I've thought about my experience and the race itself quite a bit over the last 10 days. I'm really hot/cold about it, but overall it did leave a positive impression … MORE
I’ve thought about my experience and the race itself quite a bit over the last 10 days. I’m really hot/cold about it, but overall it did leave a positive impression in my mind.
Race Communication: This was really well done. Bordered on too much communication. When I had to look up the address or info on the race, I had the emails that said it. Well done.
Expo/Packet-pickup: They give the option for mailed out packets for $20. I should have done this but decided not to. This is a great option and I’m please to see it. They also have an option to pay for race day pick-up. Also a great option and happy to see it be a pay option so that not everyone is waiting in line day of to get their packet. For the rest of us who went to the Moxy to get our packets, it was only so-so. I wasn’t greeted well. I had to guess where to go. There were only a couple vendors and nothing drew me to their tables. The hotel lobby was small and just kind of “meh.” There was a lot of focus on all the weekend activities and the whole party vibe; but for those of us who don’t do the party thing, there was nothing for me. Parking by the hotel was non-existent. And downtown Oakland, with empty lots and graffiti, I’m glad that I had the option to be dropped off and picked up and didn’t have to park my car.
SWAG: I thought that there was an option for free A’s tickets. I guess I was wrong. They had discount tickets to a soccer game. But that wouldn’t interest me. Other than that, the only SWAG was the tech shirt. The shirt is one of the best fitting shirts I’ve received as SWAG in a long time, so that’s a bonus. But for the price we paid, I would hope for more SWAG.
Race day parking: Um … no. I was not going to park my car in West Oakland to be unattended. BART wasn’t an option, so again, I had my husband drop me off. In the future, I’d like to have the option of paid/attended parking that the race organizes. Maybe something within the closed streets set aside for the starting line. OR … start the race 20 minutes later so BART is an option.
Gear Check: Grateful for gear check. But it wasn’t well marked. But it did exactly what it was supposed to do.
Porta-potties: Plenty of them. Long line right before the start, but that’s not unusual.
Pre-Start/Staring Line: The announcing was good. Could hear him well everywhere. He made a few smarmy comments about men liking the men:woman ratio. Probably in poor taste.
There was a pre-race warm-up. I didn’t do it. But for people who like that sort of thing, it was there.
There were no clear markings on paces. Everyone just kind of got in a big group. The pacers were all at the starting line, which just doesn’t work well. I know this was a small-ish race, but they still should have been somewhat spaced out with the slower paces in back.
The race started on time. Which is a huge plus in my book.
Course: This is why I signed up for this race. The scenery. I am captivated by the water and the bridge and even the cranes/port. It’s unfortunate that in order to get to the bridge one has to run through West Oakland. Between the graffiti, homeless encampments, destroyed cars, and I-880, the first and last 4 miles were ugly. There were very few spectators. Spectators make or break a race for me. So to not have anyone cheering us along is hard. I was super grateful for OPD and their hard work in directing traffic. That was greatly appreciated.
The bay bridge is awesome. This is the first time I’ve run on it and I’m wondering why I’ve not made the trek out there before. There is great scenery both directions of the bridge.
Water stops: except for the 3 mile stretch on the bridge, the water stops were spaced pretty well. I took my own hydration pack so I didn’t need the water stops, but I noticed them and did take an electrolyte drink. The last water stop before the bridge (or first after the bridge returning) could be closer to the bridge to shorten that span.
Race Day Pics: Free pics! This is great. I hate paying $150 for a race to only shell out $50 for some crappy photos. I love that races are starting to include free race day pics. However, since I’m a slower runner in the last half of the pack, there was only one photographer who was facing me when I ran past him. I saw one guy get up and start packing up before I approached him. On the bridge they were all facing the returning runners. I was bummed to only see one still there was I was on my return trip. There were no pictures of me finishing the race either, which makes me sad.
Finish Line: I love the announcing the runners as they cross. One benefit of being at the back of the pack is being alone when I cross the finish line and having the ability to have my name called out. It’s encouraging.
Post-Race Party: There was a lot of confusion over where to get the Tacos and what the tickets where for. And confusion on where the beer was. I only found it because I just wandered around. The tacos were pretty good, although very small. The beer was awesome! Great taste and fun that it was a specialty brew for the race. I would have liked to see some more chairs or even stand up tables at the party. it was hard to eat my taco and carry my stuff. (Although I should have picked up my gear first, that’s on me.) I appreciated that the band was removed from the finish line. I’ve been to races where the band and the finish line PA were competing that it was all just noise; so it was good to have those feel like separate things.
