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May 3, 2024

The San Francisco Marathon Runner Comments

Back to The San Francisco Marathon Information & Reviews

Course 4.3

Organization 3.6

Spectators 2.6

Number of comments: 503 [displaying comments 11 to 21]

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J. H. from San Francisco (7/26/2017) "A Surprising Disappointment" (about: 2017) 6-10 previous marathons COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 2 I ran the second half of the marathon course for this race, so I guess not technically the full marathon but I think my feedback can be helpful EXPO I usually look forward to race expos and enjoy walking through the different booths and possibly finding some good gear to snag. For the size of this race, the expo felt cramped and I ended up getting my bib/shirt and leaving immediately. COURSE This was the surprising part - living in San Francisco I run through many of the areas where the race was, so after studying the course map I knew where to go and what to expect. After the race ended I chatted with a few racers who had been directed the wrong way - there are times when the full marathon and half marathon split and take a slightly different route. Also my wife was watching and said during the race, if there was a backup of traffic they would direct runners down a different road than the others in front had just run down to clear through traffic. Talk about a sinking feeling in the middle of a race! She said many doubted that was the right direction as would I. I was shocked for how big the marathon was and how much of it goes through the city that there was no crowd support! The city was totally dead and it doesn't seem like this marathon is really celebrated. Lastly I struggled getting water/Gatorade at a couple early aid stations, they weren't staffed well and they couldn't keep up handing out drinks to all the runners grabbing fuel. POST RACE Alright, here's the thing San Francisco is expensive to live in and so is this dang race. So I expected to pay a lot but I felt like I paid the cost of a full marathon just to run the half. My problem with this was the price did not reflect the post race recovery food/drinks. I was handed a water as soon as the race ended and dumped most of it on my head.... i then couldn't find another water the rest of the support area immediately after the finish line. I couldn't believe 1 water was all they had organized for... it was seriously pitiful. Overall I left the race feeling like the organizers did everything they could to maximize their profits and cutting corners where they could - I was happy with my race performance but I will not be running this race again, there are too many other better options.
Jeff Wang from Humble, Texas (7/23/2017) "Beautiful day for 40th running" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 6+ The San Francisco Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This year celebrates the 40th year of SF Marathon as well as my 15th year of SF Marathon, and it was a nice day for a pretty race. Over the past 15 years, SF Marathon definitely had increased on the number of runners. The organization is fairly good as they grow. Registration actually starts at last year's Expo and sells out on 8-9 months. It is fairly easy. The Expos is large, but the location is terrible, at Fort Mason. Last year, we took the bus from host hotel to the Expos and that was not too bad. This year we got a car and drove- huge mistake, due to horrible traffic and a matching horrible parking. I remember the Expo across from Ferry Building, which was easy to get to, but Fashion Mall and Fort Mason just are not too friendly for runners. Wave system at the start works well. Lots and lots of portapotty and drink station- maybe too many water stations, not a bad thing. 3-4 Gu stations with chewable Gu was nice. Food at the end was better with cup fruit and more generous water, but they can help more by putting water on ice. Medal was nice and big. Fan is not large as they don't advertise locally, but there are some bands. As for the race, there were a few place for improvement. There were metal grills on Golden Gate Bridge that was slippery, a few stretches of road desperately needing repair, narrow lanes at a few places that can use better signages. Mile markers were clear but at the end still 1 mile less than my Nike GPS. I have a personal complaint, however. SF Marathon has a Loyal Runner program that rewards runners at year 5 and 10. Yet there was none for 15 year veteran. For something that cost minimal, SF Marathoner can easily reward those of us who travel here every year for the race, not mentioning it is a cheap PR for them. They did give out extra medal for 40 for 40- those who ran 40 miles in past 3 year got extra medal. How about a 400 miles medal? 500 miles? Give those of us loyal runners an extra reason to spend over $1000 to return to the race. I am considering about next year's race. Probably will come back to the challengingly beautiful race.
