Running Journal - 2025 San Francisco Marathon - 2nd Half Marathon – “The City Half” 🌟

Time: 8:44-11:43 a.m. (2 hours 59 minutes)  
Resting heart rate: N/A (forgot)
Weight (street clothes): 86.23 kg (190.10 lb)
Body Mass Index (BMI; note criticisms of BMI): 25.1 (Overweight = 25–29.9)
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): 2,054 cal/day
Distance (running): 21.11 km (13.12 mi)
Cumulative distance (2025; long runs): 484.33 km (300.95 mi)
Calories burned: 3,369 kcal
Average heart rate: 131 bpm
Max heart rate: 165 bpm
Weather at start: overcast/fog 🌫️ 15° C (59° F), Humidity 82% Wind: 0 km/h
Terrain: 591 ft elevation gain
Avg Pace: 12'29" /mile
Best pace: 10'19" /mile
Stinkiness air level (0=No smell; 10=☣️): 0/10 (not stinky)
Comments: Beautiful but hilly: the SF Marathon is not a Personal Record (PR) course. 

This represents my 3rd time participating in the SF Marathon: I previously ran 2 full marathons (2006 & 2024), and this represents my 1st SF Half Marathon.

Getting There 

We stayed Friday and Saturday nights at the historic Palace Hotel, at 2 New Montgomery St, San Francisco. On Friday we stopped for dinner in Mountain View at Limón. The place was very busy and service was friendly but understandably slow. We tried the Ceviche Limón with taro chips, Truffle Mac & Cheese, an empanada sampler. Dawn had a rather weak cocktail, the El Diablito (Pisco Caravedo Quebranta, pomegranate juice, mint, angostura bitters, ginger syrup, lime juice), while I had an Inca Kola. In SF, we first tried parking at the Palace Garage Parking, but after waiting for a few minutes without anyone approaching us, I finally got out and flagged someone down, only to find the price was an eye-watering $70+ per night (in fairness, with in-and-out privileges, but come on) and required a valet to manage the vehicle. The Palace Garage Parking staff were very friendly, however, and helpfully pointed us to the nearby Hearst Parking Center, about a block away, which was only ~$40/night. No in-and-out privileges, but we just needed a place to park overnight. The Hearst Parking Center has a narrow corkscrew ramp between floors, which show the many scrapes of previous victims...I also found it very hard to navigate into the corkscrew up-ramp at the right angle to go up a floor...thankfully lots of spots on the 2nd floor. The garage seems clean, safe, and has well-lit elevators and lobbies, so would use again. Check-in at the front desk of the Palace Hotel went smoothly--just one other guest in line around 7:00 p.m. 

 

Hotel room

Scaffolding outside the window overlooking Market Street

Staff assigned us room #854...with a view of the scaffolding erected outside our window. Intermittently, there was a soft mechanical noise. Not really an issue, thankfully, and otherwise quiet space. It had a TV with a rather unresponsive remote. I was able to pair the TV with YouTube and stream a few things, but otherwise we just watched MST3K or random channels as background noise. The best thing about the room (to me) was its polished, heavyweight door handles, in chrome and brass. The door to the room also had the hotel initials, "PH". The shower had a rain-style showerhead. We ordered an ice cream sundae for dessert on Friday night, but I think it was from the hotel restaurant Pied Piper. The sundae was relatively small. 

Exterior handle of room door, with Palace Hotel initials "PH"

Palace Hotel - The Garden Court Restaurant, also known as the "Palm Court"

On Saturday morning, we slept-in, then exited to go to the race expo at Fort Mason Festival Pavilion. As we exited the Palace Hotel, we admired its beautiful interior space, The Garden Court Restaurant, also known as the "Palm Court". They have a high tea service in the afternoon. Harp music played from hidden speakers. We also visited a one-room hotel museum off one of the main floor wings, with an operative cable-car bell which rings shockingly loudly 🫠 The Palace Hotel has a Ghirardelli store, which we skipped visiting in-person--we have visited Ghirardelli many, many times at the location by Fisherman's Wharf. The hotel has two King Kalakaua's throne chairs off the main lobby, which he gifted to the hotel. 

Getting to the Expo was uneventful. Parking at the Expo was delayed for several minutes by automated Waymo vehicles exercising extreme caution to let a constant stream of pedestrians go through a crosswalk. We eventually parked and walked, neglecting to pay for our spot (we later got & paid a $40 ticket). We had paid the ticket last year, it slipped our mind to do so this year 😛 The Expo was very busy. As we approached the entrance, we noticed SF Marathon Community Manager Damaris Gutierrez waving and talking to people from an upstairs window. We relatively quickly got our race bibs, safety pins, shirts. After circling back, we picked up 6 free Chargel energy gel packets. Briefly looked at the special race-related swag at the back--I forget how people qualified, but I liked the race socks with seals (I think). Dawn purchased a purple race technical long-sleeve shirt. The crush of people was a bit much, so we exited quickly. Afterward, we got coffees and breakfast sandwiches at Equator Coffee. The line was long, but we had lots of time. The Doordash pickup table was full of abandoned orders. Outside the tables still had a bit of water from the morning fog. Great place to people watch and also see dogs 🐶 We drove back to the hotel, parked the car at the Hearst Parking Garage, and relaxed a bit in the room. 

SF MUNI "World Famous Cable Car Safety Tips"

In the mid-afternoon, we walked to the race start at the Ferry Building, to get a sense of how long it might take. It was about a half-mile walk. Passed lots of people wearing SF Giants baseball clothing as they made their way to watch the game against the New York Mets (they would lose, 1-2). At the Ferry Building, we purchased a 9-piece box of Dark Noir chocolates from Recchiuti Confections. Nothing interested us for dinner, so we walked back to the hotel. We ordered room service from Pied Piper, as Dawn wanted to try the Pasta Pomodoro. The room service was excellent. Dawn's meal (with glass of red wine) was fine. However, my Baby Gem Caesar with a side of chicken was just average, and a small portion 🤷🏻 Ate Clif bars for the rest of the evening, as well as lots of water to hydrate.

Pre-Race

Race gear laid out the day before (shown: 2025 shirt; I wore my 2006 shirt)

Lights off around 11:00 a.m. Tossed and turned, not feeling sleepy. In the back of my mind, I was distracted by logistics of hotel checkout time--it was 1:00 p.m., but would we finish in time? Slept maybe from midnight-5:00 a.m. We decided to sleep another 30 minutes, waking at 5:30 a.m. Garmin reported a sleep score = 64/100. Brewed coffees using the in-room, single-serving-pod Nespresso coffee maker. Fueled with a  peanut butter Clif Bar. Shaved. Did the 4 things I should always do before a long run: 1) Garmin HRM-Pro Plus Heart Rate Monitor; 2) Anti-chafing; 3) NipEaze; and 4) Sunblock ✅ The night before I had laid-out everything. Pinned the bib to my 2006 SF Marathon Finisher shirt. Half-filled the water reservoir of my Nathan - QuickStart 2.0 6 L Hydration Pack.

Before we left I called and requested a later checkout time, and to my relief they pushed it back to 2:00 p.m.  

We had trained for this half marathon since around March, or ~4-5 months. The repetition in preparation over those months helped make the pre-race process relatively routine. Switched my Android phone Battery Protection setting, from Maximum (stops charging at 80%) to Basic (charges to 100%). With the hydration pack as an option, I stashed only my credit card, license, and room key card in the back pocket of my shorts. The rest went into the hydration pack: phone, KN95 mask, and 2 Clif Bars.

