The San Francisco Marathon prides itself on its unique nature; like the city itself the race is more individual, the course more challenging, the terrain more beautiful – an event Bart Yasso, former Chief Running Officer of Runner’s World, referred to as “challenging and beautiful…one of the country’s best big …
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The San Francisco Marathon prides itself on its unique nature; like the city itself the race is more individual, the course more challenging, the terrain more beautiful – an event Bart Yasso, former Chief Running Officer of Runner’s World, referred to as “challenging and beautiful…one of the country’s best big city marathons.” The San Francisco Marathon proudly hosts over 25,000 runners and rewards their efforts with unparalleled breathtaking views and a unique course that they will never forget.
Full (26.2 miles)
Take yourself on a running tour of San Francisco, and complete our challenging yet rewarding course. Whether you’re taking on your first marathon or your 50th, your unforgettable journey will take you from the waterfront, across the Golden Gate Bridge, past iconic landmarks including AT&T Park and through historic neighborhoods.
1st Half (13.1 miles)
Picture yourself racing as the California sun breaks through San Francisco’s iconic maritime fog. Bursting from the Embarcadero’s waterfront start line at the break of dawn. Racing up to the Golden Gate Bridge, through towering eucalyptus and redwood trees in Golden Gate Park where you’ll cross the 1st Half Finish Line. Then join your fellow runners at the Main Finish Line Festival.
2nd Half (13.1 miles)
With a start beneath the towering redwoods in Golden Gate Park and a prized finish at Cupid’s Arrow along the Embarcadero, The San Francisco Marathon’s 2nd Half Marathon course winds through city streets, offering a locals’ only tour of the city’s treasured vistas. Racing beside the Conservatory of Flowers, through the Haight-Ashbury and Mission neighborhoods, beside AT&T Park, under the Bay Bridge and more, each runner’s journey unfolds against an unforgettable sense of place. Join the Full Marathoners as you take on 13.1 miles, the 2nd Half of our Full Marathon course.
The 2nd Half Marathon is popular with runners looking to set a PR. Due to its low elevation profile and a gradual finishing descent toward the Embarcadero, many runners return to this course year after year to test their limits and reach new heights.
5K (3.1 miles)
The San Francisco Marathon’s stunning 5K course offers runners the opportunity to conquer an energetic race alongside a range of participants, from experienced athletes to stroller runners. The 5K runs through miles of waterfront that draw millions of visitors each year. Take in views of the Bay, the Bay Bridge, Treasure Island, Coit Tower, and much more. Runners enjoy San Francisco’s iconic backdrop while earning a spot at the finish line festival in front of the Ferry Building. The 5K Race invites runners of all levels to experience our fast, flat course and participate in the finish line celebration.
Ultra Marathon
Challenge yourself to take on the incredible feat of running two marathons, back-to-back, to benefit your favorite charity. Starting at midnight, run the full marathon course in reverse, with a brief run detour along the Great Highway, before joining other runners to complete the Official Full Marathon course. Run solo or as part of a 2-person or 4-person team.
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Hard to take it seriously
Scenic, but a LOT of things went wrong. Saturday 5k was too short, 2nd half-marathon was short by 0.5 miles (I heard that the 1st one was a bit short … MORE
Scenic, but a LOT of things went wrong.
Saturday 5k was too short, 2nd half-marathon was short by 0.5 miles (I heard that the 1st one was a bit short too). Marathon was 26.5 miles, not due to tangents, you can see in race results that almost EVERY runner has a pace drop in the last 2 miles (because it was longer than this).
I was assigned a wrong corral and “my” pacer started 5 mins before me.
My bib was mailed (paid $20 for it), so I had to collect my shirt and jacket after the race. The shirt pickup was in a different place than the jacket pickup. Both a long way from the finish line (imagine walking there after the race).
And did I mention that they ran out of jackets? Oh, and also MEDALS on Saturday 5k?
All of this for $200.
Hilly but beautiful.
There are hills galore. I wish I had trained more. It is a gorgeous route. So scenic, enthusiastic spectators. Be warned: here are several races going on. It was a … MORE
There are hills galore. I wish I had trained more. It is a gorgeous route. So scenic, enthusiastic spectators. Be warned: here are several races going on. It was a crowded field. I’m glad I did it. It is a tough race, but so rewarding. They wait for runners after the six hour limit, too.
