I’ve run many half-marathons, but this was my first in California. I was so excited to travel from New Hampshire to run this race and visit family while I was … MORE
I’ve run many half-marathons, but this was my first in California. I was so excited to travel from New Hampshire to run this race and visit family while I was there.
I paid $25 to have my bib mailed to me ahead of time. I made MANY attempts to contact the race company ahead of time to make sure I’d have it before flying to CA. Eventually they got back to me to say they would mail it 10 days ahead of the race. Long story short, I did NOT get my personalized bib before I flew to CA. Fortunately I was able to go to a bib pickup to get a new bib with minimal hassle. I did email them post-race to ask for some kind of refund for the mailed bib; I paid $25, it cost them $1.39 in postage plus whatever the envelope cost and they could not be bothered to even reply, much less offer some kind of refund.
The race itself was great. Wonderful energy, well marked route, plentiful aid stations. The course is beautiful with some good rolling hills. The post race festivities were a blast. Shirt and medal are really nice.
To sum up, this is a great race but the race company needs to do far better with communicating with participants. And the policy of charging $25 to mail a bib that may or may not get to a participant in time isn’t a good one.
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Great race but poor communication
I’ve run many half-marathons, but this was my first in California. I was so excited to travel from New Hampshire to run this race and visit family while I was … MORE
I’ve run many half-marathons, but this was my first in California. I was so excited to travel from New Hampshire to run this race and visit family while I was there.
I paid $25 to have my bib mailed to me ahead of time. I made MANY attempts to contact the race company ahead of time to make sure I’d have it before flying to CA. Eventually they got back to me to say they would mail it 10 days ahead of the race. Long story short, I did NOT get my personalized bib before I flew to CA. Fortunately I was able to go to a bib pickup to get a new bib with minimal hassle. I did email them post-race to ask for some kind of refund for the mailed bib; I paid $25, it cost them $1.39 in postage plus whatever the envelope cost and they could not be bothered to even reply, much less offer some kind of refund.
The race itself was great. Wonderful energy, well marked route, plentiful aid stations. The course is beautiful with some good rolling hills. The post race festivities were a blast. Shirt and medal are really nice.
To sum up, this is a great race but the race company needs to do far better with communicating with participants. And the policy of charging $25 to mail a bib that may or may not get to a participant in time isn’t a good one.
Will Run Again
Great to run 1) if you like a mainly flat course 2) scenery through a picturesque (welcomed distraction) course is your thing 3) if the "swag" isnt a big deal … MORE
Great to run 1) if you like a mainly flat course 2) scenery through a picturesque (welcomed distraction) course is your thing 3) if the “swag” isnt a big deal …bc the promised wine glasses were gone by the time i finished, the medal was ALL plastic and backing broke off easily, shirt design mediocre 4) like free wine & beer post race
Great scenery and vibe after the race!
The race was well organized and challenging. The course started in downtown Livermore then through Sycamore Grove trail and then through the vineyards. Enjoyed the after race refreshments and will … MORE
The race was well organized and challenging. The course started in downtown Livermore then through Sycamore Grove trail and then through the vineyards.
Enjoyed the after race refreshments and will return in 2025.
Gorgeous race through wine country
I gave this race a 4 because the course itself is a beautiful run. The backside of Livermore is a beautiful city and then the part of the race, which … MORE
I gave this race a 4 because the course itself is a beautiful run. The backside of Livermore is a beautiful city and then the part of the race, which is most of it, is through parks and past vineyards, and is absolutely amazing. This was the 10th year of the race. It is this beauty that distracts you from some of the production issues.
First, I was coming from Tennessee, and was worried about packet pickup, as this race was not my only part of my trip. Saturday’s packet pickup on the website was TBD until about a week and a half before the race. Race day pickup was an additional $20 but SOLD OUT so that option was not available. I received zero replies when I tried to reach out to the race organizers via their Facebook page which was active daily.
Second- no national anthem to start the race. As a retired Army guy, this is completely unacceptable.
