Set for its 13th annual running here in the Sonoma County wine country, on a course that winds alongside the Russian River and among the vineyards of Northern California’s Alexander Valley, the Cloverdale Vineyard race features a half marathon, 10K & 5K race, all open to both runners and walkers.
All three races start on the grounds of the Asti Winery, located just off Highway 101 in Sonoma County and south of Cloverdale, which was recognized by Budget Travel magazine as the “coolest small town in the West” in 2010.
Runners will find themselves in the heart of the California wine country here, running past hillsides filled with row after row of wine grapes, and runners who complete either the half or the full marathon will receive complimentary wine following the race at the post-race party.
Before that, however, there is the matter of actually getting out and running the course! The organizers plan to allow for generous time limits for completion, with 6 hours for the half marathon, which should allow for most everyone to cross the finish line within the official time for the race, whether they’re running or walking the course.