We left the hotel around 6:15-6:30 a.m., I think. We planned to ride a free shuttle bus from the starting line to the 2nd Half Marathon starting line. Shuttle buses operated from 6:50-7:50 a.m. As we walked, other runners in SF Marathon race gear joined our cohort, waiting with us at stoplights, passing us, etc. It turned out we miscalculated the shuttle bus location--instead of queuing at the start/finish line area, they instead left from Howard St. and Spear St. A short walk later, we seated ourselves in what looked like the first bus to leave. Event staff had chartered fairly large and comfortable coaches. The ride was quiet and uneventful. At the Great Highway staging area, everyone exited the bus. We passed yellow school buses lined up for hauling gear-check items to the finish area. As we walked, we threaded our way through lines of runners waiting to use one of the long line of porta-potties. At Lincoln Way we crossed to Martin Luther King Jr Drive, and then just a short walk later we arrived at the starting Corrals. It was around 7:50 a.m. when we got there, with plenty of time to relax until the scheduled 8:44 a.m. start time. One other runner chatted briefly with us. We stood under the Murphy Windmill and watched its arms slowly rotate. A light, intermittent mist coated surfaces, making them slightly slick. The weather felt pleasant.

Murphy windmill rotating in the misty morning breeze

Eventually, we watched pacesetters lining up to our right and realized we stood on the wrong side of the corral barriers. After getting into the proper corral, we stood just in front of the 3:15 pace group. I believe they said they were the last pace group. The pacesetter mentioned he uses Galloway method. It was nice to not have a lot of amplified sound nearby. 

Corral C around 8:36 a.m., with most of the ~3,600 runners ahead of us, and the starting line barely visible in the distance

We faintly heard the national anthem. Runners began in waves. Corral A, then Corral B, then us. Started our Garmin watch 1:30 run/1:00 walk interval sessions, passed under the starting line, and ... immediately began our ascent 😅 

Strava route and elevation map

This year the first 2 miles had a half-mile first segment, followed by a 1.5-mile out-and-back segment. This represents my first half marathon running with a partner. Dawn charged up the initial hills, and we skipped our first walk break due to the crush of runners. After that we took our 1:00 walk breaks regularly.

Somewhere in the first 2 miles someone wearing what looked like dark-wash denim jeans passed us 👀 Hopefully they wore lots of anti-chafing. 

Outside Lands, "a three-day music, art, food, wine, beer and cannabis festival held annually in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park" was in the process of its massive setup. We passed generators, beer tent banners, a mile of fencing, and all the physical components needed to build-out stages, scaffolding, etc. 

Naga the sea serpent in Golden Gate Park (pre-installation computer render)

As we entered J.F.K. Promonade, we (and the 3,600 other runners) passed Naga, a 100-foot sea serpent sculpture installed just a few days earlier at Rainbow Falls for its planned 2-year stay. The pond was filled, but no waterfall running. 

Circling Blue Heron Lake (formerly Stow Lake) was next. This brought back memories of 2024, when I was running the full marathon. It was this loop where I was overtaken by 2nd Half Marathon runners--first the elites, then packs of runners aggressively dashing around everyone to maintain their paces. Noticed the pagoda. 

Back on JFK Drive, we ran past public art displays and roadway painted art. We chatted as we went, looking forward to when would have single-digit miles left. Running the 2nd Half marathon with fresh legs was nice for me, as I had enough energy to notice details as I went. E.g., the de Young Museum and the Conservatory of Flowers.

After a zig-zag, we passed through a tunnel under Stanyan Street and exited Golden Gate Park. Cresting the top of a hill, we accelerated downward into the Haight. There were lots of cheering spectators with clever signs. E.g., "run like you're running away from your ex-boyfriend", or "It's faster to take MUNI" 😅  

I loved the bohemian Haight: Jimi Hendrix mural, bookstores, coffee shops, etc. Buena Vista Park looked lush. At some point we passed someone playing what looked like a tuba. 

T-Rex hydration volunteer from 2024--missing this year 😅

I looked in vain for the water station with the person in an inflatable dino costume. 

Reaching the Haight meant we had just 10K distance left 🙂 We passed one or two runner "valves": race volunteers swing long banners in tandem across the intersection, shunting runners one way or another, for traffic control. 

In the industrial areas, Dawn started to reach a wall. Our pace slowed, but we tried to push as best we were able. At one point near the end, she mentioned feeling a bit nauseous, so we made sure to rest more. Somewhere near the end, Dawn emptied her hydration pack reservoir. Thankfully we had lots of water stations toward the end and she never was dehydrated. 

Finish 

We ran around the SF Giants stadium. Lots of walk breaks. Dawn was focused on getting a sub-3-hour finishing time, and per her calculation we just had to run the last mile in 18 minutes, which was very doable. One couple eventually passed us on either side, presumably with the same goal, as they yelled to each other "4 minutes to go!" 

Grateful Dead 60th Anniversary pole banners, with view of Oakland Bay Bridge in background

Passed under the Oakland Bay Bridge, finally sighting the finish line. Dawn surprised me with a final burst of energy and we both crossed the finish line with a minute or so to spare: 2:58:52 🌟 

This represented a new PR for Dawn for the Half Marathon, and my 3rd-best time. We felt relief to finish--just 2 weeks prior, we had stopped a half marathon training run around the 9-mile mark, due to pain in Dawn's hip. 

In the finish-line corral, volunteers encouraged us to take as many things as we could carry: bananas, fruit bars, waters, etc. One asked if I wanted an entire box (64-count) of Kirkland Signature Soft & Chewy Granola Bars, so I took it and they cheered. 😅 

Finisher medal close-up, San Francisco Marathon - 2nd Half Marathon - "The City Half" (with gull slider)

Finisher medal and ribbon, San Francisco Marathon - 2nd Half Marathon - "The City Half"

We collected our medals, then exited the finishers corral near the Ferry Building. It was very nice to have our hydration packs--in went all the items. It was all we could do to walk the half-mile back to the hotel. On the elevator up to the room, we apologized to the other guests. 😅 We felt better after showering. It turned out we exited the hotel with all our things right around our initial late checkout time of 1:00 p.m. Walked stiffly to the Hearst Parking Garage, paid for parking, and drove home 🏠

Post-race / Reflections

What worked:

• Anti-chafing: legs & chest 
• Race prep: laying out everything the night before
• Masking
• Hotel & logistics
• Weather: perfect
• Magnesium lotion: relaxed Achilles & muscles
• Watch charged and only drained by about half
• Phone charged to 100%

Improvements:

• Adjust training to properly target 3:00-hour race pace 
• Hill training (build-up quads, etc.)
• Move ahead in the Corral chutes to find my pace group

Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: Sore legs but mostly OK
Foods eaten: Clif bar, banana (x2), electrolytes, falafel wrap, dolmas (x2), curly fries, pistachio cheesecake (x0.3)

July 4th - San Francisco Symphony at Shoreline Amphitheatre

Attended the Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular at Shoreline Amphitheatre with The San Francisco Symphony (Edwin Outwater conducting) and Taimane (ukelele).

GETTING THERE

Parked along Old Middlefield Way, Mountain View (south of US 101). Walked along Permanente Creek Trail, up and over US 101, then took a right, walking past the Google Alta Garage project: "California artist Kim West with curation and R&D by SPMDesign, the kinetic art facade called Ode to Bohemia No. 5 (Inexhaustible Blooms) was inspired by the local, native plant landscape, and consists of 97,500 colorful metallic pieces that reflect different tones throughout the day. "

Ate an early meal at Zareen's, a woman-owned Pakastani restaurant: Naan wrap (veggie samosa & side Tikka sauce); Beef chapli burger with cheese & side of masala fries; and a mango lassi. They took in-person orders via a kiosk with a touchscreen. We received a text with our order number, but never received the follow-up text letting us know the order was ready for pickup. Instead, an employee exited and yelled our number--which seems like some fuzzy memory of what happened on our first visit in 2023. The food was excellent. Glad I skipped the dessert (Firnee - Homemade Rice Pudding).