This race showcased West Oakland. West Oakland is rough. I’m a suburban-ite so that was hard. The race was well organized and the Oak Run Co is a great group that I will continue to do things with.
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Iconic Oakland Scenery
I've thought about my experience and the race itself quite a bit over the last 10 days. I'm really hot/cold about it, but overall it did leave a positive impression … MORE
I’ve thought about my experience and the race itself quite a bit over the last 10 days. I’m really hot/cold about it, but overall it did leave a positive impression in my mind.
Race Communication: This was really well done. Bordered on too much communication. When I had to look up the address or info on the race, I had the emails that said it. Well done.
Expo/Packet-pickup: They give the option for mailed out packets for $20. I should have done this but decided not to. This is a great option and I’m please to see it. They also have an option to pay for race day pick-up. Also a great option and happy to see it be a pay option so that not everyone is waiting in line day of to get their packet. For the rest of us who went to the Moxy to get our packets, it was only so-so. I wasn’t greeted well. I had to guess where to go. There were only a couple vendors and nothing drew me to their tables. The hotel lobby was small and just kind of “meh.” There was a lot of focus on all the weekend activities and the whole party vibe; but for those of us who don’t do the party thing, there was nothing for me. Parking by the hotel was non-existent. And downtown Oakland, with empty lots and graffiti, I’m glad that I had the option to be dropped off and picked up and didn’t have to park my car.
SWAG: I thought that there was an option for free A’s tickets. I guess I was wrong. They had discount tickets to a soccer game. But that wouldn’t interest me. Other than that, the only SWAG was the tech shirt. The shirt is one of the best fitting shirts I’ve received as SWAG in a long time, so that’s a bonus. But for the price we paid, I would hope for more SWAG.
Race day parking: Um … no. I was not going to park my car in West Oakland to be unattended. BART wasn’t an option, so again, I had my husband drop me off. In the future, I’d like to have the option of paid/attended parking that the race organizes. Maybe something within the closed streets set aside for the starting line. OR … start the race 20 minutes later so BART is an option.
Gear Check: Grateful for gear check. But it wasn’t well marked. But it did exactly what it was supposed to do.
Porta-potties: Plenty of them. Long line right before the start, but that’s not unusual.
Pre-Start/Staring Line: The announcing was good. Could hear him well everywhere. He made a few smarmy comments about men liking the men:woman ratio. Probably in poor taste.
There was a pre-race warm-up. I didn’t do it. But for people who like that sort of thing, it was there.
There were no clear markings on paces. Everyone just kind of got in a big group. The pacers were all at the starting line, which just doesn’t work well. I know this was a small-ish race, but they still should have been somewhat spaced out with the slower paces in back.
The race started on time. Which is a huge plus in my book.
Course: This is why I signed up for this race. The scenery. I am captivated by the water and the bridge and even the cranes/port. It’s unfortunate that in order to get to the bridge one has to run through West Oakland. Between the graffiti, homeless encampments, destroyed cars, and I-880, the first and last 4 miles were ugly. There were very few spectators. Spectators make or break a race for me. So to not have anyone cheering us along is hard. I was super grateful for OPD and their hard work in directing traffic. That was greatly appreciated.
The bay bridge is awesome. This is the first time I’ve run on it and I’m wondering why I’ve not made the trek out there before. There is great scenery both directions of the bridge.
Water stops: except for the 3 mile stretch on the bridge, the water stops were spaced pretty well. I took my own hydration pack so I didn’t need the water stops, but I noticed them and did take an electrolyte drink. The last water stop before the bridge (or first after the bridge returning) could be closer to the bridge to shorten that span.
Race Day Pics: Free pics! This is great. I hate paying $150 for a race to only shell out $50 for some crappy photos. I love that races are starting to include free race day pics. However, since I’m a slower runner in the last half of the pack, there was only one photographer who was facing me when I ran past him. I saw one guy get up and start packing up before I approached him. On the bridge they were all facing the returning runners. I was bummed to only see one still there was I was on my return trip. There were no pictures of me finishing the race either, which makes me sad.
