I saw this event listed in 2024 and signed up immediately. I mean, what’s not to like about running amongst a forest with a diverse ecosystem and ginormous redwood trees? Well, when the summer of 2025 arrived I was unable to run the race due to injury however, as I already had my travel plans organised I swapped my space to volunteer.
What an experience it was seeing the other side of a race and, for my first time too. I’d highly recommend it to anyone who has considered volunteering but not yet put their name forward. As well as being a parking attendant before the race I was also running (no pun intended) the second aid station at the 13KM waypoint in Canyon Meadow – the one before the big hill! Being there to tend to the runners’ needs, offer support and see the smiles (for most) is incredibly rewarding. It’s as though you’re running the race through their presence.
As a thank you from the Race Director, Wendal, all volunteers received voucher codes for future events which meant I could re-apply when the 2026 date was released.
If you’re curious to know what a volunteer aid station looks like in its packed down state ready to be loaded into a car, here’s one of ‘grab’ piles. Seeing it at registration this year brought a smile to my face.
So, here begins the story of me although this time on the other side of the aid station.
The race is held in the area around the Chabot Space & Science Center, Oakland, California. It’s high up in the hills above Oakland with views across the bay to San Francisco. Being high up the trees are engulfed in a misty cloud that eventually dissipates when the late morning arrives. Until that time however, it’s often a misty start to the day. Today was no exception.
The course is quite clever in that it offers multiple race distances. Runners can sign up for a 5 mile, half marathon, full marathon, 30KM and 50KM. For the 50KM it was 2 laps of the half marathon then an out and back on the 5 mile route. Here’s the view of the elevation taken directly from the event website.
I arrived just after 7am to secure a parking place. Remember, I was a parking attendant the previous year so I had some inside knowledge of getting a good spot ;-).
I headed to the Start/Finish area to register and collect my bib. The air was chilled and the light mist really sank into my clothing surprisingly quickly.
I returned to my car, fought with the safety pins (why do they call them safety? I stabbed myself multiple times), ate some last minute carbs and topped up my fluids. I opted to wait in the car until it was near the 8am start so as not to get wet and cold.
Arriving at the start area shortly before the 5 milers set off I stood and watched groups of friends taking selfies, applying glitter to their faces and listened to them share stories of their journey, their training and comments on clothing. It’s that pre-race buzz and excitement that organised races in-directly provide.
The 5 milers set off to cheers from ‘us’ remaining runners and in the minutes leading up to the 8am start we were corralled towards the start line.
By the time we all managed to squeeze down the hill it was time to set off. It was somewhat narrow and we all shuffled along like commuters on a busy train platform. An eager racer or two squeezed by when a slither of ground came into view. The opening section was wet, with exposed roots, leaf covered and muddy. Exactly what you want in the first 100 metres 😀 . I took it steady so as not to cause injury by a misplaced foot.
The pack of runners soon began to thin out as the forest tracks began to widen and firm up.
I was mindful to try and remember the sections of the route as they unfolded in the knowledge that I’d be returning later and would likely benefit from familiarity to boost myself along. In this early part of the day there were no views to be had and the occasional gap in the trees reminded us that we were very much still in the low cloud.
I kept a mental note on my fuelling and water to ensure I was topping up my energy stores and remaining hydrated. As the route narrowed in one area a natural snake of runners formed and conversations soon began. Stories were shared and the KMs soon ticked on by. The route, while undulating in many places, was slowly descending toward Canyon Meadow. I briefly stopped at the first aid station, around 10KM, to refill my water flasks and scoop up some salted snacks. Having dropped further down the hillside the enormity of the redwood trees soon became apparent.
What stood out was the sheer vertical ‘straight up’ nature of them compared to what I’d normally expect to see from a tree with its twisting and sprawling branches. The forest floor was wide and smooth and just before exiting onto a large fire road a small stepped section presented itself.
Running through this required a slight adjustment to the rhythm and leg lift as the areas in-between the stone steps had been washed out and worn down which required bigger knee lifts to get over the stones. It reminded me of how the Lipizzaner horses perform their high knee raises during public shows.
The fire road now offered a more balanced terrain in terms of underfoot smoothness and gradient. Having only left the previous aid station 3KMs ago I rounded a corner to see the next one, the 13KM stop in Canyon Meadow. The same one that myself and a couple of volunteers had been responsible for the previous year.