We took our time walking to Shoreline, stopping along the way at the Dragonscale-canopy building--now owned by Google and housing the Google Visitor Experience--to spin the public art piece Rockspinner, by Zachary Coffin: "First patented in 1869 by a Parisian bicycle mechanic, ball bearings played a pivotal role in the industrial revolution, making the new machinery operate more efficiently by reducing friction. They also let you spin this multi-ton boulder with your fingertips!" I got it revolving at a decent speed, to which a person walking by said, "Faster! Faster!" 😅 I felt a bit anxious at it's mass and people darting around it while it spun 😰 

A few minutes later we heard voices amplified by bullhorn, which turned out to be event staff directing traffic into the parking area. We went down an escalator, staying to the right. A young disheveled couple passed us without incident on our left and apologized for their speed, saying they wanted to catch up to their friends just ahead. This year we got in line on the eastern entrance. The lines were quite long but moved moderately fast. Event staff encouraged families with members in wheelchairs or with small children to use the expedited ADA entrance. Bags were strictly limited this year--clear-plastic only and very small (see web site for details). Dawn's small purse was deemed an item to be checked until she went to retrieve her prescription meds, at which point they quickly and kindly volunteered to check her purse due to a medication exception. We'll look for an alternative purse for future visits. 

At the security gates we held up my phone to the QR-code scanner, though the attendant at our line was distracted by conversation with another guest and not even paying us attention. 

SF SYMPHONY 

We purchased a "classic margarita" (double) and a churro, enjoying them at a picnic table next to the balloon-animal station. After a few popped balloons, we moved along to our seats.

We sat in section 101, row E this year. Visibility was pretty good. A comedian in a nice blue-checkered suit did a set--mostly jokes about aging. To our left was an elderly couple, a veteran and his wife. They enjoyed the jokes and sat respectfully. He did occasionally let out an ear-shattering whistle which left my ears ringing 😵‍💫 So every time after that I clapped with one hand on my knee and kept my left hand covering my left ear. 

Edwin Outwater conducted this year. As the performers seated themselves, we observed minor details, like the cellist having a comfort bib on the back of their cello, the various colors of stain on the instruments, the various shades of white and off-white, the styles of sport coats and dresses. Happy to see a black man, Joshua Elmore, playing a bassoon: "The San Francisco Symphony is appointing its first Black principal player in more than 50 years, marking a significant step forward for the 113-year-old orchestra." They also had a woman in the percussion, though I do not see her listed on their principals page. (Dawn says it is not unusual for a woman to play percussion). As in previous years, Margo Kieser--music librarian and Nancy & Charles Geschke Chair--distributed music to each performer. I noted at least one pair of performers (e.g., cellists) where one person took responsibility for turning pages of the sheet music while the other continued playing. It looked to me like a classic Sith master/apprentice relationship, but Dawn just shook her head. 🙃

After a 35-40-minute first set, the symphony took a break and stagehands adjusted the seating for Taimane, a multi-instrument group centered around ukulele player Taimane Gardner. They wore colorful dresses and head-wreaths of tropical flowers and greenery. A male member of the group performed traditional dances in various costumes. I think Taimane played about 4-5 songs. She plays ukulele confidently, in bare feet, stretching dramatically into poses while staring intently. The male dancer briefly danced with an audience member. We observed his earlier dances a bit anxiously, as he jumped over large floor monitors, cables, and whirled quite close to the seated musicians. 😅 One member played a cajón, a "box-shaped percussion instrument originally from Peru". While she hails from Puerto Rico, it seems she now lives in San Francisco. The rhythm guitarist was also from Hawaii and seems to have a day job as an engineer. The violinist was born in Washington Heights, Manhattan. 

After Taimane's set, they exited, and the SF Symphony immediately pivoted into performing during the fireworks. An enormous flag was lowered behind them. Fireworks this year looked great. Our seats gave us a clear sightline, unlike when we sat on the middle or opposite side, where the overhanging canopy slightly blocks the view. 

Dawn correctly noted the final song of the night was inevitable: "Seventy-Six Trombones". 

GOING HOME 

As we exited en masse, Dawn noticed the Taimane merch table, so we purchased a sticker and the 4 CDs they had: 1) Ukulele Dance (2012); 2) We Are Made of Stars (2015); 3) Elemental (2018); and 4) Hawaiki (2022). They also sold black tee shirts, earrings, etc. Taimane was available for signing and photos. It was by chance we exited and saw the merch table--in previous years we exited the other side and would have missed it. 

The walk back to our car was uneventful. I turned on my phone flashlight and we ambled along with everyone else. Traffic was gridlocked. However, on Old Middlefield Way, we drove without any delay onto southbound US 101 🌟  On the drive home, we watched other fireworks displays, and took it easy in case others were driving while drunk. 

Running Journal - 2024-08-18 (San Francisco Giant Race - Half Marathon)

Time: 7:01-9:21 a.m. (2 hours 20 minutes; unofficial chip time: 2:20:03) 
Resting heart rate: 67 (several hours after exercise)
Weight (street clothes): 84.73 kg (186.80 lb)
Body Mass Index (BMI; note criticisms of BMI): 24.6 (Overweight = 25–29.9)
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): 2,031 cal/day
Distance (running): 21.32 km (13.25 mi)
Cumulative distance (2024; ignores XT days): 1,057.69 km (657.22 mi)
Calories burned: 1,760 kcal
Average heart rate: 149 bpm
Max heart rate: 185 bpm
Weather at start: mostly sunny 🌤️ 16° C (60.8° F), Humidity 95% Wind: 5 km/h
Terrain: 197 ft elevation gain
Avg Pace: 10'35" /mile
Best pace: 10'19" /mile
Stinkiness air level (0=No smell; 10=☣️): 0/10 (not stinky)
Comments: San Francisco Giant Race - Half Marathon done ✅ Pleased with the result 🙂 My first half marathon. As mentioned after the San Francisco Marathon, I have under-trained the last six months. This represents the first race I have completed at an overall pace of 10:41/mile. Weather was perfect. Feeling slightly exhausted afterward, but no injuries. 

Pre-race

Race gear laid out the day before

Night before: Pinned the bib to my shirt and already added my credit card, ID, and hotel room key to the back pocket. Remembered to switch my Android phone Battery Protection setting from Maximum (stops charging at 80%) to Basic (charges to 100%).✅Asleep around 10:30-11:00 p.m. 

Awoke at 5:00 a.m. Drank water. Showered, shaved. Did the 4 things I should always do: 1) Garmin HRM-Pro Plus Heart Rate Monitor; 2) Anti-chafing; 3) NipEaze; and 4) Sunblock ✅ In my front shorts pocket I placed two bags of GU Energy gummies, a phone, a mask, and earbuds. Brewed a coffee using the in-room single-serving pod coffee maker. Ate a Clif Bar (Chocolate Brownie) we had picked up in Newark at Safeway on the way to SF the day before. 

Dawn and I signed-up for this race. We made our way to the hotel lobby around 6:15 a.m., with the goal of arriving at the starting line around 6:30 a.m. The coffee shop (Twyne) in the hotel lobby was already open and serving customers. We had thought it opened at 6:30 a.m., so it must have opened early. Hotel Luma uses robots to deliver items to hotel rooms. They have several Relay Robotics Hotel Delivery Robots. Almost everything in Hotel Luma has their branding: cups, robes, slippers, etc. Video of Hotel Luma robot in action. We reserved the room a few days before the race via Expedia. It was just a few blocks from the race start. Room was new and very thoughtfully appointed with automatic shutters, climate control, outlets, charging, etc. 

