6 running events in Sonoma County, California
From big races to Saturday morning group runs—find running events and connect with the local endurance sports community.
Sonoma County
6 events in Sonoma County-
Sat, May 02, 2026 at 8:00 AMSee full details
RACE DAY REGISTRATION AVAILABLE
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This inaugural event in Jack London Historic State Park will take you through the heart of the Beauty Ranch that Jack London developed in the early 1900's. After writing famous works such as The Call of the Wild, White Fang, and The Sea-Wolf, he settled on the ranch, where he pursued innovative agricultural practices and continued writing, including his novel The Valley of the Moon.
Starting and finishing in the picnic area next to the London Cottage, the trail run takes you past the famous concrete silos, offering views of the vineyard and leading into the pristine hillsides filled with madrone, Douglas fir, black oak, buckeye, bigleaf maple, and grassy meadows on the slopes of Sonoma Mountain.
The following quotes from Jack London will give you a feel for his Ranch of Good Intentions: "Across Sonoma Mountain, wisps of sea fog are stealing the afternoon sun smolders in the drowsy sky. I have everything to make me glad I am alive. I am filled with dreams and mysteries."
"I am rebuilding worn-out hillside lands that were worked out and destroyed by our wasteful California pioneer farmers. I believe the soil is our one indestructible asset, and by green manures, nitrogen-gathering cover crops, animal manure, rotation of crops, proper tillage, and draining, I am getting results which the Chinese have demonstrated for forty centuries."
"I would rather be ashes than dust. I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them. I shall use my time."
The event is limited in its participants so register TODAY!
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Sun, Jun 28, 2026 at 7:00 AMSee full details
2026 Cal Tri La Crema - 6.28.26. Located in Sonoma County, the La Crema Cal Tri Sonoma triathlon starts at iconic Johnson's Beach with a Russian River swim, a scenic bike ride along River Road towards the ultimate destination, La Crema Estate at Saralee’s Vineyard, where athletes run through the vineyards chasing that elusive finish line. Athletes 21+ are encouraged to enjoy a wine pour after the race.
7 EVENT OPTIONS. 3 Olympic distance events (Triathlon, SwimBike and 1640 Yard Swim) and 4 Sprint distance events (Triathlon, SwimBike, 400 yard Swim & 5k Run). All events start at Johnson's Beach with the exception of the 5K which starts and ends at La Crema Estate at Saralee’s Vineyard. Check out the course maps for more detailed information.
TO DO. 425 wineries.
AIRPORT. Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport (STS)
AIR TEMPERATURE (AVG). 55 F / 89 F
WATER TEMPERATURE (AVG). 72 F. Wetsuit legal . Use the 20% CALTRI2025 discount code at blueseventy. Note: Fusion wetsuits not eligible for discount.
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Sat, Sep 12, 2026 at 7:00 AMSee full details
The Running Fence Run: A Run of Freedom
On September 12, 2026, runners return to the stunning Sonoma County hills to celebrate two milestone anniversaries:
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The 50th anniversary of Christo & Jeanne-Claude's Running Fence art installation — September 10-24, 1976
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The 2,516th anniversary of the Battle of Marathon — September 12, 490 BC
The Connection Between Art and Running
In September 1976, artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude stretched a 24.5-mile ribbon of white fabric across the hills of Sonoma and Marin counties — for just two weeks. That distance echoes the original marathon: the ancient Greek messenger Pheidippides ran from Marathon to Athens to announce a stunning military victory, one that saved the cradle of democracy. That run inspired the marathon we race today.
Christo fled communist Bulgaria in 1957, seeking freedom in the West. He called the Running Fence "a scream of freedom" — art that answered to no one, funded entirely by the artists themselves, rippling in the open California wind.
Featured in Runner's World magazine (Nov. 1976), a few runners ran the length of the fence, including Christo's fabric supplier, Bob Urie, a marathoner who helped organize the 1976 New York City Marathon.
Like a long run, freedom takes endurance, courage, and the willingness to go the distance.
Choose your challenge — 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, or full 26.2 — and run through the same beautiful landscape where the Running Fence once stood.
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