I am lucky enough to live close enough to the San Francisco Marathon course that I can actually go and run the course before race day! I have run every version of this race (the full, first half and second half), yet every year after the race, the hills seem to fade into a distant memory. This year I decided to change that and have done a number of runs on the course!
For those of you that don’t live close enough to get to run a part of the course all the time, I thought it might be helpful (and fun!) to do a couple of posts dedicated to the San Francisco Marathon course.
Helpful links:
Elevation chart
Course maps and videos
(source)
The full marathon course starts down on the Embarcadero of San Francisco and makes a giant 26 mile loop around the city, and finishes pretty much where it started. The first half starts with the full marathon and finishes in Golden Gate Park. While the second half starts in Golden Gate Park and finishes with the full marathoners. I will be giving this preview from the eyes of a full marathoner, but you can get a very good idea of what each half will look like as well!
The full marathon and first half start very early (first wave is 5:30am!) so it will typically be dark at this point, and a little chilly. Make sure to bring some throw away gloves, sweatshirt or armwarmers to keep you warm while you wait. Most of the years I have run this race it has been cool, perfect running weather.
Mile 1 – 2… Sightseeing
The race starts down on the Embarcadero of San Francisco, runs passed the Ferry Building, along the water, and through some tourist sections like Pier 39 and Fisherman’s Wharf!
These miles are all very flat, so make sure not to go out too fast, because trust me the hills are coming! Use these to site see and enjoy all the tourist spots you usually don’t get to see from the middle of the road. It’s too early for tourists to be out, so you get a peak into a quieter side of the city.
If you don’t like fish, beware of the fish smell that comes with Fisherman’s Wharf! I make sure not to take my GU as I am running through that area.
Mile 3 – 4… Fort Mason and Marina Green
Around mile 2.5 you get your first hill of the course. It’s not that long of a hill, but it’s steep and will definitely get your blood pumping. You keep climbing up to the top, and if you look to your right peaking through the trees you will get your first view of the Golden Gate Bridge. You coast down the other side of the hill and enter Marina Green.
The next mile+ is flat running along the water again. If it’s clear you will have a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge, if it’s foggy you will hear a loud fog horn!
There are houses on your left side and water and grass on your right. Make sure to enjoy the flat because it’s the last you will have for a while.
Mile 5… Going up
When I ran the full as my first marathon I had heard that the hill getting up to the Golden Gate Bridge was the hardest/steepest one of the course. Since running the course many other times, I disagree with that statement. While this hill is tough, I think the hill after the bridge is tougher – but we will get to that one.
Most of mile 5 is climbing up to and getting on the Golden Gate Bridge. Shorten your stride, adjust your effort, control your breathing and get up that hill!
As you climb up the hill, if you turn around you will get a great view of where you just came from…
and a closer view of where you are going…
Then you will finally be there.
Miles 6 – 9… THE bridge
Once you get up to the bridge you will see “Caution: Runners on Road” signs because you actually get to run ON the road!
This part is an out and back so you will get to see runners coming back as you are heading out (unless you are towards the front!). The other side of the road is open to traffic who definitely like to cheer and will honk and yell and cheer you on! It can be kind of loud and the bridge can be windy and wet – so be careful when you step on anything medal!
Clear vs. foggy
Make sure to look around, look up, look to the left and right and just really cherish this moment in the race. The bridge isn’t flat, there is a partial incline going there, then you get a decline, then an incline coming back and a decline coming off.
You get a great view of the city (on a clear day) as you head back over the bridge, and it’s fun to look for other runners as you are running back!
Mile 10… The Presidio
As you come off the bridge full of excitement from what you just experienced you are quickly brought back to earth with another big hill. This is the hill I think is the toughest of the course. There isn’t too much to look at at this point in time, so just get up the hill and you will be greeted with an amazing view AND a very long downhill.
Once you get to the top, you will get some great views of the ocean and the coast. If you feel like turning around you will get a peak of the Golden Gate Bridge as well, and will be able to say I just ran across it!
Mile 11… Going Down
The downhill is a pretty steep one and it’s very long too. Make sure you don’t slam your quads too bad running down it and just let gravity do the work. It will probably be one of your faster miles.
Mile 12… The Avenues
You come off the big downhill and have a small hill before you turn left onto the Avenues. This is a residential area that you go through to get to Golden Gate Park. The course alternates on two different streets, so don’t be alarmed if it seems like there are people on another route. It’s very seamless when it happens and you almost don’t even know it, but if you pay attention, you can see other runners on a parallel street.
This section also is hilly but nothing like what you just went through. You climb, plateau, climb again and plateau, and get some downhill in there as well. Pretty soon you will see a lot of green trees straight ahead!
Mile 13… The Park
You finally get to enter Golden Gate Park and this area usually has the most spectators you will have seen on the course since it’s the finish for the first half marathon.
Pay attention to the signs so you know you are going the right way! The half splits off from the full and you finally really know who are in it for the long haul if you are doing the full. It gets a little quiet for a while, but it’s where the mental toughness really starts to come in handy.
To be continued…
Let me know if you have any questions on the course, logistics, or anything else about SFM!
Thanks Aron!!! This was really helpful!
I can’t wait for the second half 
Love this post. Can’t wait to run this course.
Awesome idea and great preview!! I will see it for myself one of these days!
I’m curious how they go about splitting the runners on to different routes?
