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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 41 to 51]
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D. D. from Walnut Creek, CA
(7/28/2014)
"Tough to beat for a summer marathon" (about: 2014)
3 previous marathons
| 1 The San Francisco Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 Summer marathons are somewhat of a rare breed, and for good reason: it's hot. Ahh, but then there's San Francisco which generally enjoys cool summer days. In fact, there of plenty of days when the high never hits 70 degrees. This comes as a surprise to many out-of-towners (one need not look any further than the sweatshirt vendors at Fisherman's Wharf as proof). In my estimation this makes San Francisco the perfect city for a summer marathon. The race starts painfully early at 5:30 AM, which I suppose is fine - but it's definitely the exception rather than the rule. The race start was well organized. My only complaint is that they didn't do a great job of keeping slower runners out of the faster corrals. I was in corral 6 (of 8) and I saw plenty of corral 7 and 8 bibs lined up next to me. This just makes for a chaotic start with faster people trying to go around slower runners. It also created a big bottleneck at the start of the Golden Gate Bridge. The organizers communicated with runners (via email, Facebook and their website) exceptionally well, so I knew exactly where to go and what to do well before I got down there. They made it very easy to reserve parking ahead of time which eliminated one bit of pre-race stress. The course is very nice. Any race that goes over the Golden Gate Bridge (twice!!) is special. Running through GG Park is nice enough but relatively uninteresting. Make no mistake though, this course is tough. Very, very hilly. Don't expect to PR here. Spectator support is virtually nonexistent. I'm not sure if it's because of the early start of just general apathy on the part of residents. Whatever the case may be, don't expect many people cheering you on once the race starts. Aid stations were plentiful and well organized. The volunteers on the whole were above average. So, if you're looking for a good summer marathon SF should be on your short list. Even though I live in the Bay Area I suspect I won't be running this race again, not because it was a bad race (it was quite good) but it didn't blow my socks off. There are plenty of other marathons I'd like to check out before running this one again. Still, if you want to run in the summer you'll have a tough time doing better than SF. | |
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Jeff Wang from Humble, Texas
(7/27/2014)
"Hot for San Francisco" (about: 2014)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ The San Francisco Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This was the hottest San Francisco Marathon in my 12 years of running here. While the temperature are in 60/70's, the sun was out. It was a beautiful day but not the typical cool SF marathon of 50's degrees. Having said that, this is still the most scenic marathon in the US. There was no fog, so the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco skyline were perfectly visible. It was the same route as before, lots of hills and lots of up and down. That is what you expect from this hilly race, so don't expect a Boston qualifying here unless you are really good. I still have issue with missing mile marker as well as my GPS saying I ran a total of 26.97 miles- not sure if that is other people's experience. Lots of portapotty and lots of water station, even though I was not too crazy about this Nuun electrolyte. Also had 2 Gu stations and beer Garden at the end, which is nice but I still wish for a beer/wine garden for us wine drinkers. After all, we are in San Francisco, right? Medal is the nice big coaster, tech shirt is good long sleeve. Expos was moved to Fort Mason, which is better than the fashion mll but still tricky in bus route, but at least it was 1 mile (and 60 feet hill) from Fishermen Wharf. It was a good expos, with lots of infos and lots of goodies. I also still have issue with not getting enough liquid after the race, having received a carton of water (yes, carton) at the finish line and a bottle of coconut water-not a fan- much later. I wish they would leave more water for later for those of us that chug in the carton. Muffins and banana makes up the post race snack- easy food to grab and go. Overall, beautiful race, with some room for improvement. I would highly recommend it for those up to a challenge, those wants mid summer race, or those who wants to combine race with vacation. | |
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Tim Whitmire from Charlotte, N.C.
