The San Francisco Half Marathon®, 10K & 5K returns this February. A fixture on the Bay Area racing calendar, participants are treated to scenic course routes in Golden Gate Park and along the Pacific Ocean, with race proceeds supporting local charities in the San Francisco Bay Area. Race amenities include …
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The San Francisco Half Marathon®, 10K & 5K returns this February. A fixture on the Bay Area racing calendar, participants are treated to scenic course routes in Golden Gate Park and along the Pacific Ocean, with race proceeds supporting local charities in the San Francisco Bay Area. Race amenities include long sleeve T-shirts, custom finisher’s medallions, and a variety of food and beverage offerings in our Post-Race Festival.
The 5K, 10K & San Francisco Half Marathon® are point to point with a net loss in altitude from the east end of Golden Gate Park to the far west end. Both the 5K and 10K feature a fast, net downhill course certified by USA Track & Field. The Half Marathon course will take runners out around the Panhandle, back through Golden Gate Park, and out and back on the Great Highway and finishes at the entrance to the Post-Race Festival. The half marathon course is also USA Track & Field certified.
The San Francisco Half Marathon® 10K & 5K presented by Pamakid Runners raises funds to support San Francisco Bay Area community organizations.
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Good vibes and easy course
The course is really fun and easy, it is perfect for PRs. There is so much support along the way so you never can get bored. Overall just a fun … MORE
The course is really fun and easy, it is perfect for PRs. There is so much support along the way so you never can get bored. Overall just a fun half to run and a great way to see the best parts of SF
Great Race but some hiccups
Great course with views of Golden Gate Park and the Pacific Ocean. I've run this race every year, for 25 years (minus one for COVID) Kaiser no longer sponsors the … MORE
Great course with views of Golden Gate Park and the Pacific Ocean. I’ve run this race every year, for 25 years (minus one for COVID)
Kaiser no longer sponsors the race. What changed this year?
All men’s t-shirts were gone before I finished (I pre-selected a size). This has never happened in the past 25 years
The post-race snacks (besides bananas) were odd choices: Oreo’s, processed crackers, etc.
Fast course and well organized
This is a predominantly downhill course. Takes you through ggp and down to sunset dunes. It was a beautiful day but in the past has been rainy. Plenty of aid … MORE
This is a predominantly downhill course. Takes you through ggp and down to sunset dunes. It was a beautiful day but in the past has been rainy. Plenty of aid stations. Pacers were on point. Packet pickup is a bit of a hassle at stonestown. Would have preferred something closer.
Beautiful Scenery!
The race is generally easier than most with lower elevation gain and a fair amount of down hill. There are so many cool things to see like the bison, the … MORE
The race is generally easier than most with lower elevation gain and a fair amount of down hill. There are so many cool things to see like the bison, the windmill, and the beach. Although I wasn’t a fan of the shirt color I would Highly recommend!
Beautiful race, well organized
This was my first ever half marathon and it was incredibly enjoyable! Very manageable track with park and ocean views. The weather was magically perfect! I really appreciated how well … MORE
This was my first ever half marathon and it was incredibly enjoyable! Very manageable track with park and ocean views. The weather was magically perfect! I really appreciated how well it was organized, everything started on time and the pace groups were appropriate so everything felt smooth throughout.
Meh
The start of the race felt disorganized. People had a tough time finding their corral so a ton of runners who shouldn’t have been in the slowest group ended up … MORE
The start of the race felt disorganized. People had a tough time finding their corral so a ton of runners who shouldn’t have been in the slowest group ended up there. When they asked volunteers they didn’t know. The course was marked well and easy to follow. Not much swag and the after race event was meager compared to other races.
It was an exciting race.
The uphill sections were hard, but the downhill sections were great. The hydration stations helped me stay hydrated during the entire race. Thankfully, I slowed down at the end because … MORE
The uphill sections were hard, but the downhill sections were great. The hydration stations helped me stay hydrated during the entire race. Thankfully, I slowed down at the end because I did not cramp up.
awesome race!
really well organized race and awesome for a first half marathon! super cool course and will be doing again. some parts were certainly difficult but the aid tables and the … MORE
really well organized race and awesome for a first half marathon! super cool course and will be doing again. some parts were certainly difficult but the aid tables and the energy brought me back to life!
Half with the best scenery!
Love running this race! The course and production were flawless down to the weather. The swag was fantastic - shirts that are actually cotton not that funky wicking material. And … MORE
Love running this race! The course and production were flawless down to the weather. The swag was fantastic – shirts that are actually cotton not that funky wicking material. And the medal was so perfect SF for this time of year, with buffalo and tulips. No notes on this one – highly recommend!
Unforgettable race experience
When I signed up for this race three months ago, I committed to training hard and taking care of my body so I could show up strong on race day. … MORE
When I signed up for this race three months ago, I committed to training hard and taking care of my body so I could show up strong on race day. Every mile I ran leading up to this event was building toward this moment.
During the race, when fatigue started to hit, it was love for running along with the cheering crowds and incredible staff that pushed me forward. The energy of Golden Gate Park, the support along the course, and the organization made the experience unforgettable. I ran a personal record, but more importantly, I felt stronger than ever.
Crossing the finish line, I realized the medal represented more than one morning of effort. It symbolized three months of discipline, growth, and commitment. The runner who finished this race is a better version of the person who signed up, and that transformation is the real victory. I’m leaving this race proud, grateful, and excited for what comes next.