Weather was pleasant and fine for short-sleeved tee shirt and shorts. At the starting line we passed a rather long line of runners paying for race-day bib pickup. One person handled the payment ($30 or $20 per bib, I saw two different prices listed). Another table distributed the bibs. 

There was just the one corral, divided into A (< 8:00/mile pace), B (8:00-11:00/mile pace), and C (everyone else). One person on a handcycle briefly waited by us before moving ahead to Corral A. We chose to stand on the right behind the very loud speaker. This meant we did not clearly hear the talent as they spoke, but it was OK. We watched people shake out, they played the national anthem, etc., and started the race right on time. Ate the first of my GU energy gummies about 10 minutes before the race started. Dawn and I kissed goodbye and I was off. She planned to walk the 10K distance due to lingering Achilles pain. 

Miles 1-3 (Starting Line to Fort Mason)

Starting at Oracle Park, it took about 1 mile to get to the starting line of the San Francisco Marathon, by the Ferry Building. The sun had risen at 6:27 a.m., so plenty bright. Easy to see the cobblestones. I stayed right and ran along sidewalks again. Went with the flow for the first 10 minutes or so, warming up. Got my audiobook going (Arthur Ashe). Ran with 2:30/1:00 run/walk intervals. Ran at a 9:00/mile run pace. Got up to this pace around the 4th or 5th interval and did pretty well maintaining it. Coit Tower top was fogged-in. The course split off from the Embarcadero around Pier 39. We ran up a block at Hyde St (past the Hyde St & Beach St Cable Car turnaround), then up Polk St, then up a block at Van Ness. Some guy was out on their balcony yelling at the top of their lungs at people walking up the hill. WTF. 👀 Ran fast downhill on Bay Street 🙂 Hoped my heel lock lacing held up and protected the toenails on my big toes (it seems to have done so). At the 45-minute mark, ate more GU energy gummies. They suggested 5 minutes before and every 45 minutes thereafter. Finished the pack and threw away the wrapper in a can by the the 7-minute "The Fitness Court" public outdoor exercise gym.

Miles 4-6 (Fort Mason to turn-around at Golden Gate Bridge to Torpedo Wharf / Crissy Field) 

This is my third race at Crissy Field in 2 months. Very familiar 😅 Still beautiful. A flock of Canadian geese flew overhead in formation. The Golden Gate Bridge was fogged-in, but lifting. A fog horn sounded periodically. During miles 4-5 I felt a bit of soreness in my right hamstring. Continued hoping it would go away (it did). The turnaround point was just past Torpedo Wharf--felt a bit of pleasant surprise at this as I had expected (without checking) that the turnaround would happen at the end of Marina Drive, like during the SF Marathon. Near Torpedo Wharf we split from the original paved path and took the San Francisco Bay Trail. This was noticeably more difficult to maintain my run pace on, but did the best I could. Before doing this I grabbed another water from the aid station 🙂 I took water at every stop. I sweated a lot, but did not feel dehydrated.

Miles 7-10 (Crissy Field to Pier 29)

After Crissy Field Marsh, we rejoined Mason Street via Javowitz Street. Back to paved roads ✅ Honestly do not remember much from this section. I was fading a bit. Passed people getting coffees from Equator Coffees at Fort Mason. Then ascended the hill of Great Meadow Park at Fort Mason. I thankfully had a walk break as I went up the hill 🙂 Humbled by several people with energy to zoom past. Zoomed down the relatively steep road toward the Aquatic Park Pier. At Aquatic Cove, I believe people used the stone seats to change in/out of cold-water gear. Spotted a number of people swimming. Ran back by Fisherman's Wharf, which now had noticeably more pedestrians wandering around, waiting for shops to open. Mentally, reaching this distance and ticking down the miles makes a big difference. Even getting to "just" 6 miles left--that is a 10K 🙂 My energy here starts flagging. When I run, I am not hitting my run pace target.

Miles 11-13.1 (Pier 29 to Finish Line at SF Giants Stadium) 

This section had shade from the various pier buildings, which felt very nice. The Salesforce tower was fogged-in at the top, and the sunlight reflections shone through the fog. 🌫️ During one walk break near the end, a woman ran past and encouraged me--"the end is just there, keep going!" 🙂 It was very sweet. The next run section I zoomed ahead. Before the ballpark, I took a quick walk break to catch my breath, then ran around the back side and entered a nondescript door 👀 It led directly to the outfield warning track, and there was the finish line just a few more meters ahead. Dawn saw me first and was waving. Very happy to see her again! Crossed the finish and didn't notice my time. Got the finisher medal. Walked around the ballfield with Dawn, taking selfies and watching the Tube Man flapping around (they were illustrated with various players from various years). Walked up the stadium steps to the concourse level. Looked for the solutions table to inquire about the Doubleheader challenge medals. Collected snacks. Exited out to Willie Mays Plaza where someone had directed us and the solutions table said they would mail the Doubleheader challenge medals. Remember feeling pretty good emotionally at the finish. I had made my time goal ✅ The night before I had some doubts as to whether I might have enough endurance to maintain a 10:40/mile overall pace for a half marathon (~2:20 finish). I had run a 2:28 half marathon during the SF Marathon, about 8 minutes over--but with a challenging hilly course. Just did not know until I did it. 🙂 

Post-Race / Reflections

Walked back to the hotel, showered, checked-out, and went for brunch. Hosts told us Plow had a 1.5-2 hour wait 😛 So we went a block further to Parker Potrero. It was slow but the food tasted great. 😋 Drove home, did laundry, and reset the house for the coming week. No rest!

What worked:

• Anti-chafing: legs & chest 
• Race prep: laying out everything the night before
• Masking
• Hotel & logistics
• Audiobook
• Weather: perfect
• Magnesium lotion: relaxed Achilles & muscles after the race (also could have used it the night before)
  
• Watch fully charged and drained to about 70%
• Charged phone to 100%
• Ran overall target pace
• Fueled better via GU energy gummies
• Earbuds lasted the 2+ hours
• Toes protected on downhills via heel-lock lacing
• Corral chute positioning was OK 
• Race your pace: Remembered as I began to race my pace, as lots of runners only going 5K/10K distance
  

Improvements:

• Review fueling for continuous marathon goal distance (i.e., without assuming access to convenience store/home)
• Hill training (build-up quads, etc.)
• Shorts with more pockets (?)
• Pace: Review course hills & determine if better to Conserve energy on the hilly

Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: Big toes still a bit numb, slight soreness in right hamstring, Achilles slightly sore
Foods eaten today: Keurig pod coffee maker - Starbucks Pike Place Roast (8 oz), Clif Bar - Chocolate Brownie, GU Energy Chews (Strawberry x1, Pomegranate Blueberry x1), banana, Rivals Stuffed Snacks - Late Night Pizza (28g), Parker Potrero - coffee (16 oz) & pesto Benedict with smoked salmon

San Francisco Marathon 2024 - Race Report Summary

Race Information

• Name: San Francisco Marathon
• Date: July 28, 2024
• Distance: 26.22 miles
• Location: San Francisco, CA
• Time: 5:28:58
• Gender/Age: M47
  

Goals

Goal	Description	Completed?
A	4:40	No
B	Sub 5:00	No
C	Finish	Yes
D	PR	Yes

Splits

Mile	Pace	Elevation	Time
1	11:22	-12	0:11:22
2	10:32	-1	0:21:54
3	10:57	-5	0:32:51
4	10:20	1	0:43:11
5	10:33	0	0:53:44
6	10:56	37	1:04:40
7	12:24	194	1:17:04
8	11:06	-23	1:28:10
9	10:56	-10	1:39:06
10	10:24	-81	1:49:30
11	11:28	-64	2:00:58
12	13:45	181	2:14:43
13	12:26	-27	2:27:09
14	13:09	34	2:40:18
15	12:39	-133	2:52:57
16	13:34	58	3:06:31
17	14:32	125	3:21:03
18	13:19	5	3:34:22
19	13:32	-41	3:47:54
20	14:00	25	4:01:54
21	13:03	-138	4:14:57
22	14:13	-122	4:29:10
23	13:08	5	4:42:18
24	13:28	3	4:55:46
25	13:26	-26	5:09:12
26	13:32	3	5:22:44
0.22	06:14	3	5:28:58

Training

Jeff Galloway's 26-week full-marathon 4:40-time goal schedule, via "Marathon: You Can Do It!" (2010 revised edition). Cross-training: Stationary recumbent cycle.