(6/27/2013)
"One of the highlights of my marathoning career" (about: 2013)
11-50 previous marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I can't say enough good things about the job the organizers have done building this marathon up. I grew up in the Bay Area and San Francisco marathons have been an up and down thing over the years, but the folks behind this race seem to have finally gotten it all together. The course was spectacular, hitting all the high points of the waterfront (I loved going past AT&T Park - home of the world champions! - at Mile 25) and taking you up and across the Golden Gate Bridge at sunrise on what was an absolutely gorgeous morning. The climb up to the bridge and the hills in the Presidio after you came off the bridge were challenging but fair and the sections in Golden Gate Park were nowhere near as hilly as they looked on the elevation profile - more rolling terrain than actual hills. Spectator and volunteer support was great, the medals are really cool (unique for 2013 with a depiction of an America's Cup catamaran on the medal in honor of the competition taking place on the Bay later this summer) and the post-race food and beer was great. Shirts were one of the only negatives - sizing was way off (too small) and the yellow color is unlikely to get much wear from me - and I also found the expo location to be hard to access and chaotic. All in all, though, a great experience and one I will remember fondly, as I ran my fastest marathon time in 16 years and fourth-fastest ever. (This was my 32nd marathon or ultra and my 29th state in my 50+DC effort.) | |
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J. C. from New York City, NY
(6/21/2013)
"Totally worth the hurt!! Wave 6" (about: 2013)
2 previous marathons
| 1 The San Francisco Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I am a San Francisco native but now live across the country and just started marathon running last year. This was my second marathon. I LOVED IT and will probably sign up to run it again next year. The entire experience was phenomenal! Expo: at the Concourse Center - street parking and shuttles available. I had access to a car and was staying in the Mission so the location could not have been better for me. I took my non-runner mom, cousin and 9 month old niece and we each had a great time and were loaded down with samples. Even the baby! Number pick up was well organized and fast. The race: It was on father's day this year instead of its usual July date because of the Worlds Cup. So they HAD to move it. Luckily my family is local so we just planned the marathon into our father's day plans. The start is powerfully early but honestly I could hardly sleep from excitement anyways. I was able to reserve a space at a parking lot (from SFM website) near the start for $8 and just drove in. It was super easy. Security: they advised us to be 30-45 minutes earlier to get through security but when I arrived there was no line and I was through the check point in less than 2 minutes. Bag- check was also quick and convenient. The views of the sun coming up over the bay bridge were amazing as I waited in my corral. The first half is no joke. Lots of long and steep hills but the views were amazing and worth the effort. I had no problem with crowding on the Golden Gate bridge. (I live in NYC and run races here that are much more crowded) Water stations were adequate and Gu and Chomps were offered along the course. The tracking system worked really well. My friends and family were able to see where I was and my estimated finish time was updated each time I crossed a timing mat. It gave them the time of day vs. my time which was super helpful. I was missed at 2 but enough of them caught me that it wasn't an issue and the estimate was very accurate. The second half was not as pretty as the first and I could not wait to get out of GGP! The second half is NOT flat there are still plenty of hills. Miles 21 - 24 are pretty boring. Just neighborhood streets. Just after mile 24 you get back to the water and have views of the industial shipping ports of SF. The finish line was great. Very well organized and I have never been offered so much food and drink! I sucked down 2 of those coconut waters and 2 bottles of water. Bag pick up was super easy. No line. I did not get to claim my beer as the line to get in to the beer garden was super long and I had my family waiting for me. My Garmin put me at 4:59 but my official time was 5:04 so I did not PR but that wasn't my goal. I planned to stop for lots of pictures and hugs along the way! All in all it was FABULOUS! I had a great time and had a fun race. | |
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L. P. from NYC
(6/21/2013)
"Beautiful, Challenging Course!" (about: 2013)
2 previous marathons
| 1 The San Francisco Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was my third marathon and I loved it! It was my first time running the SF marathon (I had run the first half twice before). Can you beat a low-50-degree-weather summer race? This year there was no rain, a clear sky and, since the race was in June this year, it was close to light out at the start. The course is challenging but beautiful. Nothing beats running over the Golden Gate and back (plus, it eats up quite a few miles). There is a ton of uphill running in the first half, rolling hills in the park and some serious downhills after about mile 18. The last 2 miles or so are very flat (as are the first couple). For me, the varied course was mentally and physically stimulating, but I would definitely recommend training for hills. There isn't a ton of crowd support, but there are meaningful crowds cheering as you enter the park and at the finish, plus more sporadic spectators in the second half of the course. If you feed off 6-deep spectators all along the course, ala NYC, you might be disappointed, but it didn't bother me to have fewer spectators and was somewhat more relaxing. There are a fair number of bands as well. The race has great volunteer support and, this year, the expo was in a larger space and very pleasant/not overcrowded. It's easy to get to the start and to exit at the finish. Nice shirt, good food supplies at end, and a nice medal. I just wish there were more portos at the start!! That to me is the only real downside of the race. | |
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S. K. from Cincinnati, Ohio
(6/20/2013)
