the best courses I have run. Its a bit rolly with some hills but the course is basically downhill. You also get to run past beautiful vineyards and wineries.

Due to the cold rain and headwinds this year, it simply was not a pleasant experience. It was even worse for me when I had it coming out both ends! I thought I was going to DNF at mile 3 and I am still not quite sure how I managed to complete it. It would have been better if there were more porta-potties along the course but there simply were not and I needed them. Also, not being one to be intimidated by what Mother Nature has to offer alongside the road, due to the topography of the course, there simply was no place to run off to do my business. C'est la vie!

I will one day run the course again. I was utterly amazed, while there weren't huge crowds, how many people came out to brave the cold rain and wind to cheer us on. This at least made my misery seem not as bad. Kudos to all the Napans (napkins?... yes I think this is what we used to call ourselves when I lived there).

On a last note, I don't blame the restaurant for my misfortune. Napa Valley still has some of the best eating in the world, and wines to boot. And I also believe as a marathoner, you have to accept the bad races with the good ones. Its part of what we do. Listen: Paula Radcliffe, a true marathoner, doesn't give up and quit a marathon just because she feels bad and knows she isn't going to win or get a good time. She was reprsenting her country in the Olympics!

Sorry, had to say this. This is what prevented me from getting a DNF. Better to finish, I say, knowing you are going to have a bad time, than quit. I think I am just as proud of this time and finishing as I was the year before. Thanks Napa Valley!

As noted by all of the other comments, the weather posed quite a challenge for me as well. I am not naturally a distance runner, but decided to take up my 1st marathon experience in Oct. 2005 (Silicon Valley - nice race) just to say, "I did it." It was empowering and I thought Napa would be a beautiful course to try it again. Unfortunately, it was tough to keep a positive attitude with the rain, wind, and cold. I finished and did improve my time by over 5 minutes, but wanted a more enjoyable experience. It was hard to take in the scenery when your head was down to block the incoming rain and I was much more sore after the race from clenching the whole time because of the cold. But other than the weather, this was a very well organized and generous marathon. The shirt, backpack, and goodies were fabulous, and the fans were great! The finish line was a little tough, not allowing a view for race supporters, but the soup and snacks were much appreciated. Thanks Napa!

This was my second marathon here at Napa Valley. I finished the wettest and windiest marathon I've ever participated in. It wasn't the cold that got to me but the strong headwinds that kicked in at the 11th mile and lasted till the end of the race. What kept me going were the volunteers and the race course
cheerleaders (family and friends), with their enthusiastic words of encouragement, and smiles on their faces.

I had to complete the task of finishing this marathon. Thank you. This is best marathon course I've run. By the way, I missed my PR by only 2 minutes. I'll be back in 2007 (for #3).

- Old Man Running

This was my second marathon and I picked it mostly because it was close to home. The worst part was the weather; it rained every step of the way. I nearly drowned. The best part was the volunteers. I don't know how they kept smiles on their faces throughout the foul morning, but they were unfailingly cheery and enthusiastic. They were a darn sight happier than I was. Aid stations were well stocked and I'm sure that, in better weather, the course would be quite attractive. I'll probably be back.

Well, Napa 2006 was sure memorable. Not only was it my first marathon but it was also run in pretty much a constant rain and headwind. But since you can't control the weather, I'll review the other parts of the race.

First, the organization was great. Race started on time, aid stations were set up in about 2 mile increments and the later aid stations had GU, fruit and even sorbet. Each mile had a visible marker. The only thing I wish they would do is go to chip timing in the future. The expo was small but not overly commercial. Speakers were fine. Tech shirt and backpack were very nice.

Course itself was extremely scenic as you run through vineyards for the first 22 or so miles. It does have rolling hills but they are not that bad. I had done all my training runs on a flat course so I was a bit worried. Don't be. The toughest hills are probably in the first 6 miles. There is an ascent around mile 20 but it is such a gently sloping hill that I really did not notice. The map topography says the last 6 miles are downhill. They felt more flat to me.

Crowd support was enthusiastic but small. The only place for spectators is at the major intersections and they only have about 5 or 6 of those throughout the race.

The finisher's medal was very nice. They also had hot showers and massages available post-race. The food afterward was soup, fruit and bread. I wish there was something a bit more substantial but what they had was good.

Overall, I had a wonderful time and even managed to beat my target time in less than ideal weather conditions. A special cheer for all those volunteers who had to stay out in the rain and wind to support us. I warmly recommend this race to both experienced marathoners and newbies. I hope to be back soon.

