COURSE CERTIFICATION: USATF CA22004DT
YOUR START LINE
The 10K is open to participants of all ages. Starting at 7:00am runners or walkers will head around the picturesque Lake Merritt before heading into Downtown Oakland and finishing back at Snow Park!
The National Anthem will take place at approximately 6:50am and sung by Oakland School of the Arts’ Jordyn Diaw. Your Start Line announcer is the voice of Laney College and Stanford Athletics, James Rockefeller.
The Official Starter is non-other than East Bay native and ’21 NFL Pro Bowler Najee Harris, the event’s Oakland Community Kick-Starter grantee with his Da’ Bigger Picture Foundation (press release).
The following items are not permitted on the course: Dogs or any pets, skateboards, bicycles, roller blades, baby joggers, and any other type of vehicle (other than official vehicles). These regulations are for your safety and the safety of the other participants in the race. The Oakland Running Festival reserves the right to disqualify and remove anyone from the course who has any of the above items.
To enjoy all that our race has to offer and for the safety of all participants, the Oakland Running Festival encourages a headphone-free environment during the running of all of our races. You must be able to hear any verbal instructions or commands from race staff.
Please be mindful of the other participants and respect the race personnel to ensure a safe and enjoyable race for everyone.
Accessibility: Onsite registration areas, bathroom facilities, and the course are wheelchair accessible. Note that on the course, there are a few curbs to go up/down with a slight uphill finish. When you register online, the registration form will ask if you are a wheelchair participant. We do have a wheelchair division. The wheelchair division starts a few minutes before the main start of the race.
For questions about accessibility or to request accommodation, please e-mail: [email protected]. Requests should be made at least two weeks prior to the event. We will do our best to accommodate you.
- Those who are signed up for the marathon or the half-marathon and their training is not going as planned are able to downgrade to the 10K by following THESE STEPS
- Any one signed up for the 5k who would like to take on the 10k can upgrade by paying the difference in the entry fee by following THESE STEPS.
’23 Oakland Running Festival Collection
Featuring Chris Granillo’s Hands of Healing mural artwork, 10K participants will receive a short sleeve shirt and finisher’s medal to celebrate their accomplishment.
AID STATIONS
On the Course, we will have participant support at the below locations (mile markers listed below are approximate). Portable restrooms will also be available at each aid station.
- Start: Water / Gatorade / Aid Station
- Mile 2: Water / Gatorade
- Mile 4: Water / Gatorade / Aid Station
- Finish: Water / Gatorade / Snacks / Aid Station
Energy Type / Flavors
Gatorade
BIB NUMBER REQUIREMENTS
- All registered participants will receive bib numbers that must be worn on race day.
- Please fill in the necessary medical and emergency contact information on the back of the bib number with a pen or waterproof marker.
- Please do not alter the bib in any way.
- The bib must be visible and worn on the front outside of all clothing during the entire race.
- Make sure your bib number is clearly visible for the race photographers.
- Bib numbers are non-transferable and must be worn by the registrant to whom it has been assigned.
CHIP TIMING
B-Tags are attached to the participant’s bib and clearly marked with the corresponding bib number. You do not need to return your bib or b-tag chip.
Tips to have your time accurately recorded:
- Race bib is clearly visible on the front of the torso
- Race bib is unaltered and unmodified (Do not fold or wrinkle)
- Race bib is pinned in all four corners
- Race bib is not covered (jackets, runner belts, water bottles, etc.)
COURSE MOTIVATION
We’ll have the energy going all morning long throughout downtown Oakland. Featured groups include:
Batalá San Francisco – Start & Finish
Batalá San Francisco is a community band that plays samba reggae, an Afro-Brazilian genre of music developed in Bahia, Brazil. Founded in 2012, Batalá San Francisco is the Bay Area contingent of the international drumming organization Batalá Mundo, founded by Giba Concalves in 1997.
Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir – Mile 1.25
The mission of the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir is to inspire joy and unity among all people through Black gospel and spiritual music traditions.
Emeryville Taiko – Mile 3
Since founding Emeryville Taiko on January 1, 1998, Susan Horn has taught and facilitated numerous new local Taiko groups and after school programs, including teaching over 20 years at Cazadero Performing Arts Family Camp.
Volunteers
In addition to the featured entertainment, hundreds of volunteers from the Oakland community will support and cheer you along your journey! Go ahead…give ’em a high five and share the love! Some of the groups on course include:
- Cal Hermanas Unidas
- East Bay Front Runners & Walkers
- Heart in Motion
- November Project
- Oakland Fukuoka Sister City Association
- Oakland Triathlon Club
- Squash Drive
AWARDS
Awards are provided in three categories: Men, Women and Non-Binary+.
Overall Winners
Top 3 overall in each category (Men, Women and Non-Binary+) will be honored at the Ronald McDonald House Celebration Village at 8:45am.
Masters
1st place Masters (40+ years old) in each category (Men, Women and Non-Binary+) will also be honored at the Ronald McDonald House Celebration Village at 11:30am.
Age-Groups
The top winner in each age group, per category, will receive a commemorative Oakland Running Festival gift mailed to them approximately 3 weeks after the race once the results are final.
The age groups are: 18 & Under, 19-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, 80+