"Expensive, Hard, Poor Organizati, Not Runner Frien" (about: 2013)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 The San Francisco Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 1 This race is like San Francisco. You're supposed to tolerate a lot for the privilege of being in the coolest place on earth. First, it costs a lot and is not runner friendly. No goody bag, a crummy expo, 12 porta johns at the start line? Come the f on. I waited 40 minutes in line for the bathroom. The medal is even cheap. No course support and overwhelmed water stations. I would never run this race again or advise a friend to run it. The pros. The course is beautiful and you get to run on the Golden Gate Bridge. | |
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Jean Moulin from Los Angeles, CA
(6/20/2013)
"Like JLo: Beautiful, Hilly, Demanding" (about: 2013)
2 previous marathons
| 1 The San Francisco Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Scenery: Beautiful, particularly the first half. I had several 'am I really running on the Golden Gate Bridge right now?' moments that will stick with me, and loved the serenity of Golden Gate Park. Running through Haight and into the Mission also gave us some classic SF architecture. Although the view of the Bay Bridge and AT&T Park was cool, the last 4 miles were not SF's best - all industrial. You're also heading E/NE into the sun, which happened to have clear skies that day. Course: Almost all hills - when you're done going down, you're going right back up. Because the ascent to the Golden Gate is so steep, the elevation chart is a little deceiving in making it seem as if the other hills aren't so bad, but they're constant, and it became a drag since I miscalculated in running a little too slowly early on, thinking I'd have more straightaways to pick up speed. As others have said, this isn't a PR race, but I wish I had driven the route ahead of time, since the psychology of mounting hill after hill is enervating. Locked Corrals: Really good. Still very tight on course, particularly up to and on the GG Bridge, but at least the locked corrals gave us a decent spread for the start. Halfsies: It's hard to run with half-marathoners, not because there's anything wrong with them, but most are in a totally different headspace, generally very relaxed, which I would be too (I always feel really good from 6-16). I just found that there was a lot more clumping of them and it slowed me down a bit. Also it's kind of like being the only sober guy in a bar - they're having fun, but you aren't. Not their fault, but I'd rather start earlier in tighter corrals with full marathoners and have halfsies start later, separately, or perhaps with a more aggressive time cut-off. Fans: I am in the minority of runners who do not particularly love thousands of people screaming at me in the streets, or the sound of amplified, motivational soft rock bands. I know their intentions are good, but if I had it my way, we'd all run silently for 26 miles - no music, just us, the streets, nature. Also, who the heck are you runners to complain that a city hasn't supplied you with 26 miles of people to cheer your exalted butt on? Newsflash: It's boring. That said, the dearth of fans made me really appreciate the ones who came out, as it was more meaningful to have the spurts of people who seemed to really want to be there every couple miles. And it always makes me laugh when people play 'Gonna Fly Now' and 'Eye of the Tiger' for you out of their tiny portable stereos. Expo: Pretty massive, lots of goodies. Helpful that the 15 year-old t-shirt handlers could care less if we exchanged sizes despite clear prohibitory signage. Tech: Liked the app and really handy for spectators, as it would give ETA's for our arrival at points along the course. Medics could also use the app to track runners who've sought medical attention for the rest of the race. Overall: I would run this race again; in fact, knowing the course so much better, I want to run it again because I know I'd improve and appreciate it even more. | |
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J. G. from Chicago, IL
(6/20/2013)
"Enjoy the views and survive the hills" (about: 2013)
3 previous marathons
| 1 The San Francisco Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 I have run two previous marathons before SF2013, Chicago and Vienna. I will say first that compared to Chicago, the course seems deserted especially in the Golden Gate Park and even the later city sections. I'm not sure if it is because of the time or what but the city doesn't seem to embrace it how others do. What makes up for that is the views ranging from undulating city streets to steep bay side descents and climbs. The organization is ok, need more start line toliets but overall it was a great experience. The medal has rubber stoppers on one side to make it useful as a coaster, which was a nice touch for after the race. | |
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J. K. from Ashburn, Virginia
(6/19/2013)
"Good Race to run" (about: 2013)
1 previous marathon
| 1 The San Francisco Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was my first marathon to run, and I loved it. I thought the course was brutal, but I walked on some of the uphill and downhills between mile 17 and 21. Sceneray was beautiful. Running on the Golden Gate - real nice. Got severe cramps, but after help from aid stations, and walking a bit, I was able to finish the race. I can't comment about previous years, but at least in 2013, there were water / electrolyte / medical stations stations every two miles. | |
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Arlechino Howlett from San Francisco, CA
(6/17/2013)
"1st Half Marathon, Wrong Time Results" (about: 2013)
First Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 3 I had a great time running my first half marathon. Luckily for me, I decided to record my run using Strava (1:53:13, 8:23 average mile). When i got home from the race yesterday, I pulled up my time, and my chip didn't register at the first 2 checkpoints, or whatever - including the starting line. I'm a little embarrassed to say that I let this ruin the experience for me. I've got a race time with an asterisk; every time I tell someone what I ran, I feel I have to tell them what happened, since my 'official' run time is totally wrong, and I think, based on the gun time. I was in the fourth wave. I'm concerned (probably irrationally so) that someone will look up and see that my run time is quite different then what I've been telling my friends. What a bummer. . . |
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