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Apr 29, 2024

Napa Valley Marathon Runner Comments

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Course 4.7

Organization 4.7

Spectators 3.9

Number of comments: 160 [displaying comments 31 to 41]

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S. P. from Santa Rosa, CA (7/1/2009) "Fast" (about: 2009) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Napa Valley Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I finally got around to running my local marathon this spring. Despite the constant rain, the roads were in good shape and the organization was excellent. My only complaint is that the results were wildly inaccurate for days after the race. Ultimately they were corrected and this was a minor inconvenience, especially considering that this was the first year Napa finally used chips to record a chip time rather than gun time. Despite the relatively closed course, lots of spectators were at almost every intersection. Post-race refreshments were great, and it was especially nice to have a hot shower immediately after the slog-fest.
d. e. from Washington (4/21/2009) "OK race but not great" (about: 2009) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Napa Valley Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 Gels were available at miles 14, 18, 24. What are they even thinking? They did have plenty of aid stations, but the course I would rate as average but inconvenient (because it was point to point). I won my age group and hung around for awards only to find out they were promised to ship awards to age group winners within 2 weeks. Here it is almost 2 months later and I am still waiting. I won't be back.
C. K. from Auburn, CA (4/15/2009) "A little something to know" (about: 2009) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Napa Valley Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon and it was such an awesome experience. The course was truly beautiful and I praise the fans for coming out in the rain to cheer us on. An For future racers: the first half had many cambered spots. I have never had an injury before, but my IT Band was thrashed for a good month after the fact. I am not complaining by any means. This is just a little side note to warn green racers to prep for those conditions. As I obviously didn't. Thanks to all for a great race. I'll never drive the Silverado Trail again without that experience embedded in my heart and mind!
E. M. from Seattle, WA (3/30/2009) "A great race, even with the rain!" (about: 2009) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Napa Valley Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I picked Napa for my first marathon for the flat course, the destination, and the probability of good weather. Two out of three ain't bad! The course WAS lovely and flat - in Seattle, none of those "hills" even qualify as such. The mile markers were always visible, there were plenty of porta-potties along the way, and the on-course support and volunteers were great, too. I loved the bottle drop option, which I happily took advantage of. Unfortunately, somebody took my last bottle at mile 18.4 (I don't know why, because there wasn't another one like it) and I ended the race dehydrated. It totally threw me off my race plan. Not the race's fault, but I'm still cursing whoever it was! Anyway, that's a great option that surprisingly few people took advantage of. The only real complaint I have about the race is the finish line - you have this great support coming into town and during the last .2, and then you finish in a fence-lined chute with no spectator support. I love races where you can hug your loved ones immediately after crossing the finish line, but in Napa, I had to wait about 5 minutes for my husband to make his way around the back of the portables to find me. It seems like they could change that fairly easily, especially in a race this small. As for the weather, well, there's nothing to be done about that. At least it was warm, and it made the course even more beautiful and lush. And the schwag bag? Fantastic! It's my new triathlon bag. All in all, a great race.
P. R. from Palo Alto, Ca. (3/14/2009) "Wonderful 1st marathon" (about: 2009) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Napa Valley Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 This was my first marathon in 30 years (age 53). Despite the rain, the course was beautiful. It was fun to pass some of the wineries I've sampled. Horses nickering in their paddocks, roosters crowing, mists on the hills, mustard flowers blooming in the dormant vineyards.... Along the way, there were many wonderful volunteers with lots of aid stations. I love those orange slices! Chip timing was new, I hear, and good to have. Excellent care at the finish... soup, fruit, water, showers (not too hot after a 4:25 run but a quick rinse off was good) and massages. Results posted instantly. The only thing to note is that spectators can't really see you except at a couple of places on the way. It's not a problem for me, but my wife was disappointed. Even more annoying to her was the terrible spectator access to the finish. Basically you are watching/photoing through a chain link fence. However, I suspect there are logistical issues with moving the finish. Therefore, if you need lots of cheering crowds, this is not the marathon for you. Afterward, we tromped up to Bottega in Yountville for a great lunch. There's nothing like wonderful food after a long run! I will be back.
