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☰
The San Francisco Marathon Runner Comments
Back to The San Francisco Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.3 
Organization 3.6 
Spectators 2.6
Number of comments: 503 [displaying comments 191 to 201]
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Cole Royster from California
(8/19/2007)
"Great race for first-timers!!!!!!!" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 The San Francisco Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 This was my first race ever, so of course I had to do the first half marathon that went over the bridge. The course was absolutely beautiful (I love fog) and challenging. Especially the last 2 miles that were rolling hills. The course was semi-crowded, which made for great people watching. However, I did think the organization of post- and pre-run events was lacking. Nevertheless, I would absolutely recommend this race to anyone. I just loved the atmosphere and energy everyone had on race day. | |
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K. B. from Minnesota
(8/13/2007)
"One of the hardest yet most beautiful courses ever" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 The San Francisco Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I signed up for this marathon because I had never been to SF before and figured there wasn't a better way to combine vacation and a goal - marathon number 5. Expo was great, with lots to look at; and packet pickup was easy (though they may want to extend Friday night times for long-distance travelers). The wave start was the best I have ever seen. Made it an easy start, which is the way you want to begin your day. The course is BEAUTIFUL despite morning fog and hills. The run through the Presidio was the best. Haight was cool and downhill! The final stretch into town past the new AT&T ballpark was nice and the finish was easy. If you go, splurge and stay at the Hyatt - great rooms, you are right at the start/finish line and they are great hosts. Will certainly consider this one again! Way to go, SF! | |
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j. l. from san diego, ca
(8/11/2007)
"Beautiful city, beautiful weather (for running)" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 The San Francisco Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Billed as the coolest marathon in the summer, and they weren't kidding! First of all, let me say that I love San Francisco. Just being able to run in the city and soak up the sights was reward enough for me, so maybe I'm a little biased. The hills (going up AND down) were tough - too brutal, but challenging nevertheless. The first 10+ miles of the course is the most visually appealing, in my opinion. From the gorgeous views of the bay to the panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean, I felt more like a tourist going sight-seeing than someone running a race. Although it was foggy on the Golden Gate Bridge, it was still an amazing experience. The second half of the course wasn't quite as spectacular; it consisted of a jaunt through Haight Ashbury bookended by a "stroll in the park" and a desolate, industrial section that stretched from mile 21 - 25. The crowds were sparse thoughout the course but the Cliff Bar pace team was the perfect cure for instilling motivation (didn't hurt that my pace group was predominantly attractive women). Many thanks to Sharon, the 5:30 pacer. I completed my first marathon just two months earlier in my native San Diego (Rock 'n Roll) and I don't intend on putting my body through that type of abuse again next year. I was so impressed by the first half of the San Francisco course that I'd decided to forgo the Rock 'n Roll Marathon so I could do this one again. My 2 cents on the expo and bib pick up: the location of the T-shirt pickup was an apparent marketing ploy designed to force you to pass by every vendor and see everything whether you want to or not (can you say "Ikea"?) They weren't as sneaky at the Rock 'n Roll Marathon They gave us our bib and chip together. Having unnecessarily to wade through the sea of people at the expo to get our shirt was ridiculous. I hope the organizers show a little more consideration next year and make the expo "optional." Had the crowd not been so bad, maybe I wouldn't have minded so much. | |
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P. A. from Southern California
(8/10/2007)
"Fun and challenging" (about: 2007)
2 previous marathons
| 1 The San Francisco Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 Don't sign up for the SF Marathon expecting a PR - the hills and course bottlenecks will prevent it. But the weather is perfect, the scenery is great (even in the fog), there's a lot to do besides run, and the t-shirt is the best. | |
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H. R. from Sacramento
(8/9/2007)
"Great job, organizers!" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 The San Francisco Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Thanks to the organizers, this was a great race. The course was challenging. Traffic control was super. The fans were very encouraging. My only complaint was the lack of a nutrition stop near the end - say around mile 22 or 23. Having a station there would really have helped me. Thanks, San Francisco! I'll be back next year! | |
