Napa-to-Sonoma half marathon returns

The 13th annual running of the Napa-to-Sonoma Half-Marathon is rumbling toward the Sonoma Plaza, due to arrive shortly before 9 a.m. on Sunday, July 17. The flagship event in the Wine Country Half Marathon Series was first run in 2004 with a roster of almost 1,000 runners; this year the number has grown to over 3,500 – but the event is so popular among fleet-footed fans it sold out in 17 minutes.

Expect them all – or most of them, anyway – to show up in the Plaza for the festive Wine and Music Party, where the awards ceremony takes place at 10:30 a.m. amidst wine and beer tasting, food trucks, live music and other festive post-race events.

“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, 65, who’s competed in the race for 10 years. “A few miles later you’re running down Broadway toward City Hall in front of thousands of cheering people. It’s a rush I liken to the feeling you get running onto Boylston Street at the Boston Marathon,” added Cain.

As in previous years, runners will start the scenic 13.1-mile course at 7 a.m. at Cuvaison Carneros Winery in Napa County, then pass through Carneros vineyards and along rural roads toward race’s end at the Plaza. The first three miles run through the southern part of Napa County along During Road, before crossing into Sonoma County on Ramal Road.

An extended stretch on Burndale Road through vineyards and farmland follows before a little after Mile 10, when a fast couple miles along Denmark Street leads to Broadway at the high school, and the final half-mile promenade to the Plaza.

The course record is 1:31, set by Santa Rosa’s own Sara Bei Hall in 2015. Hall is entered in this year’s race as well, wearing bib number 10. Husband Ryan Hall will be sporting number 2. Sonoma Valley High School’s cross-country coach, John Litzenberg, is also in the competition, wearing lucky number 9. Litzenberg often finishes at the top of his age class; he’s 46.

The end of the race is marked by the Wine and Music Party at the Plaza from 9:30 a.m. to noon, with live music plus wine and beer tastings from 30 local producers, health and wellness exhibitors, massages tents and food trucks. Other pre-race events, open to participants and the public, include a Race Expo at Cornerstone Sonoma on Saturday, July 16, with packet pickup, seminars, exhibitor booths, product sampling, wine tasting, food and garden tours.

Hanna Boys Center and FAHA (Finnish American Housing Association) provide the majority of volunteers for the event and serve as the primary beneficiaries. Other nonprofit 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 more than 700 participants to the event and raises over $2.5 million annually in support of research and treatment of the disease.

Destination Races produces other “Wine Country half marathons” in Oregon, Washington, Virginia, British Columbia and in California, including the Healdsburg race in October. For more information on this and other events, visit destinationraces.com.