Lake Chabot Trail Challenge Half Marathon & 5K
Castro Valley, CA
- Half Marathon, 5K
- Road (Paved), Trail (Unpaved)
- Official race website
The Lake Chabot Trail Challenge course is a tough, hilly loop, mainly on dirt fire roads. The ridgeline views look down upon scenic Lake Chabot, surrounding grassy slopes, and eucalyptus groves. Mt. Diablo and San Francisco Bay are also visible along the route. There are five water stations with first … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Jun 07):
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| H (°F) | 71 | 69 | 73 | 68 | 67 |
| L (°F) | 52 | 57 | 57 | 57 | 54 |
Find Nearby Lodging (hotel, rental, etc.):
A Fine Trail
The aid stations were excellent. Each one had water. The most unique aspect of the race was the up and down hills. The race could be improved with more nutrition. MORE
The aid stations were excellent. Each one had water. The most unique aspect of the race was the up and down hills. The race could be improved with more nutrition.
Awesome Trail race
I love the trail course. Beautiful area to run a race. Race was well organized and the support was great. Parking is very limited inside the park. It gets a … MORE
I love the trail course. Beautiful area to run a race. Race was well organized and the support was great. Parking is very limited inside the park. It gets a little crowded in there too.
Always a fun race
This was my third time running the Lake Chabot Trail Challenge. Due to construction around the Lake, the course was very different than years past. Lake Chabot is much less … MORE
This was my third time running the Lake Chabot Trail Challenge. Due to construction around the Lake, the course was very different than years past. Lake Chabot is much less technical than other trail races in the area, with a lot of wide fire trails/roads and manageable ascents and descents. That said, I did trip and fall towards the end, so be careful! I found myself at the medical tent post-race with a few other people who had done the same. This race benefits the local track team, so while the swag isn’t spectacular, it’s all for a good cause.
Nice, low-key local race
LCTC was my first trail half marathon back in 2012. Since then, it seems that the organizers and I have both stepped up our game. Regarding the race itself, the … MORE
LCTC was my first trail half marathon back in 2012. Since then, it seems that the organizers and I have both stepped up our game. Regarding the race itself, the half marathon field has increased to 226 finishers, up from 160. There was at least one aid station that offered Gu gels, in addition to Gatorade and water. At the finish line, volunteers handed out medals (no medals in 2012) and bottles of water and Powerade (they ran out of water by the time I finished in 2012). The t-shirt is still a boxy cotton unisex thing, so I didn’t take one. It’s $10 more expensive than in 2012, but considering the new perks and that it still benefits the Castro Valley Track Club, I didn’t mind the increase.
Personally, I ran a much better race than in 2012. Knowing the course and being a more seasoned trail runner, I pace myself more evenly, finishing 18 minutes faster than in 2012! The biggest key is to be patient while going up Live Oak/Towhee, the steepest and longest ascent of the course. Conserve your energy for the second half. And don’t forget to enjoy your view from the top!
No frills trail half marathon
This race was my very first trail half marathon and so my recollection is that it was a very tough course. However, many trail half marathons later, I can say … MORE
This race was my very first trail half marathon and so my recollection is that it was a very tough course. However, many trail half marathons later, I can say that the course was only moderately difficult, with the biggest challenge being the hill going up the Live Oak/Towhee trails (about 10% grade). The other factors that made this race challenging were the competition (this was the last race of the East Bay Triple Crown – and I finished 153 out of 163 runners) and the weather and exposed trails. In terms of organization, this is a race put on by the Castro Valley (high school) Track Club, so it’s very, very low key. Unlike the trail races put on by other organizations in the Bay Area, the aid stations for the LCTC only had water and Gatorade – no gels or food. There were no medals at the end and the t-shirts were cotton. They raffled away pies and wine at the finish, which was charming and also a bit random. However, registration was only $40 and it all goes towards a good cause, so you get what you pay for.