Finish Line: I love the announcing the runners as they cross. One benefit of being at the back of the pack is being alone when I cross the finish line and having the ability to have my name called out. It’s encouraging.
Post-Race Party: There was a lot of confusion over where to get the Tacos and what the tickets where for. And confusion on where the beer was. I only found it because I just wandered around. The tacos were pretty good, although very small. The beer was awesome! Great taste and fun that it was a specialty brew for the race. I would have liked to see some more chairs or even stand up tables at the party. it was hard to eat my taco and carry my stuff. (Although I should have picked up my gear first, that’s on me.) I appreciated that the band was removed from the finish line. I’ve been to races where the band and the finish line PA were competing that it was all just noise; so it was good to have those feel like separate things.
This race showcased West Oakland. West Oakland is rough. I’m a suburban-ite so that was hard. The race was well organized and the Oak Run Co is a great group that I will continue to do things with.
Breathtaking!
One of the best races I’ve ever experienced, the route was beautiful and I felt safe. I would have liked a few more water stations but was otherwise great. MORE
One of the best races I’ve ever experienced, the route was beautiful and I felt safe. I would have liked a few more water stations but was otherwise great.
New favorite half marathon
Great organization and venue. Spectacular run on the Bay Bridge from Oakland to Yerba Buena Island over the San Francisco Bay. Put it on your bucket list if you enjoy … MORE
Great organization and venue. Spectacular run on the Bay Bridge from Oakland to Yerba Buena Island over the San Francisco Bay. Put it on your bucket list if you enjoy half marathons!
Unique Experience You Don’t Want To Miss
Such a fun race with an amazing pre-race line up of unique events leading to race day! Race logistics were clearly outlined via email, and communication was frequent and consistent … MORE
Such a fun race with an amazing pre-race line up of unique events leading to race day! Race logistics were clearly outlined via email, and communication was frequent and consistent leading to a seamless race day experience. The course was clearly marked with cones, mile markers and volunteers, local police blocking traffic to ensure safety, and plenty of water stations along the way with both water and electrolytes. Scenery was great, with most runners trying to hold their hands steady enough to take pictures leading up to and over the Bay Bridge! Post race was equally fun! Runners finish with an immediate medal like no other, with a ticket for tacos and a beer glass to celebrate! Plenty of local partners offering a fun atmosphere to stick around for, including a live band and a race-specific canned beer of “Liquid Medal!” Such a fun, and unique experience! My friend and I had a great time, and will 100% be back next year!
A great half in the bay area
I was worried about the elevation gain as a lot of races in SF have a high elevation gain. This course is not bad at all while having beautiful views … MORE
I was worried about the elevation gain as a lot of races in SF have a high elevation gain. This course is not bad at all while having beautiful views as you run across the bay bridge. Also great organization day of
Beautiful views on the Bay Bridge
I signed up for this race in 2019 for 2020. After two years of deferral, I finally ran the race. I will say that it was worth the wait. I … MORE
I signed up for this race in 2019 for 2020. After two years of deferral, I finally ran the race. I will say that it was worth the wait.
I chose to pay for the Expo-in-the-Box to have my bib and shirt shipped to me instead of driving into Oakland. For me, it was worth the price. The box also came with extra snacks and Oak Run Co Bibboards.
I arrived early race morning and there was plenty of street parking near the race start.
Race website listed 2:45:00 and 3:00:00 pacers, but they only had pacers to 2:30:00. This was disappointing. I ended up not needing a pacer, though, because I finished in 2:44:32.
This race has a 3:00:00 time limit posted, but there were many that finished after that time.
I enjoyed the course. It was great to run on the Bay Bridge Trail. The weather was perfect and the views were gorgeous. Well placed aid station with plenty of water and sports drink. The volunteers were great.
Loved the medal with the cranes and the bridge. We received a pint glass at the finish. There were tacos, but I did not want to wait in line. We also got a can of Old Kan beer. I gave it to my husband. Lol.
This race should be run at least once.
Straight forward, energetic, upbeat race
Great view, perfect weather, good crowd control, plenty of amenities, a good race for a novice and great for a PR! It doesn’t get much better! MORE
Great view, perfect weather, good crowd control, plenty of amenities, a good race for a novice and great for a PR! It doesn’t get much better!
Beautiful Bay Views!
