Welcome to Oregon Wine Country
Consider yourself formally invited. Whether it’s your first time visiting Oregon’s famous wine country or you grew up with the rich soil of the Yamhill Valley permanently etched on your hands, this is the year to run the Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon Presented by Subaru (or our relay or 5k)!
Race weekend marks a two-day celebration of the unique spirit of the Yamhill Valley – a spirit of community, craft, exploration, and of course, the World’s Best Pinot Noir. Fittingly, the race begins as the sun rises majestically behind glorious Mt. Hood at Stoller Family Estate – named the Best Tasting Room in the Nation by USA Today – and finishes with a lively wine and music festival hosted by Ken Wright Cellars and the welcoming community of downtown Carlton.
Now managed by the non-profit Sport Oregon with support from race founder Matt Dockstader, the Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon has a profoundly positive impact on the Yamhill Valley. With roughly half of all runners coming from out-of-state, the race produces substantial economic benefit throughout the region, while an innovative partnership with local charity Yamhill Carlton Together Cares provides hundreds of race volunteers and generates critical financial support for important youth and family programs in the community.
So, whether Oregon Wine Country is the place you call home or a place you’d love to get to know, come raise a glass with us at the Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon presented by Subaru on Labor Day weekend!
The Courses
Half Marathon/ 2-Person Relay:
This scenic point to point 13.1 mile course from Dundee Hills to Downtown Carlton provides a unique tour of the heart of the Willamette Valley in Yamhill County, winding past a cluster of four American Viticulture Areas (Dundee Hills, Yamhill-Carlton, Chehalem Mountains, and Ribbon Ridge). The course ends with a warm celebration at the Finish Line Wine and Music Festival presented by Ken Wright Cellars and featuring 20+ local winemakers! Runners will encounter mainly paved roads (closed to vehicle traffic) and 1.6 miles of gravel road. The terrain consists of rolling hills and a net elevation gain of 328 feet.
2 person relay teams will run on the same course, with the exchange point located at mile 6.1 at Abbey Road Farms.
This is a point-to-point course. Designated event parking is available at either the start or finish area, and shuttle bus transportation will be available between both parking locations before and after the race. Gear Check will be available at the starting line and relay transition point and all checked gear will be transported to the finish line. Checked gear must be claimed at the finish line.
5k Run and Walk:
Our brand-new festive and scenic 5K Run/Walk will start and finish at Ken Wright Cellars in downtown Carlton, offering a fast course with just the right amount of country charm. The out-and-back route heads east on Main Street and then onto Hendricks Road, as the roadside views transform to rich farmland and vineyard-laden hillsides. Runners and walkers will get a burst of energy from a live band performing as they approach Johnson Road, and might even get to high five a few of the fastest half marathon finishers running by. Shortly up the gravel road, a rustic old country barn serves as the 5K turnaround point, signifying the moment at which it’s time to sprint back to Carlton for the finish, not to mention wine, music and your medal!
LESS
Nice one if you are in the area
Start is at a beautiful winery and the finish line is really done well. Several wineries are lined up ready to serve you wine tastings. You just hop both to … MORE
Start is at a beautiful winery and the finish line is really done well. Several wineries are lined up ready to serve you wine tastings. You just hop both to both. Lines go fast which is nice to see. This is a better format than at another one of their events where there was a huge line up and we just left. The medal was neat and this company has great ideas for them. We got the medal disc inside of a plastic top for our outdoor medal wine glasses. These are keepers!
The course is quite pretty. It has a dirt section which I want a fan of but no big deal. Several little hills, again no big deal.
2 things which drove me nuts and hopefully they could fix……
1. Great lady announcer, however she just said the same line over and over!
2. Why the would you have the ambulance follow literally 6ft away from the last finisher? She was also well within the time limit by over and hour! Would 10 min behind her have changed your day? It would’ve changed hers! Bad move guys.
Other than this I enjoyed the race. 4 out of 5. I’d do it again but in no rush.
