Top 10 Reasons Why YOU Should Run the SF Marathon (or First or Second Half)
While running, and especially after, The San Francisco Marathon, it occurred to me that this race is really a race for everyone. I quickly compiled a ten-point list. Sure, not every one of these points will apply to you, but I think at least one will. Have a look, and see why July 26, 2015 should be spent on the road in the greatest city in the nation (don’t even argue):
This is easy. Where else are you going to find a race that guarantees to be temperate—in July? Nowhere except SF. It was “hot” this year, meaning it was a solid 60 at the start line. It’s worth the money to travel. Bid goodbye to the humidity and run in San Francisco.
9. The Vacation Potential
Why not stay awhile after your race? You ran through many neighborhoods, now go back and explore them. San Francisco is a city of distinct neighborhoods. I’ve lived the last two years in Berkeley, and even still, I haven’t visited all of the cool places in SF. Find your happy place. It might be Dolores Park or the corner of Haight and Ashbury. It could be Outer or Inner Sunset. Hang out at one of the beaches. Climb Lombard Street. Ride a cable car. Make best friends with a sea lion. Have some chowder, some Mexican (best burrito in the country is supposedly in the Mission [as a Southern Californian I’m skeptical]), a sushirrito, the best dim sum you’ve ever had, Thai food, ALL FOOD. Seriously, though, you won’t be bored and the temperature will be comfortable (bring a jacket).
I’m biased as an Ambassador, since I had a minute bit to do with the organization, but I can’t help but be wowed by the incredible job the race team did. From spectator buses to FREE shuttles back to the start line to an enormous expo to well marked, relatively well supported stations, I was so pleased to see the organization. It’s not easy to orchestrate a point-to-point race through a busy city. How about two point-to-point races and a looping marathon? In the aftermath of the race, the team is also very responsive to complaints/criticism. This is awesome and likely means the race will be even better next year.
Part of the reason why I love living in the Bay Area is because it’s a bizarre and hilarious place. While I reside a few miles east of San Francisco in Berkeley (the crazy capital of the world), The San Francisco Marathon doesn’t fail to disappoint. From the transient population cheering you on as you run down by Fisherman’s Wharf to the man who ran past me in a Ghostbusters suit (no seriously), to the person blasting “The Final Countdown” from his or her window, you won’t be bored. Come see why San Francisco will always be the weirdest place on the planet.
6. The Medals and Challenges
I don’t run for the medals, I run because I love to run, but when a volunteer (thank you!) drapes that medal around my neck, I feel a certain sense of pride. A really neat thing about The San Francisco Marathon is the challenges they’ve established. As a serial distance runner, it’s nice to receive a second medal recognizing that I ran the San Francisco/Berkeley Challenge for completing both events (run the Berkeley Half, too, I could go on for hours about how much I love that city and race). The San Francisco Marathon has numerous other partnerships and challenges with other races, as well as incentives for repeat offending their own races. Do it. I promise that getting that second medal will feel pretty cool, or at the very least, in the case of the (super awesome looking) California Dreamin’ medal, will be useful. It’s got a bottle opener on it; nothing like a functional reminder of your badassery!
5. The Demographic (or lack thereof)
There is no “San Francisco Marathon Runner” archetype. Instead, there is a group of people with the common goal of finishing this race. Their motivations, though, are varied. In all seriousness, every color, size, age, speed, and gender is represented at this race. Heck, we even had a local 54-year-old, homeless artist raise thousands of dollars and run a smoking 1:43 half marathon. Don’t be afraid of being too slow. There’s no way you can be too fast. Don’t worry that others are judging you. They are—positively. They are there with you, supporting you, and reminding you that you made the right decision to do this race before most people are even conscious. Don’t make excuses: get out there and do this race!
This is obvious and the easiest sell of The SF Marathon. From starting at the foot of the Bay Bridge (new and improved!), to running the streets of Fisherman’s Wharf, past Ghirardelli with amazing views of Alcatraz, to crossing the Golden Gate, to winding through Golden Gate Park and the iconic neighborhoods of San Francisco, you get a grand tour of the city on your own two legs, with no car traffic and a bunch of people cheering you on. Even describing it doesn’t quite do it justice. Do it and see what I mean. I promise you won’t regret it.
This point goes hand in hand with point five. I’ve never been quite as inspired during a run as I was during The First Half of the SF Marathon. From the woman with spina bifida valiantly completing the race with her walking sticks to the man in full fireman garb to the 52.4 ultra runners raising thousand and thousands of dollars for extremely important causes to the mother of three smoking the competition and winning the whole race in a time that beat my mom and my half marathon times, no matter where you turn, you will be inspired to keep going. When your knee gets twangy or you get thirsty, or those hills seem never-ending, all you have to do is look around and see those around you making the impossible look easy. I can’t say I’ve felt truly inspired by running a race until this one.
Yep, I said the “h-word” and yep, those dreaded hills are the second reason why YOU should run The San Francisco (first half, second half, full, ultra) Marathon. Sure, they might leave you breathless, but what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. No, seriously, the hills make you a stronger runner. Plus, the uphill makes those flats and downhills all the more pleasant. You’ve already signed up to wake up at an ungodly hour and run ungodly amounts of miles, why not make the accomplishment that much sweeter with some altitude gain? Plus, San Francisco is known for its hills. Don’t you want to inspire awe within your coworkers, friends, and family? Yea, I thought so. As we used to say on my high school cross country team: it’s a hill, get over it.
1. This race is the next Boston/NYC Marathon
Soon the races are going to be impossibly difficult to get in to. The San Francisco Marathon is now the only 26.2 that runs through the city and it is AWESOME. This awesomeness means that people get really excited about it. This excitement means people enter the race. When people enter, it fills up. Soon, that filling will happen fast. Get in on this race now. Seriously. It’s already big. It sold out weeks before race day. Imagine what five years from now will look like.
As a disclaimer, this certainly isn’t a comprehensive list, and everyone who has run The San Francisco Marathon will likely cite something different about what made it such a great experience for him or her. The best way to figure out your favorite aspect of the race is, well, to do it. So go, register, it’s open. July 26, 2015 is race day. I’ll be there to Half-It-All in the 2nd Half Marathon. Join me!