L. M. from San Francisco, CA (1/13/2017) "Poorly organized and overcrowded" (about: 2016) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 The San Francisco Marathon COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 4 This was a local marathon for us. First, it is a very pretty course and you experience many great areas of the city. But the overall organization and event planning was poor. There were not enough pre-race port-o-potties (45 min wait) and the marathon bag drops were literally 1/2 mile from the start line. (This distance could have been specified on the course map to allow for better planning.) Lastly, the course was WAY over crowded largely because you run with 2 waves of 1/2 marathoners (1 group from the start and 1 group starting in the Park.) There was 2 way traffic on the GG Bridge and through the GG Park creating a safety concern and many bottlenecks. We ran a 28 mile race as a result of passing others and the added bag drop mile. The course does not open up until ~mile 19. This is a not a recommended race if you are the least bit competitive.
I. S. from Vermont, USA (8/5/2016) "Beautiful, interestin course with some tough hills" (about: 2016) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 The San Francisco Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 This was my 5th marathon and because I have lived in San Francisco in the past I made the mistake of not fully studying the elevation map and respecting the power of the hills in this city. The bulk of the uphills come in the first 10 miles. I live and train in Vermont so have the leg strength for hills but was slowed considerably because of not being mentally prepared for them. I ran NYC last year and remember everyone complaining there about the 'hill' of the Verrazano bridge which was barely noticable, so I took lightly and was not prepared for the Golden Gate - have driven over it many times, but what got me in this race was a steep 3/4 mile uphill climb to get up on to the bridge, followed by what felt like an endless slog up and back. It was foggy this year - which is actually pretty typical of this time of year, so there was no lovely view to distract. (Also if this is why you are signing up for this race, be forewarned - it is much more likely to be foggy than clear, and if it is, the bridge is NOT a highlight.) There are some strong downhills around miles 19-20 through the lower Haight - no problem for me but I could see and hear others around me suffering as their tired quads were screaming. Overall, this is a really lovely, scenic race in a beautiful city. I did not at all mind the long stretch in Golden Gate park - it was familiar and peaceful, although confusingly marked in spots - it was hard to tell where the full marathoners were to go vs. the finish line for the first half runners. Parts of the second half of the race are more interesting than pretty - the Haight is, as it always has been - both hip and seedy at the same time. At one point later on racers had to pick their way through a homeless tent city on a sidewalk in the warehouse district, though soon after we reached the waterfront which was pretty again. As others have noted, some of the course markers were off, and a few times it was hard to tell where to go. Thanks to the HOG (Harley Owner's Group) bikers who did a great job providing friendly and helpful direction and security along much of the course - that also seemed somehow very fitting for this city! The early start is a bit of a problem - public transportation does not run that early. I was, however, able to get a Lyft driver (at 100% surge markup) fairly quickly, but it was something I stressed about a great deal before the race. As others have pointed out, because of the super-early hour, this is not the race if you are looking for lots of bands and crowd support (NYC is awesome for that!) - but it's a lovely, interesting scenic race that is not too big and not too small. The Expo was decent, and I loved the shakeout run on Saturday morning with Dean Karnazes - was surprised that several hundred people showed up for that. It was great to get a little run in with a sweet and encouraging pacer! (Also a shout out to the 5:25 pacers in the marathon who were great - I just lost them on the hill going up on to the bridge but they helped me to not go out too fast for the first 5 miles). A personal bonus: the start line announcer wished me a happy birthday (I had specifically chosen this race this year because it fell on my birthday but it was super cool to have it acknowledged in the midst of thousands of other folks). The race T-shirt is a new favorite and the medal is nice, though it would have been nicer to have it placed over my neck like at other races after working so hard for hours, rather than simply handed out. The one thing I would change is to route the race through the Castro - if it went through there, I have no doubt the crowd support would be awesome and entertaining and make up for all the no-spectatopr parts!
