Sonoma, CA (May 24, 2017) – The 7th running of the Virginia Wine Country Half Marathon, Presented by HomeAway, takes place at Doukenie Winery in Loudoun County on Saturday, June 3rd. Destination Races produces the event as part of the popular Wine Country Half Marathon series with its six events in North America. It’s the only race in the series located on the east coast and it’s remained a favorite of runners seeking a more bucolic setting away from the hustle and bustle of major cities.
The 13.1-mile loop course starts and finishes amongst the lush vineyards and farmland at Doukenie Winery. The foothills of the rugged Blue Ridge Mountains serve as a backdrop to runners as they run on historic country roads past horse farms and rolling estates before finishing running up the picturesque vineyard framed driveway for the final half mile into Doukenie Winery. Once across the finish line, runners and their guests are treated to the post-race Wine and Music Festival featuring live music, awards ceremony, exhibitor booths, and wine tasting from a dozen of Loudoun County’s wineries. The top three finishers in each age category (21 and older) receive a certificate good for a bottle of wine at one of the participating wineries. Prize money and wine are awarded to the top three overall finishers.
Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg, VA hosts the Race Expo on Friday, June 2nd. The Expo is where runners and guests can pick up their race packets; sample products from health and wellness exhibitors, purchase event apparel and merchandise, attend a seminar and relax and enjoy Lansdowne Resort. The Expo is open to the public. For those unable to attend the Expo, participants can sign up online for early packet pickup at the Potomac River Running Store in Arlington on Thursday, June 1st from 4:00 p.m. to 7:45 p.m., with a group run at 6:00 p.m.
New this year is the 5K, also starting and finishing at Doukenie Winery. Registration will remain open for both the half marathon and 5K until sold out. Plenty of parking is available at the winery, and bus transportation is also offered from Loudoun Country and Arlington on race day. For more information and registration visit: http://www.destinationraces.com/runvirginia
The event benefits the following charities and non-profit organizations: Special Olympics of Loudoun County; the Organization for Autism Research (OAR); LuMind Research Down Syndrome Foundation; Girls on the Run of Northern Virginia; and Loudoun County Road Runners.
About Destination Races
Destination Races, based in Sonoma, California, is the pioneer producer of the Wine Country Half Marathon Series. Founded in 2004, the Wine Country Half Marathon Series consists of races across notable wine regions in North America, offering unforgettable experiences on and off the course, including the popular post-race festival. Runners travel to participate in these boutique destination races designed to feature the area’s top wineries and other attractions. Current wine country races are also held in Napa-Sonoma; Healdsburg and Santa Barbara, California; Oregon (Willamette Valley); and Kelowna, B.C. Destination Races also produces the new IPA 10K and Beer Mile Invitational in Sebastopol, CA. For more information on the event series and Destination Races, visit DestinationRaces.com.
About Loudoun Wineries Association
Loudoun County is now being recognized as one of the leading wine destinations in the country. The Loudoun Wineries Association (LWA) enables the success of the Loudoun County wine industry by promoting agriculture, social stewardship and by facilitating marketing, legislation, education, and communications between member wineries and their partners. The LWA and its membership are committed to collectively fostering responsible and ethical standards, which positively impact the community they share. For more information visit: https://lwa.wildapricot.org/.
