If there’s one thing athletic people enjoy more than exercising, it’s showing everyone else how much they love to work out — especially at exciting outdoor events. Put on your Lululemon gear, and get ready to sweat, because in Tri-Valley there are plenty of ways to have fun while getting in shape.
From kilt-wearing runners to competitive female cycling, rookie and veteran athletes can find many opportunities to break a sweat this year at these annual Tri-Valley events.
Family Fun
Shamrock 5K Fun Run and Walk
March 13, the St. Patrick’s Day Celebration in Dublin hosts a family-friendly 5K fun run and walk for athletes of all ages. The race takes place on the second day of a two-day celebration featuring all your festival favorites including carnival rides, a main street parade, live Irish music and dance and plenty of corned beef sliders paired with green-colored beer.
More than 2,000 participants will enjoy this 3.1-mile certified 5K course followed by a post-race celebration of refreshments, entertainment and prize drawings. Don’t miss your chance to get the family involved in this athletic opportunity during the St. Patty’s Day Celebration this year.
Competition Junkies
Livermore Half Marathon & 24Life 5K
For competitive runners that like to party, the Livermore Half Marathon & 24Life 5K March 26 are the perfect blend of exercise and alcohol. Beginning at 8 a.m., participants will enjoy a beautifully designed course that winds through Livermore’s trendy downtown, nearby vineyards and recreational parks.
Once across the finish line, participants will receive their commemorative wineglass to be used at the post-race RunLiv Wine and Music Festival on First Street. Runners enjoy free admission to the wine tasting where 13 of the area’s finest wineries will kickoff the party.
In addition to the 13.1-mile course, Livermore has partnered with 24 Hour Fitness to bring a 5K course into the mix this year. Sign up for your preferred course and get ready to celebrate at the finish line with fellow athletes and wine lovers alike.
Last year this event sold out so secure your spot early!
Girl Power
The 40th Cinderella Classic & Challenge
Ladies of all ages and abilities won’t want to miss their chance to put the pedal to the metal during the 40th Annual Cinderella Classic & Challenge April 9. Participants can choose from two distinct bicycle tours including the Cinderella Classic and the Cinderella Challenge.
The Classic course takes riders through Amador, Livermore, Diablo and the San Ramon Valleys – a whopping 65 miles of mostly flat road and marginal incline changes. Enjoy beautiful views of Mt. Diablo while handsome lads hand out refreshments at three rest areas along the way.
For hard-core Cinderella fans, take to the Challenge route for an additional 20 miles and 2,000-feet of climbing. This Challenge is for experienced riders only and rejoins the Classic route 10 miles before the lunch stop.
Leave the boys at home because this one is exclusively for the females.
Heavy Athletics
151st Scottish Highland Gathering & Games
The Scots have long celebrated the ancient games of kin through a series of Heavy Athletics competitions – a test of both muscle and skill. Since 1866, The Caledonian Club of San Francisco has celebrated their sport and culture with the Scottish Highland Gathering & Games, the largest of its kind in the United States.
This year the games continue Sept. 3-4 at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton. Here, men, women and children will compete for prizes in a range of athletic demonstrations such as the Caber Toss, Putting of the Stone, the Scottish Hammer and the Kilted Mile.
In addition to participating in these extreme events, guests of the festival will enjoy a living history of Scotland, sword fighting, bagpipers and fiddlers, fine food and drink, along with a rowdy crowd of enthusiastic Scots.
Why keep your enthusiasm for exercise bottled up this year when you can shout it to the world at one of these exciting Tri-Valley events? Check out more events and things to do at VisitTriValley.com
By Whitney Butler