Marathon Switched to Virtual;
5K & Kids Fun Run Moved to October 31
(June 23, 2020) Corrigan Sports Enterprises announced several changes and updates to the 2020 Oakland Running Festival as part of its new plan to host the event during our nation’s evolving adjustments to COVID 19. The marathon distance has switched to a virtual event, the 5K has been rescheduled for October 31st, and the team relay will be held on Saturday, August 29. The half marathon will still be conducted on Sunday, August 30 as announced prior.
All proposed event changes and new safety measures have not been reviewed by Alameda County at this time. Our goal is to host a safe event where, with reasonable adjustments, most runners feel comfortable running in a public setting. We also recognize ultimately your participation comes down to your own individual comfort level, so we therefore offer multiple options to accommodate multiple personal scenarios. We are also, like all events, susceptible to last minute changes due to city, county, and state regulations. Please keep this in mind as we want the support of our public entities and will follow their lead on any new regulations that could potentially cancel our event. If that is the case a virtual run or deferral to 2021 will be offered.
THE HALF MARATHON AND TEAM RELAY COURSES have changed. All runners have the ability to defer if this is a concern. The new course will be less taxing on our city entities and staff as we need to keep everyone safe.
Marathon: We are not able to secure permits from every local municipality for the entire marathon course. Therefore, the full marathon can only be offered virtually this year. Other options offered include deferral to 2021 or downgrade to the 2020 Half Marathon. If you choose the virtual option there is no fee for shipping your shirt or medal.
Half Marathon: We still plan to host the half marathon on Sunday, August 30. Your options remain to run on August 30, defer to 2021 or switch to a virtual run. The Half Marathon route has changed.
Team Relay: The team relay will be conducted on Saturday, August 29. The relay course has changed and been switched to four 10K legs. Each runner will have their own timing chip, and their times will be combined.
CLICK HERE FOR TEAM RELAY OPTIONS
5K & Kids Fun Run: To help minimize the total number of runners assembled on one given date, we have postponed the 5K and Kids Fun Run to Oct. 31. The new date will replace our annual Hellaween event. Your updated options are to run on Oct. 31, defer to 2021 or switch to a virtual run.
CLICK HERE FOR 5K & Kids Fun Run OPTIONS
Run This Town Challenge: If you wish to still compete in the Run This Town Challenge, the new plan calls for you to run the half marathon on August 30 and 5K on October 31. Your other choices include to defer to 2021 or switch to a virtual run.
CLICK HERE FOR Run This Town OPTIONS
Thank you for your continued patience and understanding. If you have any questions, please email info@runlocalevents.com
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New Date: August 30, 2020
The 11th annual Oakland Running Festival has been RESCHEDULED to Sunday, August 30, 2020. Just like the rest of the world, the running community is reacting to the coronavirus pandemic as we receive new information daily. CSE appreciates everyone’s patience and understanding as we must follow the guidelines of the Alameda County Health Department and navigate these unchartered waters to do what is best for our runners and for the city as a whole.
POLICY UPDATE: Last week we announced our plan to reschedule to August 30th, with a limited 48-hour window of waiving our deferral fee. As precautions and preparations for the COVID 19 pandemic intensify, we realize everyone is faced with major decisions that are way more important than having to decide when to participate in a running event.
We want to alleviate any stress our initial deferral deadline may have caused, because we’ve come to realize everyone’s life calendars are upside down right now and will be for several more weeks at least. We are waiving any deferral fees for this year’s Oakland Running Festival thru May 15, 2020.
Corrigan Sports Enterprises wants our runners to know we’re all in this together, and we will get thru this together with empathy and understanding. We look forward to celebrating your accomplishments at the appropriate time.
At this time, we are offering current Oakland Running Festival Registrations 3 options:
- OPTION 1: KEEP YOUR REGISTRATION (NO ACTION REQUIRED)
- If you want to run on Aug 30, 2020 – there is nothing that you need to do on your end. Your registration will automatically be transferred to the new date!
- OPTION 2: DEFER MY REGISTRATION (ACTION REQUIRED)
- If you cannot run on Aug 30, you can defer your entry until next year’s event to be held on March 21, 2021.
- For a limited time (Until May 15th) we are waiving our normal deferral fees. After May 15th @ 9:00 AM, the regular deferment fee of $25 will be charged.
- To complete your deferral, follow these steps:
- Log into RunSignup and go to your profile: https://runsignup.com/Profile
- Under the Upcoming Events section, click MANAGE REGISTRATION next to your Oakland Running Festival Registration
- Click the DEFER REGISTRATION tab
- Click the CONFIRM DEFERRAL button
- Here is a tutorial with more information: https://help.runsignup.com/support/solutions/articles/17000062915-defer-registration-claim-deferral
- OPTION 3: GO VIRTUAL! (ACTION REQUIRED)
- Take on our Virtual Challenge and transfer your 2020 race entry into a Virtual Run. You can run the distance you registered for on your own and claim your race shirt and medal.
- There are 2 ways for you to get your gear:
- Packet Pickup: FREE – @ Oakland Marriott in Early May (specific dates & times TBA soon!)
- Ship Me My Gear: $10 (Packages to be mailed after April 27 and may take 1-2 weeks to reach your home)
- To choose the virtual option, follow these steps NO LATER THAN MARCH 22nd
- Log into RunSignup and go to your profile: https://runsignup.com/Profile
- Under the Upcoming Events section, click MANAGE REGISTRATION next to your Oakland Running Festival Registration
- Click ADD-ONS tab
- Select the GO VIRTUAL add-on and choose if you would like to attend packet pick or have your gear shipped
- If you select the shipping option, you will be prompted to enter your shipping address and pay the shipping fee
- Click Confirm Payment
Per our policy which every runner is required to agree to during the online registration process with a required check box and in addition to the waiver, CSE does not offer registration refunds. This article explains why:
OTHER SCENARIOS:
- If you are part of a CHARITY GROUP runner or member of a CORPORATE WELLNESS TEAM, contact your group’s captain.
- If you signed up through a third party ( and not a charity group or corporate wellness team) or at and expo: go to this link https://runsignup.com/ClaimAccounts, entering in your email address, and clicking “Claim”. If there are any unclaimed accounts associated with that email address, you will receive the “Claim Instructions” email within a few minutes.
- More help can be found here: https://help.runsignup.com/support/solutions/articles/17000062874-claim-an-account
- If you have previously deferred your entry, but now wish to participate in the VIRTUAL RUN or on August 30th, you will receive an email with a link to a special online form. Your $25 deferment fee which you already paid will be refunded within 20 days.
- If you have previously deferred your entry to March 21, 2021, and that remains your desire, no action is required on your part.
It is our hope that these options will satisfy every runner. Our staff has worked diligently with city services and key vendors to avoid canceling this year’s running festival. The day is too important to the Oakland community and we’ve done everything within our means to make it still happen.
