Trail Running in the San Francisco Bay Area

2016 Trail Racing Calendar for the San Francisco Bay Area

2015-12-18T09:45:00.000-08:00

Not all races have been confirmed. As of this publishing the 2nd half of 2016 has some fairly spotty information. Some websites may not be available yet. Most races are likely based on past history. If your trail race is not listed contact Jonathan This calendar will be updated throughout the year. Monthly calendars that are more detailed will still be published every month. See you on the trails!!!

Fun Fact: The 2015 calendar received well over 10,000 visits...Thanks!!!!

January
January 1st- Brazen New Years Day- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k
January 1st- Resolution Run- 5mi & Kids Run- Los Gatos (NOT A "TRAIL" RACE)
January 2nd- Hacienda Hills/ Almaden Quicksilver Park/ New Almaden- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k
January 16th- Pacifica Foothills- 50k, Marathon, 30k, Half Marathon, 10k
January 16th- The Dam Run- 10k, 5k
January 16th- Steep Ravine- 50k, Marathon, 25k, Half Marathon, 7mi
January 23rd- Coyote Hills- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k
January 23rd- Crystal Springs- 50k, Marathon, 22mi, Half Marathon, 10k
January 30th- China Camp Challenge- 5k, 10k, Half Marathon- China Camp State Park

February
February 6th- Golden Gate Trail Run- 50k, Marathon, 30k, Half Marathon, 5mi
February 6th- Ordinance 100k
February 6th- Fort Ord Trail Run- 100k, 50k, 35k, Half Marathon, 10k- Read my review from 2014
February 7th- Whiskey Hill Redwood Run- Half Marathon, 10k- Huddart Park, Woodside
February 7th- Rattle Snake Ramble- 5k, 10k, Half Marathon- Lake Chabot, Castro Valley
February 7th- Super Guadalupe Run- 10k, 5k- Guadalupe Gardens, San Jose
February 13th- Bay Breeze Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- Marina Park, San Leandro
February 20th- Chabot Redtail Ridge- 50k, 30k, Half Marathon, 10k
February 20th- Montara Mountain- 50k, Marathon, Half Marathon, 10k
February 20th- Run for Amma... & Ellen- 50k, 30k, 10k- Alpine Inn,Portola Valley
February 27th- Victory- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- Craneway Pavillion , Richmond
February 27th- Rabbit Chase- Half Marathon, 10k- Mt Tamalpias
February 27th- Juana Run- 8k, 5k, 1 mile- Gunn High, Palo Alto

March
March 5th- Woodside King's Mountain- Half Marathon & 5 Mile- Read my review from 2014
March 5th- Sanborn Park Trail Challenge- Half Marathon, 9 mi, 4.2 mi (military discount on all races)

March 6th- The San Jose 408k- 8k- NOT A TRAIL RACE
March 12th- Romancing the Island 12K & 25K
March 12th- Badger Cove- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- Read my review from 2014
March 12th- Marin Ultra Challenge- 50mi, 50k, 35k, Half
March 13th- Ilsanjo Classic 10-miler & Neo-Classic 4-miler- Howarth Park, Santa Rosa
March 19th- Napa Valley Trail Marathon, Half Marathon & 10K
March 20th- Hellyer- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- Hellyer Park, San Jose
March 20th- Canyon Meadow Trail Run- 50k, Marathon, 30k, Half Marathon, 5mi
March 20th- Calero Resevoir- Marathon, Half Marathon, 9k- Calero Park, Santa Clara
March 26th- 27th- San Francisco 100 & 50 Mile Endurance Run- Rodeo Beach, GGNRA, Sausalito
March 26th- Knickerbocker Canyon- 35k, Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- Am. River Canyon Overlook Park, Auburn
March 28th- POSTPONED (until further notice) Brazen Goonies- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k

April
April 2nd- Grizzly Peak- 50k, Marathon, 30k, Half Marathon, 10k
April 2nd- Golden Gate Headlands Marathon, Half Marathon & 10k
April 2nd- King Richard Annual- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k
April 9th- Mt Tam Wild Boar Half Marathon & 10K
April 9th- Lake Sonoma- 50mi
April 9th- Zoom Ayala Cove Run- 15mi, 10mi, 5mi
April 9th- Woodside Crossover- 50k, 35k, Half Marathon, 10k
April 16th- Calistoga Trail Ramble- 10 mile, 10k- Boothe-Napa State Park, Calistoga
?---April 16th- Night Sweats Trail Marathon
April 17th- Diablo Trail Challenge- 50k, Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- Read my review from 2014
April 17th- Sasquatch Scramble- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- Redwood Regional Park, Oakland
April 23rd- Rodeo Beach Rumble- 8k, Half Marathon, 30k, 50k- GGNRA Rodeo Beach
April 24th- Presidio Y Trails Run- 10k, 5k, 1.5mi- Park Presidio, San Francisco
April 30th- Western Pacific- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- Quarry Lakes, Fremont
April 30th- Sierra Azul Trail Challenge- 50 mi, 50k, 18.8 mi, 13.1 mi, 10k, 5k

Special Mention because it is cool: Jamaica Bike Tour- April 7th- 9th- Negril, Jamaica

May
May 7th- Miwok- 100k
May 7th- Mothers Day Run- Half Marathon, 5mi, 5k
May 7th- Horseshoe Lake- 50k, Marathon, Half Marathon, 5mi Read my review from 2013
May 7th- Los Altos Hills Pathways Run- 10k, 5k, 1mi
May 10th- Loop the Lagoon- 10k, 5k, 2 mile walk- Lagoon Valley Park, Vacaville
May 14th- Quicksilver- 50k, 100k
May 14th- Cinderella Trail Run- 50k, Marathon, 30k, Half Marathon, 10k
May 14th- Muir Woods Marathon, Half Marathon & 7 Mile
May 14th- Tilden Trail- Marathon, Half Marathon, 10k- Berkeley

May 14th- Resevoir Dogs- 35k, Half Marathon, 10k, 5k
May 17th- Ohlone Wilderness Run- 50k (maybe held in September??? need info)
May 21st- Wildcat- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- Read my review from 2014
May 21st- Ancient Redwood Adventure- 6 hour, 10 mile, 5 mile- Hendy Woods, Philo
May 21st- China Camp- 35k, Half Marathon, 10k, 5k
May 28th- Nitro Trail- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k

June
June 4th- Trail Quake- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- Read my review
June 4th- S an Bruno Mountain- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- San Bruno Mt State Park, So San Francisco
June 4th- Calero Run- 50mile, 50k, 25k, Half Marathon, 15k, 5k- Calero Park, San Jose
June 4th- Lynch Canyon Trail Run- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k, Free Hike Read my review from 2014
?---June 4th- Lake Chabot Trail Challenge- Half, 5k
?---June 5th- Dusk Buster- 5k
June 11th- Berry Creek Falls- 25k, 15k,10k
June 11th- Rodeo Valley- 50k, 30k, Half Marathon, 10k
June 12th-The Dipsea- 7.2 mi
June 12th- Big Basin 50k/ Marathon
June 18th- Walt Stack DSE Double Dipsea- 14.2 mile
June 18th- Canyon Meadow Trail Run- 50k, Marathon, 30k, Half Marathon, 5mi
June 18th- San Francisco Summer Solstice 6, 12 & 24hr
?---June 19th- Woodminster Cross Country Race- 9mi
June 26th- San Lorenzo River Trail Run- 50km, Marathon, 30k, Half Marathon, 10k
June 26th- Tick Trailblaze- Half, 10k, 5k- Huddart Park, Woodside- Read my review from 2014

