Golden Hills Trail Marathon 
General Information
October 11th, 2008 
9 a.m.

To Enter
Refunds
Course Description
Take The Shuttle 
Directions To The Shuttle/Finish 
Directions To The Start
Runner Check-In
Parking Information:  Shuttle/Finish   Start
Course Map
Aid Stations: Mileages & Elevations 
Altitude Profile
Medical
Littering
Awards:  Finisher Awards   Overall & Age Group Awards
Course & Age Group Records
Post Race BBQ
Accommodations Ideas
Airports
Volunteer
Have Questions

To Enter

Registration can be done either online at Active.com or by mail. 

• To register online and pay with a credit card the following  link will take you directly to the Golden Hills Trail Marathon section of the Active.com web site:      
 
• If you prefer you can enter by mail. To enter by mail just print out  entry form  , fill it out and mail it in with a check.  

Entry fee are as followed: $60.00 if postmarked by 9/06/08, $80.00 if received by 10/04/08. All entries received after 10/04/06 will be returned.   Race day registration will be available. Race Day Fee: $100.00.

 

Refunds

No refunds will be granted after September 1st. In the event that the race is cancelled due to park closure or other unforeseen circumstances, partial refunds may be granted, but only to the extent funds are still available at the time of cancellation.  

Course Description

The point-to-point marathon course starts at the Lone Oak picnic area in Berkeley’s Tilden Park and finishes 26.2 miles to the south at the Cove Picnic area at Lake Chabot.  The course is mostly along the legendary East Bay Skyline National Trail, which includes fireroads and single track trails that provides gorgeous views of San Francisco, Mt. Diablo and the golden hills of the East Bay from the ridge tops.  The course also allows you to cross streams, run through a lush redwood forest and view the many different species of trees in the east bay, including oak, pine, bay and eucalyptus.  Over 5,800 feet of climb.  Be prepared for any condition.  Can be hot, perfect or cold and raining.  In previous years, race week has included the following: fire, earthquake, flood, and stock market crash.

Take The Shuttle

A shuttle will be provided to take runners from the finish area to the start of the marathon.  The shuttle will leave the finish area  at 7:15 am sharp and arrive at the start around 8:15 am.    The shuttle bus will be parked in the upper parking lot at the Lake Chabot Marina. The shuttle will arrive at 6:45am and be ready for passengers.  Shuttle cost is $5.  We encourage all runners to take the shuttle for their own convenience (i.e., so your vehicle will greet you at the finish) and because  parking near the start area is very limited.  Shuttle rider’s clothing will be transported to the finish line.

Directions To The Shuttle/Finish 

From Dublin/Livermore take I-580 westbound towards Oakland, take the Strobridge Avenue exit.  Turn right on Strobridge, right on Castro Valley Boulevard, and left on Lake Chabot Road.  The Lake Chabot Marina is about two miles ahead on the right.  From San Jose take I-880 northbound towards Oakland.  Take I-238/Castro Valley(I-580) exit towards Stockton.  Merge onto I-238 south.  Take the Castro Valley Blvd/CA-238 exit towards Castro Valley Boulevard. Turn left on Castro Valley Blvd. Turn left on Lake Chabot Road.  The Lake Chabot Marina is about two miles ahead on the right.  [Alternate way from San Jose: take I-880 northbound towards Oakland.  Take I-238/Castro Valley(I-580) exit towards Stockton.  Merge onto I-238 south. Take I-580 west towards Oakland.  Take 150th Avenue/Fairmont Drive exit.  Turn right on Fairmont.  Fairmont Drive becomes Lake Chabot Road.]  From  Oakland/Berkeley take I-580 eastbound towards Hayward, take the 150th Avenue/Fairmont Drive exit.  Turn left onto 150th Ave, right onto Foothill Blvd, left onto Fairmont Drive. Fairmont Drive becomes Lake Chabot Road. The marina entrance will be to the left at the bottom of the hill ($5.00 parking fee). You can park for free on either side of Lake Chabot Road. Please be careful crossing Lake Chabot Road. 

The shuttle will be parked in the upper parking lot at the Lake Chabot Marina. 

