Finish Line Wine

By Maureen C. Petrosky

Over the winter some die-hard road runners face the wintry elements, but most have been halfheartedly hitting the treadmill, and many, like myself, hung up their shoes for the season. Last Saturday many race fans, including myself, like bears after that long winter’s nap, shook off their sleepy bones and laced up for the 18th annual Delaware and Raritan Canal 5K in Titusville, NJ. Far from a warm spring day, the wind was whipping off the Delaware and the sun was nowhere to be seen, immediately chilling any exposed extremities. Sounds fun doesn’t it?

Let’s back up to Friday, the night before the race. My usual Friday evening includes a toast to the weekend. Yet, knowing I had to get out there and hustle 3.1 miles I thought better of that that second glass. Ok I had one, just to calm the pre –race nerves. The thing with a race is that you get all this nervous energy beforehand, and while boozing up isn’t the best training technique, one little sip won’t break your stride. After all, I’m not trying to win. I just like the race culture. In fact, I never even ran a mile until last summer. I knew that some of the more popular races like the Spring Lake 5 Mile or the Long Branch Marathon drew from five to ten thousand participants and I figured I must be missing out on something. I’m no athlete and I’ve never been fast but I thought, why not try it?

For me, the best part of running is not the running. Registering for a race gets me into parks and neighborhoods I too often miss because they’re right in my backyard. I’m the one with any excuse to skip exercising, so I thought of an excuse not to miss it--the finish line wine. This is a celebratory sip to toast yourself for doing something good for your community and for your health. So even if you’re not a runner, get out there, pick a race to support this season, and if you do choose to sweat, you may reward yourself with a finish line wine.

This week’s Finish Line Wine:
Aveleda Fonte, Vinho Verde- $8
It’s light and refreshing, making it perfect for someone who’s worked up a thirst. Chilled and spritzy, this young white wine is perfect for after-race brunch time fare, and seeing it’s lower in alcohol it works as a mid-day sip that won’t have you needing a nap.