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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 211 to 221]
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J. B. from Auburn, Alabama
(7/31/2007)
"Do this just for the experience!" (about: 2007)
2 previous marathons
| 1 The San Francisco Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 I ran the first half marathon, which went over the bridge. That was the biggest reason I did this race and it was great! I was slightly disappointed that it was so foggy and couldn't get a full view of the Golden Gate Bridge, but I enjoyed it all the same. The bib pick up was organized. I liked the bags that had spaces for you to write your bib number for your sweat check. The rest of the expo was a little less organized but manageable. The course was demanding. I trained for hills, but they were still challenging. Add the wet roads factor because of the fog and you are looking at a difficult race. Just know what you are getting into when you register. The spectators were pretty sparse, but that's not what I look for in a race. Either I just missed some mile markers or they weren't there. Having them be more prominent would be better. There were plenty of water stops. Nothing to complain about there. All in all, it was a great race with experiences that you won't get from any other race. | |
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B. M. from Houston, TX
(7/31/2007)
"Great Experience in S.F." (about: 2007)
2 previous marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I had run in 2 previous marathons, neither of which was the SF Marathon, but I really enjoyed this run. Here are my positives and negatives: Positives: -The course was great and not too hilly considering... it's San Francisco! -The expo was well-organized and easy to navigate. -The wave starts worked out fantastically, and I was not stuck in a cluster of runners at the start. -There were a good number of music stations, especially in the second half. -Free massages were available after the race. -The finish area was well spaced-out so I didn't have. to work through spectators trying to meet with people. -Great medal and t-shirt. -Weather was perfect for running in the summer (50's, misty from the fog). -The police and race organizers did a great job of holding traffic. Negatives: -The only clocks on the course are at the halfway point and finish. Bring a watch! -The start is pretty early at 5:30 a.m., so there aren't many spectators (those who were there were great, but also a lot of people around town didn't seem to know the marathon was going on that weekend). -The weather was not good for seeing the city and the GG Bridge was totally engulfed in fog. -The food selection after the race was very limited. All I saw were bananas, little bread rolls, and small pieces of Clif Bars. | |
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M. N. from North Bay, California
(7/31/2007)
"Need more time to pick up packets" (about: 2007)
2 previous marathons
| 1 The San Francisco Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 It was very difficult to navigate through SF on Saturday. There was bumper-to-bumper traffic coming into the city and almost completely stopped traffic in the Embarcardero due to the Giants game. There were about 10 of us that arrived on Saturday at approximately 5:15 (and I am sure more people arrived after I left) and we were told we couldn't get our race packets by a very nasty gentleman who basically told us that we "knew what the times were for pick-up, and that the computers had been turned off." I actually thought he was kidding... but he was very brusque and unconcerned and was actually quite a jerk. I had traveled almost two hours to get there and the woman next to me had traveled three. He acted like he could care less. Umm.... maybe get rid of him for next year? Although the info on the website stated that there wasn't any packet pick-up on race day, we were told to come back at 4:00 a.m. to get the packet. A very helpful woman told me I could actually pick up my number and then get my chip in the morning if I had time (since I was traveling back home before the race). This really caused undue stress and was quite upsetting and was totally unnecessary. My suggestion? Lengthen the hours for packet pick-up... and make it user-friendly for those of us who don't work "normal business hours" or add a couple of dollars onto the registration fee and mail them out. And... definitely get nicer people to work the registration - someone who actually likes working with people that would be a good representative of the SF Marathon. | |
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T. B. from California
(7/31/2007)
"Props for the fans" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 The San Francisco Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Last year, when I ran this race for the first time, I had the same reaction as many of the reviewers: Where are the hordes lining the streets? It's you and the crickets for practically the whole course; the few lonely knots of people appeared to have been recruited by the organizers. Then I ran CIM in December, which is lined practically start to finish with spectators, in some places five- or six-deep. It made absolutely no difference. When I was running smoothly it wasn't because people were watching, and when the quads started screaming, no amount of encouragement helped. So unless "attaway's" are what get you through four hours, the sparse crowds shouldn't be an influencing factor in whether you run this race. That said, the people who drag themselves out of bed (or stay up, from appearances) to cheer the runners are universally cool. Not one dingbat who thought yelling insults at the runners was funny. The organization is pretty good; I don't need every mile marker. The hardest hills to me are the downs, because for the most part they don't come till about Mile 19, by which time they're a lot less than welcome. But it's pretty hard to beat a course where the sunrise illuminates a heavy gray mist at Crissy Field and the silhouette of the Golden Gate Bridge. And the lonely, industrial last 3 miles or so form a perfect bookend. San Francisco used to be a town that ran in part on its working waterfront and factories connected to it by a score of railroad spur lines. That part of town is as much the city as the bridge or Golden Gate Park. Besides, what few live bands show up to play for the runners are down there. | |
