Race the Flame
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Race the Flame
Race the Flame is the second emergency preparedness run and walk hosted by the City of Santa Cruz and the University of California at Santa Cruz on the UCSC campus. The course begins at the East Field, follows Coolidge Drive, and finishes near the Bay Tree Campus Bookstore and High Street.
Event distances include:
- 2.5 miles Race the Flame Run
- 2.2 miles Race the Flame Walk
Registration opens on 2026-08-14 and closes on 2026-10-16. Adult registration is $20 and participants 12 and under are $15; the youth price is applied at checkout. Each participant receives a bib with a timing chip regardless of category. Competitive runners are asked to select the run option; walkers and strollers start after competitive runners.
Because the event takes place on the UCSC campus there is a strict no dogs policy. At the finish line an emergency preparedness fair will feature community based organizations sharing information about wildfire risk and emergency readiness, with emphasis on maintaining 72 hours of personal and household preparedness. During registration participants will be asked if they wish to opt into Cruz Aware, the local emergency notification service.
Parking is available at the East Remote Parking Lot on Hagar Drive and shuttle buses will run from the finish line to the parking area for people and bikes. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