C. K. from Denver, CO (8/2/2016) "Fantastic Experience All-Around" (about: 2016) 1 previous marathon \| 1 The San Francisco Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 When I signed up for this race, I read reviews that had me concerned about how my first marathon experience would turn out. Sure, this was my first marathon so I technically don't know any better, but I also have not become complacent or jaded. That said, here are my responses to the main critiques. 1) Many complain the last 7 miles or so don't take you through enough of the city or that too much time is spent in Golden Gate Park. I disagree. GGP is a beautiful park and I enjoyed having part of a city course set against a natural backdrop. As for the last seven miles, the only other logistical option to complete the loop is to hike up and down the very steep hills in SF (already have 1,500 ft in elevation gain). 2) I also did not have any trouble knowing where to go at the 1st Half finish/2nd half start. Just follow the signs. 3) The fans - race starts at 05:30 on a consistently chilly day. I was happy to see the folks I did. It's not NYC or Boston, but you know that signing up. Volunteers,fans, and expo were great. Course was beautiful. Everything went off without a hitch.
Jeff Wang from Humble, Texas (7/31/2016) "Great cours, need better organization" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 6+ The San Francisco Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 This is my 14th San Francisco Marathon, and honestly I was a bit disappointed. There is a bit of course change this year, which is not a huge deal. It mostly involves Golden Gate Park. However, due to the course change, I lost a track of my mileage, which brings to my biggest grip. Of all the years I have been running this race, the mileage markers are horribly positioned. There are so many missing markers that I have no idea my pace. Then, the markets are turned 18p degrees, or I would run 5 minutes between 2 mile markers and 15 minutes for next sets of markets. At the end, my iPhone/Nike says I ran 27.5 miles. Seriously, either the Apple people need to work on more accurary, or the race organizers need to reevaluate the course. Other grip including the wave system at the start. While it is pretty good, the distance runners have to go to their wave kiosk then get to starting line is at least a quarter miles each way (which was not calculated in my GPS, which started at Starting line). Then, this year, they closed the entry 20-30 minutes prior to starting time, and that caused a major bottle necking, as runners have to get to later waves. As for other things for the race, Expos was OK, a bit far away but has good school bus transportation to take us there. Post race activities was ok, had banana primarily. Some bagels or cup cakes would be nice. Lots of water stations, as well as 2 gu station. They gave away the chewable Gu, which I thought was hard to chew. Call me old fashion. Safety was great, as there are lots of officers-and we so appreciate it-and Harley guys-kudos to them too. All in all, I love this race, but it needs to get better. For a great course and beautiful weather, I truly was disappointed this year.
R. D. from Valkenswaard, The Netherlands (10/26/2015) "Great race, highly recommended!" (about: 2015) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 The San Francisco Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 Course: As a tourist from The Netherlands the course of the 1st half marathon was spectacular. Running across the Golden Gate bridge, Embarcadero and Ford Mason was a once in a life time experience! Because of it's height profile this course will not bring you a new PR. Organization: The expo, online communication (website/e-mail/facebook/...) and the event itself are very well organized. It was pretty difficult to find my way to the starting area on a sunday morning around 5:30 (there is no public transportation running that early!). Luckily the organization offers some excellent bus services for runners and spectators. Great way to meet people as well! Spectators: Because of the time of day (Sunday early morning) there are hardly any spectators. There are some cheering spots, but that's about it. General: Well organized race with a spectacular course for the 1st half marathon. I really liked all the goodies (shirt, food, medal,..) at the expo and finish too! :)
M. E. from Los Angeles, CA (8/20/2015) "A Cool Experience" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 The San Francisco Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 Mark Twain once said one of the coldest winters he ever experienced was a summer in San Francisco. This helps to explain why San Francisco is able to host a late-July marathon that is cool in every sense of the word. Entrants got a long-sleeve tech shirt, and it came in handy. Although this is a big marathon, it's not overwhelmingly so. I found it pretty easy to get to the starting line, check my drop bag and get into my corral. Porta Potties had long lines at the start and during the early stages of the run, but there were little to no lines after that. The course is great! You run through the touristy Embarcadero and Fisherman's