Map to Shuttle/Finish

Directions To The Start

From Oakland take I-80 eastbound. Take the Buchanan Street exit towards Albany.  Turn right onto Buchanan Street.  Bear right onto Marin Avenue.  Continue on Marin Avenue for about 2.5 miles.  Pass through one roundabout, stay on Marin Avenue, be prepared for a very steep climb.  At top of climb (0.5 miles) turn left on Grizzly Peak Blvd.  At second stop sign make a right onto Wildcat Canyon Road and an immediate left onto Canon Drive.  At bottom of Canon Drive , turn right onto Central Park Drive and left onto Lone Oak Road.  Follow Lone Oak Road until it dead ends and park in the dirt parking area.  
From Sacramento/Vallejo take I-80 westbound. Take the Albany Exit. Turn left at stop sign onto frontage road. Stay on frontage road veering left and then right.  At stop sign turn left (you can only turn left here) onto Buchanan Street and follow the directions above.
From Marin take I-580 eastbound across the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge.  Take the Buchanan Street Exit on the left.  Turn left onto Buchanan Street and follow the directions above. 
Map (opens a new browser window) to to the central portion of Tilden, at Central Park Drive, with access to start area of marathon.

Runner Check-In

All runners must check-in at Lone Oak Picnic Area in Tilden Park between 8 am and 8:45 a.m. 

Parking Information
        Shuttle/Finish 

Free parking is available on either side of Lake Chabot Road.  You can also park at the Lake Chabot Marina for a $5.00 fee.  

Start

There is limited parking  at the start area.  Tilden Park has requested that we use the dirt parking area beyond the start  at the Lone Oak Picnic area.  The dirt parking area is located at the end of Lone Oak Road.   Please, do not park in the Meadow Playfield  parking area on Lone Oak Road.  

Map of Starting Area

Course Map

Click map sections to enlarge

Aid Stations: Mileages & Elevations

Aid stations will have water, GU 2 0 Hydration drink, Gu, ice, fruit, cookies, candy, potatoes, P.B. & J sandwiches, pretzels, salt, wonderful volunteers, etc.   It is recommended that runners carry a water container during the race.

Altitude Profile

Medical

If you have special medical conditions (asthma, allergic to bee stings, etc.) please take appropriate precautions.  Parts of the course are relatively inaccessible.  Neither the Race Management nor the East Bay Regional Park District can be liable for injuries.

Littering

Littering along the course will result in immediate disqualification.  Please dispose of cups and all  paper, wrappers, etc. at the aid stations. 

Finisher Awards

All finishers receive a T-shirt & a commemorative wine glass.  We are proud to have our 2007 T-shirt & wine glass Logo's designed by Karen Hanke of PinkLime Design. 

Overall & Age Group Awards

The overall men’s and women’s winner  will receive awards. Male and Female Age group awards will be given three deep in the following divisions: Open (under 30), Senior Open (30-39), Masters (40-49), Seniors (50-59), Super Seniors (60-69) and Veterans (70+). 

Course & Age Group Records
                                                              Men

Age Group	Name	Age	Time	Year
29 & Under	Loer Pantilat	23	3:19:19	2007
30-39	Tim Monaco	38	3:28:00	2004
40-49	Lawrence McKendell	46	3:50:42	2007
50-59	Steve Parker	53	4:00:35	2005
60-69	Joel Kaplan	60	4:3320	2003
70 & over	Gard Leighton	72	5:07:08	2006

                                                              Women

                                                                                              Bold denotes Course Record.

Post Race BBQ

Bring the family & friends-they are all invited.  The "Firetrails Cafe" will be open at noon on race day.  Past menu's have included hamburgers,  cheese burgers, vegi burgers, salmon burgers, turkey sausages, black bean and vegetable pasta soup and homemade desert items.  Sneak preview of this year's menu can be seen at: Firetrails Cafe.

Accommodation Ideas

Airports

The Oakland, San Jose and San Francisco Airports serve the area. The Oakland Airport is the closest and is approximately 20 minutes from the start of the race.

Volunteer

We would love to have you run the race, but if that does not fit into your schedule, we REALLY need volunteers. Volunteering is a wonderful way to remember Dick, have fun hanging out with your friends or getting those WS volunteer hours. Volunteers receive T-shirts and are invited to post race BBQ.

Have Questions

Still have questions?  Please, do not hesitate to contact us at: firetrails50@gmail.com 

Home | Registration | Race Results | Photos | Firetrails 50 | Sponsors | Contact RD's