J. S. from Kansas City (3/9/2009) "Marvelous marathon" (about: 2009) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Napa Valley Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This is a wonderful marathon. The scenery on the course is gorgeous and the terrain just rolls gently, so it is perfect. And, what a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. Kudos on adding timing chips this year - an important thing for runners looking to achieve a time goal. The medal, t-shirt, and duffel bag are great. Volunteers were helpful, numerous, and I appreciated the one-on-one assistance I received. When I crossed the finish line, one volunteer matched up with me and walked me through the medal and Mylar blanket lines, and made sure I was okay. Pretty cool. If you are into spectators on your course, this one is a little tough because the course is difficult for spectators to access. But, those that came out were incredibly supportive and appreciated. Unfortunately the weather was less than cooperative this year, but that is out of anybody's control. Having the school facilities open at the finish line also provided for great accommodation. My only organizational critique is the start area. The portable toilets were placed right in the middle of the starting area, which created all kinds of confusion and jam-ups. Move these off to the side or further back next year. That's it, though. I would recommend this race in a heartbeat, and thanks to the organizers for such a fine race.
N. R. from Northern California (3/8/2009) "My 3rd Napa... The Best" (about: 2009) 3 previous marathons \| 3 Napa Valley Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Beautiful. Light rain, no wind. Excellent water stops... well staffed and plenty of room. Quick course. I qualified for Boston by taking 11 minutes off of my last Napa. Train for hills and expect a long, flat last 5 miles. Excellent post-race support and food. Thanks for the support at mile 24 - that was just where I needed a bit of encouragement. The expo was a tad crowded and hot. Little crowd support... maybe the rain? Expect more vineyards than people along the course.
M. C. from Santa Barbara, CA (3/6/2009) "Great first-marathon experience!" (about: 2009) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Napa Valley Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I had an absolutely great time at this year's Napa Valley Marathon! Though it rained the entire time, it was never TOO heavy and I actually enjoyed the cooling effect it had. The course was just as gorgeous as I'd heard it would be, and the rolling hills in the beginning weren't bad at all - most of the race felt downhill or flat. In the weeks leading up to the race, I was really happy to hear that this year's results would be timed using disposable chips, and I was even happier the day of, when I was still in the porta-potty when I heard the race start. :) As for the spectators, they weren't able to line the entire course, but I was incredibly grateful for the many fine souls who braved the elements just to cheer us runners on. As hard as it was to run out there, I imagine it would have been 100 times more miserable to stand there, get soaked, and watch strangers run by for hours. The crowd didn't seem to mind, though, and every spectator point provided me with an energy boost to keep going, even when my legs were screaming in pain (I especially enjoyed all of the cowbells/pots/pans, so thank you to everyone who broke those out). The event's organization was also spectacular - it seemed that there were almost as many volunteers as there were racers! The expo was a little crowded but went smoothly and relatively quickly, and the finish line area was incredibly well-staffed, with volunteers helping each runner through the finisher's chute. And of course, everyone was really nice and accommodating. I really couldn't have asked for a better first marathon experience, especially since the event allowed me to qualify for Boston (which was a HUGE surprise). I'm looking forward to many more in the future!
j. c. from Schenectady NY (3/4/2009) "Beautiful!!!!" (about: 2009) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Napa Valley Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 I wanted to do a California marathon and had read the past years' reviews, so I decided to check this one out. The runners were very friendly and I found out that many Californians come here to PR or BQ. The weather was not ideal (with the rain), but not bad either. The rain was not heavy and the temp was about perfect. The scenery is outstanding! The race bag was great, the shirt was OK, and the expo could use a little more space. Wine tasting everywhere! Crowds were not as good as one would want; the rain must have kept people inside. I would suggest to the organizers to have a competition between wineries, or different areas in cheering or music or refreshments to bring out the local participation. I have seen this in other races and it inspires the runners and enhances the race. A good time and a good race; hopefully it will get better. The finish line was cramped, with limited access for the finishers' families.
N. G. from SF Bay Area, CA (3/3/2009) "Outstanding, even in lousy weather!" (about: 2009) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Napa Valley Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was only my second marathon, but I want to rave about it anyway. First of all, the course is beautiful, with vineyards on both sides for almost the entire run. The road is completely closed to traffic for most of the course, and the smaller size means no traffic problems. The race is a one-way race with a bus shuttle to the start. The bus ride was pleasant; however, the wait in the dark rain was kind of a bummer. Once the race started, though, it was great, and I was able to knock over 20 minutes off of my first marathon. I will repeat this for sure.

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