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Napa Valley Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Napa Valley Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.7 
Organization 4.7 
Spectators 3.9
Number of comments: 160 [displaying comments 61 to 71]
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J. K. from Michigan
(3/4/2008)
"Best-kept secret" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Napa Valley Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This race is a must-do. It was my 23rd marathon and one of my all-time favorites. The attention to detail by the race director is amazing and he and his team present an event that puts the runners FIRST. Good expo, great race t-shirt, AWESOME goody bag (got your choice of an Asics duffel bag or an Asics backpack!), wonderful course, great medals, and to top it all off: perfect weather and an insane tailwind! The only thing that I was concerned about was that they didn't have chip timing. However, runner limit is 2300 so it's relatively small and it wasn't a big deal. I will be back and I will bring a bunch of friends! Can't wait. | |
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Rob Klein from Aurora, CO
(3/4/2008)
"A Top-Notch Marathon Event" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Napa Valley Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is a great marathon event. It is a gorgeous landscape in the Valley, and going there for a marathon, you get to experience it first hand. Race Director David Hill put on a superb event, with lots of help from volunteers, and a great job by law enforcement too. The expo was kind of crowded, but when you have 2300 folks to get through packet pickup, it is understandable. There was Calistoga juice to sample, and Napa wine tasting too. The shirt was the moisture-wicking type, with a rather ordinary vineyard design on it. But every runner got a high quality, heavy-duty duffel bag (some got a back pack instead) with "Napa Valley Marathon" and a bunch of grapes embroidered on it. Talk about class! We all met at Vintage High School (home of the Crushers!) in the morning (though some got rides from their hotels). From there we boarded buses and were transported to the starting line in Calistoga, 26 miles north of Napa. It started to get light around 6:30 and the race started at 7:00. In Napa, the temperature was 52, but Calistoga felt 10 degrees cooler, and the wind was blowing really hard - but in the right direction. Many runners were cold while waiting for the start, but what are you going to do? I was cold too, but warmed up during the first mile. Warm-up clothes were transported back to the finish area. The course was the back road from Calistoga to Napa, with some turns at the end to make the mileage work out. There were 2 hills at mile 2-3 and another more significant hill around mile 6. The rest was more gentle ups and downs, but it was still generally downhill. Fan support was great, but since the road was closed most of the way, the fans had to move ahead to specific intersections to cheer on the runners. Still the fans were enthusiastic and an inspiration to us. The water/aid station volunteers were outstanding. Water and Gatorade throughout the race, with GU, pretzels, oranges, and bananas in the second half. Very well done. The finish line workers were organized and on top of their game too, handing out medals with an inside part that spins in the outer frame. And in the cafeteria the food workers served up more fruit and hot soup and kaiser rolls. Hot showers were available too. A couple of things seemed unusual to me. No timing chips were used. That is okay, but it is a big job to hand-record 2300 runners. The other thing is that this race had a hard cut-off at 6 hours. The 6-hour limit was advertised as such, but my experience has been that usually race directors let those who are close continue to run. Being a 5 to 6 hour marathon runner, I was concerned. I made it okay, but if someone was slowed down by an injury - cramps, a blister, etc., and did not make 6 hours, by only a few seconds, it would be a huge disappointment. | |
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E. C. from NYC, USA
(3/4/2008)
"Lovely course; would love to hear others' thoughts" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Napa Valley Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I ran Napa this year in 3:33, a slight PR and my 6th marathon. I've outlined my thoughts below: 1) Pre-race: I stayed at the Marriott, where the expo and pasta dinner are held. It is a nice hotel with friendly staff, a central location right across from a Target/Whole Foods/Trader Joe's, and definitely the hub of marathon weekend's activities. It was great to be able to settle in to one location and to fully relax in the days before the race. The expo is very small - one small ballroom space with not a lot for sale. Packet pickup is smooth and pleasant and the bag and shirt you receive are both very high quality. The pasta dinner was also good - two seatings, 200 people each, interesting speakers, and very good food for $25. 2) Rules: They say no iPods. Every marathon I've done says this, but Napa really means it. I saw only one on the course. 3) Course: Lovely, as all posts here describe. Beautiful sunrise, and the wind was at our backs for most of the course. Very good spectator support given how inaccessible the valley is and how small the marathon is (2300 runners). The aid stations were well-run and well-supplied by kind, efficient volunteers. The local community (residents, businesses, wineries) definitely supports this race. The course was HILLIER than I expected - I didn't feel it was mostly downhill. I also wore my Garmin and it measured long - 26.39 miles - which I hope is a glitch in my watch. Finally, I found the roads very uneven - either the sides were much lower than the middle or the road was quite steeply sloped left to right or right to left. I ended up with excruciating blisters, a first for me, and I know it's because I was running strangely on my feet due to the uneven road. 4) Transportation: I took a bus at 5:30 a.m. from the Marriott to the start. We arrived at the start around 6 a.m. and runners were able to wait on the bus until the very last minute. I got off at 6:18, walked to the bathroom, and hung out at the start from 6:40 until 7 a.m., when the race started. The organizers of this race really LOVE it... it has a very high rate of return runners, the course is stunning, the weather is often perfect, and it is a unique marathon experience. It is a small marathon, which means fewer crowds and fewer amenities/services, but I was pleasantly surprised at how well-thought out many aspects of this marathon were. | |
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U. S. from San Francisco
(3/3/2008)
"good course, great organization, I'll be back" (about: 2008)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 As always, a very well organized event with attention to detail. Lots of enthusiastic volunteers and spectators. Somehow my wife managed to cheer me on 4 times on the course and still catch me at the finish. I will recommend this marathon to anyone - especially first-timers - and will return myself. The weather was beyond perfect. | |
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J. M. from San Francisco, USA
(3/3/2008)
"GREAT course but needs chip-timing" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Napa Valley Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 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. | |
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T. C. from Sacramento, CA
(3/3/2008)
"Exceeded all expectations!" (about: 2008)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Napa Valley Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 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. | |
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S. M. from Berkeley, CA
(3/2/2008)
"Gentle hills and sorbet." (about: 2008)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Napa Valley Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 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. | |
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Jakob Herrmann from Southern California
(2/8/2008)
"A marathon I would recommend" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Napa Valley Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 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. | |
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M. M. from Santa Fe, NM
(10/18/2007)
"Beautiful race, great organization" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Napa Valley Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 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. | |
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T. U. from San Francisco
(9/18/2007)
"Excellent For First-time Marathoners" (about: 2006)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Napa Valley Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 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. |
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