Navigation
National Running News
Learn to Love Oregon: Run in the Inaugural Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon this September
Chase Bacchus through the Willamette Valley
From Destination RacesFebruary 16, 2010
Sonoma, CA
Destination Races, LLC is expanding its popular Wine Country Half Marathon Series to Oregon. The fourth, and newest, edition to this series, the Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon, will be held on Sunday, September 5 with activities planned throughout the Labor Day weekend. The weather is typically ideal in early September, and the vines are ready for harvest.
The Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon offers a scenic 13.1 mile course that meanders through the heart of Willamette Valley, starting at Stoller Vineyards and Winery in Dundee, OR and finishing in the town of Carlton, OR. The Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon also offers a team competition and a 2-person relay. Willamette Valley is recognized for its outstanding Pinot Noir, and the many other varietals that thrive in Oregon.
The Wine & Music Festival will be held on race day in Carlton, OR from 9:00 am to noon. More than 20 wineries from the Willamette Valley will be pouring their wines at the festival. There will also be a race awards ceremony, live band, exhibitor booths, and a beer and food garden. The festival is co-sponsored by Ken Wright Cellars and the Willamette Valley Wineries Association.
The Race Expo will be held on Saturday, September 4 from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm at The Allison Inn, a luxury resort located in Newberg, OR. Open to the public, the expo features exhibitor booths, packet pickup for runners, informational seminars, and a wine and food tasting hosted by Chehalem Mountain Winegrowers.
According to Matt Dockstader, founder of Destination Races, the event is positioned to introduce the Oregon wine country to a new market of active and engaged adults. The Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon will open eyes to a scenic area in Oregon with outstanding wines. Best of all, the people in Willamette Valley are warm and welcoming.
Destination Races already produces three established event in California: the Napa-to-Sonoma, Santa Barbara, and Healdsburg Wine Country Half Marathons. These boutique-style events draw runners from all regions of the USA, and are limited to 3,000 runners; the half marathons have often sold out in advance.
Elite runners will compete for $2,000 in prize money sponsored by West Coast Bank, plus Ball Watches and magnums of wine. Each participant will receive a technical running shirt, colorful finisher's medal, and logo wine glass. Wine will be awarded to the top three finishers in each 5-year age group.
The Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon is limited to 2,000 participants in its inaugural year. Registration has opened on the event website at www.run4oregonwine.com. For more information on the event series, see www.destinationraces.com.