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July
July 2nd- Zoom Quarry Lakes- Half, 10k, 5k
July 9th- Dirty Dozen & Half Dozen- -12 HOURS/6 HOURS
July 9th- Golden Gate Trail Run- 50k, Marathon, 30k, Half Marathon, 5mi

July 10th- Across the bay 12k & 15k- NOT A TRAIL RACE
?---July 11th- Bobcat Blitz- 5k, 10k, Half Marathon- Huddart Park, Woodside
?---July 12th- Pacifica- 50k, 30k, 21k, 10k
July 16th- Rancho Canada del Oro- 50k, 24 mi, 14 mi, 9 mi, 4.2 mi
?---July 18th- Table Rock- 27k, 10k
July 17th SPASM Chabot Trail Run- 50k, Marathon, 30k, Half Marathon, 5mi
July 23rd- BAD BASS- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- Lake Chabot- Read my review from 2014
?---July 25th- Angel Island 12k & 25k- Tiburon Ferry Dock to Angel Island State Park

August
?---August 2nd- Santa Cruz- 30k, Half Marathon, 10k
?---August 2nd- Presidio Cross Country 5k- Julius Kahn Playground, San Francisco
August 6th- Summer Breeze- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- San Leandro Marina
August 6th- Echo Summit Trail Challenge- 50 miles, 50k, 20 miles, Half Marathon, 10 miles, 5k
August 7th- Skyline 50k Endurance Run- Lake Chabot, Castro Valley
August 7th- Crystal Springs- 50k, Marathon, 22mi, Half Marathon, 10k- Huddart Park, Woodside Read my review from 2013
August 13th- Bear Creek- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- Briones Regional Park, Martinez
August 13th- Cinderella Trail Run- 50k, Marathon, 30k, Half Marathon, 10k- Joaquin Miller Park, Oakland
August 20th- Zombie Runner San Francisco- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- GGNRA, San Francisco
?---August 22nd- Bill Flodberg Mount Madonna Challenge- 30k, 18k, 12k, 6k- Spring Lake Picnic Area, Gilroy
?---August 29th- Presidio 5k/10k (Opening Soon!!!)
?---August 23rd- Coastal Trail Challenge- 10k
August 27th- Diablo Trail Run- 50k, Marathon, Half Marathon, 10mi, 4mi- Mt Diablo
August 27th- Tamalpa Headlands 50k- Muir Beach
August 27th- Toro- 5k, 10k, Half Marathon, 30k- Toro County Park, Salinas
August 27th- Annual Almaden Hills Run- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k
?---August 30th- Golden Gate Park Cross Country- 5k- Polo Field, San Francisco
?---August 30th- Zoom Castle Rock- Half, 10k, 5k- Castle Rock Regional Park, Walnut Creek

September
September 3rd- Zoom Point Pinole- Half, 10k, 5k
?---September 5th- Palo Alto Weekly's Moonlight Run- 10k, 5k
September 3rd- TRAIL HOG- HALF MARATHON/10K/5K- Read my review from 2014
?---September 6th- Annadel Loop- 7mi- Annadel State Park, Santa Rosa
?---September 12th- Night Sweats- Marathon, 15k
?---September 12th- Fall Showdown- Half Marathon, 5mi, 5k
?---September 13th- Golden Gate Park Open Cross Country (part of PAUSATF XC GP)- 4mi
?---September 12th/13th- Headlands Hundred 100mi, 75mi, 50mi, Marathon- Marin Headlands, GGNRA
?---September 13th- Whistle Punk Half- Half Marathon- Purissma Creek Redwoods, San Mateo County
?---September 14th- Lagoon Valley- 30k,Half Marathon, 10k, 5k, kids 1/2 mile
?---September 16th- Marin Moonlight Run- 5k, 10k - Hamilton Marshes, Novato
September 17th- DRAG-N-FLY -Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- Read my review from 2014
?---September 19th- Race4Life- 5k- Pleasanton
September 18th- Coastal Marathon & 50k- Marin Headlands, GGNRA
September 24th- Bay Area Trail Running Festival- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- Garin Park, Hayward
?---September 26th- Dipsea Hike for Zero Breast Cancer- 6mi- Marin Headlands, GGNRA
?---September 26th- Berkeley Trail Adventure- 50k, 35k, Half Marathon, 10k Read my review from 2013- Tilden Park, Berkeley
?---September 26th- Garin Park Cross Country Challenge- 5k- Haywatd
September 24th- Big Sur Trail Marathon, Half Marathon & 5mi- Andrew Molera State Park, Big Sur
?---September 27th- Lindley Meadow Cross Country- 5K- San Francisco

October

October ???- Let's Go 510- 10k

October 1st- Pacifica Summit Run- 10k, Half Marathon, 30k, 50k- San Redro Valley State Park, Pacifica
?---October 4th- Montclaire 5k
October 1st- Rocky Ridge- Ultra Half Series Championship, Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- Read my review from 2014 - Read my review from 2012

October 9th- Honey Badger- 5k, 10k, Half Marathon- China Camp State Park, San Rafael
?---October 10th- Dick Collins Firetrails 50- 50mi
?---October 10th- Golden Hills Marathon- Berkeley
?---October 10th- Skyline to the Sea- Marathon & 50k- Read my review from 2013
October 15th- Tarantula Run- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k, Kids Scramble- Los Vaqueros
October 16th- Sonoma Trail Marathon- Marathon, Half Marathon, 5k fun run
?---October 16th- Oakland Hills Run- 35k, Half Marathon, 10k
?---October 16th- REI Run Series: Marin Headlands- 10k, 5k
October 16th- Coyote Ridge Trail Run- 50k, Marathon, 20mi, 10mi, 7mi
?---October 24th- Eldridge Gosney's Pure Ultra- 50k, 36k, Half Marathon, 11k
?---October 25th- Napa Wine Country Marathon, Half Marathon & 10k
October 29th- Zombie Runner Halloween Run- Marathon, Half Marathon, 5mi
?---October 31st- Stinson Beach Marathon, Half Marathon & 7 mi

November
November 5th- Lake Chabot Trail Run- 50k, Marathon, 30k, Half Marathon, 5mi
November 5th- Mt Diablo Trail Adventure- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k
November 13th- Napa Valley Harvest Half Marathon, 10K & 5K
?---November 14th- Mt Tam- 50k, 30k, Half Marathon, 10k- Read my review from 2012
November 13th- Briones Ridge- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k
November 19th- Salomon CITYTRAIL- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- GGNRA, San Francisco
?---November 21st- Peacock Gap Trail Run- 30k, Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- China Camp State Park
?---November 22nd- Holiday Hustle- 10k, Half Marathon, Marathon
November 24th- Nitro Turkey- 10k, 5k, Little Turkey's Race
November 24th- Zoom Turkey Trot- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- Hellyer Park
November 24th- Healdsburg Turkey Trot- 5k run/walk- Healdsburg
November 24th- The Thanksgiving Gobble Wobble- 10k, 5k- El Sobrante
November 24th- Marin Turkey Trot- 10k, 5k, 1 mile
November 26th- Quarry Turkey- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k
November 27th- Quad Dipsea- 28.8mi- Mill Valley