They are very organized!! If you look at the course map it shows the “alternate” route and it happens once in the second half also. It’s to help with traffic control and I assume the traffic management company organizes this with a lot of communication and organization! It can just surprise you if you aren’t ready for it
And yes can you please come run it SOON?!?!
I agree that the hill at 10 miles is worse than the one at 5. Love this preview, except it makes me a little sad I’m not running it this year!
Thanks for this preview. I am so looking forward to running the first half this month!
Love this! Wish I lived in SF – I want to run it!
yea!!! Can’t WAIT to run the first Half!!!
Although I won’t be running the SFM this year, it is great to see what the course looks like. Do they use this route for other full and half marathons in the area?
Maybe little parts of it, but not the whole thing and no other race runs ON the road of the GGB!
Seriously, this recap should be on the SF Marathon website! You explain the course perfectly!
I think SF marathon has the best race weather out there of any race. It always seems to be right around 50 degrees, zero or minimal wind, almost zero humidity with fog covering the course. Can’t ask for better race weather than that.
I agree with you that the Presidio hill is the worst one of the race. It is super steep! My fastest mile of SF marathon was indeed mile 11, that is a great downhill mile. Great views off to the right side of the course too.
Though the hill from mile 14 to 16.5 was brutal too, because it is so long and gradual – and by that point you are just tired of the hills. It’s not as steep as the Presidio hill, but it seems to go forever. I remember just running almost by myself at that point and screaming – let the hills be done! haha
Hi Aron! So cool. I’m pretty sure I’ve run every mile of the course, but I cannot wait… although seeing as yesterday I was so tired that I hopped onto a bus to get over the Presidio hill, maybe I should be spending less time getting excited and more time training
Ver nice job of previewing this course. Would love to see the sights of San Francisco this way and being on the bridge would be very cool. Maybe someday…..
Aron, first of all, I love your blog! It has been informative and a delight for me to read! I’m training for my first ever half marathon and I will be running the first half of the SF marathon. This is a great post! Thank you! I just moved to SF so I will be doing some practice course runs shortly. Happy running!
This is really cool. I ran the first half a couple of years ago but these photos really help job the memory. I am running the full this year. Are you doing a blogger meetup by any chance?
Possibly, but I will definitely be at the expo most of the day on Saturday and a couple other SFM events that week/weekend!
Thanks so much!!! Less than 4 weeks away…the anticipationa and excitement (and nerves) are growing!! It’ll be my first time visiting SF and I’m running the full marathon!! I have the elevation chart pinned here at my work cubicle and I look at it every day, but nothing like having an experienced runner give a preview with pictures. I’ll anxiously be awaiting for the recap of the second half of the marathon. Weather wise, what can I expect for end of July in San Francisco? Chicago is hot and humid…blah!!
SF is typically perfect running weather in the summer… especially at 5am! It’s been really foggy a couple of years and sunny but cool one year, so it just depends but pretty much perfect! Compared to Chicago it will feel like winter
Looks like I spoke too soon, I saw a link to this article show up on the SF Marathon facebook group! Your course preview should be required reading for anyone running the SF marathon races!
I can’t wait to run this course, I ride it every year when I ride in Aids Lifecycle, a ride from SF to LA, but running it is going to be amazing, running is my first love in sports, so i’m over excited with this preview, thank you.
Looks amazing, I’m not even in a marathon and you get me excited for you. Looks like a great place.
Suzanne
Thanks, Aron! I am introducing my running club in LA to your wisdom
Wishing everyone who reads this a fantastic race in SF!
Hi Aron. Great preview of the route. I am from Manila Philippines and will be running the SFM as my first marathon. Not to preempt the second part of your article, I’d like to know which half is more difficult ? If I have to pace myself, should I do a quick first, then slow down in second; or the other way around ?
Do they have changing stations after the first half?
Im used to running in 90-100 degree weather, and sweat a lot and lose a lot of fluids. I would think that with the nice SFO weather, I would do a lot better and not get cramps as I would normally get here. Which is why I chose SFM, but of course, there are the dreaded hills. But it still is a great city and I hope the sights will distract me from getting tired.
BRB putting this race on my calendar for next year! (for real!)
Extremely helpful info. Thanks!
i love running race courses before the big day. i think it’s a huge mental advantage to know what you’re up against.
ahh…so many great memories of running this w/ you + Danica. Will def miss it this year…what a great race!
Probably the reason why so many believe the first hill is the toughest is because it USUALLY is the toughest since your legs haven’t warmed up to the run yet. At least for me, once I’ve done a hill or two, the next ones don’t seem so bad, no matter how much more steep they may be.
Wow – I love this! I ran 15 miles that seems like it roughly paralleled the first half of the course back in June, and it was a beautiful & amazing run! Maybe I’ll sign up for the marathon next year!
this is such a great review! very informative, especially to a reader who hasn’t run the course before! and i 100% agree with you – the climb up the bridge isn’t so bad, the hill at mile 10 is much more challenging! also, it wasn’t until last year’s race that i realized that the bridge isn’t flat – it’s rolling as well!
great post, very helpful for anyone out of town who plans to run this. I don’t get the avenues part — runners can pick either street?
No you don’t get to pick you are just directed, it’s part of their traffic control. Unless you are at the beginning of “the switch” you have no idea it’s even really going on! It’s pretty seamless.