Oakland Marathon
Oakland, CA
- Marathon, We Run the Town Challenge (5K + Half), Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, Kids Run
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
Are you ready for an amazing weekend of movement, with attractions featuring local performers, artists and businesses? Let’s move our bodies together & feel the electricity that powers us all to new heights. Join us in celebrating the inspiration, resilience & history of the Town! … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Mar 22):
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| H (°F) | 73 | 61 | 67 | 57 | 78 |
| L (°F) | 49 | 49 | 52 | 48 | 49 |
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Oakland Marathon's Downhill Slide
Having participated in the Oakland Marathon since 2018, I've witnessed firsthand how much the event has declined since transitioning away from Corrigan Sports Enterprises (CSE) management. Bib pickup was smooth, … MORE
Having participated in the Oakland Marathon since 2018, I’ve witnessed firsthand how much the event has declined since transitioning away from Corrigan Sports Enterprises (CSE) management. Bib pickup was smooth, but Run Local has cut corners nearly everywhere else. This year there was no fruit at the finish line — not even bananas, a basic staple at any road race. Instead, runners were handed bags of Lay’s, Ruffles, and chocolate filled brioche rolls. Last year they were cutting bananas in half; this year they eliminated them altogether. Healthier recovery options like coconut water, energy date balls, or roasted chickpeas would go a long way.
The race-day shirts have also noticeably decreased in quality since Run Local took over. Compared to the shirts received under Corrigan Sports Enterprises, the current shirts are significantly sheerer, suggesting a lower thread count, looser weave, or reduced material — all hallmarks of cost-cutting measures that result in a lighter, cheaper garment. What’s more, every participant — whether they ran a 5K, 10K, half, or full marathon — received the same medal with the same ribbon. Under Corrigan Sports Enterprises, each race distance had its own unique medal and ribbon, which made the achievement feel special and distinct.
For future runners: train for hills — this course is hilly. Also temper your expectations around scenery and crowd support, as neither is a strong suit of this race. Lean on your own mental strength and arrange for friends and family to cheer you on at key points if that matters to you.
Well-organized - not a flat course
Bib pickup and expo: Bib pickup was super efficient and quick. The expo was nice and included booths from companies that provided the on-course electrolytes and energy gels. Swag: All … MORE
Bib pickup and expo: Bib pickup was super efficient and quick. The expo was nice and included booths from companies that provided the on-course electrolytes and energy gels.
Swag: All runners received a nice black Under Armour shirt; half and full distance runners got the long-sleeved version. Full marathon runners also received an Under Armour duffel bag, which will make a great gym bag. The medal was big and blingy.
Travel logistics: I can’t comment much since I’m local, but my understanding is that the half and full marathon start times are too early for most people to take BART. 10K and 5K runners might have that option. Driving and especially parking in the morning can be a bit of a pain.
Race morning: The race started in self-sorted waves, with a couple of minutes between each. Runners lined up in corrals based on their anticipated pace. The race didn’t start exactly at 7:00 a.m. because a couple of speakers wanted to say a few words. It would be better if those remarks happened before 7:00, with the race starting right on time.
Course details: As the title suggests, this course is not flat. The half and full routes include some short but very steep hills between miles 3 and 6. Then there’s the Bay Bridge, which is also not flat, though thankfully less steep. The course was extremely well marked, with plenty of volunteers at every intersection blocking traffic and cheering.
Last year’s issue at the half marathon/full marathon split was more than resolved. Previously, the turnaround point for half marathoners was poorly marked, causing some runners to overshoot. This year (2026), there were multiple signs, cones, and volunteers clearly directing runners. What an improvement!
Crowds: There were lots of spectators along the in-town portions of the route. Once the course heads toward the harbor and Bay Bridge, the crowds understandably thin out. The taiko drummers are always a highlight for me.
Aid stations: There were plenty of aid stations, all well stocked, which was important given the relatively warm conditions (73°F / 23°C) toward the end. The race could benefit from more porta-potties, especially at the first few aid stations, where lines were pretty long.
Finish line: Great crowds and good vibes. It was easy to navigate and find your people afterward.