December
December 3rd- 4th- The North Face Endurance Challenge- 50mi, 50k, Marathon, Marathon Relay, Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- GGNRA, Fort Barry
?---December 5th- Dam Jingle Bell Dash- 10k, 5k, Kids Dash
?---December 12th- Hark the Herald Angels 12k & 25k
December 10th- Summit Rock- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k
?---December 12th- Rodeo Beach- 50k, 30k, 20k, 8k
?---December 13th- Woodside Ramble- 50k, 35k, Half Marathon, 10k- Read my review from 2012
?---December 13th- Krampus Kross Kountry 5K, 10K & Micro Brew Fest- Presidio, SF
?---December 20th- Zombie Runner Quarry Lakes- 5k, 10k, Half Marathon, Marathon
?---December 27th- Brazen Almost New Years Eve- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- Read my review from 2012 or my review from 2014
?---December 27th- Woodside- 50k, 35k, 17k, 10k
December 31st- New Years Eve- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k

The Krampus Cross Country 5K/10K on Sun, 12/13

2015-11-20T13:57:00.004-08:00

The Krampus Cross Country 5K/10K on Sun, 12/13

WHEN: SUNDAY, 12/13/15, 10K starts at 8:15, 5K starts at 8:30
WHERE: Intersection of Barnard/Fernandez, San Francisco, CA. 94129
COST: 5K-$30-$50, 10K-$40-$60

Participant Perks

All participants receive a pre-race warmup, epic views, awesome trails, adventure, a shot at winning prizes during the race via our trail treasure hunt, post-run beverages from Hint Water, SOS Rehydrate, beers from a local microbrewery, Crunch Culture Yogurt, snacks from Mamma Chia, peanut butter pretzels, M&Ms, post-run massage from PSOAS Massage/Bodywork, and more!
5K/10K runners receive a Krampus woodallion and a long sleeved shirt
Never done one of our races before? Check out the following video to get an idea of the awesome trails, epic views, and excellent people you will experience on race day!

SIGN UP FOR THE KRAMPUS CROSS COUNTRY 5K/10K!

5K Course Map

5K COURSE MAP

10K Course Map

10K COURSE MAP

Race Bib/Shirt Pickup Events:

TBD @ A Runner’s Mind (3575 Sacramento St.) in San Francisco, CA

Mt Tam 30k Trail Race 2015 by InsideTrail.com

2015-11-19T12:40:00.003-08:00

Graphic: Inside Trail Racing

InsideTrail.com held it's annual Mt Tam Trail Run in mid November and I signed up for the 30k as a fitness test en route to a spring marathon PR attempt. I took Friday off work and made a day out of our trip to Stinson by stopping off at cool places to have fun with the kids. I rented the Sandpiper Cottage for the weekend in Stinson Beach and loved it. I got a good nights rest and had a home cooked breakfast when I woke up and everything I needed to have a great race morning was with me at the cottage. No rushing around, no early morning driving, no chance of forgetting any gear. I walked 100 yards out of my front door and arrived just after 8am to the start line feeling pumped and ready to take on this challenge.

I met up with my friend Tom who coincidentally was going to be running this same race with 2 of his other friends Andrew and Raf and we all 4 lined up at the very back of the pack. 30K & 50K runners started together at 8:30. Half marathoners and 10k runners would start a half hour later. After a few race announcements we were off and running up Arenal Ave. I highly recommend putting a lot of slower people in front of you if you have a tendency, as I do, to start out too fast. The course turns onto the Dipsea Trail and then the Steep Ravine Trail as you make your way up the mountain. It is narrow and technical for a lot of this climbing and it is steep as the name eludes. Passing is not easy and therefore I found it comfortable to settle into a conservative pace that paid dividends in the final miles. Raf & Andrew shot out ahead of Tom & I but within a mile or so I was past Andrew and Tom but had no sight of Raf. I wasn't trying to pass. I wasn't even really trying to race anyone but myself. It's just that they were familiar people in similar physical condition to me so I could use them to tell if I was hustling or lagging. At this point I was hustling but not too hard.

At the top of the climbing runners cruise by the Pantoll parking lot and run out to the 1st aid station called Cardiac, so named for the inevitable event that will take place upon climbing up to this location. I made it up to and through that aid station in just under 45 mins. That's a long time to cover 3.7 miles but not bad considering the elevation. Next we will run down the other side of the mountain and then circum-navigate the base and climb back up on yet another face of the mountain.

Cardiac Aid Station
Photo: Notthatlucas.blogspot.com

Leaving the first aid station is downhill for the most part for a long ways. At first you pick up a tremendous amount of speed because the trail allows for it. A little ways into this section and that speed becomes very dangerous with the technical nature of the trail. The jagged rocks grow out of the ground larger and larger as you descend and the roots just seem to be a worm pile covering a rain washed gully of a trail. Some runners were reduced to a walk trying to find their footing while others, like the group I was in, flew downhill at a super scary pace. We were literally leaping from foot to foot, flying left to right and falling almost uncontrollably down this long winding stretch. Around the 5.5 mile mark I caught a toe that sent me flying into a dirt embankment in a spectacular crash that scared the hell out of me. I knew the nano-second it was happening that I could not recover my footing, I could not control my fall and I could not really brace for impact. I knew in that flash that I was going to break my collar bone or at least dislocate my right shoulder upon slamming it into the dirt wall in front of me. I slammed as predicted and scrambled to my feet in the aftershock. My right side was scraped and dirty but no broken bones, no dislocated shoulders. Apparently my left hand took the brunt of the force and bent my pinky and ring finger back at the first joint so far that they stayed there. The underside of the two fingers ripped open and blood ran through dirt covered hands to make a mud river down my wrist immediately. I saw bones and chunks of stuff poking out of the skin and thought, I just broke my fingers!!!! Angry at the thought of a DNF I grabbed my half frozen water bottles and started squirting the water with force all over my hand as I trotted/ walked down the trail. It hurt like hell but I noticed that it was not bone sticking out of my fingers. I grabbed the fingers and started to manually move them to see if they were indeed broken and POP. They fell back into their joints and felt a bit better. I wiggled them ever so slightly. Not broken was my conclusion. I wasn't positive but I was fairly certain they were just cut very deeply from being folded backwards against very jagged rocks that did not produce nice clean slices. Andrew came running by and wished me luck with the problem. I fell in behind him and did a descent jog for the next four miles or so until the aid station at mile 10. In the second section climbing up Lost Trail in Muir Woods is steep but fairly short lived and so is the uphill that comes just after crossing Muir Woods Rd. The real challenge is in all that technical downhill leading into Muir Woods.

Me on the Coast View Trail 2012

At the 2nd aid station I immediately asked for medical tape and gauze. A medical kit was handed to me and I was told that I was welcome to look for it in there. With my one usable hand I did just that and found none. I settled for knuckle band aids piled one on top of the other until the cuts on both fingers were essentially wrapped. This took longer than I wanted and Andrew was long gone by the time I left that aid station. The next section between AS2 & AS3 is rolling and runnable for the first half but upon crossing the road again be prepared for hell. The Heather Cut Off picks up just beyond a horse pasture and it climbs back up the mountain via switchbacks that never end. Most runners are reduced to a walk/ trot on this section and this is where I could see way up above me was Andrew. By the time I reached the top of the switchbacks I was cramping in my quads quite a bit. The Coast View Trail takes you up the rest of the way after the switchbacks and it gains a ton of elevation too but without the benefit of switchbacks. It is a daunting task to keep moving forward.

I reached the top and ran passed the Cardiac Aid Station just as Andrew was leaving. I passed by with an urgency to get this race over with. I could smell the finish line from 3 miles out and I wanted this to be done so I hustled down the Dipsea Trail as fast as I could. Most of this trail is made up of very steep stairs made out of old rail road ties cut into the hillside. The wood is rotted and the dirt is eroding and the footing is treacherous. All I could think about was falling again and what that would feel like. Talk about paranoia!!! I made it down the quad pounding stairs and struggled to run the rolling hills that started my morning off. I crossed the finish line in 4:03:59. VERY close to my predicted goal. Raf was 10 minutes ahead of me and apparently he fell too or he would have come in even faster. Andrew was right on my heels with a 4:10 finish and Tom was soon to follow with a fast finish and an oddly fresh look on his face. I think we all felt good about our performances that day!!!

