“What lies behind you and what lies in front of you pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
The stunning beauty of California’s Napa Valley region has become a hotbed for half marathons in recent years, drawing runners by the thousands to races that sell out in just hours.
But the Golden State’s not the only place you can run a race in the wine country, as places as far and wide as Oregon and New York also host their own races through the unforgettable scenery of their own wine-growing regions.
1) Wine Country Runs Half Marathon • Paso Robles, CA
Known for its rolling farmlands, hot springs and wineries, Paso Robles plays host each spring to this out-and-back loop race that takes runners along the hilly farmland just north of town.
March • Race info & signup »
2) San Luis Obispo Half Marathon • San Luis Obispo, CA
Drive along the Pacific Coast Highway and you’ll see exactly the scenery you find here — huge, rolling green hills and mountains overlooking the rocky Pacific coastline, with vineyards tucked into the hills just beyond the edge of the land.
May • Race info & signup »
3) Santa Barbara Wine Country Half Marathon • Santa Ynez, CA
More than 3,000 runners turn out each year for this point-to-point race starts in downtown Santa Ynez, a small wine country town known for its western-style architecture just over the mountains from nearby Santa Barbara.
May • Race info & signup »
4) Virginia Wine Country Half Marathon • Purcellville, VA
The course for the race follows a meandering, loop-shaped point-to-point route that starts at Doukenie Winery, and farm fields, houses and trees dot the landscape throughout.
June • Race info & signup »
5) SoCal Wine Country Women’s Half Marathon • Temecula, CA
Challenging terrain and challenging weather await at Southern California’s only trail half marathon designed especially for women, which unfolds along the trails around Vail Lake Resort just outside Temecula.
June • Race info & signup »
6) Napa to Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon • Sonoma, CA
Selected by Runner’s World as the half marathon with the “best finish,” due in no small part to the festival that awaits runners at the finish line, this race offers some of the country’s most beautiful and dramatic scenery for a race.
July • Race info & signup »
7) Fueled by Fine Wine Half Marathon • Dundee, OR
Framed by the rolling farmland of northwest Oregon’s Willamette River Valley as well as the majestic peaks of Mount Hood and the Cascades, this Oregon race welcomes more than 1,000 runners every summer.
July • Race info & signup »
8) Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon • Carlton, OR
Known for its cool climate and ample rainfall, Oregon’s Willamette Valley has become one of the west coast’s major wine producing regions in recent decades, which runners get to see at this summertime race.
August • Race info & signup »
9) Wineglass Half Marathon • Corning, NY
This gradual downhill course unfolds along the winding Chemung River, taking runners on a point-to-point course that finishes across the Centerway Bridge, and features a run past the famed Corning Museum of Glass.
October • Race info & signup »
10) Healdsburg Half Marathon • Healdsburg, CA
From the starting line near the Healdsburg City Hall, the USATF-certified course takes runners along Sonoma County’s mountain valleys, and features a downhill finish for the last few miles.
October • Race info & signup »
11) Healdsburg Wine Country Half Marathon • Healdsburg, CA
Run mostly through Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley, this race is framed by mountains and vineyards that stretch out for miles, past more than a dozen wineries on the way to Healdsburg.
October • Race info & signup »
12) Temecula Wine Country Half Marathon • Temecula, CA
Orchards, horse farms, vineyards, and at least 18 separate wineries await runners at this late fall race, which starts at Temecula’s Ponte Winery and ends at Wilson Creek Winery.
November • Race info & signup »