Great vibes and beautiful course!
The course is beautiful with great views. There are hills but not steep very gradual elevation gain. They provide pacers which were helpful. The aid and medical stations and spaced … MORE
The course is beautiful with great views. There are hills but not steep very gradual elevation gain. They provide pacers which were helpful. The aid and medical stations and spaced out appropriately. Would definitely recommend.
A beautiful day in the city!
This route was super scenic, and luckily it was such a beautiful day. The training I had was primarily in 30-40ish degree weather so once you hit mile 8, it … MORE
This route was super scenic, and luckily it was such a beautiful day. The training I had was primarily in 30-40ish degree weather so once you hit mile 8, it was nothing but sun the rest of the way with no trees or shade. Beautiful, but got really warm. I wish that more of the volunteers for this race were upbeat and cheering on the participants, that would’ve been really nice. The host/MC on the microphone did a fabulous job keeping everyone informed and engaged about what’s going on.
Beginner-friendly scenic running course
Running a marathon has been a long-held dream of mine, but I never found the chance to get started—until now. This time, I finally took that chance, and I’m so … MORE
Running a marathon has been a long-held dream of mine, but I never found the chance to get started—until now. This time, I finally took that chance, and I’m so glad I did. Having my first run in the beautiful, scenic Golden Gate Park made the experience even more special. Running alongside so many other runners was unforgettable, and I absolutely loved the vibe and atmosphere.
The best 10k in the Bay!
Awesome race! Great atmosphere, and well run! Super fast! I ran with a bunch of friends and managed to PR in my 10k by a whole minute! The merch was … MORE
Awesome race! Great atmosphere, and well run! Super fast! I ran with a bunch of friends and managed to PR in my 10k by a whole minute! The merch was great, and the course wasn’t too busy, so I could run my own race easily. Brilliant experience all around, cannot recommend it enough.
Beautiful, slightly hilly SF hal course
To be honest, I will come back next year and perform better with training. I was very sick and really shocked I even managed to finish. The views were gorgeous, … MORE
To be honest, I will come back next year and perform better with training. I was very sick and really shocked I even managed to finish. The views were gorgeous, and I think they didn’t have a cutoff time (thank goodness🫠🥲). The medal is also quite pretty. One thing is that they ran out of t shirts at the end. The stretch of course by the ocean was just so beautiful and the views through Golden Gate park were really something. I am definitely going to be a repeat racer!
A+ Course; A+ Organization; Repeat 2027
I ran the SF Half Marathon last week and, overall, it was an excellent experience. Course design, logistics, communication, and on-course support were all top-tier. I’d give those aspects a … MORE
I ran the SF Half Marathon last week and, overall, it was an excellent experience. Course design, logistics, communication, and on-course support were all top-tier. I’d give those aspects a solid 9 out of 10. The route was beautiful, well thought out, and the event itself was run with real care and professionalism.
My one meaningful critique is pacing and start-group delineation. I consider myself a middle-of-the-pack runner, projected around a 7:15–7:30 mile pace. Despite that, I ended up starting too far back, and the first six miles were extremely congested. It was difficult to move forward safely, which forced a lot of lateral movement and weaving.
As a result, I ran an extra ~0.3–0.5 miles overall, which cost roughly three to four minutes. I noticed many runners around me had the same experience, so this didn’t feel like an edge case. Stronger pacing corrals and clearer enforcement or guidance by expected pace would make a big difference, especially for runners in that broad middle range.
That said, the positives overwhelmingly outweigh this issue. A+ organization, A+ course, A+ overall running experience. I would absolutely run it again and would still highly recommend it to others. With slightly better pacing structure at the start, this race would be close to flawless.
Great race & beautiful course
Great race with awesome views and great course. I finished late but unfortunately they were out of tshirt and also the folks who finished late did not get any goodies. MORE
Great race with awesome views and great course. I finished late but unfortunately they were out of tshirt and also the folks who finished late did not get any goodies.
Running the Golden Gate Park is fun :)
This was my 3rd overall HM, and the first in SF. I was focused most of the time on keeping my pace and not running into others, because I started … MORE
This was my 3rd overall HM, and the first in SF. I was focused most of the time on keeping my pace and not running into others, because I started at the back of the pack and had to zig-zag my way through slower traffic. But the park is gorgeous, and the last stretch along the ocean is also very nice – even though running a long straight stretch proved challenging for me, I prefer shorter segments with turns. The end was brutal, finishing with a climb – I was not able to sprint at all…
As far as facilities go, the event was perfect – plenty of toilets, plenty of hydration stations, and post-run water, banana, and other supplies made it easier to recover.
All in all, it was a super positive experience for me, and I plan to return next year.
Beautiful course, good on-course support
Great on-course support. Beautiful course, the hills were rolling and fair in the park. Great Highway can get windy. Shuttles and parking were easy to navigate. Bag drop line was … MORE
Great on-course support.
Beautiful course, the hills were rolling and fair in the park.
Great Highway can get windy.
Shuttles and parking were easy to navigate.
Bag drop line was intimidating.
Plenty of portapotties pre-race.
Beautiful course, brutal beach portion
The last 5-6 miles by the beach is really hot because of lack of shade! Recommend wearing shades and/or a hat. The run through GGP is nice and not too … MORE
The last 5-6 miles by the beach is really hot because of lack of shade! Recommend wearing shades and/or a hat. The run through GGP is nice and not too hilly.