Wine-O-Trail Run Recap in Winfield Kansas: A Race to Remember 2022
This post is a little overdue but I’m finally getting it out there. A few weeks ago, May 21,2022, my running buddy and I went down to Winfield, Kansas for the Wine-o Trail run. This event took runners on a scenic tour of the beautiful countryside, and it was definitely worth the trip.
Why We Decided to Run the Wine-O Trail run Hosted by Wheat State Wine Company
The race was only an hour drive from our houses, and we had been wanting to branch out from our usual Wichita races. We also love trying new wines (especially local ones) and this race seemed like the perfect opportunity to do both. And we were not disappointed!
Also, I’m a road runner. I would love to do more trails but there just really aren’t many in the area that I live. But drive an hour southeast and the flint hills are welcoming with some amazing trails. The Wine-O Trail run fit the bill to get us off the pavement and out into the woods a little more!
Lodging for the Race
If you live in the Wichita, KS area then lodging probably won’t be a big concern. Even if you are in Ponca City, OK region same thing. From Wichita, Winfield is only about an hour drive. For a race this isn’t bad to get up in the morning and drive there same day. Especially since the race doesn’t start until later in the morning.
However, there are a few different hotels in the Winfield area that are your generic smaller town hotels. There is also an adorable bed and breakfast called The Barns at Timber Creek that I have been to for a wedding in the area as well!
I will say that most of the runner’s coming to this race were local-ish as it is a fairly small race. But would definitely be worth driving a few hours for!
Race Registration and Packet Pickup at Wheat State Wine Co
Registration was a breeze. Everything is set up through Run Sign-Up which I love since I have an account already and it is a great way to track and organize upcoming and past races!
The race was hosted by the Wheat State Wine Company to benefit the local hospital foundation, the William Newton Healthcare Foundation, and they did a great job! We arrived in Winfield the morning of the race (actually only about 30 minutes before race start) and easily found packet pickup. They had some delicious wine for sale, as well as beer, coffee, and shakes from a local nutrition company (for those not interested in wine).
We picked up our packets, which included a race bib and a cotton race shirt and some local coupons.
Restrooms and Aid Stations at the Wine-O Trail Run Review
There are a few restrooms inside the wine shop itself but in the back they had about a dozen port-o-potties. They were extremely clean and they also had several hand washing stations. Couldn’t have asked for a better set-up!
During the 5k race there were 2 aid stations at mile 1 and mile 2. They had volunteers as well as water and wine to hydrate with!
The Course and Scenery were Perfect at the Wine-O Trail Run
There are 3 different race distances available. A 10k run, a 5k run/walk, and a 2 mile walk.
Knowing that we weren’t prepared for trail running and hills we decided to do the 5k. However, the 2 mile walk looks like a lot of fun! All the 2 mile participants were carrying bottles and glasses of wine along with them on the trail!
The course is a loop style course with different courses for each of the 3 events. The each start and finish at the same spot but split off at different points to accommodate their length.
The scenery was perfect. The race takes place in the Flint Hills of Kansas and it is just absolutely beautiful out there. The first mile is a little rough with it going down into and back up a creek/river ravine. At the 1 mile mark is the first aid station that includes a port-a-potty and drinks. Not only do they have water at the aid stations but also small little shot glasses of wine too!
Things evened out for the next .75 mile or so and was just beautiful countryside, with some cow patties along the way too to look out for! The hardest part for me was the next stretch on a gravel road. The gravel was very large in size and was difficult to run on, add that to the Kansas wind that day and it made for a really hard mile or so!
The race finishes in a wooded area again with some technical bridges and narrow paths. My only complaint was the 5k course ended up being about 3.4 miles on both mine and Sasha’s Garmins!
My Race Results and Recap at the Wine-O Trail Run
This race was fairly small and I ended up 28th out of 140 runners overall. Which being my first trail race (and run) in over 8 years I’m completely happy with! For 2022 I’m focusing on distance and miles ran instead of training for speed or specific distances. This was a fun race and a PR wasn’t a goal. BUT, for a trail race it is a PR for me lol!
The Race Swag Review
Not your typical race swag of a medal with this race but I loved it! They gave out a cute custom Wine-O trail run wine glass at the end that you got to fill with your included post race glass of wine.
In addition we got the cute tee shirt and all purchases were 10% off for the day of the event.
Overall Thoughts on the Wine-O Trail Run in Winfield, Kansas
After the race we enjoyed some more wine (and beer) and hung out for a bit before heading home. They had a couple of food trucks and a local cover band for some entertainment!
If you are looking for a fun race in a beautiful setting, with great wine (or beer) afterwards, I would highly recommend the Wine-O Trail run! And if you live in the Wichita area, it is definitely worth the drive to Winfield.
Overall, it was a great experience and we will definitely be back next year!
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Winfield Kansas Wine-O Trail Run 5k Race Review
Dr. Abby Siler, PT, DPT is a Physical Therapist with 10 years of experience in a variety of settings. She has spent the majority of her time treating athletes in orthopedic clinics and worker’s compensation cases. She is a runner herself for the past 15 years and a lifelong athlete. Dr. Abby loves to teach runners how to stay injury free and out of her clinic.