Running races in and near Palo Alto

Palo Alto is a running town. Weekday mornings bring a steady stream of runners to the Baylands levees, the Stanford Dish and the Bryant Street bike boulevard. The local race calendar is thinner than you might expect, though. The city's own big race is a single night in September. For the rest of the year, local runners drive or ride Caltrain to races in Mountain View, San Jose and San Francisco. Many also save one or two destination races for the coast.

This guide lists recurring road and trail races in and near Palo Alto, with the dates organizers had posted for 2026 or 2027 when we checked on November 2, 2026. We say clearly when a 2027 date is not out yet. For training routes, see our running routes guide.

The race calendar

Palo Alto's own race: the Moonlight Run

The Palo Alto Weekly Moonlight Run and Walk is the city's signature race. The Weekly and the City of Palo Alto host it on a Friday evening in late September, with check-in, start and finish at the Baylands Athletic Center, 1900 Geng Road. The 42nd edition ran Friday, September 25, 2026, with an untimed 5K walk at 7 p.m. followed by a 5K run and a 10K run under the lights. Proceeds go to local nonprofits serving children and families.

The half marathon was paused in 2026 because of construction, with organizers saying it would return in 2027. The 2027 date had not been posted on the race registration page in early November. Dogs and strollers are welcome on the walk only. Our Moonlight Run guide covers parking and the course.

Holiday races

Applied Materials Silicon Valley Turkey Trot

This is the biggest race near Palo Alto. It is billed by its producer, the Silicon Valley Leadership Group Foundation, as America's largest Thanksgiving Day race. The 2026 race is Thursday, November 26, in downtown San Jose. The 5K run or walk and 10K run both start at 8:30 a.m. at West Santa Clara and North First streets. A Kids Fun Run for ages 2 to 7 starts at 10:15 a.m. Entry was $55 including fees before October 30, then higher. The kids' run was $27.50. Caltrain runs a weekend schedule on Thanksgiving, so check the first train before you plan to ride. Our Thanksgiving guide has the full race details.

Kiwanis Resolution Run, Mountain View

Start 2027 on the flat. The Kiwanis Resolution Run's registration page lists Saturday, January 2, 2027, at 10 a.m., from 2955 N. Shoreline Boulevard in Mountain View, near Shoreline Park. Distances are a 5K run or walk, a 10K run and a 1K kids' run on fast, flat levee trails beside the bay. The late start means no alarm clock after New Year's Eve. Shoreline is about 6 miles from Palo Alto by car or by the Bay Trail on a bike.

Every Saturday: the Baylands parkrun

parkrun is a free, volunteer-run, timed 5K held every Saturday morning around the world. Palo Alto's event meets at the Baylands Nature Preserve. It replaced the earlier Byxbee Park parkrun, which parkrun now lists as ended. The course is flat and mostly gravel. Register once on parkrun's website, bring your printed or phone barcode and check the event page for the start point and time. Walkers are welcome and so are first-timers.

Coastal races in the fall

Two coastal festivals include runs. Pacifica's Fog Fest, held September 26 and 27, 2026 on Palmetto Avenue, includes the Fog Jog. The Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival, held October 17 and 18, 2026, includes the Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Run before the festival opens, with a separate entry fee. Both are fun, scenic races with a festival at the finish. Check each festival's site in summer for distances and registration. Leave early, since Highways 1 and 92 both slow down on festival weekends.

Destination races within a few hours

Big Sur International Marathon

The marathon runs on Highway 1 from Big Sur to Carmel on the last Sunday in April. The organizers list April 25, 2027 and April 30, 2028. The weekend also includes a 21-miler, an 11-miler, a marathon relay, a 12K and a 5K. Big Sur is about 2.5 hours south of Palo Alto. Race weekend lodging in Carmel and Monterey sells out early. You can compare Carmel and Monterey hotels as soon as you register. Our Big Sur guide covers the road.

Bay to Breakers

San Francisco's costumed cross-city race runs from near the Embarcadero to Ocean Beach. The official site lists Sunday, May 16, 2027, with 12K and 15K options. Take an early Caltrain to San Francisco and plan your trip home from the far west side of the city.

San Francisco Marathon

The San Francisco Marathon's site lists July 24 and 25, 2027 for its weekend of a full marathon, two half marathons, a 10K and a 5K, with the course crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. The 2026 edition ran July 25 and 26. Our San Francisco day trip guide covers getting there.

Races we could not confirm

We did not list several races that appear only on aggregator calendars without an organizer page we could check. These include a Thanksgiving trot at a Mountain View high school and a November trail half marathon in Huddart Park. Trail runners should watch the calendars of the regional trail race companies that use Huddart, Wunderlich and the Midpen preserves. Our trail running guide covers the best trails for training. If you know of a local race with a current official page that belongs here, the running clubs that meet at the Baylands and the Dish are the best people to ask. They often post carpool plans for the destination races too.

Frequently asked questions