Napa-to-Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon Celebrates 13th Year

Sonoma, CA – Destination Races of Sonoma, CA presents the 13th running of its flagship race, the Napa-to-Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon, on Sunday, July 17th. This iconic race attracts a wide following of casual-to-elite runners, and wine and food enthusiasts from across the country and worldwide. Registration is famously competitive: this year’s event sold out in a record 17 minutes. 

The course features a fast and picturesque route that starts at Cuvaison Carneros Winery and ends with a prolific finish in historic Sonoma Plaza. The first three miles run through the southern part of Napa County before crossing into Sonoma County with notable sights throughout, including the Napa-Sonoma Marshes Wildlife Preserve, San Pablo Bay, and Mt. Tamalpais in Marin. Participants run past seemingly endless acres of rolling vineyards, ranches and dairyland before entering the city limits of Sonoma, where the final half mile takes them down Broadway past enthusiastic spectators into historic Sonoma Plaza, with the dramatic backdrop of City Hall.

Runners crossing the finish line are treated to a celebratory Wine and Music Festival under the massive trees of Sonoma Plaza, situated as the centerpiece of downtown Sonoma. This signature festival boasts wine (and beer) tasting by 30 esteemed local producers, live music, health and wellness exhibitors, massages tents, food trucks, and the Lagunitas Beer Garden. The awards ceremony rewards top finishers with wine, prizes, and checks presented by Rabobank. Each participant receives a race shirt, wine coaster finisher’s medal, and etched wine glass for tasting at the festival. The GunBunFunRun 5K, which starts at Gundlach Bundschu winery, takes additional runners on an abbreviated version of the half marathon course into the Plaza. 

The Napa-to-Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon has been featured in many publications as a must-do, bucket list race. Drawing seventy percent of its participants from out of state and internationally, this boutique lifestyle event has many attractions, not the least of which is the promise of running through a world-class wine region. But it’s much more than just the cache of Napa and Sonoma.

“This race has it all, beginning with the magnificent start area at Cuvaison and the challenge of Butt-Burner Hill on the first mile,” says nationally ranked age group runner Janet Cain of Sonoma, who’s competed in the race for ten years. “Then you experience this amazing juxtaposition as you drop down into a place of serenity with the vast expanse of vineyards on both sides and the amazing views to the south and west. A few miles later you’re running down Broadway towards City Hall in front of thousands of cheering people. It’s a rush I assimilate to the feeling you get running onto Boylston Street at the Boston Marathon,” added Cain.  

The event weekend kicks off with the traditional Welcome Reception at Cuvaison Estate Winery on Friday, July 15th. On Saturday, Cornerstone Sonoma hosts the Race Expo. The Expo is open to the public and features packet pickup, seminars, exhibitor booths, product sampling, wine tasting, food, and garden tours at Cornerstone. Featured exhibitors include Alaska Airlines, GU Energy, Fitbit, Stance Socks, Camelbak, Clif Bar, Whole Foods, Krave Jerky, Scharffen Berger Chocolates and Level Sleep. Destination Races also partners with local wineries to host additional culinary-focused events throughout the weekend to allow participants an opportunity to experience Napa and Sonoma to the fullest during their visit.

Hanna Boys Center and FAHA (Finnish American Housing Association) provide the majority of volunteers for the event and serve as the primary beneficiaries. Other non-profit partners include the American Diabetes Association, Teen Services Sonoma, Save our Sports, and the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA). CCFA’s Team Challenge program brings over 700 participants to the event and raises over $2.5 million annually in support of research and treatment of the disease.

For more information on the event, visit http://ift.tt/29AaHnX. To be notified when registration opens for the 2017 event, and to keep up-to-date with the latest Destination Races news, sign up for The Grapevine newsletter by visiting http://ift.tt/29zkr5T.

About Destination Races   

Destination Races, based in Sonoma, California, is the pioneer producer of the Wine Country Half Marathon Series. Founded in 2004, the Wine Country Half Marathon Series consists of seven races across prestigious wine regions in North America, offering unforgettable experiences on and off the course, including the popular post-race Wine & Music Festival. Runners from all states and foreign countries travel to participate in these boutique destination races designed to feature the areas top wineries and other attractions. The race series attracts elite runners, as well as food and wine enthusiasts who share their common bond of running and celebration. The Wine Country Half Marathon Series has limited fields to ensure that participants and their guests can enjoy a more exclusive hospitality experience, including exclusive winery tours, receptions, and dinners featuring local fare and wine from esteemed wineries and other unique venues. Current races include Santa Barbara; Northern Virginia; Napa-to-Sonoma; Oregon (Willamette Valley); Kelowna, B.C.; Healdsburg, CA; and Woodinville-Redmond, WA. For more information on the event series and Destination Races, visit DestinationRaces.com. You can also find Destination Races on facebook.com at /destinationraces, on Twitter @winecountryhalf, and on Instagram @winecountryhalf. 

For More Information, Contact:

Kira Bundlie
Media and Community Relations Director
Destination Races
kira@destinationraces.com

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