7th marathon overall. First marathon since 2007 Big Sur. Ran 2006 San Francisco Marathon (5:45:05). Ran previously "To Finish" 🐢 First time-goal marathon 🎯

Under-trained unintentionally. Followed program assiduously (e.g., Tue = run 40-50 minutes). However, belatedly realized I had trained at too slow a run pace for the run/walk intervals. My misunderstanding. Fellrnr's wiki page "Galloway Run Walk Paces" helpfully clarifies I should have trained for a race-day run pace of 8:59/mile (when using 60-second walk breaks every 2:30), not the 10:15/mile run pace I had used. I had misinterpreted two sections on page 43 of "Marathon: You Can Do It!": 1) "For a time goal of 4:40, run each mile repeat in 10:15, using a run-walk-run strategy of 2:30/walk 30 seconds."; and 2) On marathon overall pace running: "...run 1-3 miles at 10:50, using a run-walk-run ratio of run 2:30/walk 1 minutes. This tells you what it's like to run at marathon goal pace." I had incorrectly mixed up the mile repeat "overall mile pace" (i.e., 10:15) as the run pace to use to get the "overall marathon mile pace" (e.g., 10:50).

Learned something! Correcting for the future. Not viewing it as a failure. Still finished and with a PR ✅ 🎉

Trained moderately with hill repeats early-on for 3 weekends, then on flats for remaining weeks. Have ready access to foothills. Given the challenging hills of the San Francisco Marathon, I might have scheduled more hill repeats on non-long run weekends.

Pre-Race

Stayed at Hyatt Regency San Francisco (Costco Travel & Citi 20% cash back - Digital Costco Shop Card promotional offer).

Bibs mailed (so we had them for the Saturday morning 5K fun run).

Saturday: Walked the 5K fun run. Event ran out of 5K medals; we have emailed to see if any chance to get them mailed to us post-event. Stumbled upon a post-shakeout event at Equator Coffee, got swag at the expo, then relaxed and watched Olympics. Took my 5K bib and forgot to take my Full Marathon bib, but expo Solutions Desk stamped my 5K bib so I was able to get the Double-Up challenge medal. Could have also gotten the Double-Up challenge medal at the post-race Challenges table. Two items had not arrived yet due to logistics issues: 1) I ❤️ SF tee shirt (via promo registration code SweetValentine); and 2) Bay Bridge (SF/ Oakland) Challenge medals. Staff instructed us to email customersupport at thesfmarathon.com to confirm fulfillment.

Food: Brenda's French Soul Food (lunch); Lunette Cambodia (dinner); hydrating with water & a Clif Bar (evening). Note: both were amazing but perhaps not ideal, per fat & salt. Mediocre sleep ~10:30-3:30 a.m. (Garmin sleep score = 60).

Corral C. Weather pleasantly humid & cool: 13° C/55° F and 92% humidity. Rehearsed my time goal: ~10:50/mile.

Race

Miles 1-3 (Starting Line to Marina Green)

Starting line ChronoTrack timing mats & FlashPoint stands read my bib at 5:26 a.m. Listened to Desean Terry narrate Raymond Arsenault's "Arthur Ashe: A Life". Dark. Crowded. A handful of homeless persons lie unmoving under blankets. A few clusters of spectators cheer. Avoid the cobble stones & embedded roadway rails if possible; the dark makes them slightly treacherous. The ChronoTrack hardware emits a high-pitched whine. Charter fishing boats with passengers prepare to depart. One boat captain's bushy white mustache and belly reminds me of a walrus. Civil twilight begins brightening the sky from 5:41-6:09 a.m., as I near Mile 3. We pass the 7-minute "The Fitness Court" public outdoor exercise gym. Someone appears to exit the herd and do pull-ups. 👀 WTF (probably not a race participant?!) .

Miles 4-6 (Marina Green to Golden Gate Bridge approach)

Run my best pace here, at 10:20. Sunrise at 6:10 a.m., as I near Mile 5--though the overcast sky mostly obscures it. A few runners publicly urinate along the side-trails & bushes. Mile 6 begins at the ocean, just before Torpedo Wharf, where people fished & huddled next to their poles. I found this section refreshing: ocean waves lapping, the smell of the sea, and cool humid breeze. Arrr. 🏴‍☠️ Mile 6 runs right up to the base of the Golden Gate Bridge, then returns to Torpedo Wharf. This section has a bit of room for passing, but not much.

Miles 7-10 (Golden Gate Bridge - Northbound & Marin Headlands - 1st Half)

Mile 7 begins near the ascent to the Golden Gate Bridge roadway deck. I welcomed my interval walk breaks. My hill training did help here--I remember to increase turnover, lean forward a bit, do not over-strain the hamstrings, etc. But let's not kid ourselves--this segment sucks. In contrast: what a thrill to run on the Golden Gate Bridge 🌉💜 I miss running on the roadway itself. The sunrise briefly became indirectly visible--its rays passing through a gap between the bottom of the clouds and the top of the horizon--warmly illuminating and reflecting off the waves. Far below, birdlike specks skim the waves. Vehicles honk their horns; runners wave in return. I never had an issue with over-hydration--if anything, I was possible under-hydrated. Mile 9 ends on a glorious downhill. I bombed down it. My quads (and my big toes in incorrectly-laced shoes) paid the price, but--at the time--it felt so worth it. Mile 10 continues the wonderful downhill, with two moderate hills in the middle. I ran my 2nd-best mile pace here: 10:24. This mile segment represents the north-most portion of the race, almost beginning the approach to Sausalito, but instead turning back at East Road.

Miles 11-15 (Marin Headlands - 2nd Half, Golden Gate Bridge - Southbound, Presidio)

Mile 11 was the last mile I consider reasonably near my goal pace, at 11:28 (-38 seconds). It was overwhelmingly downhill, but I was paying the price for going downhill too fast. I slowed down to rest the pain in my big toes 😝 Painful lesson. Running along Horseshoe Bay and seeing the Golden Gate Bridge took my breath away. 🌉 I think this may have represented the Wear Blue Mile, with roadside photo board displays of service members killed in action, and a group of people with American flags cheering at its conclusion. Mile 12 begins with the steep ascent to the southbound roadway deck of the Golden Gate Bridge. Organizers bill this as the Garmin Hill Climb Challenge: ascend 171 feet over a--congested--half-mile. I finished it in 7:22, mostly walking this segment along with nearly everyone else. Mile 13 goes up and over the Golden Gate Bridge: Iconic from this side too! Love the Marin Headlands 👀 Looking at northbound pedestrian sidewalk, I saw streams of runners. Initially, I felt elated--"look how far ahead I am"! Only later would I reflect and learn they were the 1st-Half marathon runners, with staggered 7:00-7:22 a.m. starts from the Crissy Field Sports Basement. 🙃 I started crossing the Golden Gate Bridge southbound at ~7:40 a.m., so it's likely I was mainly watching roughly Mile 3 of the 1st-Half Marathon runners. Loved the refreshing cool and humid ocean air. I passed the halfway point: Mile 13.11 with an unofficial split per Garmin/Strava of 2:28:09, ~8 minutes behind goal pace ✅ While crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, I also experienced the 1st (of a few) 1st-Half Marathon pace bicyclists aggressively verbally clearing a path for elite runners. The runners were amazing to watch as they glided by. Knowing they had not come as far does not diminish their pace. Humans are amazing. Mile 14: At the hydration tables, I took Nuun, water, and--for the first time--Chargel. Another calculated risk--continuously fueling was not something I had done enough thinking about. During my long runs, I stopped every 10 miles at home, or at convenience stores for hydration. I had neither option now, so out of necessity I started fueling with what I had. The Chargel was semi-liquid with what felt like boba drink jellies. It was easy to squeeze and consume. The energy surge did help. Mile 15 continues the extended downhill all the way to the end of the Presidio. How I wish I had had the toes & quads to bomb down this hill like I did in the Marin Headlands!