Knowing it was about to get a lot more strenuous from this point for the next 8KMs to the Start/Finish area I took some time to stop, get some fuel on board and chat with the volunteers.
The ascent on the first hill is quite steep which meant using my poles would help conserve some of my energy. I walked it out. Sometimes alongside other runners, sometimes on my own. Every person had their own manner to deal with it. The vicious gradient quickly plateaued and transformed into an undulating and winding route eventually breaking off the fire road with a sharp left turn into a wooded area. This also marked the turning point back to the Start/Finish area that I’d later see for my final (5 mile) 9KM out and back.
The trail was narrow, powder dry, scattered with rock sections, roots and water channeled ruts. Sharper rises and dips added to the fun of this technical section and it wasn’t too long before I arrived at the Start/Finish line after pushing myself up a steep incline. It’d taken me 2 hours 29 minutes which I was pleased with.
Again, I took some time to recompose myself. I removed my backpack, emptied out my food wrappers and replenished the front storage pouches of my pack with fresh provisions as well as refilling my water flasks. All told, I stopped for around 9 minutes according to my watch.
I set off for lap 2 which was now much quieter. The 5 milers and the half marathon runners had completed their task for the day. The remaining marathon, 30K and 50K runners had thinned out which left the forest mainly to myself for a while. The low cloud still muffled the ambient noise and there wasn’t lot of bird call either, just the sound of my feet plodding along.
I passed an occasional runner, exchanged hellos, and continued on my way. Around 2KM from the Start/Finish area I fell in lock step with another runner, Erin, from the Bay Area. We chatted for the next 8KM about travel, running, biking and everything that connected those themes. The cloud had now lifted as the misty views had been replaced with glimpses of the bay.
We parted ways at the (now) 31KM aid station after resting for a few minutes while refuelling. I passed the redwood tree area, the Lipizzaner horse section and found a rhythm on the fire road toward Meadow Canyon.
When I rounded the final corner on the approach to the aid station at Meadow Canyon it wasn’t anywhere to be seen, the picnic benches were empty. I had a brief moment of worry as I was looking forward to another watermelon boost to propel me up the next steep section. However, rounding the corner a bit further this sign then came into view. Quite a relief to be honest.
I paused for a few minutes and inhaled watermelon slices, chatted briefly with the team while topping up my water bottle then turned to face ‘that hill’. I knew what was in store for the next 8KMs and fully expected to begin to feel the fatigue so my intention for this part of the loop was to keep the poles out for longer and make use of their propulsion on some of the brief steeper slopes.
As I crested the first steep incline the sun began to make itself known, the air had lost its cool and crisp feel. I kept sipping water and nibbling food for the following 4KMs until the route once again veered off sharp left back into the forest. It was a welcome relief as the trees provided much needed shade. An occasional runner passed me and I spotted they were either part of the 30KM or 50KM cohorts. I cycled through a mixture of face pace walking on the inclines with skips and trots on the descents all the way to the Start/Finish area. Marathon distance achieved. All that remained was a single digit out and back.
I deposited my rubbish, refilled a water bottle and ate more watermelon. This was it, one final push to get the job done. I turned 180 degrees and headed back down the path I’d just ascended. Other 50KM runners were heading toward me and nearly everyone exchanged a hand slap, a nod, a greeting, a boosting comment or a mixture of them all. I paused at one of the car parks where the path emerged onto so I could douse my cap in a drinking water fountain. The heat was building as the clouds were replaced with blue sky. The route returned to open and wide fire road that crept up and down in height slowly snaking alongside the hill until I reached the turnaround. Those tiny white signs were a relief to see.
I was knocking on the door to completion and unlike the previous journey I’d made along that path I opted to keep my poles packed and just walk out the steeper inclines. Again, I passed more runners who were themselves on the last out and back. Another brief stop at that water fountain was all I needed to refresh myself and shortly after I crossed the Finish line.
I’d been tracking my time and suspected I’d be able to get just under 7 hours. I was thrilled. I collected my medal and souvenir ceramic place mat.
I found a rock in the shade to sit on, removed my back pack and watched as others crossed the line too. There was a joyful atmosphere as people gathered and chatted about their day to other runners as well as friends/family. I scooped up food from the aid station and took time to soak it all in.
A Runner's Highs 