For the race organization: This is more of a critique of runners than the organizers, but perhaps something the organizers could help address. The amount of litter along the route really hurt my heart. Maybe you can put trash cans ever .25 miles and encourage people to drop their trash in (or near) those cans. Even on the Bay Bridge, where you know all the litter is swept straight into the Bay, 4+ hour runners still act like the elites, just chucking their gel packets on the ground. Those gels likely came out of a pocket, why not stick it back in there? I do not understand that behavior at all. Runners: be better, do better!
A Scenary and Hilly Marathon
A portion of this marathon run on the bike path of the Bay bridge. The scenery is stunning. I was not used to the loud traffic along my side while … MORE
A portion of this marathon run on the bike path of the Bay bridge. The scenery is stunning. I was not used to the loud traffic along my side while I am running. For this reason, it is more tiresome than other marathons while running on the bridge.
The route runs through the lake side, commercial area, residential area, harbor, as well as the bridge. It provides a good summary of the city of Oakland. The route is hilly. Fortunately, the steep hills are short in distance.
A few mile markers are missing, include the last three mile markers. I had an accurate alignment with mile 23 mile marker. However, the final distance was 0.3 mile longer than my watch. Something is wrong there.
The start time was delayed by three of promotion talks. That’s annoying.
Hometown whats not to like
I live in Oakland, love to run my town. Half marathon route takes in Lake Merritt, North Oakland neighborhoods in the foothills, Uptown, warehousey Jack London area. The varied city … MORE
I live in Oakland, love to run my town. Half marathon route takes in Lake Merritt, North Oakland neighborhoods in the foothills, Uptown, warehousey Jack London area. The varied city tour is great if you are a local. Both times I ran it, start was delayed, so stay warm and don’t ditch your throw away until your wave actually starts.
I’ve only run the half marathon route. The full marathon route adds running over the Bay Bridge on the pedestrian footpath. I tried the Bay Bridge once in training and I hated the really loud traffic noise, so I think the half is the one to do. The end of the race is a long slog up and down 3rd street but then you sweep back around a bend to the lake to a good finish. When you are up in the neighborhoods in north Oakland the locals are out in their front yards cheering you up and down the hills. There are a few good cheer zones around the course, and the course comes to Lake Merritt a couple of times so your supports can easily see you at least twice. The 5k is around Lake Merritt, 10k ads uptown and warehouses, half marathon adds in the foothill neighborhoods, and then the full marathon adds the Bay Bridge (ugh). So all distances good routes except the full.
Finish zone was crowded. Transportation is def not the easiest, I took rideshare to close to the start then walked in. But I’m used to this part of Oakland. For an out of towner it’s not the easiest race logistically.
"Nice" event but hilly and meh route
I thought this race was very well run. They had a vibrant and well organized pre/post-race area at the Kaiser center, it was nice to have a central base vs. … MORE
I thought this race was very well run. They had a vibrant and well organized pre/post-race area at the Kaiser center, it was nice to have a central base vs. just milling at the start way ahead of time. The atmosphere was fun and friendly and supportive, and overall it was a lot of fun! I would definitely recommend it to others and plan to do it again next year.
Some of the downsides (which I mention in terms of things that could be improved, but don’t rise to the level of reasons not to do the race!) are the hills and the last few miles of the course could be improved. The part around Lake Merritt was gorgeous, which is the beginning and middle. The hilly part from miles 3-6ish was not fun, but it was a challenge so okay. The last several miles through downtown was kind of a depressing finish… There weren’t many ppl cheering, it seemed to be through an industrial/shut down/deserted part of downtown, and so it was both bad scenery and not motivating. I know there are nicer parts of Oakland to run so I wish they could modify the course for next year – ending by going around Lake Merritt would be much more fun.
Hard Race, Fun Time
Loved the production of this race - from the expo, to the shakeout, to the vendors they had afterwards. It was a huge, fun, community day. The Half starts w … MORE
Loved the production of this race – from the expo, to the shakeout, to the vendors they had afterwards. It was a huge, fun, community day.
The Half starts w the Full & the corralls were PACKED. They sent off in waves and I wasn’t too sure what the waves were so I was in the back fighting for the first 7 miles to catch up to the pace group I wanted to be with (but by that time, I had already been faster than that pace so kindof a win!).
The hills in the first half were brutal. Hardest hills, lots of vert. However, after that, it’s pretty much all downhill until you get to the last mile or so, then a slight hill.