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Seth Widoff from Palo Alto, CA
(7/30/2007)
"Enjoyable run, but no frills" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 The San Francisco Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 I live in the Bay Area, so naturally I chose SF as my first marathon (although I ran the first half last year). The first 22 miles of the course are very scenic - along the bay, over the bridge, through the park, and into the Haight. The weather is perfect for running: cool and misty. The Clif pacer I ran with for the first 9 miles was great. Sure the course is hilly in parts, but that's the city for you. The race has a few bad points, though. The first 9 miles, until you get over the bridge, are narrow for the throng. I gave up following the pacer because I was tired of getting elbowed (which was good for me, because I ended up finishing 8 minutes faster). When I finished, there was a huge line for food, which was very disappointing. So come for the fun course, but expect crowds in the early part of the race and few frills at the end. | |
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Donald Fritsche from San Leandro, CA
(7/30/2007)
"JUST GETS BETTER EVERY YEAR!" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ The San Francisco Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was the 13th time I've run the San Francisco Marathon and it's FINALLY a world-class marathon. You don't want to miss this marathon. If you're looking for a really great summer marathon, put San Francisco on your list. By the way, the t-shirt and finisher's medals were fantastic! | |
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K. W. from Houston, TX
(7/29/2007)
"Challenging but fun" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 SF is a hilly town but they have tried to do their best to make this as flat as possible. Still, being from a place with no hills (Houston, TX), I found it difficult (but still narrowly had a PR - yay!!). It was a great way to see the city - you run through Fisherman's Wharf, on the Golden Gate Bridge, Haight/Ashbury Streets, Golden Gate Park, etc. The section on the bridge is a little annoying because you are packed in very tight and the bridge is slippery but it was still great. Good crowd support at some points but most of the time it's just the runners and the road. Good tech shirts and medals; post-race food is rather unimpressive (same amount you get at the expo in similar quantities - what you'd expect to get at a 5K). If you are up for a challenge, this is a great race. I would definitely recommend it. :) | |
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P. P. from Denver
(7/29/2007)
"A fantastic marathon - don't miss it!" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 The San Francisco Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Starting with the registration to the finish line, this is a great marathon. The web page provides great information, you get updates on the race via e-mail, and the information really prepares you for the race. Bib pick up was smooth on Saturday and the expo had great buys - I purchased items I didn't really need, but just had to have them. Race day was very organized and smooth. They have 8 waves - starting with the elite runners at 5:30 to the 5 hour plus runners at 6:20. My pacer provide by Clif Bar was very helpful from the start. Talked with everyone about strategy to meet our respective goals. The race started promptly on time! The course was beautiful. It was hard with the many hills - but our pacer kept giving advice on how to overcome the obstacle, including running uphill, running downhill, getting through the aid stations, and such. The aid stations were completely stocked - even though I was in Wave 7 near the back. Spectators cheered everyone on, the traffic was never a factor thanks to organized police officers. The food line was a little long, but that didn't mean that there was no food. There was plenty. I really will come back to this. Special shout out to Theo Lacy - the very talented pacer - and Amanda and Shannon who encouraged me to a PR. | |
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Jeff Wang from Humble, Texas
(7/29/2007)
"Foggy San Francisco" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 4-5 The San Francisco Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Just finished yet another foggy SF Marathon. This is my fifth San Francisco Marathon. Unlike last year's race, this year is again misty and foggy like it was the previous races. The weather is at a beautiful 60 degrees, overcast and lightly breezy. It was a very good running condition, aside from lack of inspirational view from Golden Gate Bridge like last year. The organization is not bad. Expo was bigger, but they sort of flipped the location of pickup, resulted in mild confusion. The corral system worked much better this year, but there are still plenty of runners blocking the roads. Maybe they need to give a runner's etiquette guide for all racers to go over. There are plenty of water and Cytomax and a couple of Gu stations. Still a few missing mile markers - perhaps I should stop complaining about that. Food at the end is better, with nice rolls. Drink selection, however, can use some help. I suppose if you have a great product, you don't need to donate it. I sure miss my free Starbucks and lamb pieces. Aside from that, it was a great experience. I love the experience, and that is why I am here every year, despite the tremendously punishing hills. | |
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B. L. from Monterey, CA
(5/26/2007)
"Beautiful/ historic course. Poor race food." (about: 2006)
1 previous marathon
| 1 The San Francisco Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 You owe it to yourself to run this. This is a great way to see a fair portion of the city. The hills are not bad considering how bad they could be. Some SF hills almost require climbing gear to get up them. My only gripe was that the post-race food consisted of a WARM bottle of water and a pitiful banana. I was LIVID upon reciving this after have taken a 26-mile pounding. I hope they get a clue and fix this. Be prepared and have your OWN food in an ice chest at the hotel. |
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