When and where does RBO practice?
Our Fall 2023 season in in the books and we are currently preparing for our Spring and Fall 2024 seasons. Our Spring 2024 season will begin on February 17th, 2024!
During the season, we meet at Snow Park by Lake Merritt for practice on Saturdays. We will not have practice on race weekends. Check-in for practices begins at 8:30am - please join us during check-in to pick up your name tag, eat snack, and meet the other runners. Training begins at 9am.
Depending on the training agenda for the day, practices will end between 10:30am and 11am.
Registration for the Spring 2024 Season with Running for a Better Oakland is open now! Click the button below!
How much does the program cost?
Running for a Better Oakland is free! RBO has operated as a tuition-free program since Fall 2021. Thanks to the ongoing contributions of our generous supporters, RBO is able to continue offering our program for free in Spring 2024.
Run Mentors including coaches are asked to pay $20 to cover the cost of an annual background check. It is critical to RBO that this cost is not a barrier to participation for anybody! Please don’t hesitate to contact RBO if you need financial assistance to cover the cost of your background check.
What are the requirements for Run Mentors?
Run Mentors including coaches are required to pay $20 to approve and pass a background check once per calendar year. Run Mentors including coaches are also required to complete a free Sexual Abuse Awareness and Reporting Training every two years. The training can be accessed here. More information for Run Mentors can be found here.
The season already started, can I still register?
Definitely! As part of our commitment to providing equitable access to meaningful athletic programming for students in the greater Oakland area, Running for a Better Oakland maintains an “Open Enrollment” policy throughout the entire season. All runners are required to attend at least 50% of practices in order to receive free entries to local races through RBO.
I’m not a very fast runner, can I still join RBO?
Absolutely! Everybody is welcome at RBO! Whether you are an experienced runner or just getting started, we would love to have you run with us this season. No matter what stage you are at on your running journey, there is a student at Running for a Better Oakland who can benefit from your mentorship - both in races and beyond the finish line.
Do I have to live in Oakland to run with RBO?
No, you do not need to live in Oakland to run with RBO! We have students and volunteers that travel from all over Northern California to run with us each season. Everybody is welcome at Running for a Better Oakland!
Which races are on the schedule?
Our races vary from year-to-year and we are always on the lookout for new running experiences that fit our program goals. During our Spring 2024 season we attended the following events:
The Oakland Marathon (March 17)
The Redwood Trail Race (March 30)
The Bay Bridge Fun Run (April 13)
LMJS Fourth Sunday Run (April 28)
Please click here to view our complete schedule from the Spring 2024 season!
I require accommodations in order to fully participate in RBO activities. Who should I contact?
In compliance with the requirements of the Fair Employment and Housing Act and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Running for a Better Oakland is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to participants who, due to a disability, need them in order to fully participate in program activities. If you or your student require accommodations to fully participate in RBO, please email byron@rboakland.org.
I want to be a Youth Coach but I don’t see that option on the registration platform. What should I do?
Students must submit an application to join the RBO Youth Coach Program. If you have already applied and been accepted into the program, please type the email address listed on your application into the registration platform. Entering your email address (and clicking outside of that text field) will reveal the option to register as a Youth Coach. Please contact byron@rboakland.org with any questions.