Miles 16-20 (Richmond District, Golden Gate Park, & Haight)

The uphill toward Golden Gate Park begins just before mile 16. Leaving the lush Presidio and entering residential areas with 2-3 story Victorians clearly signals the 2nd "city" half has begun. The 1st "bridge" half is now in the rear-view mirror. I listened to my audiobook. I vaguely remember hilly asphalt canyons rolling between buildings. Volunteers waved traffic through. One volunteer sang and danced in-place. Regrettably, as I reached Golden Gate Park my Skullcandy Sesh Evo earbuds reported "battery low". 😝 Turns out they have ~3.0-3.5 hours battery life. They recharge quickly in the charging case (which I did during long run breaks at home), but I did not have it. My muscles felt sore, but not injured. I can work with that! Mile 17 started with the calming Rainbow Falls ☺️ This was uphill and my pace slowed, but as I made the conscious decision to slow, my mood continued to improve. I had determined to accept my cooked status and enjoy the race. Slow = good mood = want to run the race again ✅ On JFK Drive, I ran past public art displays and roadway painted art. At the end of Mile 17, at the corner of JFK Promenade & Blue Heron Lake Dr, I think this was where one booster had a poster board with illustration "Tap here to Power Up"--he was really over-the-top and his friends cheered as people punched the sign. Mile 18 goes around Stow Lake. I barely remember it from 2006 (too tired!). This time, I slowed down and enjoyed it: ducks, paddle-boats, trees, etc. The asphalt path narrows, but stays flat. Another official race pace bicycle passed by, verbally telling runners & walkers to stay right and make way for 2nd-half marathon front-runners, who had staggered 8:30-8:46 a.m. starts from Murphy Windmill. This was the 2nd-Half Marathon Mile #3-4. I also observed stampedes of runners passing by. I'm guessing these were respective staggered waves of 2nd-half marathoners going for time goals. This seemed irritating for both them and slower runners, as the latter drifted left instead of staying right. The 2nd-half marathoners zipped past at-speed, threading any available gaps, narrowly avoiding collisions. I stayed right and tried to respect them, but despite this a few risk-takers dashed around me on the right shoulder. 😛 Mile 19: Back on JFK Promenade. Pedestrians scramble to cross between runners. At some point around this time, I came up with a strategy: using my Garmin watch & heart-rate monitor, I can observe and manage my heart-rate via three zones: 1) Blue (Easy: Comfortable pace; conversational); 2) Green (Aerobic: Moderate pace; optimal cardiovascular training); and 3) Orange (Threshold: Fast pace; forceful breathing). I decided to adapt my run/walk--running when blue (~125 bpm) and walking when orange (> 145 bpm, I think). My body did feel cooked, but I found myself relaxing, recovering, and enjoying the race more. Mile 20: I loved taking the time to go through the bohemian Haight: Jimi Hendrix mural, bookstores, coffee shops, etc.

Miles 21-25 (Haight-Ashbury & Subsequent Areas)

Just 10K distance left 🙂 Mentally I have felt OK: I know I have trained and done the work, so just counting the miles as I slowly progress. I have done 10K. I can visualize the route I take near my house...but I also know how much time it takes. 😛 Mile 21 is nearly all downhill. More runner valves: race volunteers swing long banners in tandem across the intersection, shunting runners one way or another, for traffic control. It feels just a bit disconcerting to get cut-off from the pack and shunted onto a deserted street, like I'm about to get whacked 😅 Once reaching the Mission District and beyond, my brain got bored. A volunteer in an inflatable T-Rex costume handed out cups at the Golden Gate Running Club aid station (Mile ~21.5 near 229 Guerrero St in the Mission District) 🦖💯 Another unofficial aid station had people offering small homemade pancakes. Sadly, I observed one partially-eaten pancake discarded in the roadway just around the corner. Later, I overheard a male runner say to their female running partner: "I think it might have been a mistake to start drinking this can of beer"; they replied "Why don't you just chuck it?". Friends, he did NOT chuck the can of beer.🍺 I thanked an elderly Asian couple who were cheering-on runners--the connection I felt when I saw the way their faces lit-up at having someone say thank you back to them. 😊 I tried frequently to clap and also verbally thank boosters for taking the time and energy to pump us up. Near the end, I belatedly recognized how mind-numbing it must be for hydration volunteers to say "electrolytes" or "water" or whatever it is they provide, for hours at a time.

Finish

The SF Giants had opened their gates for the afternoon game against the Colorado Rockies, and I passed attendees queuing. Medics assisted someone on the ground onto a stretcher, shielding them from view with blue tarp 😥 The course ran around the stadium, with orange safety cones separating the raceway from attendees. Little acts of kindness: Near the end, one woman kindly stayed with her companion, encouraging her to go as slow as she needed to in order to finish. 💜 I think I timed my last running interval about as well as I could--I was able to run continuously and smile and enjoy the moment. Finished with a new PR for the SF Marathon, and my #2 marathon finish overall 💯 I felt much better than in 2006--afterward I had felt so exhausted I had to sit doubled-over in the nearby YMCA locker room before showering. As someone else mentioned, my post-race Garmin training readiness = 1 😅

Post-race / Reflections

What worked:

• Anti-chafing: legs & chest 
• Race prep: laying out everything the night before
• Masking
  
• Hotel & logistics
• Audiobook
• Weather: perfect
• Magnesium lotion: relaxed slightly sore Achilles & muscles night before
  
• On-pace 1st-half marathon (2:28:09), ~8 minutes over target 2:20:00 time
• Watch charged and only drained by about half
  

Improvements:

• Charge phone to 100%
• Adjust training to properly target 10:50/mile race pace
• Review fueling for continuous marathon goal distance
• Earbuds capable of 6-hour+ run time (or carry charging case, or bring spare pair)
  
• Hill training (build-up quads, etc.)
  
• Protect toes on downhills:
• Heel-lock lacing
• Other (?)
  
