Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon
There are many beautiful runs that deserve to be called a “destination race” due to its beauty and uniqueness, and the Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon is definitely one of those races. Located in the Willamette Valley, about one hour’s drive outside of downtown Portland, runners and walkers take on the 13.1 mile point-to-point course from Stoller Family Estates vineyard just east of Lafayette to the town of Carlton. The course is open for 3h30′ (16 min/mile pace). Registration options include individual, team (6-20 runners), and two-person relay.
The race weekend’s activities start with the race expo on Friday, 12-7pm at the Evergreen Air and Space museum in McMinnville. Be aware that the expo is the only place to pick up your race packet (bib, tshirt, etc) for free! You can purchase the option for Thursday pickup in Portland or day of race pickup at the start line as a race extra. At the expo, there is also the option to participate in a 1/2 mile or 1-mile fun run, which is open to all ages. Registration for the fun runs is $10, and will give you a discount on admission to the Air and Space Museum. Uniquely, you can also choose the “Run + Waterpark” option for $20, entering you into the fun run and giving you admission to Evergreen Wings and Waves waterpark for the remainder of the day (valued at $27-$34).
On Saturday morning, allow yourself plenty of time to get to the race and park in the designated areas either at the start or the finish. There will be shuttle buses available to get to/from your car, but if you miss the last bus from the finish to the start, you will have to drive to the start yourself. After the race, shutttles will take runners back to their cars at Stoller as well. Please read the Transportation Details page carefully and decide with option best fits your needs.
The race course takes you from Stoller Vineyard to the town of Lafayette, then through beautiful countryside to the finish in the town of Carlton. The race website offers a mile-by-mile description of the course. There will be seven aid stations along the course (and one wine stop). Each aid station will offer water, there will be lemon-lime GU drink at every other station, and GU energy gels only at aid station #4. At the finish, after crossing the line and receiving the finisher’s medal, runners will be ushered through a “refueling tent” where they will be offered drinks and food that will kick-start the recovery process. It is highly recommended that participants catch their breath and assess their wellness in this area where medics are ready to respond, before continuing on to the Wine & Music Festival.
Being a “destination race” that can be part of a vacation in wine country rather than just a few hours out of your Saturday morning, the event offers several Race Extras that can be purchased separately. From Portland shuttles and Friday Fun Run, to pre-race dinner and post-race afternoon celebration, there are many ways to make this weekend unforgettable.
Online registration is open through August 11th.
Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon details:
When: Saturday, August 13, 2016; 7am start
Where: Stoller Family Estates (Dundee) to Carlton
What: half marathon; two person relay (6.1 & 7 miles)
Registration: Online here
Registration cost: $109 for individuals; $99 per person for teams 6-20 runners; $179 for two-person relay teams.
Registration includes: Chip-timed race with course support, event t-shirt, finisher’s medal, wine glass, entry to the post-race wine & music festival
Packet pickup: Thursday, August 11, 2016, 4:00pm to 7:45pm, Road Runner Sports, 29 NW 23rd Pl, Portland, OR 97210 – Price: $10.00
Friday, August 12, 2016, 12:00pm to 7:00pm, Evergreen Aviation Museum 500 Northeast Captain Michael King Smith Way McMinnville, OR 97128 – Price: FREE
Saturday, August 13, 2016, 5:30am to 6:30am, Stoller Family Estate Tasting Room – Price: $15.00