Third, the mile markers were off. There were no markers at Mile 1 or 2. Mile 3 was actually 2.82. Funny, miles 3-11 were all exactly a mile apart, but at the .82 (3.82 for mile 4, 4.82 for mile 5, etc.). Mile 12 though, 12.23. I pay very close attention to my splits and so these are little things I notice. I know garmin can be off a little, but this isn’t a garmin issue.
Fourth, the finish line. There was water, but being California, no bottles. And there was apples and bananas. No milk. No cookies. No Gatorade. You did receive a small race glass for the local breweries and wineries that had free beer and wine. That is a cool aspect of the race, but I am not doing a ton of drinking after running as hard as I do. Nutrients are more important.
Fifth, the medal is meh. The shirt is pretty nice. But the medal is very… meh.
Now some good things. The race DJs were awesome. They did great pumping up the crowd before the race and being supportive to everyone as they crossed the finish line.
The course, as I said, is beautiful. Weather was perfect (we did get a downpour for about half a mile but so what). It was mid 40s weather.
Mile 9 will test your metal with the hills but it is pretty much downhill and flat after that. And most of the first 7 miles is pretty flat. (I like hills and tests on a race so this is a plus for me.)
Livermore, CA is a beautiful town. If you get the chance to relax there over the race weekend, definitely take it.
Two other notes- not really calling them bad or good.
I think their were only 4 water stations. Its a little low for a half but doesn’t bother me. For folks who need more frequent water stations and porta potties, this could be a factor.
Second, crowd support is not a lot on the course. Again, the course it amazing, and I don’t need crowds. Other races the crowds are part of the race (Marine Corps Marathon, Indy Mini) but here it’s just a race through wine country and I loved it.
I would run again if I was nearby. I hope the race organizers continue to improve the race.
Final note: The video they made (and they love doing videos as you will see on their social media) shows more finish line activity than race activity. That kind of shows you where their priorities are in race production.
The BEST medals!
- The medals can actually be used & fit the theme nicely. It is Shaped like a wine barrel, has a bottle opener and corkscrew. - Very nice long sleeve … MORE
– The medals can actually be used & fit the theme nicely. It is Shaped like a wine barrel, has a bottle opener and corkscrew.
– Very nice long sleeve shirts.
– Sufficient aid stations along the course
Beautiful, scenic half marathon!
Small town race with big town feels! From the expo on Saturday to the finish line on Sunday, Livermore embraces this event and you feel the community support from start … MORE
Small town race with big town feels! From the expo on Saturday to the finish line on Sunday, Livermore embraces this event and you feel the community support from start to finish. This was my first time running this event and had a blast. Even though it had some challenging short hills, this is a course you can definitely nab a personal best.
Fun destination run
Well organized race! Nice views and hill was a good challenge. Spent the weekend enjoying the food and wine this charming town had to offer. MORE
Well organized race! Nice views and hill was a good challenge. Spent the weekend enjoying the food and wine this charming town had to offer.
Great Race!
This was a fun race even though they had to change the course it was good scenery. Looking forward to next year the after party was great. Looking forward to … MORE
This was a fun race even though they had to change the course it was good scenery. Looking forward to next year the after party was great. Looking forward to running this next year to see all the scenery I missed!
Beautiful course
This was a great course! Ample parking. Well organized and awesome ambience. Course was had some challenging hills and enjoyed the views. Other than the race goodies that ran out … MORE
This was a great course! Ample parking. Well organized and awesome ambience. Course was had some challenging hills and enjoyed the views. Other than the race goodies that ran out when I came to pick up bib, the event was great. Free pics of the race was awesome!
Livermore is a great host town.
Well organized. A few hills for a bit of a challenge but nothing too crazy! Lots of storm damage caused a change in the course route this year. I actually … MORE
Well organized. A few hills for a bit of a challenge but nothing too crazy! Lots of storm damage caused a change in the course route this year. I actually preferred this new route over previous years.
Love this race!
If you’re looking for a great scenic run this is your race! So much fun and the party after finishing the race is second to none. If you live in … MORE
If you’re looking for a great scenic run this is your race! So much fun and the party after finishing the race is second to none. If you live in Northern California this is a must. If you live outside Northern California this would be a great destination to then enjoy beautiful livernore wine country!
