|
|
|
First Timer's Guide
Race Calendars
Training Plans
|
|
California > Wildcat Half Marathon, 10K & 5K
El Sobrante, CA • Saturday, May 18, 2013 • Course Map
 |
|
Filled with 22 miles of fire trails that wind along hills and ridges overlooking San Pablo Bay, Wildcat Canyon Regional Park plays host in the spring of 2012 to the third annual Wildcat Half Marathon, 10K & 5K, a race that takes runners on a mostly trail run through this park which lies just a short drive north from nearby San Francisco.
Hosted by the locally-based race management group Brazen Racing -- which also organizes races like January's Coyote Hills Half Marathon and the Bay Breeze Half Marathon in February -- the race is set to feature a maximum field size of 500 runners and some of the Bay Area's most gorgeous views. Just over 500 runners and hikers crossed the finish line in all three races in 2012, including more than 170 finishers in the half marathon alone.
The race gets its name, of course, from the park in which it is run. At more than 2,400 acres, the park stretches all the way from the Tilden Nature Area at its southern end to Alvarado Park at its northernmost point, and in between it's filled with wildlife from foxes, raccoons and deer to redtailed hawks, turkey vultures and great horned owls, who live among its live oaks, bay laurels, dogwood and willow trees and the chapparal growing along the hillsides.
Runners in the half marathon -- like those in both the 5K and 10K -- will follow an out-and-back course for the race that starts and finishes at El Sobrante's East Bay Waldorf School, along Clark Road. From there, runners in the 13.1-mile race follow what is roughly a figure-8 shaped course that takes them down into Wildcat Canyon for a hilly race with an overall elevation gain of about 2,200 feet.
The hills, organizers add, can be quite challenging, and they recommend walking up the steeper hills in order to enjoy the views on the downhill runs -- and the race is open to runners as well as walkers and hikers, organizers note. Runners in the half marathon start their race first, at 8:00 AM, followed by the 10K runners at 8:15 AM and the 5K at 8:45 AM.
Race Weather & Climate
Nestled on the hills overlooking San Pablo Bay in the San Francisco Bay area, roughly 16 miles north of downtown Oakland, El Sobrante typically sees mild to moderately warm weather in May, when average monthly temperatures range between 69°F and 52°F.
On the day of the race (May 18), the average high is 68°F and the average low is 51°F, while rainfall totals average about three quarters of an inch for the month.
Course Map
View the race route map for the Wildcat Half Marathon
Fees
$55 for the half marathon, if registered by April 7, 2013
$60 between April 8 - May 5
$65 after May 5
Registration
To reserve your spot in the late spring 2013 running of El Sobrante's Wildcat Half Marathon, 10K or 5K race, register online at Active.com.
Official Race Website
brazenracing.com
Leave a Comment
Ever run in California's annual Wildcat Half Marathon? Share your impressions and read fellow runners' stories and tips for the event.
|
|
|
