Running the San Francisco Half Marathon 🏃
My SF Half Marathon Story & Experience (5 min read)
I tore my ACL and meniscus playing intramural basketball. Going through full knee reconstruction surgery and physical therapy damaged my mental health because I really value exercise in my lifestyle. My physical therapists told me it would be at least a year before I can resume playing sports. I made it a goal of mine to run a half marathon in celebration of a full recovery. A year and a half later, this past weekend, I am proud to say that I hit this huge milestone!
The Half Marathons
The SF Marathon legitimized by the USA Track & Field (USATF) organization and hosts a variety of events from a 5k to an ultramarathon. The half marathon events are divided between the 1st Half Marathon (Bridge Half) and the 2nd Half Marathon (City Half). Each half is a unique course. I chose to run the San Francisco 1st Half Marathon on July 23rd, 2023.
The deciding factor for me on whether to do the 1st or 2nd half was scenery. The 1st Half involves running across the Golden Gate Bridge and its viewpoints. As someone new to the city, I wanted to do some sightseeing while getting a great exercise!
The Bridge Half is more scenic. Huge benefit, but it is the only benefit. There are lots of brutal steep hills and elevation changes. Would not recommend this half if you’re trying to beat a personal time record. You need to practice uphill running for this event. There is a lot of participant traffic you have to deal with, especially on the narrow Golden Gate Bridge
City Half is a more idealistic half marathon course. It’s through the neighborhoods, and there is little elevation change. You still get to see much of the city’s neighborhoods, but it’s not naturally beautiful.
Signing Up
I registered 5 days before the race, the same day I moved to the city. If you sign up early, they mail you the race bibs. If you’re a late sign up like me, you have to go to Fort Mason the day before the race to pick up the bibs. The bibs have a chip in it that allows them to track your time and where you are.
At Fort Mason, they hosted a running convention, where a bunch of brands and sponsors promote their products. If you are an avid runner, I would recommend checking out the convention because they give out lots of free products and let you try on running shoes. They also have professional athletes speaking.
Tip 1: Sign up early and use a promo code. I signed up late and had to pay $200 to register for the half marathon. Don’t be like me. Also, ask friends and coworkers if they have a promo code. All previous participants get a promo code, and you can get 15% off!
The Race
The event was extremely busy, but still well organized for the 29,000 runners there that morning.
Tip 2: Show up at least an hour before your event start. Parking? Good luck with that. It’s chilly early mornings and you’re gonna want to get a good warmup. There were only 2 portable toilets, so the bathroom lines are ridiculous. I almost missed my race waiting for the bathroom!
We started in the north Presidio, as seen on the map above. The run through Crissy Field in the beginning is the most beautiful part of the race as you run past the famous Golden Gate Viewpoint.
When I got on the bridge, I felt so comfortable running. The bridge is the flattest part of the entire race. The bridge does get crowded with runners, which leads me to tip 2.
Tip 3: Stick with your pacing group as much as possible. If you start late with a slower group, you’ll get stuck. The bridge is narrow, you can only go as fast as the slowest person ahead of you.
The loop up north of the bridge is absolutely brutal. If you take a look at my Strava, you’ll notice that my pace drops from 9 min/mi to 11 min/mi on the steep climbs. Some of these steep climbs are a mile long. Be careful not to burn out on these! With huge upslopes comes equally huge declines. You’d think running downslope would be easy and relaxed. It is sorta, but when you’re doing it for several miles straight, it is taxing on your knees and quads to hold up.
I felt really comfortable the first 10 miles or so, but the last 3 miles were the most difficult. My muscles started to cramp, and the thought of being so close to the finish line was emotionally taunting. The 11 mile mark was brutal. This was the final stretch where you run through the neighborhood just north of the Golden Gate Park. This stretch had 3 massive hills you have to climb then run down. I felt like the course was designed to punish us for getting so far!
The finish line was so fun. It felt like a huge party as friends and families of runners made fun posters and cheered. In the end, they hand you a big medal and you’re welcome to pick and choose a variety of snacks. This leads me to my next tip
Tip 4: Find people to run with. It was so fun seeing people make posters for their friends or loved ones in support of them. It’s a huge morale booster to see your friends/family cheer you on.
Vibes
Running the SF Half Marathon was so rewarding and relaxing. The weather here is so gorgeous it just draws you outside to run. The event is really well organized. They have water stations every other mile, and the event felt safe from start to finish. There is the 52 mile club, where you run the 1st half marathon, the 2nd half marathon the following year, and the full marathon year after. If I’m still healthy and feelin’ it, I’ll shoot for 52!