Beautiful and chaotic
I signed up for the 5K/half marathon challenge. Packet pickup was chaos. First, they emailed me the wrong bib number for my 5K, so I had to go to a … MORE
I signed up for the 5K/half marathon challenge. Packet pickup was chaos. First, they emailed me the wrong bib number for my 5K, so I had to go to a computer to look mine up. I think that was the case for everyone because it was with our entire group. Second, the shirts they gave us for both races were identical… long-sleeved tech shirts that just said SF Marathon and had Sunday’s date… quite disappointing for the cost of these races. They gave us the challenge medal at packet pickup, yet they made us wait till after the race to get our jackets. That was just nuts, because there were horrendous lines at the 1st half to get them plus they ran out. Getting our jackets at packet pickup and the challenge medals on Sunday would have made SO much more sense. The medals were all quite nice, and the towel and the tote bag were nice too.
As for the race… it said it had a cutoff of 3 hours for the 1st half. I was concerned I wouldn’t make the time, so I emailed to ask. They said as long as I was there by 3.5 hours, I would still get my medal. I was doing pretty well pace-wise, but it was tough on the bridge since we were all packed onto the sidewalk. I was told they closed a traffic lane previously to accommodate runners, and they really need to do that again if they have strict time constraints. I had just come off the bridge and was making good time when I was diverted. There were MANY people behind me, and I was at the very beginning of the diverted group as I saw people in front of me still moving forward. The diversion skipped all the portion returning to the bridge and sent me directly back across the bridge, cutting off approximately 3 miles. I was pretty upset I got diverted when I’d previously been told I could continue, so it took the wind out of my sails and I slowed down. I finished slightly over 3 hours total. Apparently both halfs were short, and the full marathon was long. You’d think after 47 years of doing this race, it’d be really streamlined.
I would have given this race 3 shoes because of how everything went down, but the swag (other than the shirts) pushed it up to a 4.
Worst Race Experience EVER
Here is a summary of my experience at the The San Francisco Marathon 5K and 1st Half Marathon / Bridge Half this past weekend: Saturday 5K 1. There was no … MORE
Here is a summary of my experience at the The San Francisco Marathon 5K and 1st Half Marathon / Bridge Half this past weekend:
Saturday 5K
1. There was no bag check (runners were instructed by a race official in the solutions tent to “just put your bags on that picknick table over there”. Said picknick table was not covered, secured, or supervised by any race official.
2. The course was shorter than the advertised 3.1 mile distance (it was short by 0.05 miles); a portent of things to come.
3. The finish line area was VERY cramped which created a log jam right as we crossed (ANOTHER portent of things to come!).
4. There was ZERO signage to indicate where we should have gone to collect post-race gift items.
Sunday 1st Half Marathon/Bridge Half Marathon
1. There were only 28 port-a-potties for 5,162 runners (a fellow runner counted them). Twenty. Eight. 😠
2. There was VERY poor signage overall, especially for gear check (which was labeled “Sweat Check” for some reason which confused everyone).
3. The race was AGAIN short by .10 miles (I verified with other runners who also recorded distances less than 13.1).
4. The finish line area was SUPER cramped and disorganized caused by the race organizers deciding that the finish line area was the best place to put a premium distribution point manned by one official who resorted to throwing our finisher item (towel) at us like we were peasants begging for scraps of food.
5. The finisher jacket area was ALSO very disorganized and confusing. Apparently, there were separate men’s and women’s jacket tents. Runners were not made aware of this until they approached the table because (you guessed it)…THERE WERE NO SIGNS to indicate which tent was which. A visibly overwhelmed volunteer finally made a rickety carboard sign written in black Sharpie to communicate with people in the line. Then, of course, they ran out of sizes, so some people had to wait even longer.
6. I found out the hard way that the challenge medals were handed out at the EXPO, not the finish line for some odd reason so I didn’t collect my third medal for completing the 5K and half after the race. This was just a really odd choice to me. Why weren’t the jackets distro’d at the Expo and the special medals distro’d on race day you know…AFTER we actually completed our respective challenges?!?!
7. Because of the lack of proper signage, runners didn’t’ know where to go to catch shuttles back to the starting area (SOME runners, that is…).
8. Runners who ran the 1st Half Marathon didn’t have shuttles for us back to our starting area which was 3.5 miles from the finish line; we were left hanging. I was able to get a Lyft and shared my ride with a fellow Bridge Half runner. This was the final straw for me…
The highlight of the weekend was seeing my wear blue: run to remember family on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday on the Blue Mile.
Given everything that I experienced, I can safely say that this was the absolute worst race I have EVER participated in. The fact that I traveled all the way across the country to experience it makes it somehow even worse; I feel like I wasted thousands of dollars on a rather forgettable experience. I won’t be running this event again and I highly recommend you not do so either.
Hills and wild temps
1700ft of elevation for the full, steep hills as well, way to many photo ops along course, decent Hydration along course, good crowds for the last 2 miles or so, … MORE
1700ft of elevation for the full, steep hills as well, way to many photo ops along course, decent Hydration along course, good crowds for the last 2 miles or so, went from 55 degrees to almost 80. Great weather though. Great fun. Warning marathon was long 26.6, but the halves were both short, the second half marathon was 12.6 ….
