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MARATHON & HALF MARATHON TRAINING GROUPS

OFFICIAL OAKLAND MARATHON TRAINING GROUP

Looking to set a PR in 2025? Running your first half or full? Need some motivation to get outside for the long training runs? Come run with us!
 
The LMJS Marathon & Half Training Program — the official training program for the Oakland Running Festival — will get you ready for the March 2025 marathon or half marathon with our low-cost 18-week plan.
 

LMJS is the East Bay’s longest-standing running club. Since 2010 they’ve trained more than 1,000 runners of all levels — from first-timers to experienced runners — helping them to meet their personal goals and to cross the Oakland finish line.

Many return year after year for the quality coaching and great company…plus training tips, new long run routes, post-run snacks, and more. Enjoy the long runs with experienced pacers and others at your pace! Training starts in mid-November (full marathoners) and late December (half marathoners). 

ADDITIONAL TRAINING GROUPS

Oakland Track Club is a competitive running club based in the heart of the East Bay, established in 2016 with the purpose of providing runners of all levels the opportunity to train hard and race for a team. Our athletes compete in variety of events and distances, ranging from road racing and track, to cross country and trail ultras. Check out some awesome videos of their training runs here.

The Strawberry Canyon Track Club is like a large running family – a very sociable, diverse and tightly knit group with incredible camaraderie which energizes the East Bay running community. We compete in the local Pacific Association of USATF XC, road, and track series races, and our presence is felt in top tier local road races. We have developed three different Oakland Marathon winners and two victorious Oakland Marathon Relay teams, and have a seriously dedicated marathon training group at any time of the year.

Workouts: These take place on Mondays and Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. at the Edwards Track. We typically do intervals on Mondays, and tempo runs either on the track or on the trails in Strawberry Canyon or Tilden Park. Workouts begin at 6:00 p.m. and folks filter in at 5:30-45 p.m. to start their warm-ups.
Long runs: Usually take place on Saturdays at 8:30 a.m. – we will either meet for a run in Berkeley or carpool to a nearby destination. Our favorite locations are the East Bay parks (Tilden, Redwood, and Chabot), but sometime we venture as far as Point Reyes, the Marin Headlands, and Nisene Marks near Santa Cruz.
Easy runs and cross-training activities such as pool running, yoga and weight workouts: these are informally organized via the club’s email list and Slack forum.

For more information, you can check out our schedule. We’re also friends with the Cal Running Club.

Looking for more group runs? Check out Run Local’s “The Local Scene” to find a group in the San Francisco Bay Area.