I ran the 20 mile course for this race because it tied in perfectly with my marathon training. This event is 3 weeks prior to the California International Marathon and I needed a 20-miler before my taper so I chose this one. There were so many great things to mention about this race!

The packet pickup was simple- from 10-2 at our local Fleet Feet in Sacramento the day before the race. My only suggestion here would be to make the packet pickup time a little longer, they are usually 10am-7pm. The 4 hour window was tough to get to because I live 30 minutes away and coach youth soccer on the weekends. This race is known for their shirts; it is a nice, long-sleeved technical shirt made of the softest dri-fit material you will ever experience. I left mine in my car, knowing I would want to change into it as soon as I was done with my run.

Race morning was quick and easy. There was packet pickup starting at 6:30am on site for those who couldn't make the other packet pickup. The event starts at Delta High School and they allow parking there on the field, with several attendants to guide you in.

There was not a ton of people running the 20-mile course, so the start line wasn't too crowded. There was a quick "Runners on your mark; 3 - 2 - 1 - Go" followed by a gunshot and we were off! The course is very flat, only one or two small hills throughout, as we are running along country roads in wine country. The scenery was stunning and I enjoyed watching the sun rise over quiet vineyards. The roads were mostly closed the entire course, so we were able to spread out and I never felt too close to anyone until we met up with the half marathoners on the back half of our run. There were plenty of water stations, at least 6, and lots of friendly volunteers from the high school cheering us on. There were a few port-a-potties at each water station, but typically a line of 1-2 runners ahead of you if you needed to stop.

After mile 10, we met up with the half marathoners who started about 30 minutes behind us. There was also a 10k run but by the time we got back to their turnaround point they were all finished. My only frustration was the half marathoners we met up with were typically walkers as they were hitting mile 4 as we were hitting mile 11. From miles 11-20 we were stuck having to weave around the half marathon walkers on a narrow 1-lane road.

The finish line was small, with enough space between runners to have your name announced as you crossed the chip mat. This race also offers a hot lunch for all of the runners in the cafeteria; I didn't eat as I needed to get home but I saw some of the plates and it looked good! Bread rolls, pasta, salad, etc. I will definitely be back to run this race next year; with the distance depending on what I am training for!