UC Merced Toloma 5K

The UC Merced Toloma 5K is an annual 5K (3.1 miles) on the UC Merced campus in Merced, California, held on March 20, 2027, at 8:00 a.m., celebrating the enduring spirit of Native American distance runners.

The event honors the remarkable legacy of California's Indigenous athletes, whose traditions include both competitive and utilitarian running. From long-distance messengers in the Sierra Nevada foothills to historic races such as the roughly 480-mile (775 km) Redwood Highway Indian Marathon, Native runners have long shown exceptional endurance and courage. Today, some of the country's toughest ultramarathons, including sections of the Western States 100-mile Endurance Run, follow trails once traveled by Paiute and Washoe runners. The course reflects this heritage, crossing the Scholars Bridge, circling the "Beginnings" sculpture and passing the Toloma Grove Native recognition and reflection area.