JASPER HALEKAS HITS REDWOOD PARK’S HEAVENLY SINGLETRACK, JUST A FEW STEPS FROM HIS FRONT DOOR (FAR LEFT); AND DYNAMIC ULTRA DUO LYNN SCHOTTKLIES AND NADIA COSTA ENJOY A SUNDAY RUN ON TILDEN’S VOLLMER PEAK TRAIL.
makes the system so great,” he says over coffee one morning. “From anywhere in the East Bay, you are never more than four miles from a trailhead. You can be in redwoods one day and run in the desert the next.” The East Bay itself is immense. Roughly defined, it encompasses the eastern shores of San Francisco Bay and areas 25 miles south and 35 miles east. However, the bulk of the population sits clustered within view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Here, in the cities of Oakland and Berkeley, trail runners can literally have it all: access to urban amenities and an outlet for their dirt-craving wanderlust. Says Sarah Doman, who, with her husband, Wendell, directs 25 trail races a year through Pacific Coast Trails Runs, “We have found that there’s no need to travel anywhere else … it’s all right here.” In all, there are 65 parks within EBRPD. Twenty-five miles east of Oakland sits 3791-foot Mount Diablo, a beast of a peak—well, actually more like a gigantic, two-humped camel—where locals go for vertical gain and intense heat. On clear winter days, the summit affords views of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Oakland local Graham Cooper, 37, trained in Diablo’s triple-digit temperatures for the sweltering 2006 Western States 100. “I went out with fleeces, windbreakers, gloves and a hat at two
EAST BAY RACE BOUNTY May 20, 2007: Tilden Tough Ten. Ten clicks out and back on a ridge high above the East Bay. Eighty percent on paved bike path, but held in the spirit of a trail run. Elites show up, as do stroller pushers. Held on the same day as the clothing-optional Bay to Breakers. Says Jasper Halekas, “It’s an alternative to running beside naked, middle-aged men.” Info: www.lmjs.org June 3, 2007: Lake Chabot Trail Challenge. Chosen by Trail Runner as one of America’s most scenic runs, the Challenge entices speedsters with wide, run-able grades and charms scenery hounds with windy, eucalyptus-lined paths and serene views of the race’s namesake. Info: 510278-0451; www.goldenbayrunners.org June 17, 2007: Woodminster Nine Miler (42nd running). Held in Joaquin Miller Park, this is the oldest annual run in the East Bay. It winds through redwoods and has enough short, steep hills to scare away some of the local road speedsters. Info: 510-655-8228; home.alamedanet. net/~mhovermale/ August 5, 2007: Skyline 50K. For 25 years, ultra newbies and veterans alike have enjoyed the cushy, cruisy trail and sprawling views of Lake Chabot—not to mention the home-cooked picnic afterward. Info: www.skyline50k.us August 26, 2007: Redwood Park Trail Runs. Pacific Crest Trail Runs host a bevy of wellorganized, superbly marked trail races. This memorable gem offers distances of 10K, 20K, 30K and 50K. Info: www.pctrailruns.com October 7, 2007: Golden Hills Marathon. Run in conjunction with the Dick Collins 50. It is a point-to-point tour of the best East Bay trails, beginning in Tilden and ending on the southern shores of Lake Chabot. Eucalyptus-lined singletrack and 5800 feet of climbing. Info: www. goldenhillsmarathon.net October 7, 2007: Dick Collins Firetrails 50. The Grand Tour of East Bay Trails, encompassing Lake Chabot, Redwood and Tilden parks. 7800 feet in climbing and the entire gamut of trail fun, from open views to tight, shaded singletrack. Info: www.firetrails50.net Indicates East Bay Triple Crown Trail Championship Race. Sign up. You could be a contender.
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