Lake Merritt Run Club · Annual Race
Woodmonster Trail Race
Ten miles of hills, single track, and the infamous Woodmonster climb. One of the East Bay’s most challenging and beloved trail races.
Registration
Register for the Race
The next Woodmonster Trail Race will be held in June 2027 — the exact date will be announced soon. Check back here or follow our events calendar for registration details and pricing once they’re confirmed. In the meantime, you can see how past races went on our results page.
Volunteer with us
Can’t race? Please consider volunteering! We need help marking the course, pre-running, checking in runners, monitoring the course, and sweeping at the end. Sign up to volunteer →
About the race
Beautiful, Challenging, Glorious
The Woodmonster Trail Race is a 10-mile trail race starting and finishing at the Chabot Space & Science Center in Oakland. The course features plenty of hills, technical single-track trails through Redwood Regional Park, and the infamous Woodmonster climb — 0.8 miles of steep, relentless ascent that has become legendary in East Bay trail running.
This race replaces the Fourth Sunday Race in June. A finisher t-shirt in quality technical fabric is included with every entry. After the race, join us for a post-race brunch hosted by Lake Merritt Run Club!
Start & Finish
Chabot Space & Science Center
10000 Skyline Blvd, Oakland, CA 94619
Race day registration and bib pickup opens at 7:30 AM. Free parking at Chabot Space & Science Center.
The Woodmonster Climb
The 0.8-mile TransSports Woodmonster Climb is the race’s signature challenge — steep, relentless, and legendary. A special Hill Climb Challenge award goes to the fastest male and female times on this segment. Hill Climb info
Course Route
Chabot Space & Science Center → West Ridge → Skyline Gate (Aid station) → East Ridge → Down Prince → Stream → Tres Sendas → Star Flower → French → Madrone → West Ridge Bowl (Aid station) → West Ridge → Down Chown → Stream → Skyline Gate (Aid station) → West Ridge → Finish at Chabot
Team Competition
The team with the most finishers wins 4 complimentary entries for the following year’s Woodmonster. Enter as a team for extra motivation and bragging rights.
What’s Included
- Premium short-sleeve technical finisher t-shirt
- 3 water stops on the course
- Hill Climb Challenge award
- Age group and overall awards
- Post-race brunch hosted by Lake Merritt Run Club
Past Results
Curious how past races went? Browse finish times, paces, and full results from previous Woodmonster races. View Woodmonster results →
Why run the Woodmonster?
Everything You Need to Know
Course details
Start Wave Schedule
This race features a reverse handicap system — older runners start first, giving everyone a chance to finish together. Wave start times below are from the most recent race and are typical of what to expect; final times will be confirmed closer to the 2027 race.
| Start Time | Group | Categories |
|---|---|---|
| 8:30 AM | Group A | Women 65+, Men 75+ |
| 8:35 AM | Group B (-5 min) | Women 55-64, Men 70-74 |
| 8:40 AM | Group C (-10 min) | Women 50-54, Men 65-69, Women 13 & under |
| 8:45 AM | Group D (-15 min) | Women 45-49, Men 60-64, Men 55-59, Women 13 & under |
| 8:50 AM | Group E (-20 min) | Women 40-44, Women 14-18, Men 55-59, Men 13 & under |
| 8:54 AM | Group F (-24 min) | Men 50-54, Women 19-39, Men 13 & under |
| 8:58 AM | Group G (-28 min) | Men 45-49 |
| 9:02 AM | Group H (-32 min) | Men 40-44, Men 14-18 |
| 9:04 AM | Group I (-34 min) | Men 30-39 |
| 9:06 AM | Group J (-36 min) | Men 19-29 |
Schedule
Race Day Events
The exact 2027 race date hasn’t been set yet. Once it’s confirmed, it will appear automatically below.
Race day gallery
Moments from the Trail
Never Miss a Run!
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Woodmonster Trail Race 2027
June 2027 (exact date TBA) · Chabot Space & Science Center, Oakland · 10 miles · Finisher t-shirt included
Questions about the race? Race Director: christinechapon@lakemerrittrunclub.org