Calero Trail Run (Winter)
San Jose, CA
- 50K, Marathon, 25K, Half Marathon, 15K, 10K, 5K, 1 Miler, Kids Run
- Trail (Unpaved)
- Official race website
Beginning at Calero Park, this trail run has everything! Experience awesome single track, great hills, dirt paths. It is a challenging, fantastic trainer for Western States that includes oak trees, exposure, good heat training, and panoramic vistas.
Local Historical Weather (Dec 06):
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
| H (°F) | 59 | 71 | 62 | 55 | 54 |
| L (°F) | 42 | 43 | 46 | 45 | 45 |
Find Nearby Lodging (hotel, rental, etc.):
Muddy
I enjoyed the Calero Trail Run. I recommend it. It was muddy and tough. It also was rainy and cold. I finished fourth from the bottom, with another lackluster time. … MORE
I enjoyed the Calero Trail Run. I recommend it. It was muddy and tough. It also was rainy and cold. I finished fourth from the bottom, with another lackluster time. In my defense, I ran 38 half marathons that year, a full, and 8 other races, while making it through COVID, a kidney stone, and pink eye.
I am writing, however, to praise Troy and his team. I have done a few races with them. I would do more if they were located more conveniently. I infer his base is not San Francisco but maybe San Jose, and for these purposes my base is San Francisco (I live in New York City, and my wife is in SF). That is the only reason I don’t run with this outfit more. They’re not convenient from my location.
What distinguishes them is the number of options they offer for distances. I am approaching 200 half marathons, and I have never encountered another organizer who puts on events with this many choices. I almost always do the half, but if for some reason you wanted to experiment these folks will accomodate that. (The briefings are long and detailed. The ribbons marking the appropriate trail are excellent; I’ve gotten lost more than once out there, but not with Troy.)
The other aspect of their series which is different and better is the ease of transferring the registration price to another event. Like almost all their peers, they do not offer refunds. I understand that policy. I do not object, since it is explained clearly and it ensures I show up. For 18 months I had a serious health concern, requiring chemotherapy, and a couple of them were kind enough then. But by and large, if something comes up, you are out of luck no matter how legitimate the excuse may seem. Well, Troy allows you to defer to a later run. That is generous.