Good as new!!!

I soaked my blood and dirt covered cuts in a water cup to loosen up the dried mixture while I calmed down and regained homeostasis. I finally ventured over to the medics who provided me with Iodine, gauze and good medical tape. I got myself squared away and then checked out the results board (see here). I was 77th out of 125 racers that finished, 14th out of 23 in my age group. Not impressive stats but as a first step on my road back to the marathon I couldn't be happier. Inside Trail put on a great race. The course was well marked, the aid stations had enough volunteers even though I know they were looking for volunteers during the week proceeding the race. I would highly recommend this race to anyone who has yet to run it. It has beautiful single track, stunning views some really nice mellow sections and an event organizer who knows what their doing. I ran the 50k at this event in 2012 and it was spectacular then as well. I don't think I have ever been disappointed in an ITR race and this is no exception. If I'm not committed otherwise, I will be back next year!

December Trail Racing in the SF Bay Area

2015-11-16T20:19:00.002-08:00

December

Coastview Trail, GGNRA

The 2016 year at a glance calendar is coming soon!!!
Review the complete 2015 calendar here

December 5th- 6th- The North Face Endurance Challenge- 50mi, 50k, Marathon, Marathon Relay, Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- GGNRA, Fort Barry
December 5th- Dam Jingle Bell Dash- 10k, 5k, Kids Dash
December 5th- Calero Park Run- 5k, 10k, 15k, Half Marathon, 25k, 50k
December 12th- Hark the Herald Angels 12k & 25k- Angel Island State Park
December 12th- Summit Rock- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k
December 12th- Rodeo Beach- 50k, 30k, 20k, 8k
December 13th- Woodside Ramble- 50k, 35k, Half Marathon, 10k- Read my review from 2012

December 13th- Krampus Kross Kountry 5K, 10K & Micro Brew Fest- Presidio, SF ($5 discount with code JOHN at checkout)

December 20th- Zombie Runner Quarry Lakes- 5k, 10k, Half Marathon, Marathon
December 27th- Brazen Almost New Years Eve- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- Read my review from 2012 or my review from 2014
December 27th- Woodside- 50k, 35k, 17k, 10k- Huddart Park, Woodside
December 31st- New Years One Day- 6hour, 12hour, 24hour- Chrissy Field, SF

Holy Krampus!!!! Running and beer and demons to boot!!!!

2015-11-09T10:27:00.000-08:00

The Krampus Cross Country 5K/10K and Micro Brew Fest is coming Sunday December 13th to the Presidio in San Francisco. The race start is near the intersection of Barnard/Fernandez. All participants receive a pre-race warmup, epic views, awesome trails, adventure, a shot at winning prizes during the race via thei trail treasure hunt, post-run beverages from Hint Water, SOS Rehydrate, beers from a local microbrewery, Crunch Culture Yogurt, snacks from Mamma Chia, peanut butter pretzels, M&Ms, post-run massage from PSOAS Massage/Bodywork, and more!

This one is pretty special as it is the very FIRST event Marathon Matt and Sasquatch Racing has produced in San Francisco! Matt has worked with San Francisco events and held numerous training clubs and fun runs around the city but all of his racing events have taken place outside of the city because of the difficulty in obtaining permits in SF. That alone is enough to get me out and support this race because Matt has done so much for the running scene in general in the Bay Area that I gotta support him in his first ever SF event.

I'm also pretty excited about the free massage and beer as well, lets not overlook that tid bit of info!

If you have 2 hrs to burn on Sunday morning come out and support Matt and the Krampus Cross Country Race in the Presidio. SFTrails has arranged for a $5 discount for the first 10 people who sign up at https://events.hakuapp.com/the-krampus-kross-kountry-5k-10k and use code JOHN at checkout.

Never done a Sasquatch Racce before? Check out the following video to get an idea of the awesome trails, epic views, and excellent people you will experience on race day!

I'll see you in the Presidio!!!!

November 2015 Trail Racing Calendar for the San Francisco Bay Area

2015-10-20T20:00:00.001-07:00

See the complete 2015 calendar here

A few months ago I regarded November as a light month for races. I had about 10 on my list and that's half as many races as almost any other month. As November drew closer I searched for any trail runs I may have missed. I found 3 more races to add to the calendar giving us a total of 13 races to choose from in November. Theirs quite a bit of diversity to choose from including a few Thanksgiving themed trail runs like the brand new Gobble Wobble in El Sobrante.

November 7th- Lake Chabot Trail Run- 50k, Marathon, 30k, Half Marathon, 5mi
November 8th- Mt Diablo Trail Adventure- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k
November 8th- Napa Valley Harvest Half Marathon, 10K & 5K
November 14th- Mt Tam- 50k, 30k, Half Marathon, 10k- Read my review from 2012
November 15th- Briones Ridge- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k
November 21st- Peacock Gap Trail Run- 30k, Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- China Camp State Park
November 22nd- Holiday Hustle- 10k, Half Marathon, Marathon
November 26th- Nitro Turkey- 10k, 5k, Little Turkey's Race
November 26th- Zoom Turkey Trot- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- Hellyer Park
November 26th- The Thanksgiving Gobble Wobble- 10k, 5k- El Sobrante
November 26th- Marin Turkey Trot- 10k, 5k, 1 mile
November 28th- Quarry Turkey- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k
November 28th- Quad Dipsea- 28.8mi- Mill Valley

Special Mention

Healthy Running Laguna Niguel- SoCal Running Convention for Medical Professionals, Coaches, Trainers, and Runners. Healthy Running covers advanced running form, strength training, range of motion, aerobic development, motor skill development, injury assessment and treatment, and running shoe prescription. Content is evidence based with numerous case scenarios and hands-on analysis to apply concepts learned.

The 2016 calendar will be coming soon!

Kroger's Canteen - Salomon Running TV S4 E06

2015-10-07T19:59:00.001-07:00

October trail races in the Bay Area

2015-09-15T13:40:00.000-07:00

see the full 2015 calendar here

The weather is turning fast and the heat wave of early September is fading fast. The trails are covered with a few extra leaves and we can finally go for a run without carrying 10 gallons of water with us! It's almost October and we have a really nice selection of races at every distance. I think a few of these are very close to selling out due to popular demand vs trail permit limits (Honeybadger!). Looks like PCTrails is re-branding their Stinson Beach event as the Eldrith Gosney Pure Ultra in honor of the 74 year old Bay Area trail running legend. REI (the retailer) is holding an event in Marin. The Sonoma Trail Marathon is an event I am unfamiliar with so if anyone runs this one I would love to here about it.

October

October 3rd- Pacifica Summit Run- 10k, Half Marathon, 30k, 50k- San Redro Valley State Park, Pacifica
October 4th- Montclaire 5k
October 3rd- Rocky Ridge- Ultra Half Series Championship, Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- Read my review from 2014
October 3rd- Sonoma Trail Marathon- Marathon, Half Marathon, 5k fun run
October 10th- Dick Collins Firetrails 50- 50mi
October 10th- Golden Hills Marathon- Berkeley
October 10th- Skyline to the Sea- Marathon & 50k- Read my review from 2013
October 11th- Honey Badger- 5k, 10k, Half Marathon- China Camp State Park, San Rafael
October 17th- Los Vaqueros Tarantula Run- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k, Kids Scramble
October 17th- Oakland Hills Run- 35k, Half Marathon, 10k
October 17th- REI Run Series: Marin Headlands- 10k, 5k
October 18th- Coyote Ridge Trail Run- 50k, Marathon, 20mi, 10mi, 7mi
October 24th- Eldrith Gosney's Pure Ultra- 50k, 36k, Half Marathon, 11k

October 25th- Napa Wine Country Marathon, Half Marathon & 10k
October 31st- Zombie Runner Halloween Run- Marathon, Half Marathon, 5mi
October 31st- Stinson Beach Marathon, Half Marathon & 7 mi

SF from space!

