The 17th annual Oakland Marathon kicks off this Sunday, March 22, at 7 a.m., with a full marathon as well as half marathon, 10K, and 5K runs. A record 11,000 runners are expected to participate in the run, many coming in from across the state or as far away as Brazil, India, and France. Organized by Run Local, the event benefits Stephen and Ayesha Curry’s Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation and is expected to raise more than $100,000.

Each of the routes circles Lake Merritt, making the roads surrounding the lake the ideal place to watch.

The full marathon, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente, starts at 7 a.m. at the newly remodeled Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts, heads through Little Saigon, up to the Grand Lake Theater, and onto Piedmont Avenue before heading to Downtown and onto the Bay Bridge. Runners will turn around at Yerba Buena Island and run past Jack London Square before crossing the finish line back at the Kaiser Center.

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The full marathon course circles Lake Merritt, heads up into North Oakland, and then passes through Downtown and onto the Bay Bridge. Credit: Oakland Marathon

The half marathon, also with a 7 a.m. kickoff, has a similar route but without the detour onto the Bay Bridge. The 10K starts at 8:30 a.m. and the 5K at 9 a.m. A Kidʻs Fun Run sponsored by Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation starts at 11 a.m., with check-in a half hour earlier. (Registration is required.)

A finish line festival will run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in front of the Kaiser Center with a beer garden, a taco truck, and performances by Oakland rappers Jwalt (starting at 9:15 a.m.) and Mistah F.A.B. (starting at 9:50 a.m.), with RDJShellHeart, from Richmond, spinning until 2 p.m.

For those planning to drive in to cheer on the runners, event organizers encourage people to use public transit. The Lake Merritt stop is the closest BART station to the start and finish lines and multiple buses serve the area. See the AC Transit and BART trip planners to plan ahead. For those driving in, the organizers recommend parking at the Alco Park Garage, 165 13th St., which is open 5:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 

Which streets will be closed on Sunday?

The marathon will have an impact on the city, with some roads, such as Lake Merritt Boulevard, closed for much of the day, and a wide range of streets closed during the morning, including Lakeside Drive, Lakeshore Avenue, and parts of Foothill Boulevard, East 12th Street, 14th Street, 3rd Street, and Madison Street.

Closed 1 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Lake Merritt Blvd. from 14th St. to 1st Ave.

Closed 6 to 8 a.m.

E. 12th St. from Lake Merritt Blvd. to 11th Ave.

11th Ave. from E. 12th St. to Foothill Blvd.

Foothill Blvd. from 11th Ave. to Lakeshore Ave.

Closed 6 to 9 a.m.

Oakland Ave. from Olive Ave. to Bayo Vista Ave.

Monte Vista Ave. from Vernon St. to Piedmont Ave.

Piedmont Ave. from MacArthur Blvd. to Pleasant Valley Ave.

Yosemite Ave. from Piedmont Ave. to Fairmount Ave.

Glen Eden Ave. from Piedmont Ave. to Glen Ave.

Glen Ave. from Glen Eden Ave. to Echo Ave.

Echo Ave. from Glen Ave. to Piedmont Ave.

Closed 6 to 9:30 a.m.

Grand Ave. from El Embarcadero to Mandana Blvd.

Elwood Ave. from Grand Ave. to Santa Clara Ave.

Chetwood St. from Santa Clara Ave. to Santa Rosa Ave.

Santa Rosa Ave. from Chetwood Ave. to Mariposa Ave.

Mariposa Ave. from Santa Rosa Ave. to Oakland Ave.

Vernon St. from Santa Rosa Ave. to Monte Vista Ave.

Santa Clara Ave. from Mariposa Ave. to Jean St.

Santa Clara Ave., northbound side only, from Grand Ave. to Jean St.

Closed 6 to 10 a.m.

1st Ave. from E. 12th St. to Foothill Blvd.

Lakeshore Ave., southbound side only, from Foothill Blvd. to MacArthur Blvd.

El Embarcadero from Lakeshore Ave. to Grand Ave.

Grand Ave., eastbound side only, from El Embarcadero to Harrison St.

Bellevue Ave. from Grand Ave. to Grand Ave.

Harrison St, northbound side only, from Thomas Berkeley Way to Grand Ave.

Oak St. from 12th St. to 14th St.

Closed 6 to 10:30 a.m.

Lakeside Dr. from 14th St. to Harrison St.

14th St. from Lakeside Dr. to MLK Way

Broadway from 14th St. to Thomas Berkley Way

19th St. from Broadway to Telegraph Ave.

Telegraph Ave. from 19th St. to 15th St.

MLK Way, northbound side only, from 14th St. to 8th St.

Jefferson St. from 14th St. to 8th St.

10th St. from Jefferson St. to MLK Way

9th St. from MLK Way to Washington St.

Washington St., southbound side only, from 9th St. to 3rd St.

Closed 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Mandela Pkwy from 3rd St. to 7th St.

5th St. from Mandela Pkwy to Henry St.

Henry St. from 5th St. to 7th St.

7th St., westbound side only, from Henry St . to Maritime St.

Maritime St., northbound side only, from 7th St. to Burma Rd.

Bay Bridge Trail from Burma Rd. to Yerba Buena Island

Closed 7 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.

3rd St. from Washington St. to Market St.

3rd St., westbound side only, from Market St. to Union St.

3rd St. from Union St. to Mandela Pkwy.

Closed 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

13th St. from Madison St. to Lake Merritt Blvd.

Washington St. from 3rd St. to 2nd St.

2nd St . from Washington St. to Madison St.

Madison St. from 3rd St. to 12th St.

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