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W. H. from LA
(8/7/2007)
"Fun, scenic, and challenging" (about: 2007)
3 previous marathons
| 1 The San Francisco Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 Beautiful course. Waved timed starts are awesome, but the hilly course means you'll be slightly off your PR-best. Fortunately, the hills are in the first 13-15 miles, so you can do a real negative split here, which feels great. Starts at 5:30 a.m., so it's very cool the entire way. The Golden Gate Bridge is a highlight, but it's cold and foggy. Only drawback: very few spectators, probably due to the early morning time (I was done by 9 a.m. on Sunday). Really noticed the lack of them in the final mile. Overall, a great experience; will definitely do it again. | |
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r. m. from los angeles, ca
(8/5/2007)
"great weather for a marathon" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 The San Francisco Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 This was my first marathon and I must say it was very enjoyable. The course was great except for the final portion, which ran through an industrial area. Running across the Golden Gate Bridge was great, despite the light drizzle and fog. Hey, it's San Francisco. You can't be surprised by that kind of weather. I thought the fan support was rather tepid. There were many stretches where there simply weren't a lot of people out cheering the runners. However, the people who were cheering the runners were very enthusiastic and a few times they called me by my first name, which I found great. The course was hilly, but not too bad. The post-race food was mediocre. Not much to choose from and I hope they remedy this situation next year. The expo was good and the organizers were very helpful in answering my questions. Overall, I would recommend this race to anyone. | |
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R. C. from Tishomingo, Oklahoma
(8/4/2007)
"Great marathon; love the city of San Francisco" (about: 2007)
2 previous marathons
| 2 The San Francisco Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 The San Francisco Marathon is hard but the atmosphere of the Bay makes it go by very fast. There is so much to view as you are running. The only suggestion I would make is to have some real food at the end of the race. It seems like you have sponsors giving us food, and with the money we paid, it seems like we could have something substantial to eat and drink after running 26.2 miles. I received a Dixie cup full of water at the end of the race. | |
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W. H. from Los Angeles
(8/3/2007)
"A challenging and beautiful course" (about: 2007)
3 previous marathons
| 1 The San Francisco Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 Running a PR always makes for a fantastic day, so I was obviously in superb spirits after the race. I do have a lot of compliments for the SF Marathon, which I really exceeded all my expectations. The weather is really perfect for any marathon, and given that it's a summer marathon, it's really remarkable to have such ideal conditions. The multiple-wave start is a godsend for racers, and the smaller field really makes it possible to get off to a great start. The scenery is breathtaking, even in the early morning darkness and fog, and I was never bored at any moment in the course. The sheer diversity of waterfront to bridge to park to urban and back to waterfront keeps things really fresh, and you really feel that you're hitting milestones when you break into the next section. Crowd support was low, but to be expected given that most of the race takes place before 9 a.m. on Sunday morning. Kudos for the organizers for at least trying to keep things lively, with loud music stops and great aid stations. The medal, which doubles as a coaster, was super-cool, and the free technical T-shirt with vented armpits is great for training. You can register as late as the day before for the marathon (half marathon sells out for the over-the-bridge first half) so there's no real pressure to register super early. It's a marathon that I'd be thrilled to do again, even if not doing PR time, since it's a worthy challenge, and a scenic course in a great city. Highly recommended. | |
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P. S. from AZ
(8/3/2007)
"Scenic, amazing crossing GG Bridge, very hilly" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 The San Francisco Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This was my first run SFM race - I did the first 1/2 marathon. Expo was good, although I would have liked to have more "Run SFM" merchandise, i.e. jackets, bags, etc. The course was well marked and I saw every mile marker easily. Volunteers at the drink aid stations along the course were encouraging and there was plenty of water/Cytomax available. I conquered my fear of heights and the run across the bridge was awesome! Yes, there were lots of hills, so next year I need to do more hill workouts prior to race day! The post-race refreshments were sparse and I had to wait in line for 40 minutes to even get them! Other than the post-race food and water, it was a great race. Thanks! |
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