Western Pacific Marathon / Half Marathon/ 10K / 5K

Made up mostly of water thanks to the two large lakes that lie in the middle of its more than 530 acres here in the South Bay section of the San Francisco Bay Area, Fremont’s Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area plays host to the annual Western Pacific Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K and 5K races, along the gravel and fire trail pathways that wind through the park.

Used in the 1800s to transport gravel for the construction of the western section of the Transcontinental Railroad, the Western Pacific Trail now forms a part of this mostly-flat course where you can haul in a personal best! The marathon course is now USATF certified and can be used to qualify for races like the Boston Marathon!

In addition to the marathon distance, half marathon, 10K and 5K races will also take place. All races begin and end at Quarry Lakes. The 10K, half marathon and marathon races go out along the Alameda Creek Trail. Trails are primarily dirt fire trails, with sections that include gravel (used by the parks to prevent erosion) and a short paved section.

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 smaller size field of just a few hundred runners, and a course that offers gorgeous scenery through some of the Bay Area’s natural treasures.

The race is called the Western Pacific thanks in large part to the original purpose for the quarries that served as the source for gravel back in the mid-1800s for the construction of the transcontinental railroad. Today, those quarries now have been filled in as the two main lakes inside the park, covering an estimated 350 of the park’s nearly 540 acres.

Fishing, biking, hiking, walking, running, swimming and boating are all popular outdoor activities in the park these days, thanks to the miles of trails inside the park as well as its connection to the Alameda Creek Regional Trail, which stretches from Niles Canyon in the west to Coyote Hills, and then eastward up to the Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge on the bay.