What to Expect Before the Napa to Sonoma Half Marathon

Travel, wine and running, what could be a better combination? Napa to Sonoma Half Marathon is rated every year as being one of the most scenic race venues and I can personally attest. My spouse and I ran the Napa to Sonoma a few weeks ago and are still reliving the great time we had in wine country. This race is a must do destination race for any wine-o. Here is what you need to know to prepare yourself for a fun race day.

1. There is a gear check

I’m sure this is posted everywhere on the website and athlete guide, but what confused me into thinking there was not a gear check is the fact that we didn’t get a clear plastic bag and zip tie at the packet pickup. The gear check bags weren’t available until race morning at the start line, where people brought in their own bags, clothing, water, food and stuck it in the clear bag to hand to a volunteer.

2. The weather is AMAZING

Especially for all the Texas runners. There was a heat wave the week of the race which put the start line temperature at 65 degrees with 40% humidity. The California and Colorado runners were dying while we were flying past people. It only got warm in the last 2 or 3 miles for us, when the weather hit 72 degrees and the sun was higher in the sky. Normally the summer mornings in wine country will be around 50-55 degrees, which is perfect running weather.

3. Training is the hardest part

This race is in July. If you’re from Texas or a similar climate, you are going to struggle through your 10+ mile runs in the hottest months of the summer. My spouse and I did two weeks of long runs on a middle school track – both our 9mi week and our 10mi week. The amount of mental fortitude built in those 76 laps prepared us…well? It was my spouse’s first half marathon and his feedback post-race is that while it was amazing, he likely won’t be training for any races during the summer time for the foreseeable future.

4. There are rolling hills

Naturally you would expect this in wine country, but the elevation quoted on the website can be misleading. You net negative on elevation, but that is due to several rolling hills throughout the course. The largest hill is at the start line, where you head down and turn left up a massive hill. There is enough good energy to start the race where you don’t really notice it, but be aware as folks may start walking and you’re still in a tighter crowd at the beginning.

5. Some of the Roads are sketchy

It may be wine region, but that is the fancy way of saying it is farm land. There will be potholes and some old paving you will have to navigate around the 8mi+ part of the route. Just be aware of your footsteps in the second half of the race so you don’t eat it.

6. The bus system was hyper efficient

The race coordinates a bus shuttle service from both Napa and Sonoma to the start line. Don’t be cool and take a personal car or uber, because there is no parking at the start line AND there are a bunch of road closures and traffic. Be smart, take the bus and you won’t be tardy for the start gun. I was expecting to show up to a single bus that was taking laps to/from the start line, but what I found was a fleet of buses that would go as soon as it was full, so there was never a waiting period for a bus to arrive or depart. The one quirk is that the bus took backroads to the start line to avoid closures, making it a more scenic route. I’m glad I was not left to navigate myself there with all the extra race day logistics.

We stayed in Napa, took the bus to the start line and took the bus back from Sonoma at noon. It is so much better than paying $40+ for an uber and keeping your fingers crossed that service is good enough to confirm the ride.

7. Not many spectators but the views make up for it

One of the highlights of the race was chatting with my spouse the whole time and seeing rows and rows of vines over his shoulder. It really was beautiful in every direction. It was also fun to see the names of several vineyards I’d only heard of or seen in the grocery store. It was a much different landscape than the big urban races like NYC, Berlin and Dallas that I’ve done before. It was much more the vibe like Blue Bell or a hometown race.

8. It is not a serious race

In the best way. There are plenty of people walk running, wearing costumes, matching outfits and enjoying the race for what it is – a running event with a party after! This was a nice departure from the World Marathon Majors level intensity that existed with NYC and Berlin. It is a great feeling to run for the sake of enjoyment and staying healthy. If there were serious runners I didn’t see them because they were too fast for me anyways. Don’t take yourself too seriously for this one – just go and have a good time!

9. Service is challenging – download music and podcasts in advance

Don’t rely on having cellular service during the race because it is countryside. I was surprised by the town of Sonoma having spotty reception as well. If you’re reliant on some tunes to pump up your run, download everything in advance.

10. Where is the Finish Line???

12.7mi, 12.8mi, 12.9mi….WHERE IS THE FINISH LINE?!? The view was obstructed. The final stretch of the race is down one long road but for some reason the finish line banners were not visible until you were right at the finish line. If you expect 800M, 400M, 200M countdown signage, you will be quite confused when your garmin is hitting 13 miles and you have yet to see the finish canopy.

11. The Post-Race Wine Tasting Party is epic

At first glance it looks like it is only in one small area of Sonoma town square park, but NO, there is wine EVERYWHERE. After the race you grab your medal, snacks, water, 21+ wristband and your victory goblet aka wine glass, which is used for all the vineyard booths to get wine. There must have been 40+ vineyards represented at the finish line, and they were each serving 3+ types of wine. If you want to get totally smashed you can, but do some research ahead of time if there are particular vineyards to prioritize before that run and lack of food kicks in.