Disappointed
Look. I love this race. I want to love this race. This is my HOMETOWN race. It's an epic experience to run through my city, to experience it with crowds … MORE
Look. I love this race. I want to love this race. This is my HOMETOWN race. It’s an epic experience to run through my city, to experience it with crowds of people and crowds of supporters. But what the heck happened today, it needs addressing. The 2nd half was 0.50-0.60 short right after Mile 1, and continued that way throughout the rest of the race… every mile marker was that much ahead. We all finished with around 12.6-12.7 miles…how does that even happen in a race that has been going on for 47 years and has had roughly the same two courses (and full course)?
I had started off energized and ready to run, was consistently running faster than my average pace for the first 4 miles, but once I realized the mile markers were significantly off and we not correcting themselves I gave up… why haul ass at a race that wouldn’t really be a half marathon?
I will run it again, I am sure, but wow am I disappointed with them today…
Plusses:
-STUNNING MEDALS this year (above and beyond)
-Great swag (nice towels)
-Awesome fan support
-Crowds of happy people throughout (although I kind of feel like people got quiet pretty quickly once they realized the course was off)
I dunno… they gotta address this.
Beautiful Course, Poor Execution
For the amount of money they charge for this race, expectations are high. The expo was ok - was a bit crowded as there wasnt a good flow in moving … MORE
For the amount of money they charge for this race, expectations are high. The expo was ok – was a bit crowded as there wasnt a good flow in moving people from the different stations. On race day, there are multiple races going on the marathon course, which makes it a bit confusing, but its unacceptable to be short or long for the distances. Mile markers were slightly off. The bridge was not as congested as I thought, but it might have been due to the time I was crossing. Finish line was a bit of a mess post medal – towels and bags were given/thrown from a truck, and jackets were a distance away with no signs.
Run across the Golden Gate Bridge!
This is a challenging race with the hills you would expect in San Francisco! The hills start right before the Golden Gate Bridge and are off and on until about … MORE
This is a challenging race with the hills you would expect in San Francisco! The hills start right before the Golden Gate Bridge and are off and on until about mile 23. I keep coming back to this race and will do it again next year. Not a PR race for me for sure.
A Excellent Scenic Run
The aid stations were excellent. The most unique aspect about the race was the scenery in the course. The race could be improved with more nutrition in the marathon (second … MORE
The aid stations were excellent. The most unique aspect about the race was the scenery in the course. The race could be improved with more nutrition in the marathon (second lap).
Awesome tour of SF
This is a challenging race with the hills you would expect in San Francisco! The hills start right before the Golden Gate Bridge and are off and on until about … MORE
This is a challenging race with the hills you would expect in San Francisco! The hills start right before the Golden Gate Bridge and are off and on until about mile 23. I keep coming back to this race and will do it again next year. Not a PR race for me for sure.
Yes there are hills
I knew about the hills. I studied the elevation. I didn't train for them nearly enough. Going over the Golden Gate Bridge twice on a clear day was the highlight. … MORE
I knew about the hills. I studied the elevation. I didn’t train for them nearly enough. Going over the Golden Gate Bridge twice on a clear day was the highlight.
Stayed downtown and walked or Ubered most places. Visited Alcatraz while I was there with the family. Make sure you buy your tickets in advance.
Difficult, expensive, imperfect, special
I ran the the new first half course in 2023, but have run the first or second halves six times previously. For: Big city race at a time of year … MORE
I ran the the new first half course in 2023, but have run the first or second halves six times previously. For: Big city race at a time of year when there are few major Northern Hemisphere options; great, iconic urban course in a world-class city. Against: Expensive; not a course lending itself to PRs, if that is what you are looking for; imperfect race organization (at least in 2023 — e.g., no porta potties at race start!). Sum-up: The hills make this a very challenging course. It’s by no means a flawless event, but somehow I have kept on coming back over more than 10 years. See my full 2023 race review here: https://www.flyrun.fun/p/san-francisco-2023-marathon-review
It’s Nice To Say You’ve Done Once!
Of course, it’s awesome to say you’ve run over the Golden Gate Bridge but this race is very expensive, not super organized, photos cost $30 and up, the expo is … MORE
Of course, it’s awesome to say you’ve run over the Golden Gate Bridge but this race is very expensive, not super organized, photos cost $30 and up, the expo is just okay, on the course the half marathoners course crossed the runners doing the full (scary), and the course was pretty crowded the whole way. I enjoyed participating with so many other runners and of course you’ll get some great selfies on the route, but it’s not a race I will do again because of the price compared to the experience and swag.
Beautiful, but not well organized.
