California > Napa Valley Trail Marathon, Half Marathon & 10K
Calistoga, CA • Saturday, March 24, 2012 • Course Map
No fewer than 280 runners came out to take part in the springtime 2011 running
of the Napa Valley Trail Marathon, Half Marathon & 10K -- including just over 140 runners in the half marathon alone -- which
is an early-season counterpart to the local trail race known as the Napa Wine Country Marathon, Half Marathon
& 10K that takes place on
the same course in Calistoga's Bothe Valley State Park each October.
Just as challenging and hilly as the autumn race, the Napa Valley Trail
Half Marathon also features the same gorgeous scenery, with trails
surrounded by forests of towering redwood, oak and bay trees.
The springtime race for both full- and half-marathoners begins at the
Bothe Valley State Park picnic area, just off Highway 29. From there,
the out-and-back course for the 13.1-mile race takes runners westward
out along the park trails, including Coyote Peak Trail, South Fork
Trail, Ritchey Canyon Trail and Redwood Trail.
Many of the single-track
trails that participants follow run alongside the
waters of Ritchey Creek for much of the early and later parts of the
race, which is basically a 6.5-mile loop course that participants run
twice -- after reaching the aid station
back at the picnic area, runners then run the same course a second
time, just like in the autumn-season race.
Runners have six hours in which to complete their race -- whether
they're running the full or the half marathon -- and so will need to
keep a pace of 13:45 minutes per mile or better. Because this is a
trail race, runners also are encouraged to carry water bottles or
hydration packs with them to ensure they're properly hydrated between
the aid stations along the course. The race begins at 9:00 AM for all
three races, and entrants will need to bring money for the park entrance
fee to Bothe Valley State Park on the day of the race.
Race
Weather & Climate
Nestled in Napa Valley's world-famous wine country, near the towns of St. Helena and Napa, Calistoga tends to see cooler and much wetter conditions in the late winter and early spring than in the summer, when temperatures are generally hot and dry. In March, average monthly temperatures range between 67°F and 41°F -- on the day of the race (March 24), the average high is 68°F and the average low is 41°F -- while rainfall totals average just over 5.7 inches for the month.
Course Map
View the race route map for the Napa Valley Trail Half Marathon
Fees
$50 for the half marathon, if registered before January 1, 2012
$55 on Jan. 1 and after
Registration
To reserve your spot in the early spring 2012 running of Calistoga's Napa Valley Trail Marathon, Half Marathon or 10K race, register online at the event website.
Official Race Website
www.envirosports.com
Leave a Comment
Ever run in California's annual Napa Valley Trail Half Marathon? Share your impressions and read fellow runners' stories and tips for the event.
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