My favorite race of all time
This is by far my favorite race. I have completed 6 marathons including Boston, many half marathons, and several other shorter courses. This race is run so well and the … MORE
This is by far my favorite race. I have completed 6 marathons including Boston, many half marathons, and several other shorter courses. This race is run so well and the views are outstanding. Starting with the sunrise over the Stoeller Estate Winery, through lush hills of grapes and greenery, neighborhoods, and back roads. The energy of the race is friendly and fun. The course is well supported with several water stops and volunteers. The end is a fun cruise into the city of Dundee where many, and I mean many other wineries are set up for tasting. I must put in a plug for the masterminds who created the last two year’s metals. So creative were the metal that included a corkscrew and this year, a lid to the finishers wine tasting cup. A truly enjoyable course and race.
Running for Wine!
This race is well organized. Plenty of folks helping out along the aid stations and even some musicians to keep you moving! Perfect run through wine country and quaint towns, … MORE
This race is well organized. Plenty of folks helping out along the aid stations and even some musicians to keep you moving! Perfect run through wine country and quaint towns, not too challenging of a course , but just enough to keep you on your toes with some gravel roads and slight hills. Great swag with the unbreakable wine tumbler for tasting at the finish line and fresh shucked oysters! Nice atmosphere with live music, cheering spectators and the best wine Oregon has to offer. This was my first (and fastest) time racing here and I am sure to make it a yearly must do!
Zen Running
It starts on top of a hill where the sun rises and you get to look out on the view. The race is well organized. People are able to pick … MORE
It starts on top of a hill where the sun rises and you get to look out on the view. The race is well organized. People are able to pick up their bibs on race morning if they prepay in advance. There is not a lot of things to purchase such as race t-shirts, which makes it a great race for runners who are not materialistic. The race is about the scenery. It is a combination of wine country and forest. The spruce trees around and near the wine country are lovely. It is peaceful to run through it. The race has moderate hills. It ends in a cute small town called Carlton with local stores.
Beautiful area but needs more potties
Beautiful area - wine country Oregon - but race needed more port-a-potties. The first were at the midpoint of 6.1 miles and there were only 3... long wait for those … MORE
Beautiful area – wine country Oregon – but race needed more port-a-potties. The first were at the midpoint of 6.1 miles and there were only 3… long wait for those participating in the half relay and no designated for current runners only. Kind of pricey given the purchase options of wine mugs, hats, breakfast, etc. Free swag is the typical medal, one mug, and a nice shirt.
Boozy Fun Run
+ Flat, easy course Wine is served at mile 9 Unlimited wine samples after the race Medal includes corkscrew Tips ~1/2 mile near mile 10 is on rocky asphalt - … MORE
+
Flat, easy course
Wine is served at mile 9
Unlimited wine samples after the race
Medal includes corkscrew
Tips
~1/2 mile near mile 10 is on rocky asphalt – the rest of the course is paved.
Balance your water:wine intake
Point to point race
Arrive early to park, then shuttle
Great event!
This was a fun event! The course had some hills, but not too bad, and amazing views of wine country. Plus, the wine tasting at the finish was awesome! I’ll … MORE
This was a fun event! The course had some hills, but not too bad, and amazing views of wine country. Plus, the wine tasting at the finish was awesome! I’ll be doing this race again!
This course is challenging but not hard.
This is a beautiful, scenic run through wine country. If you’re looking for a qualifier, this is usually a fast course. I’ve participated 3 times and will continue to run … MORE
This is a beautiful, scenic run through wine country. If you’re looking for a qualifier, this is usually a fast course. I’ve participated 3 times and will continue to run this event in the future. Destination Races puts on a great event, very well-organized. If you are looking to run your first half, or you’re a pro, you should do this race. There will be competitors at all performance levels!
Love the Oregon Half Marathon!