• Shorts with more pockets (?)
• Move ahead in the Corral chutes to find my pace group
• Pace: Review course hill locations and determine how best to conserve energy (e.g., negative split)
  
• Race your pace; the courses overlap with runners from different races (namely, Full Marathon overlaps with 1st- and 2nd-Half Marathon)

2024 San Francisco Marathon Swag

 

Spread out swag from the 2024 San Francisco Marathon

List (some free, some not):

• Full marathon finisher medal
  
• Microfiber towel
• Cotton tote bag
• Technical finisher shirt
• Golden Gate Bridge hoodie
• Dawn bought a SF Marathon light-purple long-sleeve shirt with thumb holes
• Chargel (1 of each flavor)
• Colgate Plaque Pro Release toothpaste
• Suntory headband & can cozy
• Sweet T's Granola
• Hanover's Pretzels (handed out to finishers) 

Not shown due to items not ready for pickup at the expo/post-race:

• SF/Oakland Bay Bridge Challenge Medal
• I ❤️ SF t-shirt
  

Running Journal - 2024 San Francisco Marathon 🌟

Time: 5:26-10:54 a.m. (5 hours 28 minutes) 
Resting heart rate: N/A (forgot)
Weight (street clothes): 85.73 kg (189.00 lb) [note: carry-over from Friday; no scale available]
Body Mass Index (BMI; note criticisms of BMI): 24.9 (Overweight = 25–29.9)
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR): 2,047 cal/day
Distance (running): 42.73 km (26.55 mi)
Cumulative distance (2024; ignores XT days): 999.82 km (621.26 mi)
Calories burned: 3,369 kcal
Average heart rate: 139 bpm
Max heart rate: 166 bpm
Weather at start: overcast/fog 🌫️ 13° C (55.4° F), Humidity 92% Wind: 11 km/h
Terrain: 1,342 ft elevation gain
Avg Pace: 12'29" /mile
Best pace: 10'19" /mile
Stinkiness air level (0=No smell; 10=☣️): 0/10 (not stinky)
Comments: Beautiful but hilly: the SF Marathon is not a Personal Record (PR) course. 

This represents my 2nd SF Marathon (first was 2006).

Pre-Race

Race gear laid out the day before

 

Selfie of sparsely-populated Corral C behind me, near Mission Street looking away from the Starting Line (5:02 a.m.)

Corral C filling up, near Mission Street looking toward the Starting Line in the far distance (5:10 a.m.)

Asleep around 10:30 p.m. Awoke at 3:30 a.m. Sleep was interrupted (Garmin score 60). Showered. Brewed a coffee using the in-room single-serving pod coffee maker--weighed the risks of how nasty/unclean it is. Ate a Clif Bar (peanut butter crunch). Shaved. Did the 4 things I should always do: 1) Garmin HRM-Pro Plus Heart Rate Monitor; 2) Anti-chafing; 3) NipEaze; and 4) Sunblock ✅ The night before I had laid-out everything. Had already pinned the bib to my 2006 SF Marathon Finisher shirt. Getting ready went flawlessly. The repetition for the last 6 months really made this multi-step process relatively routine. Had the idea to switch my Android phone Battery Protection setting from Maximum (stops charging at 80%) to Basic (charges to 100%). This allowed it to get to maybe 85%--should have thought to do this overnight; noting for next time. De-cluttered: put credit card, license, and room key card in the back pocket of my shorts. In the front pocket I put my phone and a Clif Bar (oatmeal walnut). Briefly woke Dawn and said goodbye, then looked out the curtains at The Embarcadero. The lobby was alive with a low hum of energy, with runners and supporters making their way to the starting line. I arrived in Corral C (near Mission Street) around 5:00 a.m. Lots of people working through emotions of excitement/anxiety while waiting: stretching, talking, jockeying to get closer to the starting line. Rehearsed my time goal: ~10:50/mile. Masked with a BreathTeq KN95 due to the crowd and the COVID-19 summer surge (only one?). Put in my Skullcandy Sesh Evo earbuds and queued-up my audiobook: "Arthur Ashe: A Life". Stayed on the right to give room to take walk breaks. Weather was pleasantly humid & cool: Google reported 13° C/55° F and 92% humidity. Unlike Saturday 5K Fun Run, there is no amplified music and no American national anthem. Above us, a window illuminates someone standing with their hands on its sill, watching. Another window is opened and I think I see movement of elbows, but it is too dark to be sure. I spy a race pacer holding a 5:20 (12:12min/mi) sign. Disquiet--am I too far back? Too late to change now. Around 5:15 a.m., we begin to hear quiet amplified voices. After a moment, the crowd shuffles forward a moderate distance. We hear the talent (a man & woman) speak a countdown, then we cheer the next wave as they start. This repeats once or twice more. Finally, at about 5:26 a.m., they release everyone remaining in Corral C. The race officially begins for each of us when the ChronoTrack timing mats & FlashPoint stands read our bib chips as we shuffle across the starting line.

Miles 1-3 (Starting Line to Marina Green)
Earbuds in and listening to Desean Terry's voice narrate audiobook "Arthur Ashe: A Life". It's dark. Runners herding. Too crowded. Too slow. I break-out past the orange safety cones and onto the concrete sidewalk. Here I can at least have a chance to run/walk my 2:30/1:00 interval 10:50/mile pace. 1st mile ends a bit before Pier 39. A handful of homeless persons lie unmoving under blankets. A few clusters of spectators cheer. There's the Exploratorium; it's been years since we last visited. I'm feeling physically OK--no sign of the sore right Achilles from Saturday. Mile 2 runs through Fisherman's Wharf, ending just past the Hyde St & Beach St Cable Car turnaround. I spot the now-shuttered shops we passed on Saturday while pajama shopping. Avoid the cobble stones & embedded roadway rails if possible; the dark makes them slightly treacherous and it would be a shame to get injured if avoidable. Another ChronoTrack timing mat keeps us honest. The ChronoTrack hardware emits a high-pitched whine as we pass. They are well-advertised and gated, so no excuse not to go over them. People run with selfie sticks and small recording devices. Charter fishing boats with passengers prepare to depart. One boat captain's bushy white moustache and belly reminds me of a walrus. Around the end of Mile 2, at 5:41 a.m., the 29 minutes of civil twilight begin: the overcast sky begins lightening considerably. Mile 3 runs through Fort Mason. I hear ocean waves lapping. A 65-foot hill at Aquatic Park Historic District bottlenecks everyone into a shuffling mass. I take advantage of patches of earth to go around, but it represents a calculated risk: it is still moderately dark and falling may end the race with a sprained ankle. 😛 We pass the 7-minute "The Fitness Court" public outdoor exercise gym. Someone (maybe not a race participant) appears to exit the herd and do pull-ups. 👀 WTF.

Miles 4-6 (Marina Green to Golden Gate Bridge approach)

Mile 4 features the illuminated Palace of Fine Arts monumental structure 💜 Lovely. Marina Green, boats in the harbor, Little Marina Green, then the approach to Crissy Field. This was my fastest mile of the day, at 10:20. ⚡Around the end of Mile 4, at 6:10 a.m., the sunrise occurs--though the overcast sky obscures it. Mile 5 runs along Crissy Field, which we walked through during the 5K Saturday fun run. I think there was an appreciated hydration stop. A few runners publicly urinated here along the side-trails & bushes. Mile 6 begins at the ocean, just before Torpedo Wharf, where people fished & huddled next to their poles. I found this section refreshing: ocean waves lapping, the smell of the sea, and cool humid breeze. Arrr. 🏴‍☠️ The sky was lightening, but with the sky overcast there was no visible sun. Mile 6 runs right up to the base of the Golden Gate Bridge, then returns to Torpedo Wharf. This section has a bit of room for passing, but not much.