2015-09-07T19:56:00.001-07:00

Check out @StationCDRKelly's Tweet: https://twitter.com/StationCDRKelly/status/640173950979313665?s=09

Curiosity

2015-08-30T21:44:00.001-07:00

https://youtu.be/GNWkehVuO84

September 2015 Trail Racing in the San Francisco Bay Area

2015-08-19T07:51:00.002-07:00

See the full 2015 Calendar HERE

September

September 5th- Zoom Point Pinole- Half, 10k, 5k
September 5th- Palo Alto Weekly's Moonlight Run- 10k, 5k
September 5th- TRAIL HOG- HALF MARATHON/10K/5K- Read my review from 2014
September 6th- Annadel Loop- 7mi- Annadel State Park, Santa Rosa
September 12th- Night Sweats- Marathon, 15k
September 12th- Fall Showdown- Half Marathon, 5mi, 5k
September 13th- Golden Gate Park Open Cross Country (part of PAUSATF XC GP)- 4mi
September 12th/13th- Headlands Hundred 100mi, 75mi, 50mi, Marathon- Marin Headlands, GGNRA
September 13th- Diablo Trail Run- 50k, Marathon, Half Marathon, 10mi, 4mi- Mt Diablo
September 13th- Whistle Punk Half- Half Marathon- Purissma Creek Redwoods, San Mateo County
September 14th- Lagoon Valley- 30k,Half Marathon, 10k, 5k, kids 1/2 mile
September 19th- DRAG-N-FLY -Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- Read my review from 2014
September 19th- Race4Life- 5k- Pleasanton
September 20th- Coastal 50k- Marin Headlands, GGNRA
September 20th- Garin Trail Running Festival- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- Hayward
September 25th- Marin Moonlight Run- 5k, 10k - Hamilton Marshes, Novato
September 26th- Dipsea Hike for Zero Breast Cancer- 6mi- Marin Headlands, GGNRA
September 26th- Berkeley Trail Adventure- 50k, 35k, Half Marathon, 10k Read my review from 2013- Tilden Park, Berkeley
September 26th- Garin Park Cross Country Challenge- 5k- Haywatd
September 27th- Big Sur Trail Marathon, Half Marathon & 5mi
September 27th- Lindley Meadow Cross Country- 5K- San Francisco

Special Mention:
SAN DIEGO AREA
September 19th- Carmel Valley Trail 10k & 5k

August 2015 Trail Racing Calendar for the San Francisco Bay Area

2015-07-16T08:56:00.002-07:00

August Trail Races in 2015

See the full 2015 calendar here

August 1st- Summer Breeze- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- San Leandro Marina
August 2nd- Santa Cruz- 30k, Half Marathon, 10k- Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, Felton
August 2nd- Tick Trailblaze- Half, 10k, 5k- Huddart Park, Woodside- Read my review from 2014- First 10 people to sign up here recieve $10 discount with code SFTRAILS
August 2nd- Presidio Cross Country 5k- Julius Kahn Playground, San Francisco
August 8th- Skyline 50- 50k- Lake Chabot, Castro Valley
August 9th- Crystal Springs- 50k, Marathon, 22mi, Half Marathon, 10k- Huddart Park, Woodside Read my review from 2013
Save $$$ and support Lyme Disease Research!!!
Use offer code SFTrails at checkout

August 15th- Bear Creek- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- Briones Regional Park, Martinez
August 15th- Cinderella Trail Run- 50k, Marathon, 30k, Half Marathon, 10k- Joaquin Miller Park, Oakland
August 22nd- Bill Flodberg Mount Madonna Challenge- 30k, 18k, 12k, 6k- Spring Lake Picnic Area, Gilroy
August 23rd- Coastal Trail Challenge- 10k- Little Marina Green, San Francisco
August 29th- Tamalpa Headlands 50k- Muir Beach- SOLD OUT- Waiting List Available
August 29th- Toro- 5k, 10k, Half Marathon, 30k- Toro County Park, Salinas
August 29th- Annual Almaden Hills Run- Half Marathon, 10k, 5kAugust 30th- Golden Gate Park Cross Country- 5k- Polo Field, San Francisco
August 30th- Zoom Castle Rock- Half, 10k, 5k- Castle Rock Regional Park, Walnut Creek

The Tick Trailblaze is just a few weeks away!

2015-07-09T08:16:00.000-07:00

raceroster.com/events/2015/4381/the-tick-trailblaze-5k10khalf-and-family-friendly-1k/?aff=ZM2GM
Click this link and use code SFTRAILS to get a discounted entry!!!

The Tick Trailblaze 5K/10K/Half (and Family Friendly 1K)

WHEN: SUNDAY, 8/2/15, Half Marathon starts at 9:15, 10K starts at 9:30, Family Friendly 1K & 5K starts @ 9:45
WHERE: 1100 KINGS MOUNTAIN ROAD, HUDDART PARK, WOODSIDE, CA. 94062
COST: 5K-$35-$50, 10K-$45-$60, HALF-$75-$90

Participant Perks

All participants receive a pre-race warmup from Sweat Republic SF, epic views, awesome trails, adventure, a shot at winning the ARM sponsored ‘Silver Shoe Challenge‘, fuel from Powerbar at aid stations, post-run beverages from Hint Water, SOS Rehydrate, beers from a local microbrewery, Crunch Culture Yogurt, snacks from Mamma Chia, peanut butter pretzels, M&Ms, post-run massage from PSOAS Massage/Bodywork, and more!
We’ll even have a band playing music at the end of the race to round out this family friendly trail party!
Family Friendly 1K runners receive a Tick Trail Blaze woodallion and a Sasquatch Racing Buff.
5K/10K runners receive a Tick Trail Blaze woodallion and a Tick Trail Blaze technical shirt.
Half Marathon runners receive a Tick Trail Blaze medal (that doubles as a bottle opener) and a Tick Trail Blaze technical shirt.
Take a peek at the medals (Half marathoners) and woodallions (1K/5K/10K runners)….

Why is a Tick the event mascot?
We’re very fortunate to have The Bay Area Lyme Foundation as our race series sponsor. The Bay Area Lyme Foundation is committed to making Lyme disease easy to diagnose and simple to cure.
Lyme disease is the fastest growing vector-borne illness in the US. It is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected backlegged tick. Most infections are caused by the nymphal form of the tick. These immature ticks are the size of a small poppy seed, allowing them to easily escape discovery.
Never done one of our races before? Check out the following video to get an idea of the awesome trails, epic views, and excellent people you will experience on race day!

TACKLE THE TRAILBLAZE!

Tune Up Run(s):

-The Tick Trailblaze Preview Run on 7/18 @ 10AM at Huddart Park in Woodside, CA.

Race Bib/Shirt Pickup Events:

TBD @ A Runner’s Mind (3575 Sacramento St.) in San Francisco, CA
TBD @ A Runner’s Mind(1111 Howard Ave.) in Burlingame, CA

Parking Procedures

There is a reasonable amount of parking at Huddart Park in Woodside. Bring cash to pay for parking. Please plan to arrive 30-45 minutes in advance to also guarantee a parking spot. Carpooling is recommended.