There are so many things to LOVE about this race, and a few critical things that went wrong. I start by saying I had three distinct perspectives on the race....

1. As a participant.
2. As a family member supporting my sister & brother-in-law in their first marathon.
3. As a coach of a handful of first-time marathoners who chose this as their first attempt at 26.2 miles.

PARTICIPANT: As someone who regularly logs sub-3:30 marathons, I plan to come do this race EACH and EVERY year that I can. Napa is beautiful. The people are amazing and hospitable. The course is super-fast and the weather doesn't get any worse than in 2006 (45 degrees and rainy, one of ONLY three years in 28 that it has rained, or so I'm told). That is pretty mild, and I'd always rather run in cold and rain than in HEAT. So if you are FAST, this race is for you (in 2006 you had to run FASTER than a 5:30, with weather conditions AT THEIR WORST, you honestly better be about a 4:45-5:00 performer to not miss the cutoff).

FAMILY MEMBER: I was thrilled to be in Napa, and excited that my baby sis and her husband chose this race. I'm from Northern Cali originally, so I'm quite familiar with one of the most amazing wine growing regions in the world! MY fiancé and I were both really looking forward to THE YEAR when the LA Marathon and Napa were on different dates. Thank you Oscars! My sis and her hubby did awesome, both coming in under the 5:30 wire. My bro-in-law ran 4:47 and my sis logged a 5:15. I am SO proud. Neither of them had raced before, but RIGHT from the get-go, they were running 5K's in the 22 to 27 minute range, a good gauge and predictor of marathon
potential." If you aren't able to run UNDER a 30-min 5K, pick another marathon (for now), until they relax their course time limit.

COACH: I couldn't have been more disappointed with myself. I let my team members down. I had 5-6 athletes at Napa (one previous team member, 5 current), and NONE of my current team members finished in under 5:30. I firmly believe that AT LEAST 4 of the 5 of them would have come in under 5:30 had the rains and 20+ mph headwinds held off. The participants who were swept off of the course at various points were given the SAME medal as people who finished the FULL distance in 5:31+, something I really feel reflects poorly on race organizers.
[MarathonGuide.com Editor's note: because of the Napa Valley Marathon's strict 5h30m time limit, race directors decided in 2006 to give a "partcipants" medal to slower runners who had to be picked up by the sweep vehicles. The same "participants" vs. "finishers" medal was also given to runners who were not swept up but made it to the finish line in over 5h30m]

But you've gotta do what you've gotta do, and you can't be ALL things to ALL people. I understand, but I won't be recommending this race to first-time marathoners again, and I'll be recommending that our group stick with the LA Marathon in future years. Shame. WISH it could be different.

Wrapping up.... If you are FAST and you've run a marathon before, GO TO THIS race, you'll enjoy it. If you are unsure, go run another race, come back to this one when you are SURE you can make the cut-off times.

Rain. Wind. Rain. Other than that, I had a good time. Great organization: Water & Gatorade every 2 miles, and Gu every 2 miles in the 2nd half of the race. (I carried 2 GU packs for the 1st half of the race. I would have preferred GU throughout the entire race.) It appeared that any runner was able to leave a special drink for themselves in the boxes at the start that were placed throughout the race. I left a small bottle of Gatorade for the 13th mile. This allowed me to drink more than I would otherwise drink at the water stops, because I ran about a 1/4 mile with the bottle.

Nice backpack for all runners, which doubled as a sweats bag to get your stuff to the finish. I threw a towel in for the free showers at the end, and a cell phone to help find my family. Also, free massages at the finish line. The finisher's medal was very nice with an 8-color landscape scene on both sides, and a rotating center piece. The long-sleeve, Dri-fit shirt was also very nice.

The course was more rolling hills than downhill, but none of the hills were very steep. The mile markers were all uniform, which made them visible from about 500 feet. This was great at the end of the race when you are really looking forward to seeing them. My leg cramped up at mile 25. I probably should have left out another bottle of Gatorade. Anyhow, I was so close to the finish that this wasn't a major concern. I kind of wished it didn't rain, but I knew I was taking a chance with an early March marathon. On the other hand, I heard that it only rains on about 1 out of every 5 races.

Overall, I had a good time and met my goal of finishing in under 4 hours. I think I was 406th out of about 2,000 runners! I'll be back next year!