I really enjoyed the whole experience, everyone was so helpful. The only thing I think could be improved is the Expo. Not a lot of vendors. But I'm sure that … MORE
I really enjoyed the whole experience, everyone was so helpful. The only thing I think could be improved is the Expo. Not a lot of vendors. But I’m sure that will get better every year!
Great run through Wine Country
We had a great time running through the scenic vineyards and villages of Oregon Wine Country. The run itself was a bit challenging, but not too bad for these Florida … MORE
We had a great time running through the scenic vineyards and villages of Oregon Wine Country. The run itself was a bit challenging, but not too bad for these Florida flatland runners. The dinner the night before was fun and enjoyable in spite of the heat. The packet pickup at Evergreen was very cool! Two thumbs overall! Loved stopping for a sip of wine along the way too! 🙂
Decent Course But Not Worth the Money
The course was a decent run, nothing too difficult. A few hills but mostly smooth road. With that being said, it would have been an even better experience to actually … MORE
The course was a decent run, nothing too difficult. A few hills but mostly smooth road. With that being said, it would have been an even better experience to actually run through a few vineyards or through some backroads that are more embedded in wine country.
The biggest gripe I had with the race was the price/value. You really don’t get a whole a lot for the money and the money goes to no charitable cause, so I have a hard time justifying the huge profits Motive Running makes. 100+ dollars for a half marathon, give me a break. Shamrock run which gives out way more food, cliff bloks, etc. is only $75 for the half. Oh and they shutdown half of PDX so a lot of expense there, granted there are a lot more participants! So I just don’t get where all the cost of the event goes. There was no food at the finish line so you just had a bunch of starving, drinking people standing around.
Overall an OK event but just not much there that makes it worth your money. I think spending 30-40 bucks on wine sampling followed by a self-led run through some backcountry trails would have been a better use of my day.
My new favorite race
I was trying to find a race where I could run with a stroller since my daughter is very young and I'm so glad I found Destination Races because this … MORE
I was trying to find a race where I could run with a stroller since my daughter is very young and I’m so glad I found Destination Races because this course was beautiful. It was the most beautiful course I’ve ever ran and the best put together race. It beats the Rock N Roll races I’ve ran. Everyone runners and volunteers were so nice and the wine festival at the end was a lot of fun. It’s definitely a place to bring your family to enjoy the city. I can’t wait to run it again.
Love this race
Heat & rolling hills can get to you as can the short gravel piece, but keep a positive attitude & you will love it. Volunteers & staff are great! MORE
Heat & rolling hills can get to you as can the short gravel piece, but keep a positive attitude & you will love it. Volunteers & staff are great!
Paid a lot for very little.
I just don't think it was worth it. My biggest issue was that there was no food at the finish line-- nothing provided, and nothing available for purchase at the … MORE
I just don’t think it was worth it.
My biggest issue was that there was no food at the finish line– nothing provided, and nothing available for purchase at the wine tasting area. Clif, Krave, Nuun were all supposed to be sponsors, but did not receive any products from them. The only recovery food I received was a small bag of Nut Thins and a packet of apple sauce (not sure if I would consider this food). Aside from that, NO FOOD was even available for purchase at the finish line festival area. The only thing was a deli that happened to be adjacent to the festival. Is it even legal to have a wine tasting festival with no food available for purchase? Oh also no food or Gu packs or anything along the race. Just water and Gatorade. The people who handed them out were very nice. But again, Nuun was advertised, but had no presence. I’ve participated in many active events that were much less expensive and received much more food than this, or at least had the option to purchase.
We purchased the Portland pick up option at Coopers Hall. Yes, PURCHASED pickup for $10 more on top of the nearly $100 fee per participant. When we asked the volunteers about how the relay was divided up/which leg was more challenging, they didn’t know. They admitted they knew nothing about the course.
I received countless emails from this race leading up to the event, and checked the website multiple times, yet still I could not find information about the shuttle for the second leg relay participants. It may have been there but I think it should have been easier to come by! I was lucky that I caught the shuttle just seconds before it left. Even so, on race day, nobody was directing me towards the bus. There was no signage, that I could see. My friend was the one who texted me and told me where it was (thanks Jimmy!).