5k Run

5K COURSE MAP & ELEVATION CHART

10k Run

10K COURSE MAP & ELEVATION CHART

Half Marathon Run

HALF COURSE MAP & ELEVATION CHART

Horizontal Running!!!!

2015-06-28T08:22:00.003-07:00

I gotta try this!!!

Trail Racing in the Bay Area for July 2015

2015-06-25T20:31:00.000-07:00

July is the month of Lake Chabot & Big Basin. Both locations are having two races this month and I must say that if you've never run in Big Basin you just don't know what you're missing out on. Big miles are happening on the 11th and beautiful city views are on the 25th. Check it out!!!

July 4th- Zoom Quarry Lakes- Half, 10k, 5k
July 5th- Resevoir Dogs- 35k, Half Marathon, 10k, 5k
July 11th- Dirty Dozen & Half Dozen- -12 HOURS/6 HOURS
July 11th- Golden Gate Trail Run- 50k, Marathon, 30k, Half Marathon, 5mi
July 12th- Pacifica- 50k, 30k, 21k, 10k
July 18th- Rancho Canada del Oro- 50k, 24 mi, 14 mi, 9 mi, 4.2 mi (Date not confirmed)
July 18th- Table Rock- 27k, 10k
July 19th SPASM Chabot Trail Run- 50k, Marathon, 30k, Half Marathon, 5mi
July 25th- BAD BASS- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- Lake Chabot- Read my review from 2014
July 25th- Angel Island 12k & 25k- Tiburon Ferry Dock to Angel Island State Park
July 25th- Berry Creek Falls- 25k, 15k,10k
July 26th- Big Basin- 50k, Marathon,

I'm making a come back and you're coming with me!

2015-06-20T19:31:00.000-07:00

I've had a long lay off lately. That tends to happen from time to time when work and family get hectic for me. I thinkI have a handle on things now so I'm officially announcing my comeback and I'm looking for those of you who also want to get back on track. I got $10 bucks off for the first 10 people who want to race the Tick Trail Blaze with me in August. Doesn't matter if you want the 5k or the Half, the discount will apply. I'm feeling way out of shape so I'm going for the 10k and I'm aiming for sub 1 hour. At Huddart Park thats a pretty good goal! This race also includes a 'treasure hunt' that gives all runners a chance to win a ton of cool prizes (free race entries, Sasquatch Racing hoodies, a YEAR'S WORTH OF KETTLE CHIPS!!!, and more).Here's the details of the race and that discount code.

Participant Perks

We’ll even have a band playing music at the end of the race to round out this family friendly trail party!

Family Friendly 1K runners receive a Tick Trail Blaze woodallion and a Sasquatch Racing Buff.

5K/10K runners receive a Tick Trail Blaze woodallion and a Tick Trail Blaze technical shirt.

Half Marathon runners receive a Tick Trail Blaze medal (that doubles as a bottle opener) and a Tick Trail Blaze technical shirt.

Take a peek at the medals (Half marathoners) and woodallions (1K/5K/10K runners)….

Why is a Tick the event mascot?

We’re very fortunate to have The Bay Area Lyme Foundation as our race series sponsor. The Bay Area Lyme Foundation is committed to making Lyme disease easy to diagnose and simple to cure.

Lyme disease is the fastest growing vector-borne illness in the US. It is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected backlegged tick. Most infections are caused by the nymphal form of the tick. These immature ticks are the size of a small poppy seed, allowing them to easily escape discovery.

Never done one of our races before? Check out the following video to get an idea of the awesome trails, epic views, and excellent people you will experience on race day!

Lynch Canyon Trail Run is this weekend!!!

2015-06-01T07:59:00.001-07:00

http://www.lynchcanyontrailrun.org/

On the first Saturday of June, trail runners gather to test themselves on Lynch Canyon's terrain. Runners experience outstanding views of undulating open space, the Napa Valley, San Francisco Bay, Mt. Tamalpais, and Mt. Diablo. Drawing participants from all around Northern California and beyond, this top notch event has earned a reputation for being the perfect combination of "challenge & fun".

Enjoyed by runners from 8 to 80 years old, and first-timers to sponsored athletes, the Lynch Canyon Trail Run has something for everyone. While trail run distances are challenging with a respectable amount of elevation gain, participants are treated to frequent aid stations and cheerful volunteers. The event also includes a free 2.5 mile community hike to encourage everyone to participate and enjoy some of the great outdoor recreation that Solano County has to offer.

Event proceeds benefit The Solano Land Trust, a non-profit organization that preserves and protects open space in Solano County.

Race Information

What:
The Lynch Canyon Trail Run & Community Hike. Events include a Half Marathon, 10K, 5K and 2.5 mi Community Hike

When:
June 6, 2015

Where:
Lynch Canyon Open Space. Listed as one of the "7 (hidden) Wonders of the West" by Sunset Magazine. For more information http://www.solanolandtrust.org/

Directions:

From Interstate-80 East between Vallejo and Fairfield, take the American Canyon/Hiddenbrooke exit. Go south toward Hiddenbrooke Parkway. Just before entering the Hiddenbrooke development, turn east (left) on McGary Road (frontage road that runs parallel to I-80). Follow McGary Road for 1.6 miles to where it intersects with Lynch Road. Turn left on Lynch Road, go under the I-80 underpass, and proceed through the gate at the end of the cul-de-sac to the gravel parking lot.

From Interstate-80 West between Fairfield and Vallejo, take the Red Top Road exit. Go south (left) under the underpass. In less than 0.1 mile, turn right on McGary Road (frontage road that runs parallel to I-80). Follow McGary Road for 1.8 miles. Turn right on Lynch Road, go under the I-80 underpass, and proceed through the gate at the end of the cul-de-sac to the gravel parking lot.

Course Maps:
Half Marathon Course Map - Approximations: 3,000 ft climbing, 8 aid stations 1.5 mi apart, aid stations @ 3mi, 6mi, 9mi & finish with sports drink.

10K Course Map - Approximations: 1,500 ft climbing, 4 aid stations 1.5 mi apart, aid stations @ 3mi & finish with sports drink.

5 K Course Map - Approximations: 400 ft climbing, 2 aid stations 1.5 mi apart, aid station @ finish with sports drink.

Community Hike Course Map - Approximations: 400 ft of climbing, 2 aid stations 1.5 mi apart, aid station @ finish with sports drink.

Start Time:

8:00 am

Online Registration:

Click here for online registration through active.com.

Race Day Packet Pick-Up & Registration:

6:30am – 7:45am. Packet pick-up is only offered race day morning. Bibs and Tshirts are not mailed or available in advance.

Fees:

Date 5K 10K Half

Until 3/29 (midnight) $15 $20 $30

3/30-5/3 (midnight) $20 $30 $40

5/4-6/4 (noon) $30 $40 $50

Race Day $40 $50 $60

Community Hike: FREE! In the spirit of encouraging healthy living, anyone signing an event waiver can do the community hike for free. Just signup at the race day registration table and join us for some fun in the outdoors!

Participant Awards:
Half Marathon: Event T-shirt & Finisher's Medal
10K: Event T-shirt

5K: Event T-shirt

**shirts guaranteed for pre-registered participants only**

Refunds:

No transfers and/or refunds for non participation. Instead, your race fee will be converted to a charitable contribution and you can request a receipt for tax purposes from the Solano Land Trust.

