Albany Move'n'Groove 2024

Run, walk, or stroll a 5K in a flat loop course circling Albany CA's Memorial Park and Albany High School while listening to live music from multiple bands in the third annual Move'n'Groove on Sunday April 14, 2024 at 10am!  This musical festival + 5K event will feature bands representing an eclectic array of diverse musical genres positioned around the course during the 5K playing till Noon, and another band performing on the Memorial park stage after the 5K (Noon - 2pm). We'll have food trucks and free massages during the main stage band. So stick around for the post-race party!

Registration is only required for those competing in the 5K or kids race. There is no fee required to attend the event to watch the bands, enjoy the live music, or rec skate after the 5K! This fun community event is funded in part through the City of Albany's unique Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax. Fiscal sponsorship is provided by the Albany Community Foundation.

Sign up by March 3 to have an event T-shirt included with your registration fee. After that date, shirts will be available for purchase separately during online registration until March 24. After 3/24, a limited supply of shirts may be available for purchase at pickup and/or the event.

Wednesday 10 April 2024 is the last day for online registration. A limited number of slots will be available for sign ups at our packet pickup on Saturday before the event (4/13) at Road Runner Sports in Berkeley, Noon-3pm.

Summary of features for 2024:

• Three live bands playing around the 5K course till Noon. One band in the afternoon.
• Lower registration fees
• T-shirt included in registration fee if you sign up by March 3
• A kids-only race for ages 10 and younger on a 1-loop short course
• Food trucks
• Free pre-race training sessions on the 3 Mondays leading up to the event (time TBD)
• Massages from an NHI massage therapist (tentative)
• Free pre-event training sessions lead by IBX Fitness — details here

Event Schedule

Kids 10 and under go first at 9:45AM and complete one loop (0.5 mi) instead of 6 loops for the 5K. After the kids race, the runners/walkers/strollers/para athletes will all start at 10:00AM. Participants will be seeded into different starting waves based on their expected pace as entered in the registration form.

There will not be a separate roller/inline skating division for the 5K this year, but skaters are welcome to skate recreationally on the streets or sidewalks to enjoy the bands after most of the 5K participants have finished (~11am) and until the street closure ends (2:30pm). The streets & sidewalks are smooth, so you can 🛼 to the music after the 5K! Non-electric scooters are ok too.

About the course

The 5K course is fast and nearly flat and will be closed to traffic and free of parked cars during the event. Here's a Strava segment for the course which includes an elevation profile. Participants are responsible for keeping track of their own lap count (6 total). Course distance is not USATF certified, but the distance is quite close to a true 5K based on GPS (a little longer, 5.25K). Chip timing will ensure accurate results for all participants. Pavement is free of potholes and generally in great shape. Note that roads are slightly cambered (sloping down near the sides), which can cause knee/ankle pain. Running or walking in the center of the street will alleviate that problem.

Event T-shirts

T-shirts are included in the registration fee when you sign up for the race by March 3. After that date, shirts will be available for purchase separately for $15. You can choose to opt out of receiving a shirt during the registration process. if you decline your shirt, $15 of your registration fee will be donated to our fiscal sponsor and beneficiary, the Albany Community Foundation. A limited number of shirts may be available for purchase at the event and/or packet pickup.

Event Website

See the main website for additional event details and FAQ: MOVEnGROOVE.org