Napa Valley Marathon

Great event! Loved how it was set up, including the starting line with a massive amount of toilets and lots of volunteers at the athlete bag check-in area. Good communication from the race prior to the event with many interesting promotions. Course was beautiful, although one issue that noone seems to talk about - the first 20 miles of the course are at a significant side incline, or camber, at least 30% of the time. This is great for cars perhaps to sped around turns but I didn't love that for trying to run fast as the stability was compromised especially due to the fairly loose fitting Nike's I was wearing. Don't wear loose shoes for this race if you are trying to BQ!

1st time for the Napa Valley marathon but 60th marathon overall. Well organized. Good pre-race info. Small but nice expo. Well organized transportation to start. Convenient start area with busses near the start and porta potties. Course rolls and turns are ' banked'. The latter is the bigger challenge. Water station and volunteers are great! Few spectators due to the course being on the Silverado Trail. Finish line well organized with easy access to transportation. Will definitely run again!

Great course, but a bit more hilly than expected, and an incredibly beautiful valley. BE WARNED - THERE ARE NO SPORTS DRINKS AT THE AID STATIONS. The race organizers are sugar haters and have banned sugar drinks. I have run 30+ marathons and have never seen so many runners bonking in the last 6 miles - go figure! Sure too much sugar is bad for couch potatoes, but its what our muscles burn. This is the only marathon I have ever thrown up during - thanks to the electrolyte drink. Great race otherwise. Hopefully the organizers will abandon their voodoo-science anti-vax, anti-sugar superstitions and think about athlete safety and performance.