The finish line was tough to exit. You were packed in, fighting for 10-15 mins to get out of the finish corrall, shoulder to shoulder with allllll the other runners.
It was tough lol.
I PR’d, and had the course been a bit more flat, would have had an even bigger PR.
Well-organized race w/ a few steep hills
Packet pickup at the expo was easy and efficient. This year bibs were assigned right there at the expo, so the volunteers didn't have to sift through stacks of bibs … MORE
Packet pickup at the expo was easy and efficient. This year bibs were assigned right there at the expo, so the volunteers didn’t have to sift through stacks of bibs to find the correct number. They scanned your QR code, grabbed a random bib from the top of the stack, plugged the bib number into their app and you’re all set. Quick and easy.
There were a bunch of vendors at the expo, but I never have any interest in any of them so I don’t really have an opinion about the expo, or the swag. That said, the long sleeve race shirt is cool and one that I will actually wear. It’s a comfy Under Armour shirt.
The race itself started pretty much on time this year. I crossed the start line at 7:07am. The weather was perfect; cool and sunny. No wheelchair athletes this year for the half and full distance, which makes sense, because last year some folks really struggled on the SUPER steep few hills this route take you over. Starting at mile 3, there are a couple of vile hills. Runners new to this race should definitely check out the elevation profile. It’s pretty hard on the legs, especially considering the Bay Bridge coming in at around mile 15. The Bay Bridge isn’t particularly steep going up, or coming down, but it comes at a time when you already have about 15 miles in the legs, which makes it interesting.
My only negative is that there was no race marshal at the half/full split! There were so many volunteers, at nearly all intersections. It was great! But there is a point in the race where the half does a 180 degree turn and starts running back towards the finish line and the marathon runners continue on. And yes – there was a sign; a pretty big one. But I saw several runners who missed the sign and carried on in the wrong direction (you can tell based on bib color). Out of the 100s of volunteers, they really should have just posted a person at that split I think.
I ran a PB. And while this route isn’t perhaps the most scenic, I do would absolutely run this race again, given the opportunity.
Poorly Planned
Others touched on much of this, but overall, this race was poorly put on. I arrived at the race an hour early to sit in traffic at the freeway exit … MORE
Others touched on much of this, but overall, this race was poorly put on. I arrived at the race an hour early to sit in traffic at the freeway exit to park at a garage the organizers recommended, only to find out the garage was closed. I had to park on downtown streets that are notorious for break-ins, thinking I was late. I had to sprint from a parking spot a mile away, Only to find out the race was delayed half an hour.
Packet pick is in a building with closed sidewalks, and we walked through a homeless encampment.
Disappointing
I have ran this race a handful of times and it has always been a personal favorite but this year was incredibly disappointing. The venue and course this year were … MORE
I have ran this race a handful of times and it has always been a personal favorite but this year was incredibly disappointing. The venue and course this year were different. We started 30 min late, I know things happen, but we weren’t really given any reason as to why. The race itself was nice and scenic and there were plenty of water stations, thank you volunteers! The ending was HORRID. After you cross the finish line you are corralled with everyone else slowly moving forward to get you medal, then you can’t even enjoy the vendors because there is no room to move. I generally like to hang out after, check out the festival, mingle, grab my free beer. This time I could not get out of there fast enough. Huge disappointment for how much you pay. I won’t do this again if they keep the same venue setup.
Awful organizers. Never run this race
Listen, I understand s*** happens. Some stuff on race day is not going to be perfect but the lack of care from this organization/race director is just everything that is … MORE
Listen, I understand s*** happens. Some stuff on race day is not going to be perfect but the lack of care from this organization/race director is just everything that is wrong with Oakland. They send an email saying “it’s not our responsibility but the city is opening a lot to park at 6 am Sunday” we drive there NOPE. Running a race in the middle of a place where everyone gets their car windows smashed before public transit starts is legit insane. Also it’s not cute or funny to say “oh Oakland” when you delay the race 30 minutes without telling anyone anything. Like do your jobs. Pathetic never returning to this (nice shirt and medal tho)
Oakland Marathon Running Festival
A nice way to knock Cali off your state list is by visiting Oakland and San Fran. So many iconic sites to see....but on to the Marathon. Put on by … MORE
A nice way to knock Cali off your state list is by visiting Oakland and San Fran. So many iconic sites to see….but on to the Marathon. Put on by ‘Run Local’ in 2023, they did a nice job of accentuating the City and giving a local vibe to the event. The course itself is fairly fast. It’s a double loop, which some folks hate, but I kinda like knowing what’s next. It’s mostly flat, but there are some noticeable inclines. Mile 3 has a nice bump to it. There is a 4 mile out n back on each loop. The two miles ‘out’ are about an average 2 to 2.5% grade incline. Not horrible, but you can see it and feel it. Makes for a nice decent on the 2 miles coming back though. Especially miles 22 to 24 are a nice place to descend. I stayed at the Marriot on Broadway and 11th st. It’s about .8 mile of a walk. Highly recommended.
