This course was by far the most beautiful course I have run so far. It was not as hilly as a marathon course in San Francisco could be, but it is definitely not a PR course. The first half, which goes over the Golden Gate Bridge is the most scenic, but also the most challenging part of the course. If you are considering running this marathon, I highly recommend it, but be sure to train on hills and take it easy the first half. The second half of the course is mostly flat or downhill, so a negative split is definitely the way to go.

Oh, the hills! The first half of the course has some challenging steep hills, particularly between miles 5 and 11 (around the Golden Gate bridge). The second half has a few small rolling hills. This is not a course to shoot for a personal record. There are wonderful views along the way, highlighting the diverse areas of the city.

The water stations were spaced about 2.5 miles apart. Having them closer near the end of the race would have helped.

Very few spectators along the course. But quite a few at the beginning to cheer runners on and the end to bring the tired runners home.

The finisher's medal is very nice. This is the 75th anniversary of the Golden Gate bridge, commemorated on the medal.

The expo was OK. Packet pickup was easy and fast. The expo space was average size, so there were not as many vendors as at other marathon expos. However, those who were there had some good selections. Parking was a problem, so public transportation or the expo complimentary shuttle is highly recommended.

All in all, a very good race for all experience levels, particularly those who want a bit of a challenge, but not too much.

Why is that every year there is not enough Irish coffee for first half runners in the last wave. Why can't the company make sure they have enough Irish coffee for all runners?

This is my tenth San Francisco marathon. As a result of it is a special event for me. I remember the first time I ran the San francisco marathon when it was a very small event. It has grown into a large and very respected race, as mentioned in WSJ a few years ago.

The course of course beautiful and challenging, with lots of hills. The weather is the beautiful mid fifty's and overcast. There is still a very few crowd but those who showed up on shows their entgusiastic support. The expo is still at see a Fashion Mall center, which is out of commonly visited places and not too many buses gets there, but there are more vendors than before.

As for the race, there are plenty of fluid stations, a couple of Gu stations, and a beer stand. Also there are plenty of portapotty, but I wish they can place them at a few more locations, ie Mile 4, since the line was long even during the race. The finisher medalist nice and big and serves as coaster, and it was handed to me by service men and women dressed in uniforms - thanks for doing that.

My biggest complaint is the same as last year, which is mile markers either missing or placed incorrectly. According to my iPhone GPS, the mile markers that were present for first 15 miles are pretty much on the mark or 0.1 miles off. Between mile 16 and 20, the difference grew to almost 0.5 miles. At the end my GPS has the race 26.5 miles. Maybe the organizers can recheck for my peace of mind?

One last note from me was the highlight of the day at mile 4. As we ran along Crissy Field, the lawn was lined with pictures of the fallen servicemen, then there were at least 25 US raised by volunteers to show their support of the runners. I appreciate that and want to thank those who were there not just to give us a boost but to honor those who served this great nation. I hope that can be done again next year.

I really enjoy it. I had so much fun. I want to do it every year. thank you so much for the Nike Women's Marathon. You guys did a wonderful job.

This race has so many positives to note:

nice long sleeve technical shirt
big expo
athlete tracker for family and friends that actually worked
well organized corral and starting process
scenic and interesting course
well staffed aid stations
energetic volunteers
nice finisher's medal
awesome Sierra Nevada beer garden at the end

I was a bit nervous about the hills on the course and although they are noteworthy, they are definitely doable. This turned out to be such a fun race and certainly one of my favorites. The corrals were well monitored so that everyone ended up in their correct place. The staggered start was really nice because it allowed for some running room between the corrals. Running across the Golden Gate bridge was also pretty neat, although you do need to pay attention to the rubber mats that cover the seams of the bridge... I saw a couple runners trip over them and fall.

Seeing the 2nd half marathoners in the park as they waited for their start was nice. They cheered on the marathoners passing through and if it weren't for them, the park would've been a bit lonely.

Running the course was a really neat way to see the city, though I have to say that the downhills probably hurt more than the uphills. The only bad thing I saw was when a couple volunteers stopped a gentleman in front of me on a downhill to allow for traffic to pass by on a cross street. I was fortunate in that they dropped the barrier tape by the time I got to them, but I really did feel bad for the guy who had to come to a complete stop after a steep downhill late in the race.

