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Race Day Live

Oakland Marathon

Everything you need to cheer them on.

March 22, 2026 · Start: 7:00 AM

Race Day Weather

58°

partly cloudy

H: 63° · L: 52°

Wind: 8 mph NW

Rain: 5%

What to wear

Layers you can peel off. Start with a light jacket for the early morning chill — by mid-morning you'll want just a tee. Sunglasses recommended. Comfortable shoes for standing and walking between spots.

Where to watch

The best spectating spots along the course.

Mile 2

Snow Park

Lakeside Dr & 19th St, Oakland

Great early energy. Catch them while they're fresh and the crowd is thick. Close to BART if you're coming from SF. Grab coffee at Blue Bottle on the way.

Mile 6

Lake Merritt

Lakeshore Ave & El Embarcadero, Oakland

The most scenic spot on the course. Runners loop the lake here — if you position yourself right, you can see them twice. Plenty of food trucks nearby.

Mile 13

Rockridge District

College Ave & Manila Ave, Oakland

Halfway point energy. This is where the half marathoners finish and full marathoners need the most encouragement. Great brunch spots on College Ave while you wait.

Mile 18

Montclair Village

Mountain Blvd & Moraga Ave, Oakland

The wall. Miles 18-20 are where marathoners dig deep. Your cheering matters most here. Bring the loud signs. There's a great bakery at the corner.

Mile 24

Jack London Square

Broadway & Embarcadero W, Oakland

Almost there. Runners can smell the finish line. The energy picks back up here and the crowd is massive. Easy to get to from the finish area.

Mile 26

Finish Line — Frank Ogawa Plaza

14th St & Broadway, Oakland

The moment. Position yourself near the finish chute for the best view. Family meetup area is behind the main stage, organized A-Z by last name.

Street closures

Roads close at 5:00 AM and reopen by ~3:00 PM.

Fully closed

Broadway (Grand Ave to 11th St)

5:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Lakeside Dr (entire)

5:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Grand Ave (Broadway to Lake Park Ave)

5:30 AM – 1:00 PM

14th St (Broadway to Clay St)

5:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Rolling closures

MacArthur Blvd

Reopens ~10:30 AM

Hegenberger Rd

Reopens ~11:00 AM

College Ave (Rockridge)

Reopens ~12:00 PM

Mountain Blvd

Reopens ~1:00 PM

Pace Calculator

When will they pass each spot?

Adjust pace to estimate arrival times at each spectating spot.

10:00

min/mile

Estimated Finish Time

4:22:00

Finishing around 11:22 AM

Mile Markers

Snow Park

Mile 2

7:20 AM

Arrive by 7:00 AM

Lake Merritt

Mile 6

8:00 AM

Arrive by 7:35 AM

Rockridge District

Mile 13

9:10 AM

Arrive by 8:50 AM

Montclair Village

Mile 18

10:00 AM

Arrive by 9:35 AM

Jack London Square

Mile 24

11:00 AM

Arrive by 10:45 AM

Finish Line — Frank Ogawa Plaza

Mile 26

11:20 AM

Arrive by 10:50 AM

Track your runner live

Two ways to follow their progress on race day.

Official tracking app

Download Oakland Marathon App for real-time GPS tracking, split times, and push notifications.

Download the app →

Connect their bib

Enter their bib number and we'll text you updates at every 5K split — plus the moment they cross the finish line.

How long is the race?

Here's what to expect timing-wise.

26.2

miles (full)

13.1

miles (half)

3:30–5:30

typical full finish

1:45–2:45

typical half finish

The fastest runners will finish the full marathon in about 2 hours 20 minutes. Most runners finish between 3:30 and 5:30. The course officially closes after 7 hours. Plan to be at the finish area for a while — the energy is worth it.

Quick answers

Short videos answering the most common spectator questions.

Get notified when they finish

We'll text you their official time the moment they cross the line — plus a link to celebrate with a personalized print.

Fun facts & race history

Conversation starters while you wait.

Founded in 2010

The Oakland Marathon started as a grassroots effort to celebrate Oakland's diverse neighborhoods. The first race had just 2,500 runners.

The course

Runners pass through 15 distinct Oakland neighborhoods — from the shores of Lake Merritt to the hills of Montclair and back down to Jack London Square.

Course record

Men's: 2:19:34 (2019). Women's: 2:42:01 (2018). The hilly course makes these times especially impressive.

Conversation starter

Oakland's course has more elevation gain than NYC, Chicago, or Berlin. When your runner tells you how hard it was — believe them.

Runners to watch

A few names worth following on race day.

Marcus Thompson

Local sports reporter, running his first marathon after covering them for 10 years

#142

Sarah Chen

Running for Oakland Children's Hospital, attempting a sub-3:30

#1087

Coach Ray Wallace

East Oakland running club founder, his 20th consecutive Oakland Marathon

#26

After the race

Where to meet, eat, and celebrate.

Finisher Village

Food trucks, beer garden, live music, and the family meetup area (A-Z by last name behind the main stage). Medal engraving station near the east entrance.

Opens 9:00 AM · Closes 3:00 PM

Lake Chalet

Waterfront restaurant right on the lake. Great for a celebratory brunch — the huevos rancheros are legendary. Reservations recommended.

0.4 miles from finish · $$

Drake's Dealership

Massive outdoor beer garden in Uptown. Perfect for large groups. No reservations needed — just show up and grab a table in the courtyard.

0.6 miles from finish · $$

Homeroom

Oakland's famous mac and cheese spot. Exactly the comfort food a marathoner needs. Small spot, so expect a wait after noon.

1.2 miles from finish · $

Race day partners

Making the spectator experience better.

Run With Rally

Voice notes at every mile

GU Energy

Official nutrition partner