Late course change but fantastic crowd
The marathon course changed to 2x the half a couple weeks before. This was a bummer- my expectations were low but actually the course was good fun. The support up … MORE
The marathon course changed to 2x the half a couple weeks before. This was a bummer- my expectations were low but actually the course was good fun. The support up Broadway was excellent which is just as well because we ran it 4 times. Timing, expo and after party all well done. Course well marked. Overall production was very good.
Inner City with Bay Bridge Run
Interesting course. Not your average marathon, so if you want a change of pace, try Oakland Running Fest. It is 10 years old and going strong. Running on the Bay … MORE
Interesting course. Not your average marathon, so if you want a change of pace, try Oakland Running Fest. It is 10 years old and going strong. Running on the Bay Bridge is an amazing experience!
Bay Bridge now included
Not your everyday kind of race, which is what I loved about it. Ran through some interesting neighborhoods, but the best part was running on the Bay Bridge. Approx 4 … MORE
Not your everyday kind of race, which is what I loved about it. Ran through some interesting neighborhoods, but the best part was running on the Bay Bridge. Approx 4 miles of pure bliss and plenty of picture perfect opportunities. The course was well marked, with plenty of volunteers at the intersections and aid stations. Super cool race hoodie, beautiful medal and outstanding race organization. Can’t wait to go back next year!
It’s just ok
I ran the Oakland half marathon this year as part of a fundraising team for Oakland Animal Services. The half doesn’t start until 9:30, which was kind of frustrating, since … MORE
I ran the Oakland half marathon this year as part of a fundraising team for Oakland Animal Services. The half doesn’t start until 9:30, which was kind of frustrating, since the full starts at 7. (They start the half later so people can participate in the “run the town” challenge, which is running both the 5k and the half. But the 5k starts at 7:30, so there’s a lot of time between the two races.) Anyway, because it starts later in the day, the heat became an issue. The course is not spectacular – there are some cool parts, like running through Chinatown and around Lake Merritt, but for the most part it’s kind of industrial and not very interesting or pretty. There’s also several spots where you’re running through homeless encampments. There’s decent community support for some parts of the course, but for the most part there aren’t a lot of people out cheering, so if that’s something you need or want in a race, this is not the one for you. The aid stations are pretty evenly spaced, except for near the end when it felt like we went 4 miles without an aid station – and this was when it was starting to get really warm, so that was frustrating. The race shirt is tech fabric and long sleeve but there’s no other “swag” to speak of (this is not a complaint, just an observation! I could not care less about race swag). In general it’s a decent race, but there are better options in the Bay Area.
The Course is always long
This year, I went to just enjoy the run, and was happy to run the 5k a little faster and run the Half at an easy pace. the 5k was … MORE
This year, I went to just enjoy the run, and was happy to run the 5k a little faster and run the Half at an easy pace. the 5k was more like a 5.4 k, not sure why the course gets longer each year. There were some bicyclists out on the course trying to support a runner, but they were blocking the course and being very annoying. the medals were very good this year for the 10th Anniversary, I wish I could have run all the races so I could get the Marathon medal too. It seemed like they are losing crowd support over previous years.
Beyond the miles
First, I want to point out that I’ve run some race distance at every ORF for the past 4 years. In celebration for their 10yr anniversary this year the course … MORE
First, I want to point out that I’ve run some race distance at every ORF for the past 4 years. In celebration for their 10yr anniversary this year the course was altered to cross the SF Bay Bridge, but we’ll get to that later.
Let’s start at the expo: I’m not sure what happened, but the amount of vendors was drastically reduced. I went midday on Saturday and it was 30% ghost town. Not a big problem for me. I’m usually in & out expos in sub-10 minutes anyway.