Great course and organized well.
Awesome course Usually lovely weather Great swag Rolling hills Wine at the end Lovely scenery Pacing team available Aid stations serve well Gear check-in possible Great time of the year … MORE
Awesome course
Usually lovely weather
Great swag
Rolling hills
Wine at the end
Lovely scenery
Pacing team available
Aid stations serve well
Gear check-in possible
Great time of the year (march) to run
Rain Caused Course to go Astray
Normally the course is beautiful but because of the rain, changes had to be made. It mentally messed with my head running and seeing all the runners ahead of me … MORE
Normally the course is beautiful but because of the rain, changes had to be made. It mentally messed with my head running and seeing all the runners ahead of me passing by on the other side of the sidewalk – twice! I know we couldn’t go through Sycamore Grove but I would have preferred a different course that didn’t have us go down a road and go back up that road – a real loop would have been preferred which was the consensus with the other 3 runners I ran with. Some parts of the course were very muddy which was unfortunate but I know it was nothing the event could have prevented.
The afterparty was even better than last year! Drinks were plentiful, snacks and water were easy to find, porta-potty’s were clean, and the music was lively! Loved the multi-use medal!
Modified course due to storm damage
This is the 4th time I've run this race and unfortunately, they had to modify the course due to the trail damage from recent storms. Despite a couple of boring … MORE
This is the 4th time I’ve run this race and unfortunately, they had to modify the course due to the trail damage from recent storms. Despite a couple of boring out and backs, we still got to run through scenic Holdener with views of vineyards and snow-capped hills along the route. I love that so many locals run this race year after year with lots of community support. The best part is the post-run festival with free tastings from top-notch local wineries and breweries. Areas for improvement: No gels at mile 8 aid station, more snacks at the finish would’ve been nice, and the course seemed to be just shy of 13.1 miles.
Fun running
It was a fun running, they provided lot of wines and beers. Received beautiful running photos, t-shirt is nice. The scenery is beautiful! Uphill running is a little challenge. MORE
It was a fun running, they provided lot of wines and beers. Received beautiful running photos, t-shirt is nice. The scenery is beautiful! Uphill running is a little challenge.
First time half
Not knowing much about running half marathons I thought this was the best of the best! Loved running in my town, having familiar faces running with me & cheering me … MORE
Not knowing much about running half marathons I thought this was the best of the best! Loved running in my town, having familiar faces running with me & cheering me on! Will definitely do it again and next year get my whole family involved!
Don't miss Livermore Valley Half Maratho
The Livermore Valley Half Marathon course takes runners through the heart of Livermore Valley passing by several local wineries and offering spectacular views. There is a lot of parking nearby, … MORE
The Livermore Valley Half Marathon course takes runners through the heart of Livermore Valley passing by several local wineries and offering spectacular views. There is a lot of parking nearby, easy access, and plenty of aid stations; it’s one of my favorite courses. Also free beers afterward! LOL!
hilly but fun and scenic course
There are lots of ups and downs on this course, but it's scenic, so it's not so bad. Packet pickup and post-race festivities were both well organized and fun. MORE
There are lots of ups and downs on this course, but it’s scenic, so it’s not so bad. Packet pickup and post-race festivities were both well organized and fun.
Great half marathon race as always
Beautiful course with mostly gentle rolling hills and passing by a few vineyards. Some significant hills around miles 8-9 and then mostly flat. MORE
Beautiful course with mostly gentle rolling hills and passing by a few vineyards. Some significant hills around miles 8-9 and then mostly flat.
Wonderful course as always
The course is great! Love running through sycamore then up to holdner park. Lots of cute inspiration signs along the way. I’ve run this race a number of times. For … MORE
The course is great! Love running through sycamore then up to holdner park. Lots of cute inspiration signs along the way. I’ve run this race a number of times. For the price of this race it was definitely a let down at the finish with a small/basic medal and no commemorative wine glass. It’s listed a one of the perks but I never saw any. It was also pretty chaotic once you crossed the finish. To first find a medal then hunt down a banana and maybe a snack somewhere.