First marathon, but many HMs, 10ks, 5ks under my belt. This is the largest city race I've participated in. Pros: beautiful and scenic, coolest summer marathon you'll find, lots of … MORE
First marathon, but many HMs, 10ks, 5ks under my belt. This is the largest city race I’ve participated in.
Pros: beautiful and scenic, coolest summer marathon you’ll find, lots of aid stations, runner route diversions were smooth, beautiful medal that comes with a little pin, before race week – customer service was responsive and great.
This is a hilly, but beautiful course. For the price and prestige as a big city marathon, I expected it to be better organized. It starting coming off as a bit of a money grab as time went on. We registered early so it was roughly $200, and I’m starting to feel like it wasn’t worth it! Definitely not worth the $300ish if you register later.
– The expo is run mostly by volunteers. They seem like students getting volunteer hours, which is totally fine! But they didn’t know who to ask to answer questions.
– Pacing groups were all over the place. There was no information about which corral pacers would stand in. In the last corral, I only spotted 2 pacing groups, of the 18 listed. Later on, I see on instagram that they had a 5:30 pacing group, which was not listed. So not sure how many groups there actually were.
– Lots of people looking for gear check at the start line. Luckily, did not need to check a bag. But it was not clearly communicated where to find it.
– Marathon had plenty of porta-potties at the start. But the first HM did not. As I ran by, heard tons of people talking about peeing in the bushes and alleyways. It impacted the first 5-8 aid stations after we passed the HM start line. Every single one had huge huge lines.
– On the GGB’s tiny sidewalk, the fastest half marathon runners have to compete for space with the slower marathon runners. And the lead bike! Some information about the courses crossing and to stay in lanes would be nice. Lots of elbows and jabbing for space.
– At the finish line, runners were confused about where to redeem their free beverage ticket for a free drink. Not sure if there were even drinks available. We went home.
– The “virtual goodie bag” sent out after had nothing included. The t-shirt we purchased separately isn’t great quality. All in all, these are extras. But this marathon and the extra swag is costly, so quality is expected.
We probably will not run this again because of this organizational nightmare. Very little communication as the race approached, EXCEPT to send merch purchasing details, or signing up for next year etc.
Bad Organization
The port-a-potties for the 1st half marathon was a literal and figurative mess. There were only 2 units near start line, and about 4 units about 300 yards away hidden. … MORE
The port-a-potties for the 1st half marathon was a literal and figurative mess. There were only 2 units near start line, and about 4 units about 300 yards away hidden. The line was almost an hour long, and the inside of the units were disgusting.
Incredible views of the Golden Gate
It was helpful to stay at the Harbor Court Hotel as the start and end points were right in front. There were incredible views of the Golden Gate Bridge from … MORE
It was helpful to stay at the Harbor Court Hotel as the start and end points were right in front.
There were incredible views of the Golden Gate Bridge from multiple vantage points.
Being my first marathon, I paced it slow in the beginning and had energy gel every 30 min or so. That made tackling some hills easy with plenty of energy left at the end for a faster pace. Overall I enjoyed the race very much.
Wonderful vistas across the bay
Beautiful run that is full of stunning vistas. Did not feel like a city run as it was primarily along the shoreline, across the GG bridge and through parks. Plenty … MORE
Beautiful run that is full of stunning vistas. Did not feel like a city run as it was primarily along the shoreline, across the GG bridge and through parks. Plenty of drink stops. The start had few volunteers and very little signage; I had to dump my drop bag in the trash, as I could not find a drop bag point.
Hills galore
The race is unique in that there are 2 half courses to choose from in addition to the marathon. There are different start times for each and there is a … MORE
The race is unique in that there are 2 half courses to choose from in addition to the marathon. There are different start times for each and there is a segment of the course where all 3 races converge on the same course which makes it interesting as you are running by runners in different states. I will say that at this convergence point, the route does get crowded, but organizers do a decent job in funneling runners through various secondary/alternate streets to avoid a traffic jam of runners.
The course is scenic and I appreciate the early start time as SF has a lot of micro-climates. The course was a bit short of port o potties, esp at the start of the halves in the presidio. They got me with the half challange – thought it was odd that the challange medal was bigger/better put together than the actual finishers medal. The race is a bit pricey for what you get, but I guess that’s what it is.
A Exciting Ultramarathon
The aid stations were awesome. There were many volunteers and they handed out water well. The most unique aspect of the race were the two laps. MORE
The aid stations were awesome. There were many volunteers and they handed out water well. The most unique aspect of the race were the two laps.
Such a beautiful race :)
This was my second time running the race, and I loved it more, as I knew what to expect. I recently ran the Big Sur marathon, and I find that … MORE
This was my second time running the race, and I loved it more, as I knew what to expect. I recently ran the Big Sur marathon, and I find that this marathon is actually a more beautiful one. There’s something majestic about running across the Golden Gate bridge.