I’m surprised that we have to pay for our photos, even after the large fees to participate in this event ($12 per photo). Furthermore, there are only photos available of myself at the finish line (with no wine country scenery in the background). There isn’t a single photo of my partner in the relay that I can find by searching our shared bib number. Keep in mind, we BOTH paid to run the race. Also, there were many photographers taking photos along the race where you could tell that we were actually in wine country, but I don’t see how to access those.
My partner and I actually won the mixed relay. I wish there was a medal or something that said that we won. The prize of wine is nice, and the burlap bag it came in is kinda cute, but there’s nothing that says 1st place. It just would have been cool, but that’s our opinion. Oh and at the ceremony, it was mentioned that the wine prizes were DONATED by local wineries… I guess the race organizers only paid for the bag?
Overall, I just think this event was much too expensive for the experience. Next time I choose to do a race I will try to go through a different company, or do a race that is a fundraiser. I feel like every penny was being pinched out of us– for the pickup of the bibs, for the photos, for the beer at the end of the race (I guess it’s only supposed to be wine, but still, was disappointed to have to shell out more cash).
Great scenery, rough roads!
The scenery was beautiful and it was very well organized. This was my third time doing this race and the only thing I really dislike is the gravel stretch (about … MORE
The scenery was beautiful and it was very well organized. This was my third time doing this race and the only thing I really dislike is the gravel stretch (about 2 miles). It seemed especially rough this year and I think this is the one thing that would make me pick a different race next time.
Flat, beautiful course through vineyards
The course was beautiful and mainly flat. We were able to run through some of the vineyards and all the roads were closed to traffic. I still use the glass … MORE
The course was beautiful and mainly flat. We were able to run through some of the vineyards and all the roads were closed to traffic. I still use the glass we were given at the finish. I have even dropped it a few times and it hasn’t broken.
Good run scenery spectacular
Good flat course with nice scenery and great volunteers. Great wine tasting but could have been more food. Some runners partaked in too much wine on empty tummy MORE
Good flat course with nice scenery and great volunteers. Great wine tasting but could have been more food. Some runners partaked in too much wine on empty tummy
Post suburbia-great scenery&after party
The slight uphill during the finishing leg makes for a tough speedy cross of the finish line! I rated the race swag as average as our t-shirts this year shrank … MORE
The slight uphill during the finishing leg makes for a tough speedy cross of the finish line! I rated the race swag as average as our t-shirts this year shrank to an unwearable size after the first wash (although this has not been a problem in previous years)!
Great scenery!
Overall we enjoyed this race very much, it was our first Wine Country run and second half marathon. A few factors made it a difficult race, though. Being from Canada, … MORE
Overall we enjoyed this race very much, it was our first Wine Country run and second half marathon. A few factors made it a difficult race, though. Being from Canada, we forgot that you guys still use cement roads down there in the states! OH MY JOINTS!! That, paired with the hills, and the banked road made it extremely difficult on the knees so we walked from 7miles on. The wine at the finish line was great, but to be honest a little disappointing. It was a million degrees and literally no shade. There was a small handful of wineries set up in a car park, it would’ve been nice if there were more places to sit.
Very cool medal, and great wine glass. The T-Shirts were really nice but made from some bamboo crap and shrunk after the first wash 🙁 cold water, delicate settings, hung to dry…
Next year we are going to enter the Kelowna one here in BC
A fun event - worth running
The race is very fun and point-to-point, so the scenery is always new; meaning, the course is not boring! Then, the finisher medal doubles as a coaster - how perfect … MORE
The race is very fun and point-to-point, so the scenery is always new; meaning, the course is not boring! Then, the finisher medal doubles as a coaster – how perfect is that? After finishing, the runners stay around for tasting and socializing. It’s so refreshing to participate in an event where everyone doesn’t just rush away after afterwards.