Restrictions:

Bring the family...but leave the pets behind...they are not allowed at Lynch Canyon. Traditional strollers will not work well on this off-road course, however, large wheeled jogger/running style strollers will work on the community hike course (all other courses involve single-track and using a jogging stroller would be dangerous)

15 Hours | with Brett Rivers

2015-05-31T20:36:00.001-07:00

June 2015 trail racing calendar for the San Francisco Bay Area

2015-05-17T10:59:00.002-07:00

See the full 2015 calendar here

June 6th- Trail Quake- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- Read my review from 2014
June 6th- Lynch Canyon Trail Run- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k, Free Hike Read my review from 2014
June 7th- The Dipsea- 7.2 mi
June 7th- Lake Chabot Trail Challenge- Half, 5k
June 10th- Dusk Buster- 5k
June 13th- Calero Run- 2.8mi, 9mi, 16mi, 25k, 50k, 50mi
June 13th- Rodeo Valley- 50k, 30k, Half Marathon, 10k
June 13th- San Lorenzo River- 50k, Marathon, 30k, Half Marathon, 10k
June 20th- Double Dipsea- 14.2 mile
June 20th- Canyon Meadow Trail Run- 50k, Marathon, 30k, Half Marathon, 5mi
June 20th- San Francisco Summer Solstice 6, 12 & 24hr
June 21st- Woodminster Cross Country Race- 9mi

Lynch Canyon round 3: The quest for sub 2 hours continues!

2015-05-03T17:12:00.000-07:00

For the past 2 years I have been trying to break the 2 hour mark on the Lynch Canyon Trail Run. There is nothing inherently odd about that goal. In fact, its probably the most common goal when it comes to road half marathons and that goes double for trail half's. When I first heard about "Solano County's toughest trail run" I just had to run it under 2 hours to prove it really wasn't all that tough. At that time I had just crushed my marathon PR and my 50k PR and I was running half marathons routinely under 2 hours in my everyday training. When I came up short that first year I was stunned. I had about 4 or 5 good excuses as to why it didn't work out for me that year. When it didn't work out for me the second year around a quest was born. The Quest for Sub 2 Hours!!!!

The Lynch Canyon Trail Run is in it's 8th year under the direction of Chris Abess. Chris puts on a really great, family friendly event that attracts all types of runners from all ability levels and a huge group of hikers participate in all of the events especially in the free 2.5 mile hike. If you are running the half marathon you'll see a lot of hikers coming in on your way out for loop #2.

From the 2014 event. Cows came to cheer us on!

At this race you can expect all of the usual fuel choices at the aid stations. In super hot years they have put out little cooling stations with sponges in buckets of water to squeeze over your head. The Lynch Canyon Open Space Preserve has grazing cattle so Chris usually gets a few horse wranglers to keep the course clear. It's actually kind of cool to see that sort of thing since it's not an everyday occurrence for me. When my kids are old enough to participate in one of the many events out here I can't wait to get their reaction to the cowboys and the cows being so up close, potentially.

Walk it, run it, hike it, whatever it takes!

My son absolutely loved hanging out at the finish line area and cheering his daddy on. You'll notice big groups hanging out and having a good time at this event more so than if you were at a regular running event. My wife and son will be back out again this year but with baby #2 on the way she won't be pushing the BOB stroller up the hills this year. It's just a bit to strenuous for a pregnant woman but by all means give it a shot if you think you can handle it. My wife is as tough as nails and she said it was really tough pushing the stroller up some of the hills when she did it last year. If you don't have a stroller with large wheels (like a BOB) their is no way you can navigate the uneven terrain. Like I said in the beginning; I'm chasing that 2 hour dream..... but I've been needed around the house more and more lately so my training has been sparse so if I crack that 2 hour barrier it will be a trail running miracle.

This race is known around the Bay Area as "the race with the really cool medals!" Which is totally deserved. In 2013 they had a ceramic saucer style medal that was hand made and hand painted.

In 2014 the medal was a glass piece that was hand lettered with a copper wire runner hanging off the bottom. Both of these medals are stand-outs in my collection and people ask about them more than any of my other medals. The medals this year are hand crafted from reclaimed wood from the Land Trust Property and a branding iron was hand crafted from their blacksmith shop to brand the wood for the medallion. Prototypes are being made right now. Sounds super cool to add to the collection.

If you are running in this years event but haven't signed up yet, you may want to get to it. Chris told me that pre-registration is pretty far ahead of all prior years. Registrants are coming from all of the Bay Area counties, 5 different states and 3 countries. This is still a race that is purposely capped in the 300-400 range so it's a nice size but that means space is going fast. I can attest to this race's popularity for sure. If you do a search on this site for Lynch Canyon you will see that I have wrote quite a few articles about this race and those articles continue to gather hits all winter long. My race reviews on this course are in my top 10 articles of all time in terms of views.

I'll be there for sure running the half. If that is too much for you, consider one of the shorter options.
See you out there!

Check out the course maps:

Half Marathon

10K

Free Hike

May 2015 Trail Racing Calendar for the San Francisco Bay Area

2015-04-24T08:46:00.000-07:00

View the full 2015 calendar here

The warm weather is definitely here to stay. Don't get me wrong, it never gets really cold here in the Bay Area but sometimes it can be in the early hours of the morning. A cold wind blowing fog up into the mountains creating a drizzly, damp chill can drain the life out of a run quickly. But that seems to be behind us now with temps in the low 50's at its coldest and usually in the upper 60's before lunch. This is perfect running and racing weather. If you are looking for an EASY course give the Western Pacific a try. If your looking for something NEW give the San Bruno Mtn Run a try. The new kids on the block, Urban Coyote Racing are responsible for that one. I'm seriously thinking about giving these guys a try. If I do I will be sure to let you know what I think of Urban Coyote Racing. If you want to see the top talent in trail running be sure to stop by the MiWok 100k in the headlands. Top tier athletes from all over come out for that one.

May 2nd- Western Pacific- Marathon, Half Marathon, 10k, 5k
May 2nd- Miwok- 100k (SOLD OUT)
May 9th- Cinderella Trail Run- 50k, Marathon, 30k, Half Marathon, 10k
May 9th- Muir Woods Marathon, Half Marathon & 7 Mile
May 9th- Wildcat- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- Read my review from 2014
May 9th- Mothers Day Run- Half Marathon, 5mi, 5k
May 9th- Los Altos Hills Pathways Run- 10k, 5k, 1mi
May 9th- Quicksilver- 50k, 100k (97% full as of 5-3-15)May 10th- Loop the Lagoon- 10k, 5k, 2 mile walk- Lagoon Valley Park, Vacaville
May 17th- Horseshoe Lake- 50k, Marathon, Half Marathon, 5mi Read my review from 2013
May 17th- Ohlone Wilderness Run- 50k
May- 23rd- Salomon CITYTRAIL- 5k, 10k, Half Marathon- Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco
May 23rd- China Camp- 35k, Half Marathon, 10k, 5k
May 30th- Nitro Trail- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k
May 30th- 31st- San Francisco 100 & 50 Mile Endurance Run- Rodeo Beach, GGNRA, Sausalito
May 30th- San Bruno Mtn Run- 5k, 10k, Half Marathon- San Bruno Mountain State Park, South San Francisco

April trail racing in the San Francisco Bay Area

2015-03-23T08:14:00.002-07:00

The weather certainly has been nice lately and as the weeks tick by we get offered more and more chances to get out on the trails. April has 12 trail races to choose from ranging from 5 to 50 miles. I'm going for the beer and massage offering over at the Sasquatch Scramble. Perhaps I'll see you out there. FYI, if you haven't signed up yet for the Sasquatch Scramble you may want to. It sold out last year! Speaking of sell outs, Grizzly Peak is already sold out and Lake Sonoma was sold out long ago. People are looking for races that aren't sold out and the consequence is that other races that may not normally sell out are doing just that. The trail scene is heating up for sure.

