Social Media: We got some very thorough and helpful email instructions from the race director. The social media was lacking – very little activity on Twitter or Instagram. However, they promptly posted all (free!) photos of the race on Facebook, which is awesome!

Package Pickup: They had pickup opportunities on both Thursday and Friday nights – but with our late arrival on Friday, we had to pick up before the race. Not a problem – quick and efficient – and we could toss everything into a bag for gear check.

T-Shirt/Swag: A fun and fabulous polyester t-shirt featuring the slogan “Run Now, Wine Later” – which might just become my new running mantra. Unique finisher medal, which is a bullhead wine spout! We also got a free branded souvenir wine glass.

Course: The course is ‘rolling hills’ through countryside and fields. Only one really steep hill, cursedly near the finish line, made it particularly challenging. My biggest complaint is that because the narrow and shoulder-less country roads were still open to traffic, some impatient drivers came dangerously close to the runners. A few more course marshals to ward off traffic might have helped.

Although I didn’t partake of the wine on course, I loved the opportunity to actually run through a couple of the vineyards. I’m sure the relay runners ending at those spots were happy to imbibe!

Post-Race: Loved the pasta lunch, with Caesar salad and buns. And then the free wine – who could complain? There were samples of a few other products, and free massages. Because we had to drive home to Canada, we didn’t stay as long as I might have liked, and I suspect the festivities continued late into the afternoon…

Organization: Overall, I was very impressed with how the race was put together. No surprises, and everything seemed to go off smoothly. This was a ‘fun run’ – but put together very professionally. Well done!

Would I run it again? If I lived nearby, the answer would be yes. It’s super-close to Portland, so I’d recommend it to anyone living in that area. Because of the time/cost of travel, I’d probably like to try something different next time. But if you’re on the fence…do it! Make a wine weekend of it!

Link to this review