Overall, the race organizers do a really nice job mapping out the course and they seem to really try to keep you away from traffic. So many races have you running with traffic so that you're breathing in car exhaust during your race. This course is really just about the runners.

The finish line was also good and I was continuously greeted by volunteers giving me snacks and drinks. The Sierra Nevada beer garden was also a nice touch. It was so rewarding to enjoy a nice beer after running a marathon like San Francisco.

This race is challenging, but worth it.

3rd marathon. 2nd attempt at getting CA down in my 50/50 enrollment. Overall a really nice race.

Pros: Corral starts. I thought this was organized extremely well. Especially after experiencing the Disneyland half marathon start where if you don't get there early enough you may not end up in your corral (which may be a good or bad thing depending on your solution).

Spectators, got to love them. They were there quiet a bit, lacking a little in Golden Gate Park and running the bridge of course but everywhere else you would see them quiet frequently. And then when I got to the finish nearly seven hours and twenty minutes after starting there was still a group there waiting to cheer the stragglers in along with the announcer, who was still there. The finish line sign may have long ago been dismantled but the spectators hadn't packed up shop.

Photographers, I got the shock of my life when I was coming around AT&T park nearly seven hours after starting and there were still people taking photos there. I was about ready to kiss the MarathonFoto people for still being there since I love my race photos.

The course, gorgeous and difficult. Everyone talks about how difficult the first half is. Oh trust me it's no walk in the park. But once you get past a certain point in the second half you will feel those hills catching up with you.

The volunteers. I love them. I had a breakdown at mile 23 when I wasn't sure I would finish fast enough to get a medal. One of the volunteer cheerleaders came and literally walked with me for almost a full mile. Made my day and got me back on my feet. Can't thank her enough for her support.

Cons: Expo, really didn't enjoy it too much. The bib pick up itself was nicely organized but everything else felt overwhelming. Was almost too cramped.

The shirt, okay seriously the shirt they gave us didn't have the year or date on it. I had to buy another shirt to get it. What marathon doesn't put the date and year on their shirts? That makes no sense. And plus it was a tad bit ugly in my opinion.

Website issues, we went to the expo expecting to be able to buy a spectator buss pass because it said we were able to buy some at the expo but were sold out online. That was a website typo. Please fix this it was really annoying for that to happen.

I didn't mention the Pasta Feed because I didn't go. I've been to San Francisco multiple times though this was my first San Fran Marathon. So I knew of a good Italian restaurant who didn't question the amount I ate the night before the race and opted out for them instead.

Overall a great experience.

This was my tenth marathon. I thought it was as challenging as Big Sur, which I've done twice. The corral system was slightly better than last year, but with these crowds SF marathon organizers and race organizers in general MUST do something about the runners who stop and take photos throughout the race. It's simply far too dangerous; much more dangerous than runners with iPod devices or even those who come to complete stops at aid stations. Big Sur was almost as bad but, because of the crowding on the bridge, and traffic to one side, SF was treacherous because of those who stop and those who don't stop but ATTEMPT TO RUN WHILE TAKING PHOTOS. I think these runners should be reported and DQ'd, and runners should be discouraged from doing this. Also, runners coming over the GG bridge tend to step over their line and run straight at runners coming back over the bridge. There were several near head-on collisions because of this. Finally, I hate to complain about the volunteers, but they weren't so great at getting cups out to runners. I've never had to stop at an aid station to get a cup myself at any marathon, I got to the point where I was expecting to do it at this one. And I wasn't one of the later runners, I finished in 4:20.

Finally, and this is serious: If the mayor saw what I saw and what my husband saw at mile 20, he'd be having a heart attack. Just after the second marathon start, at the bottom of the downhill stretches, yellow tape was stretched across the course so cars could scurry through. Sometimes they would hesitate. Sometimes after hesitating they would peel through. meanwhile, runners are flying down the hill pushing for a PR, yelling repeatedly 'You gotta be F&^%$#* kidding me,' and 'What the F&^%!!!?'

These issues need to be addressed before someone is seriously injured at the San Francisco marathon and race organizers/the city is sued...

Otherwise, a gorgeous course, perfect weather, great spectators. I recommend this as a good training marathon for an ultra of a trainer for a PR at another course later in the season.

INTRODUCTION: I am a race-walker with a median marathon completion time of 5:12:03. The San Francisco Marathon was my twenty-first 26.2-miler accomplished.