April 4th- King Richard Annual- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k
April 4th- Grizzly Peak- 50k, Marathon, 30k, Half Marathon, 10k SOLD OUT
April 11th- Mt Tam Wild Boar Half Marathon & 10K
April 11th- Lake Sonoma- 50mi- SOLD OUT
April 11th- Zoom Ayala Cove Run- 15mi, 10mi, 5mi
April 12th- Woodside Crossover- 50k, 35k, Half Marathon, 10k
April 18th- Night Sweats Trail Marathon- Sausalito
April 19th- Diablo Trail Challenge- 50k, Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- Read my review from 2014
April 25th- Sierra Azul Trail Challenge- 50 mi, 50k, 18.8 mi, 13.1 mi, 10k, 5k
April 25th- Rodeo Beach Rumble- 8k, Half Marathon, 30k, 50k- GGNRA Rodeo Beach
April 26th- Sasquatch Scramble- 5k, 10k, Half Marathon- Redwood Regional Park, Oakland
April 27th- Presidio Y Trails Run- 10k, 5k, 1.5mi- Park Presidio, San Francisc

Sasquatch is growing in the Bay Area!

2015-03-15T10:03:00.001-07:00

Sun, 4/26 @ Redwood Regional Park in Oakland

Every year or two a new racing company sprouts up in the Bay Area and rarely do they stick around for more than a year or two (RIP NorCal Racing). Sasquatch has broke that trend by offering great routes on the classic trails of the area and creating a commnuity vibe amongst racers that is similar to what you feel at a Brazen Race. Sasquatch Racing has grown their loyal following race by race to where they now can invest some money back into the events they host starting with the Sasquatch Scramble in late April.

Big Change #1

Chip Timing!

I recently ran a race with a long standing race company and among the MANY things they did not offer, timing was one of them. I don't mind if all you provide is a big clock at the finish but when you can't even do that I have to question if you realize the very nature of the sport you are working in. It's me versus the clock and you didn't bring the clock???? Sasquatch started out with a big clock and now they are moving into chip timing. THIS IS AWESOME. Sasquatch just moved up the list of my favorite companies to race with.

Big Change #2

Finishers Medals!

The 5k & 10k finishers at this years Sasquatch Scramble will receive the Woodallion and the Half Marathon finishers will receive the metal bottle opener medal.

I love my finishers medals but I have A LOT!!! and that makes it difficult to display them all so I have started to only display the very cool and the unique medals (think Lynch Canyon's artistic style medals!!) Matt Forsman (co-founder of Sasquatch) & company has really out-done themselves with these medals. I love the metal bottle opener and will run the upcoming Scramble just to get one. Afterwards I will be in the parking lot offering cash to any 5k or 10k finisher that doesn't want their Woodallion because I need a rear view mirror ornament for my new mini van. These new medals are keepers for sure. I have the 100th year Bay to Breakers, the Ultra Half Series finishers coaster, 2 handmade medals from Lynch Canyon, a few spinners and 1 click together medal for running the spring and winter US Half back to back (which can never be done again!).

Big Change #3

New Registration Platform and a chance to earn $MONEY$

Sasquatch has teamed up with race roster for all of your registration needs. It's similar to Active.com or UltraSignUp.com in it's ease of getting you registered but it also pays you to spread the word. When you share the race to Facebook (or wherever) you get paid for people signing up off of your post. Lets put this to the test, Sign up for the Sasquatch Scramble by clicking this link raceroster.com/events/2015/4363/the-sasquatch-scramble-5k10khalf/?aff=ZM2GM and I will tell you how much money this brings in when the event is over ;-).

All of these new changes are in addition to the free Pyramid Beer, free massage from Psoas Bodywork and great Tech Tees. I hate to beat a dead horse but the well known race organizer that I spoke of earlier gave out cotton shirts (chaffing machines) and they couldn't be bothered with a start/ finish line, post race food, finishers medals or anything for that matter. It was a very expensive and yet bare bones event that left me feeling totally ripped off. Sasquatch on the other hand is cheaper and offers more than almost any other event organizer out there. The major players in the trail racing business are changing or more accurately evolving while others seem to be devolving. If you haven't tried a Sasquatch race I highly recommend you show up and experience it for yourself.

How exercise changes our DNA

2015-02-16T08:38:00.003-08:00

The message of this study is unambiguous. “Through endurance training — a lifestyle change that is easily available for most people and doesn’t cost much money, we can induce changes that affect how we use our genes and, through that, get healthier and more functional muscles that ultimately improve our quality of life.”

Read the NY Times article here:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/12/17/how-exercise-changes-our-dna/?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=pay&smvar=int&ad-keywords=health&_r=0

March 2015 Trail Racing Calendar for the San Francisco Bay Area

2015-02-11T09:01:00.001-08:00

See the entire 2015 calendar here

March 2015

March 7th- Romancing the Island 12K & 25K- Angel Island via Tiburon ferry
March 7th- Sanborn Park Trail Challenge- Half Marathon, 9 mi, 4.2 mi- Sanborn Park, Saratoga

March 8th- Ilsanjo Classic 10-miler & Neo-Classic 4-miler- Howarth Park, Santa Rosa

March 14th- Badger Cove- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- DelValle Park, Livermore- Read my review from 2014
March 14th- Zombie Runner San Francisco- 5k, 10k, Half Marathon- Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco

March 14th- Marin Ultra Challenge- 50mi, 50k, 35k, Half- Fort Baker,GGNRA, Sausalito
March 21st- Napa Valley Trail Marathon, Half Marathon & 10K SOLD OUT
March 22nd- Canyon Meadow Trail Run- 50k, Marathon, 30k, Half Marathon, 5mi- Redwood Regional Park, Oakland
March 22nd- Calero Resevoir- Marathon, Half Marathon, 9k- Calero Park, Santa Clara
March 22nd- Whiskey Hill Redwood Run- Half Marathon, 10k- Huddart Park, Woodside
March 28th- Brazen Goonies- Half Marathon, 10k, 5k- Lagoon Valley Park, Vacaville
March 30th- Golden Gate Headlands Marathon, Half Marathon & 7 Mile- GGNRA, Marin

Special Events in March

Run Rugged Trail Camp

March 27-29 2015

Camp Monte Toyon is a beautiful camp adjacent to The Forest of Nisene Marks Redwood State Park in Aptos, California Educational clinics will include: Ultra running, Hydration, Nutrition, injury prevention, and more!! Meet and run with athletes from The North Face, GU, and Nathan. Vendors will be on hand all weekend with demonstrations and gear to try. Raffles and prizes throughout the event! Cost $349 prior to 12/31/2014 $399 after 12/31/2014 Cost includes all meals and lodging! Tentative Schedule of events: Friday 4pm til 6:30pm Welcome Reception and Camper check in at Fleet Feet Sports 7:00pm Dinner at Camp Monte Toyon 8:30 Nathan Light Up Your Night Hike to Overlook 10:00pm Lights out.....Long day ahead! Saturday 7:30am Breakfast 8:30 Seminar (TBA) 10:00am Trail Run!!! (Multiple distances and paces) 12:00 Lunch 1:30- 3:30 Seminars and group activity 4:00 Trail Run!! 7:00pm Dinner 8:30pm Campfire program Sunday 7:00 am light breakfast 7:30 am Trail run! (Multiple distances) 12:00 Lunch and departures.