Kristin Morris's Staging Area

If you are able to complete the 5K before the half then you can do the Double Down Challenge. This 5K is just the first bit of the half. A quick out and back with lots of course support. Watch your time. You have to be finished and back in the corrals before the half starts.

This is a point to point race so plan on being there early. Buses for the half and full leave from the same parking lot but different sections. Make sure you get on the right bus. Revel offers the option to mail your t-shirt and bib for a fee otherwise you have to go to the expo or have someone pick your stuff up. Great race. Great production. Lots of food at the finish.

This is the first of four races that LaceUp offers. If you complete any distance at all four locations you can earn an extra challenge medal at the end of the series. For 2019 you were allowed to pick up your bib race day for $5. You can also prepay this on their site, which was helpful. Super flat course. Not a lot of shade coverage. Lots of great swag and food at the finish line.

This race has several challenge options. The Half It All, Club 52, The Original San Fran Challenge, a Loyalty program for 3 + years, and a new one this year (2019) that partnered with the OC Marathon.
No race day bib pick up and parking is really tight at the expo. Walk or uber if you can.
The first half of the full is more challenging that the second half. The full marathon is the only race option that allows you to run over the Golden Gate Bridge. I was worried since they no longer close the bridge down. You run along the walking path on each side of the bridge. It was a little odd but at no point did it feel cramped.

Be sure to be done before 6hours. They start shutting things down and pulling aid stations fairly early due to the roads needing to be open quickly. Lots of runners crossed after the 6 hour mark and didn’t get their challenge medals and I know a few people that had to stop at coffee shops and rely on spectator run aid stations for water and snacks after mile 18.

Fun race.

This is a member of the Beach Cities Challenge. If you do the 5k on Saturday and run the half or full Sunday you can also earn the OC Crush Combo medal. Mostly flat course with a few medium hills in the middle at a big one at the end. Great finish line. Point to point. I prefer parking at the finish and taking the bus to the start.

This is race 2 in the Triple Crown series. Very hilly but beautiful. For $20 you can race day pick up your bib. This is a point to point race so plan accordingly.

2019 was freak weather according to all the locals. It was 9 deg at the start and there was still a lot of snow on the ground the last 3 miles. The roads were safe and well maintained.

If you do a Vacation Race be sure to stay before and after the race a few days. The race always included a few hike recommendations that if you complete you earn some extra goodies.

Besides the cold the bulk of the race was all uphill and at about 3,500 feet of elevation. Some training would be recommended for this course.

Very pretty. Put this one on your bucket list!

This is the first race in a three race challenge series. The races get a bit harder as the series goes along. You can bib pick up race morning for $20 and in 2019 they added a double down type challenge if you do the 5k before the 1/2 you get an extra medal.

Great Race!

This race has a loyalty program. After 3 years you become a member of the Penguin Club and received extra goodies each additional year.
They also offer a Golden Snowflake Challenge if you run the 5K on Saturday before the 1/2. If you do this be sure to SAVE your parking pass. You can use it both days.
Race morning packet pick up is available for free. I really enjoy this race and hope to keep my legacy streak going all the way to year 10.

The course is a bit challenging and there are a few rolling hills in the middle and end. Really pretty course.

This is a beautiful course but non stop rolling hills. Be sure to get there early. You have to walk a bit to the start line. Race day pick up is available if you signed up for the race early enough. Great food after the race and a beer are all included with the race entry. If you do all four of their locations in one year you earn the LaceUp Challenge medal. Great series. Will be back in 2019!

If you run this 5K on Saturday and any race on Sunday and you will ear the Remix medal. This was a very basic out and back course. Lots of sharp turns. Good course support and a lot of cheering spectators. Be sure to plan ahead i can take a while to get around Las Vegas.

This is one of three races in the Beach Cities Challenge. Mostly flat course. Be sure to check the weather as there is very little coverage on most of the course. There is always a great spectator turn out and tons of support from local run clubs along the half and full marathon courses. Great course for beginning runners.

This was the last race of the SF Original Series. You have to pick up your own bib the day before the race so plan ahead. With your bib and t-shirt for 2018 they gave out a bobble head of one of the SF Giant’s players which was different and fun. Parking is prepay only so plan ahead for this and make sure you know where you’re going. The lots will not accept cash race morning. They do this in order to make parking more smooth. The finish line was inside the stadium and was really well done and fun.

The course was mostly an out and back. There was a section towards the end that was on hard packed dirt. There are some really amazing views of the Golden Gate Bridge as well for the first half of the race. Great race and super fun challenge.

This is race 3 in a 4 race series. The 12K was a really nice out and back. There is one hill about mile 2, otherwise it’s a very flat course. Cute race had a good time. Medal was nice, no race shirt was given. Great finish line and lots of free samples.

This race has several different challenges. Be sure to check them out! The first half starts the same place as the marathon and where the main finish line is. When you complete the first half the runners all get bused back to the point so it makes it super easy if others in your group are running the full or the 2nd half. The first half is mostly rolling hills. The course has been changed due to permit issues and the city not allowing any race to shut down the Golden Gate Bridge anymore. If you want to run across the bridge run the full. Neither half runs across the bridge. But the first half runs right up to it and if there isn’t much fog you can get some great photos.

SF in general is an expensive city, so try to room share and plan ahead. Lots of great food and things to do. If you can stay a few days after the race to enjoy all the tourist things. I will be back in 2019 to attempt the full marathon.