COURSE: It was a great day for a marathon: starting temperature of 57 degrees, trace wind, 100 percent cloud cover, and no fog. Marathoners and 1st half marathoners were corralled into one of eight groups. The first corral started at 5:30 am, the last corral began at 6:32 am.

The first five miles of the course (along the Embarcadero and Marina districts) were flat with the notable exception of the footpath at Fort Mason near mile 3: a short but steep uphill followed by an equally short and steep downhill. It was at this point where we had our first glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge as well as an idea of the climb we had before us in order to reach it. That 200 foot climb was realized between miles 5 and 6 just past Crissy Field as we approached the international orange-colored feat of civil engineering known around the world. We were given a lane's width to cross the bridge in each direction: this resulted in some slight congestion, but not at a level that created any delay or difficulty in maneuvering around other participants. From the bridge we were able to see Alcatraz and Angel Islands, and on the return from the Marin Vista Point, we had a clear sighting of the Presidio and the downtown skyline.

As we left the bridge at the Presidio, we traveled south on Lincoln Boulevard where we encountered the second most difficult part of the course: a 140 foot ascent over a half mile length followed by a steep descent the following mile. Turning left onto 27th Avenue, we faced some short but significant ups and downs on our way to Golden Gate Park, where the 1st half marathoners went one way and we went the other. We enjoyed the scenic beauty of Golden Gate Park for the next six miles. While we were not on level terrain, none of the obstacles were terribly difficult to overcome, at least in comparison to what we had just completed in the first half.

Just after mile 19, we entered Haight-Ashbury district, and it was downhill the rest of the way, speaking from both a scenic and a topographical sense. One huge decline to watch out for was on Haight Street between Broderick and Divisadero Streets at mile 20. We reach the bay at mile 24, and after the turn at China Basin (mile 25) we got a view of the inside of AT&T Park. After merging back on to the Embarcadero, we passed under the Bay Bridge as we approached the finish line at Folsom Street. Finish line temperature at 11:45 am was 60 degrees.

ORGANIZATION: The Expo was held at the Design Center in the South of Market district. It was efficiently organized with a very good selection of merchandise and an extraordinarily attentive staff. There was a smaller than usual number of exhibitors for a marathon of this size, however, and it was never determined if the bus returning to the host hotel was ever in operation.

The Pasta Dinner was held at Lafitte Restaurant on Pier 5. It was only found out at the dinner that the $25 ticket entitled the guest only to the entree; all other items were available for an additional charge. Those accustomed to an all-you-can-eat carbohydrate load buffet should have considered alternate arrangements, it appeared.

On the race course, mile markers appeared to have been properly placed and were easy to spot. Traffic control was extremely well handled by the SFPD and the Redwood Empire Harley Owners Group volunteers. To relieve traffic congestion, travel in the commercial districts alternated the marathon course between two parallel streets, thus allowing the traffic to cross the course in a more efficient manner without obstructing the progress of the participants. The HOGs did a terrific job of handling this duty.

One of the sponsors was the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, a definite treat for those who enjoyed craft beer. Upon completion of the marathon, a ticket attached to the bib entitled the participant to a free pint of Pale Ale, Kellerweis, Torpedo India Pale Ale, or Tumbler Autumn Brown Ale. Subsequent servings were available for $5 per pint. And happily for those who started in Corral 8 and finished over 5 hours later, beer was still available at the tent.

FANS: Some fans on hand throughout the course, and typically, the largest turnout were reserved for the finish. Some bands were present: the most enjoyed was the trio who played surf music at the Marin Vista Point.

CONCLUSION: When the organizers went online on race day at 5 am, one could hear Tony Bennett's version of I Left My Heart in San Francisco from the start line loudspeakers. It was very appropriate given the experience we were about to have. Well done, San Francisco.

Okay, so I know that part of my complaint is very personal and won't apply to most people; the flimsy chip we were given broke midway through the race and my official time was never given. Worse than that, nobody has responded to my three emails I sent to help sort it out. What gives? Meanwhile, don't expect lots of spectators - there were more people watching the 2011 LA Marathon which had howling winds and pouring rain. And while the first 18 miles of the marathon are beautiful, the last 8 are fairly awful. Lastly, if you do run it bring your own coffee in the morning. The offerings were scant and nothing was open before 5:30am. I will not run it again.