The two largest factors to be aware of regarding this race are the 5:30 cut-off time, which is strictly enforced for logistical reasons, and the cost of lodging in the area (the marathon start coincides with the "spring" rate for many local hotels).

That being said, there are more positive things that can be written about this race than there is space for on this review.

The pasta dinner, though pricey in my view, was worth every cent. A la cart wine, beer, pasta, fruit and desserts. Guest speakers spoke from many famed running circles.

The mid-size marathon expo was concentrated for dedicated marathoners.

The long-sleeve, multi-colored technical shirt is nice, as is the colorful "spinning" finisher's medal. Also issued were embroidered sports bags with the Napa Valley Marathon logo and a bag tag with a pre-printed permanent marking of one's number. That had to be the best marathon sweat retrival system I have ever seen - all stacked neatly in groups, and all matching and properly numbered.

Crowd support along the point-to-point moderately rolling course was located at major intersections, and was amazingly concentrated considering the inclement weather and the fact that it's a mid-size marathon - obviously the race promoters got the word out to the locals!

The post-race fare consisted of hot soup, yogurt, bread and the like, and was well organized. Don't miss this race!

This was my 4th marathon and coming off of doing CIM in December I looked forward to getting a PR. I had heard how wonderful the course is and what a perfect race it is. Then I arrived and it was ruined by one day of really unfortunate weather. Rained the entire race with headwinds of up to 20 miles per hour. It made for a miserable experience but I could see the potential this course had and despite the weather I got a PR. This is one I would love to do again in more favorable weather. The organization was very good and even added hot soup to the post-race goodies after finding out the weather was not going to cooperate.

Running of the plastic bags... that's my experience of this marathon.

The reason? It was in the low 40's, raining throughout the marathon, and the wind blew right into your face for a big part of the race. As a result, there were the standard black trash bags, the white ones, the blue, the yellow, and, oh, I didn't know they make a pink trash bag. My tip for all runners: go to your local dollar store and buy a $1 kid's raincoat - it's cheaper, better looking, easier to take off (due to buttons in the front), and if you did throw it away, consider it as a donation for the local homeless....

Other than that, it was actually wonderful.

Truly, the horrific conditions were no fault of the organizer. They joked about the threat of bad weather every year, but this time, it was true. We all had the pasta dinner the night before and dreaded it. The weatherman came up and talked. The organizers came up and talked. The masters came up and talked. All we could talk about was the impending bad weather. And it was all true. Just hate it as this is the only time I wished the weatherman was wrong.

The organization was spectacular. The expos was well organized for a small marathon as this. The goodies included a BACKPACK as well as a running long-sleeve shirt - very nice. The pasta party was fun, except the motivational speakers weren't that motivating due to the weather. There were a lot of water stations during the race. The crowd was small but very enthusiastic - the quantity of spectator was small, but the quality was good - and everyone who showed up in the rain to cheer deserves a pat on the shoulder. The medal was cool looking. The post-race events were good, including warm soup and lots of water and food, as well as a SHOWER. Now that's a new concept, to provide shower at the end of the race. The other tip I have for that? Bring lots of towels.

As for the race, it was a mixed feeling. The course was challenging, with banking and rolling hills, but it would have been very good if it weren't for the weather. There were potholes on the road, which became very obvious in the rain. After the big one I stepped on at mile 6, resulting in totally wet socks and shoes, I must have stepped in at least 5 more. I swore that my shoes were at least 2 pounds heavier. It was very scenic if I could actually see. For at least half of the course, the runners had the entire streets, but the crowds tended to line up in our running lane, which could have been controlled better. Again, the constant rain, low 40's, with strong wind blowing from the south as we ran southward made this the most miserable marathon I have ever done. Other than that, I loved it.

The only other complaint I have is that there is no chip time, which means I am having a hard time calculating my speed. Surely there's electricity in the Valley for a computer for chip time...?

Overall, it's a very good marathon. I would consider running it again, but will have to check with the weather guy before signing up...

The course is fantastic, and the hills look much worse on the course profile than when you're running up them. All ups/downs are really gradual, with the steepest decline being on mile 2. The rain and wind made things difficult this year, but the support at the aid stations was phenomenal (lots of free GU). Bring your friends, and remember that they're waiting for you to finish so that they can go drink wine - that thought certainly helped me grind through the last few miles.

A great time, despite constant wind, chill and rain in '06. Very well organized race, expo and general communications. Scenery and course were great, even if weather was miserable. Schwag/shirt/goodie bag/finisher's medal all were top-notch. Runners were a very friendly group. And I'd give specators a hand.... They were great and many of them showed up at numerous points along the course. That was especially appreciated, since the weather was so awful; every bit of encouragement helped. Ample hydration/food at aid stations. Definitely recommend for new and experienced marathoners.

This was my first marathon last year and it was awesome. Definitely recommended for 1st-timers or people looking for a PR, even though the number of runners is not so big, and you may finish the race on your own.

Beautiful scenery, perfect conditions last year, spectators at all major road intersections only and toward the end in Napa.

I signed up again this year, now with 3 marathons behind me.

One of the best courses to run, esp. now that Vegas isnt downhill anymore. Beautiful scenery, etc. Hills are small (<60 feet), and few (4-5). Overall course is downhill (200 feet). Don't believe the high ratings for spectators; the course is pretty empty, no access to most of the course for spectators. But if you don't mind running alone, this is a great place to do it.

After completing two Napa Valley Marathons ('04 & '05), I would highly recommend it to the serious/seasoned or the first-time marathoners. An excellent run along the Silverado Trail with plenty of trees, vines, and fields. Limited concrete structures along the trail and unfortunately, limited fans; however plenty of time to reflect on life and/or enjoy the scenery, peacefulness.

This was a beautiful course to run. I was under the impression that it was a flatter course and was surprised at all the hills. Lots of beautiful scenery but not many spectators, nor entertainment so it gives you a lot of quiet time to think about getting tired... the vineyards and the beauty of this marathon's course do help with the challenge of it being so peaceful and quiet. I would run it again, I really enjoyed it.

This is a beautiful, mostly flat course with an appropriate amount of water stations. A good race for first-timers! The weather in March is usually good for running. Heed the advice to wear a visor, as you run into the sun. Also, don't overdo it on the hill at 19. My two suggestions for improvements: Porta-potties in the first half could be increased. And the finish line doesn't allow spectators to greet runners right after they cross the line. (Only volunteers are allowed at the finish line.) Spectators must stand in front of the finish line and then wander back to find the runners in the post-race area. Overall, a fun race.