Bay Area Challenge: How to Take Your Berkeley Experience Further
The 2023 Berkeley Half Marathon is well and truly over. The event attracted thousands of runners, and thousands more people came to enjoy the race atmosphere and cheer them on. As runners rest and recover after achieving their goals, the urge to keep training and conquer another challenge sets in. Many start to ask, What’s next? Of course, you can always keep next year’s Berkeley Half Marathon in your sight. However, that’s a full year away; what if you want to run something sooner? There are many other races and marathons you can sign up for throughout the year; may we suggest you take on the Bay Area Challenge?
Written by Pavlína Marek & Lucas Collins
Edited by Pavlína Marek
The Bay Area Challenge
Are you looking for a truly challenging experience? Take on the Bay Area Challenge and conquer five iconic Bay Area races in 12 months! If you don’t feel like taking on every single one of these races, you can take this post as an inspiration for your next race.
The Bay Area Challenge presents an exciting experience for runners of all levels. Participants must complete five consecutive events at the San Francisco Marathon, Giant Race, Berkeley Half Marathon, Oakland Marathon, and the San Jose 8K & Half Marathon. Any distance except for the SFM Lollipop and BHM 1K counts towards the challenge. You can join the challenge at any time—just finish all the races within a year. Virtual races also qualify!
The San Francisco Marathon
The San Francisco Marathon will be held on July 27th and 28th 2024. The full list of races at the San Francisco Marathon includes the full marathon, a first half and a second half marathon, a 10K, and a 5K. Kids and families can take part in their respective races, and there’s even 5K for the runners’ canine companions. For those who are up for the ultimate challenge, there’s also the San Francisco 52.4-mile ultramarathon!
Another thing that makes San Francisco a good choice for your next race is the location! Just across the bay from Berkeley, it’s nice and close for any local runners, and anyone who has experienced or trained for Berkeley will have some familiarity with the terrain. San Francisco is also a gorgeous city with beautiful natural sights like the Bay, mountains, and Pacific Ocean. It also has wondrous architecture across the steep hills of the city; you’ll get to run across the iconic Golden Gate Bridge! If the Berkeley Half Marathon impacted you, imagine what a full marathon in a city like San Francisco could do.
The Giant Race
Do you like running? What about baseball? If you replied “yes” to both of these questions, the Giant Race is perfect for you. The Giant Race takes place in several cities, ending the season in the Bay Area’s very own San Francisco. The usual distances are the 10K, 5K, Virtual, or Kids Race. ‘Buy One Get One’ Giants tickets are also a part of the deal.
The Berkeley Half Marathon
The San Jose 8K & Half Marathon
The Run Local’s “Original Running Party” will take place on June 2, 2024. The San Jose 8K & Half Marathon is famous for its Mariachi Mile and Santana Row experience which celebrate the city’s Mexican heritage. The course is flat and fast and perfect for setting your personal bests—that is if you don’t stop to enjoy the Mariarchi Mile, which might be a bigger challenge than the whole race! The Santana Row also offers a unique finish line experience.
The Oakland Marathon
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