The Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon, presented by Newton Running and produced by Destination Races, took place on 8 August 2015.
The event kicked off on Thursday with an early packet pickup at Foot Traffic in Portland, and was followed by a wine and food pairing reception at the historic Heathman Hotel. Meanwhile, for those who had already arrived in wine country, there was an additional welcome reception at Ken Wright Cellars. Ken Wright himself, the world renowned vintner and an ardent supporter of his small community of Carlton, Oregon, hosted the group at his tasting room while talking to many about his passions, focusing on his love for wine and using his success to create opportunities for people in the community. He recently received notable attention by becoming the first Oregon vintner to grace the cover of Wine Spectator Magazine.
“What’s really important is the exposure our community receives from this race,” said Ken Wright. “Our town of only 2,000 people has become the epicenter of Oregon wine country, and the economic growth of Carlton has been dependent on the exposure that events like this half marathon bring. Beyond that, the fact that this is an event that promotes healthy activity is vastly important, as it encourages many people in our community to get out there and train.”
On Friday night, runners were treated to a pre-race dinner at Allison Inn & Spa. Upon arrival, Boyd Teegarden, the proprietor of nearby Natalie’s Estate Winery, greeted everyone and enlightened the guests about the history of his winery, including an in depth look at Oregon wine. He helped tasters understand the breadth of flavors and sensations of both a 2013 Viognier and 2012 Tempranillo.
While socializing over food and drink, everyone was delightfully entertained by guest speaker, and Olympic 10,000 meter hopeful, Alexi Pappas. Her creative approach to speaking about her passion for running had all eyes and ears glued to her description of successes and challenges throughout her love affair with running.
Race day kicked off at Stoller Family Estates, where runners were greeted by views of Mt. Hood and the surrounding Willamette Valley. Nearly 1,500 runners hit the gentle rollercoaster roads through remarkable scenery; winding their way from Dayton all the way to the finish line in downtown Carlton.
Finishing beneath a giant inflatable arch, participants were greeted by hundreds of clapping fans, and a full entourage of volunteers who placed exclusive and functional wine themed finisher’s medals around the racers’ necks.
“My teammates and I all agree the race was well orchestrated and a great experience for the elite runners,” said women’s winner, Lyndy Davis. “I like the wine country races because the environment is very conducive to running fast and competitive.”
The Wine and Music Festival, sponsored by Alaska Airlines, beyond the finish line was an energetic gathering of runners and their families and supporters. Twenty-four of the region’s most prominent wineries poured samples of prized Pinot Noirs, among other varietals. All of the event sponsors had engaging booths in the festival as well, including free massages, courtesy of SOLS, airline sweepstakes from Alaska, a ‘build your own’ custom sunglasses booth from REI, and a fun ‘sole mate’ activation from Stance sock.
After the festival, many runners attended a post-race winery experience at the Gran Moraine Vineyard. A winery tour, tastings and appetizers were the perfect way to close out the Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon experience.
“From the very beginning, the goal of the Wine Country Half Marathon Series has been to offer an experiential approach to running,” said Destination Races founder Matt Dockstader. “The race courses are scenic and prime for all runners, whether you’re an elite or novice, but the real gem is in the ancillary activities surrounding the race itself that bring people together who share passions for running, food and wine. The Oregon race epitomizes that experience, and the community really embraces the event by welcoming the visitors, which is what makes this one so special.”