- Race package pick up was normal although I wish there was more "swag", as in there was none- once you finish the race you get a medal, a can … MORE
– Race package pick up was normal although I wish there was more “swag”, as in there was none- once you finish the race you get a medal, a can of beer, and a glass beer cup. No snacks, no gels, no biofreeze/muscle creams, etc. All stuff that I have gotten before in other runs
– Race itself was beautiful, lots of really nice views of the bay, SF and the bay bridge! Really nice to run near so much water, thankfully it was a really nice day!
Great first race
I can’t compare it to any other race because it was my first one, but the atmosphere was beyond amazing! It was a beautiful scenery while running and all the … MORE
I can’t compare it to any other race because it was my first one, but the atmosphere was beyond amazing! It was a beautiful scenery while running and all the event staff was friendly.
poor surfaces, bad pacers, short race
The distance was only 12.9 miles (confirmed by several different devices). The pacers were wrongly spaced to start: 1:50 was in front of 1:40 and 2:00 and 2:10 were right … MORE
The distance was only 12.9 miles (confirmed by several different devices).
The pacers were wrongly spaced to start: 1:50 was in front of 1:40 and 2:00 and 2:10 were right up at the front with the others. All of the paces were within 20 feet of each other at the start of the race, causing everyone to try to get to the front at the starting line, which was a mess.
Packet pickup was a mess – There wasn’t a clear line or a clear sign saying where to start. It seemed like they cared more about what bands would be playing than streamlining packet pickup. Not once did they ever mention the parking situation at packet pickup.
No good swag – I got a bag, a shirt, and a bib. That’s it. Plus, they asked if sizes were male or female, but only had gender neutral shirts (or male shirts). What was the point of asking for female sizes???
This race cared more about have a “cool” packet pickup than putting on a good race.
I do NOT plan on doing this race again.
Great Experience All Around
This was my first half marathon and I am so glad I got to participate with Oak Run Co & Let's Do This! They put on really great pre-race activities … MORE
This was my first half marathon and I am so glad I got to participate with Oak Run Co & Let’s Do This! They put on really great pre-race activities to get us motivated and inspired that were all included in the registration fee. The race itself was well organized and had wonderful energy throughout – from the organizers & volunteers, to the running community themselves! This course was challenging enough for me as a first timer. Running on the Bay Bridge was really cool too. I would recommend this race in the future for anyone in the Bay.
Pretty view of bay but overpriced
-The event was a bit unorganized. Leading up to the event, there were a lot of promo emails on how to get swag, buy merch, but not much specifics on … MORE
-The event was a bit unorganized. Leading up to the event, there were a lot of promo emails on how to get swag, buy merch, but not much specifics on the bib pick up or having a friend pick up.
-The event planner, British site, that they used for registration charged me a foreign transaction fee on my credit card even though the race is local.
-On the week of the event, I received two emails assigning me different bib numbers with no clarification on which one is the right one.
-The event organizers accidentally sent an email to participants that their registration was cancelled and then sent out a follow up apology email for the accidental cancellation.
-The app they used for tracking runners was not great. It was confusing to use – annoying that you have to create an account to track others, and my significant other said it stopped tracking me around mile 10. Also, in the app I showed up as having two bibs even though I only picked up one (they still had the other bib number that was accidentally generated and emailed out earlier that week.)
-The beginning 3 miles of the race are not really scenic at all. It’s in west oakland so you are just running by run-down warehouses, abandoned lots, and homeless encampments. That, and you are running by somewhat busy roads. Once you make it towards the bay bridge, you are running on the sidewalk. They don’t close down any of the lanes on the bay bridge so it’s a bit crammed. And the thing that sucks is that for around 7 miles or so you have no cheering because no supporters can be on the bay bridge. Even with the nice view of the bay, it’s not super pleasant because you have all of the traffic and cars on the bay bridge given that all of the lanes are open.
-There could have been more bathrooms and water stations in my opinion. Also, would’ve been nice to have one station with gels or chews as San Francisco Marathon has done.
-At the end there was surprisingly a decent amount of freebies and the tacos were nice but to be honest I didn’t even know the tickets were for the tacos. I thought they were for the beer. That’s probably why I saw so many abandoned tickets.
Overall, I probably won’t do this run again since the track is not super pretty or inspiring and the lack of organization was a bit annoying.
It was okay.
