Oakland Running Festival draws thousands of participants

OAKLAND, Calif. (BCN) - The Oakland Running Festival drew thousands of runners Sunday morning after starting near Lake Merritt.

The event began at 7 a.m. and took runners around the lake, through Jack London Square, West Oakland, and Emeryville and for the first time, the pedestrian pathway on the Oakland span of the Bay Bridge.

The marathon, half-marathon, relay and 5K run was expected to draw runners of all ages and abilities from 41 states and 11 countries, city officials said.

The event is the city's 10th Annual running festival and featured a Kids Fun Run Start at 8:40 a.m. and live music, with an awards ceremony at 11:30 a.m.

For more information on the route and events, go to http://oaklandmarathon.com/