Getting to the starting line: I left home at 5:30 for a 20 mile drive and didn’t find a park until 6:30 that was about a mile away from the starting line. The amount of street closures and the lack of detour signs had several people stuck, confused and frustrated.
The race itself: I only ran a few miles around Lake Merritt. This part for me was beautiful. Relatively flat and fast course. Only complaint was that my gps as well as several others I spoke with measured the course long. Just something to look into.
Post race: beer lines are short at 8am for some reason. Bag check didn’t lose my stuff (score!). One plus/minus: in prior years there was a massive area for post race photos. It created a crazy line. This year the organizers opted to do a simple 3 backdrop on a fence setup. Functional but a tad cheesy to the vets. If we can meet in the middle somewhere that would be awesome.
Get outta here: after walking a mile back to my vehicle, the true nightmare began. The marathon was still going strong and several streets were still closed. It took me an hour and a half, talking to four police officers and running over two cones to travel about two miles away. I’m sure this will improve over time but the officers and volunteers were catching hell from people just trying to get home or in my case, to work.
Definitely glad I ran and looking forward to returning next year.
Great volunteers and on course support
This was a new course for the 10th anniversary of the Oakland Marathon. It was a good course, the only critique I have is that we did a 1 mile … MORE
This was a new course for the 10th anniversary of the Oakland Marathon. It was a good course, the only critique I have is that we did a 1 mile stretch of a road a total of three times…which was tough. But by the time I did 2 and 3 it was past 20 miles so I was a bit out of it, so I didn’t care too much.
One thing that really bothered me was that the swag this year wasn’t nearly as awesome as in other years. I would have thought for the 10 year anniversary they’d go all out…and they really didn’t. All other years the marathoners got thick half zip pullovers…this year we got a thin long sleeve shirt with a hood, not quite as satisfying. And the sponsors this year didn’t seem as plentiful…I did finish late so it’s possible there were more before I crossed the finish line but my wife reported the same thing (that there were not as many sponsors as the previous years). We also both felt that the sponsors all seemed a bit grumpy…which was odd to us. Not something we’ve experienced before.
A big praise, and I mean HUGE and something that really helps to tip the scale on the positive side is that the on course was AMAZING…one of the best out of the 30+ races I’ve done and the best I’ve seen at Oakland. The volunteers were terrific, cheering us on to the last runner. The people/ volunteers at the aid stops were so sweet and supportive. The police officers helping to direct traffic were awesome and very supportive. The volunteers at each street crossing were fantastic. And everyone was great about directing us in the right direction and keeping the runners safe. Tons of Oaklanders came out to support us runners. Each aid stop for the marathoners was very WELL stocked with Gu chews and gels in a variety of flavors. And the course was very well marked…it was so great and helpful! And made a world of difference!
I love the Oakland races because it is such an amazing showcase of a city that I absolutely love. I love how well it shows the people of Oakland, their strength and courage, all the obstacles they have overcome. I am so proud of Oakland and loved the 10 years I lived in the city, so this race despite any downfalls will always hold a special place in my heart and I’ll keep on doing it year after year!
Fun course, weak production.
Loved the new marathon course with the Bay Bridge addition! This was my first marathon relay and it was a great time for the four of us. We ran for … MORE
Loved the new marathon course with the Bay Bridge addition! This was my first marathon relay and it was a great time for the four of us. We ran for fun and met our time goal.
The race production needs work. The bus drivers who shuttled runners to the relay course were asking the runners for directions! For the final leg they dropped the runners 3 blocks away and commented, “since you don’t know where we need to go, you get off here”. The finish line and exit area was a cluster. Runners need to be encouraged to keep moving nice they cross the finish line. There were no officials in sight and the number of near collisions immediately after the finish were shudder inducing. Same issue with the food bush exit area, there was such a crowd that it was very difficult to exit. Seems as if some cost cutting measures had a big impact on our experience. What was nice a 5 is now a 3.
New PR for this course
It is a great race for anybody. Great cheer stations keep you on track. Very friendly volunteers and the best after race recovery (snacks, drinks, massage) MORE
It is a great race for anybody. Great cheer stations keep you on track. Very friendly volunteers and the best after race recovery (snacks, drinks, massage)