This would be a fun race if you are from out of the area, but I live here and run the bridge occasionally, so it wasn't special for me. First, … MORE
This would be a fun race if you are from out of the area, but I live here and run the bridge occasionally, so it wasn’t special for me.
First, the production itself was very organized, and I appreciate that. Though the photographers on rollerblades were a bit annoying.
It’s a rough road as the run starts, and the first 3 or so miles are all industrial. as you get closer to the bridge it smooths out and then is smooth all the way up and back on the bridge. The grade is gradual so not a problem in either direction
The course support was fair — water and sport drink only. Some nutrition would have been nice. I had my own, but it’s nice to have there if you need it.
Post race was fun: good band, free beer and tacos.
All in all a decent race.
Stunning Bay View with Passionate Runner
Starting a little late and water station layout and location seems not that perfect, however it‘s a great run overall！Hopefully I can participate it next year 2023！ MORE
Starting a little late and water station layout and location seems not that perfect, however it‘s a great run overall！Hopefully I can participate it next year 2023！
Small-ish race with big race feels
This race was really fun. It’s on the smaller scale, I think about 1000 people raced but the production was so well run that it felt like it could have … MORE
This race was really fun. It’s on the smaller scale, I think about 1000 people raced but the production was so well run that it felt like it could have tens of thousands. The course was pretty simple, go out 6.5 miles, turn around and go back the other way. Leading up to the race I was concerned about the 2 mile “hill” ie the bridge, but it felt a lot more flat than I was anticipating.
The was two things I didn’t like and one that can easily be fixed is the road at the end (and beginning) has a lot of potholes and large cracks which felt dangerous after running 13 miles, maybe if they had some traffic cones or something just to help people avoid those spots. The other thing was the medal handout was right at the finish line, like right there. While most races would have the medals maybe 15 feet back so you could prepare for it. These are really just small issues to an overall well done event. Swag was great, tacos were fantastic. I now have a medal with an AT-AT!
10/10 would recommend and definitely run again
Amazing view and run
This run was awesome. The view was amazing while on the bridge. The music they played before the run was right up my alley. This was the first run that … MORE
This run was awesome. The view was amazing while on the bridge. The music they played before the run was right up my alley. This was the first run that I actually heard my name called out by the DJ when I crossed the finish line. The shirt is great and the medal they gave was super detailed. Bib pickup was easy and I liked how they made a whole four day event party. After the race was great too with the tacos and free can of beer. It worked for me since I’m sober because although the beer remained unopened, the can doubles up as a collectable because there’s a space on there there where you can write your time for the run. Overall, it was an amazing experience and I’d definitely recommend it and do it again.
Sweeping views of the SF Bay!
This is a hometown race for me and the organizers always put on a great local after-party at Old Kan Brewery. The race itself isn’t terribly difficult, which is great … MORE
This is a hometown race for me and the organizers always put on a great local after-party at Old Kan Brewery. The race itself isn’t terribly difficult, which is great for taking in the views on the Bay Bridge, starting in Oakland and crossing the bridge to Yerba Buena Island and back to the start. The only thing I would improve is maybe the on-course atmosphere/cheering in some of the industrial areas, there are points where it can get a bit lonely and motivation can dip especially towards the end. Other than that, it’s a fantastic local race and it is always amazing to run alongside the local running clubs!
Wonderful race!!
Wonderful run along the bay bridge with beautiful views of San Francisco. Course is pretty simple and flat, so this is a good course to go for a PR. The … MORE
Wonderful run along the bay bridge with beautiful views of San Francisco. Course is pretty simple and flat, so this is a good course to go for a PR. The event is also very well organized. Had a lot of fun running this one!!
Beautiful day to run the bay!
Nice swag (custom beer, pint glass, nice medal and shirt), fun bib pick-up parties. Beautiful views from the bridge! Pretty quiet (not a lot of cheering, mostly just at finish … MORE
Nice swag (custom beer, pint glass, nice medal and shirt), fun bib pick-up parties.
Beautiful views from the bridge!
Pretty quiet (not a lot of cheering, mostly just at finish line)
Loved the course. Will do it again!
A great run!
Beautiful, but tough, course. Well spaced hydration stations. Fun finish line and festivities. I had a great time. So glad I was a part of this event! MORE
Beautiful, but tough, course. Well spaced hydration stations. Fun finish line and festivities. I had a great time. So glad I was a part of this event!