Wharf, over the Golden Gate, through Golden Gate Park (for quite a while, actually) and back across the city (through Haight-Ashbury, among other neighborhoods). I saw a review from someone who didn't like that the course went through an industrial district near the end. I liked running through a variety of cityscapes. If I only wanted to see tourist areas, I'd run through Disneyland. This being San Francisco, don't expect a flat course. This isn't where you gun for a new PR or try to qualify for Boston. That said, the course avoids most of the really steep hills. I decided to not look at my time during the race and instead put in a solid and sustained effort while running through the city. My time wasn't bad and I enjoyed myself. Organization was generally good, but maybe a little shaky through Golden Gate Park. On that part of the course, the some half-marathon runners are finishing, other half-marathoners are beginning, and the marathoners have to hope they're following the right group. I almost followed some half-marathoners. Luckily, a course martial saw my marathon shirt and told me where to go (I mean that in a good way). I was lucky. I read the next day that the third place finisher claimed he would have finished second if he hadn't gotten off course in Golden Gate Park. Crowd support is lackluster. Part of the reason is that they start the event quite early (my wave started in semi-darkness a little before 6 a.m.) However, a large and good-natured crowd formed on the last mile or so of the course. If you want to run a big city marathon in California and you want a large and enthusiastic crowd, the Los Angeles Marathon might be a better pick. Overall, the San Francisco Marathon was very enjoyable. I will be back.
L. L. from Tampa, FL (8/14/2015) "Tough Hills- Beautiful Scenery-Decent Organization" (about: 2015) 2 previous marathons \| 1 The San Francisco Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 All in all, this was a very nice summer challenge. Weather- You can't ask for better weather over the summer. When I ran, the air was cool (but not exactly 'cold'), breezy and overcast/cloudy. So nice! Scenery- This course was VERY pretty! The course wraps around the perimeter of San Fran and you really get a nice sample of the best the city has to offer in terms of views (including the Golden Gate Bridge!). That being said, the Golden Gate Bridge was not comfortable to run on. It was a very very tight squeeze as you bumped elbows with other runners on both sides. Still though, the bridge was very cool. Photos/Videos of the race- This marathon website boasted live race-day feed to viewers watching on-line and the website delivered. This was pretty cool for any friends/relatives that wanted to tune in to watch you run. There were also lots of photographers throughout the race taking photos which was pretty cool. T-Shirt: The t-shirt this year was long sleeved with a nice snug fit. Awesome! The only downsides- I can only think of 2 downsides. First, the race route got a little confusing around mile 12-16 near the park where other races started alongside the marathon racers. This was a little odd and it produced some awkward crowding. Second, there were no clocks on the race course! I couldn't believe this. Not one race-time clock was posted on the route that told you the official time. I know that my time and the official time are not the same, but you can always figure out your race time compared to the official time very easily. I had a stop watch so it wasn't a big deal but there have been lots of races where I didn't run with a watch and I depended on the race clock to tell me my time. Glad I decided not to take the gamble this time around. Difficulty- Pretty tough. My marathon time for this marathon was 10 minutes slower that my marathon PR. This may give you an idea of how much slower this course is.
D. M. from Muelheim an der Ruhr, Germany (8/4/2015) "Most scenic run possible - please improve org.!" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 The San Francisco Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 Running across the Golden Gate Bridge is something you will never forget! This marathon is so wonderful scenic as SF is. The first half is really much more beautiful than the second. Despite the early start at 5:30 AM the atmosphere is really relaxed and fun. There are more aid stations on the way than you can possibly use. You get a nice medal, a shirt and some photos for free, covered in your race fee which is pretty expensive. If you consider this, you wonder why it is not possible to have enough toilet paper available (before and after the race!) and a better signalization (e.g. of the waves) at the start. But the main question is, why the city of SF requires such an early start. This is probably the main reason for the missing crowd-support (besides the course, which misses out the - hilly - crowded downtown area). If this race would start 1-2 hours later, it could have additional family support, making it even more attractive.

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