Miles 7-10 (Golden Gate Bridge - Northbound & Fort Baker - 1st Half)

Mile 7 begins near the ascent to the Golden Gate Bridge roadway deck. From asphalt (Long Road) to packed-earth (Battery East Trail), it rises ~200 feet at 3-14% grade for a mile. It does level out near the top. I welcomed my interval walk breaks. My hill training did help here--I remember to increase turnover, lean forward a bit, do not over-strain the hamstrings, etc. But let's not kid ourselves--this segment sucks. In contrast: what a thrill to run on the Golden Gate Bridge 🌉💜 I miss running on the roadway itself. Mile 8 goes up and over the Golden Gate Bridge, for one gloriously picturesque mile. The sunrise briefly became indirectly visible--its rays passing through a gap between the bottom of the lifting fog bank and the top of the horizon--warmly illuminating and reflecting off the waves. I disliked running in the pedestrian walkways: it was hopelessly congested, and various industrial poles & structures made straight-line running impossible if on the right. Still--this is the raison d'etre of the race for many, the pièce de résistance, if you will, the gros fromage 🧀. Far below, birdlike specks skim the waves. Vehicles honk their horns; runners wave in return. Despite the congestion, this mile was only -16 seconds off pace, at 11:06. Mile 9 exits the Golden Gate Bridge, then loops through the parking lot of the H. Dana Bowers Rest Area & Vista Point, where hydration tables waited. At some point I began accepting cups of Nuun electrolytes, despite Galloway's caution that once started, they should be used at each subsequent aid station--and also the risk of nausea over time (apparently studies testing the formulations involved cyclists instead of runners & the digestion differs because it shuts down for runners and not cyclists). Many stopped to use the portable toilets along the way, despite the lines. I never had an issue with over-hydration--if anything, I was possible under-hydrated. Mile 9 ends on a glorious downhill. I bombed down it, passing hundreds of shufflers. My quads (and my big toes in incorrectly-laced shoes) paid the price, but--at the time--it felt so worth it. There were three lanes lined with orange safety cones: 1) Left-most: single-lane controlled vehicular traffic; 2) Buffer space; and 3) A lane for runners. Lane #3 was hopelessly congested. There was clear visibility, no oncoming traffic, and plenty of buffer, so I felt safe. At the bottom, I slowed and rested my burning quads. Mile 10 continues the wonderful downhill, with two moderate hills in the middle. I ran my 2nd-best mile pace here: 10:24. This mile segment represents the north-most portion of the race, almost beginning the approach to Sausalito, but instead turning back at East Road.

Miles 11-15 (Fort Baker - 2nd Half, Golden Gate Bridge - Southbound, Presidio)

Golden Gate Bridge - Southbound, looking toward Presidio; at left and just visible, 1st-half marathon runners stream northbound (~Mile 12-13; 7:42 a.m.)

Mile 11 was the last mile I consider reasonably near my goal pace, at 11:28 (-38 seconds). It was overwhelmingly downhill, but I think I was beginning to feel pain in my big toes--so I slowed down to let them rest. 😝 The mile segment has sweeping views and various white-painted buildings, along with the perfume of eucalyptus trees. Running along Horseshoe Bay and seeing the Golden Gate Bridge took my breath away. 🌉 I think this may have represented the wear blue mile, with roadside photo board displays of service members killed in action, and a group of people with American flags cheering at its conclusion. They have blue shirts & a white boot-print logo. Mile 12 begins with the steep ascent to the southbound roadway deck of the Golden Gate Bridge. Organizers bill this as the Garmin Hill Climb Challenge: ascend 171 feet over a--congested--half-mile. I finished it in 7:22, mostly walking this segment along with nearly everyone else. 😛 Its ascent reminded me of the approaches to the Hazel Avenue bridge from the American River Trail in Sacramento--but much more difficult. At the top I paused, hydrated, then continued. The southbound pedestrian walkway of the Golden Gate Bridge was still congested. However, it mattered less: miles 6-12 had taken a toll on my toes and quads. I was happy to coast. Mile 12 was ~3 minutes off pace (13:45). Mile 13 goes up and over the Golden Gate Bridge: Iconic from this side too! Marin Headlands 👀 Looking across the bridge to the northbound pedestrian sidewalk, I observed streams of runners. Initially, I felt elated--"look how far ahead I am"! Only later would I reflect and learn they were the 1st-half marathon runners, with staggered 7:00-7:22 a.m. starts from the Crissy Field Sports Basement. 🙃 I started crossing the Golden Gate Bridge southbound at ~7:40 a.m., so it's likely I was mainly watching roughly Mile 3 of the 1st-Half Marathon runners. During a walk break I took a photo and sent it to Dawn to let her know all was OK. Loved the refreshing cool and humid ocean air. I passed the halfway point: Mile 13.11 with an unofficial split per Garmin/Strava of 2:28:09, only ~8 minutes behind goal pace ✅ However, the nagging feeling I was "cooked" took hold. My quads/gluts & toes needed rest. I also felt somewhat hungry. I had started eating a bite of Clif Bar every mile or so. While crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, I also experienced the 1st (of a few) half-marathon pace bicyclists aggressively verbally clearing a path for elite runners. They were amazing to watch as they glided by. Knowing they had not come as far does not diminish their pace. Humans are amazing. Mile 14 exited the Golden Gate Bridge and began the journey through the lush Presidio. At the hydration tables, I took Nuun, water, and--for the first time--Chargel. Another calculated risk--continuously fueling was not something I had done enough thinking about. During my long runs, I stopped every 10 miles at home, or at convenience stores for hydration. I had neither option now, so out of necessity I started fueling with what I had. The Chargel was semi-liquid with what felt like boba drink jellies. It was easy to squeeze and consume. The energy surge did help. Most of Mile 14 was about 100-feet uphill over a half-mile. It ends on the beginning of a long downhill. Mile 15 continues the extended downhill all the way to the end of the Presidio. How I wish I had had the toes & quads to bomb down this hill like I did in the Marin Headlands! Instead I shuffled down at a cautious 12:39/mile pace. That feeling of disquiet about being "cooked" turned to resignation. I needed to ration my remaining resources to traverse another half marathon. One runner jumped the guardrail and used a packed-earth trail on its opposite side.👍🏼

Miles 16-20 (Richmond District, Golden Gate Park, & Haight)

The uphill toward Golden Gate Park begins just before mile 16. Leaving the lush Presidio and entering residential areas with 2-3 story Victorians clearly signals the 2nd "city" half has begun. The 1st "bridge" half is now in the rear-view mirror. I do not remember much from mile 16. I listened to my audiobook. I vaguely remember hilly asphalt canyons slouching through building silhouettes. Volunteers waved traffic through. One volunteer sang and danced in-place. Regrettably, as I reached Golden Gate Park my Skullcandy Sesh Evo earbuds reported "battery low". 😝 Turns out they have ~3.0-3.5 hours battery life. I stashed them in my front pouch, removed & ate the rest of the Clif Bar, and hoped I would not lose them when accessing my phone. The loss of my audiobook narrator companion disappointed me. It did not change my mood: I still felt cooked, but optimistic at finishing. My muscles felt sore, not injured. I can work with that! Mile 17 started with the calming Rainbow Falls ☺️ This was uphill and my pace slowed, but as I made the conscious decision to slow, my mood continued to improve. I had determined to accept my cooked status and enjoy the race. Slow = good mood = want to run the race again ✅ On JFK Drive, I ran past public art displays and roadway painted art. At the end of Mile 17, at the corner of JFK Promenade & Blue Heron Lake Dr, I think this was where one booster had a poster board with illustration "Tap here to Power Up"--he was really over-the-top and his friends cheered as people punched the sign. I would do the same on the way out. 💯 🔥 Mile 18 goes around Stow Lake. I barely remember it from 2006 (too tired!). This time, I slowed down and enjoyed it: ducks, paddle-boats, trees, etc. The asphalt path narrows, but stays flat. Another official race pace bicycle passed by, verbally telling runners & walkers to stay right and make way for 2nd-half marathon front-runners, who had staggered 8:30-8:46 a.m. starts from near the Murphy Windmill. My Full Marathon Mile 18 was the 2nd-Half Marathon Mile 3-4. I also observed stampedes of runners passing by. I'm guessing these were respective staggered waves of 2nd-half marathoners going for time goals. This was irritating for both them and slower runners, as slower runners thoughtlessly drifted left instead of staying right. The 2nd-half marathoners zipped past at-speed, threading any available gaps, narrowly avoiding collisions. I stayed right and tried to respect them, but even a few people passed me on the right shoulder. 😛 Mile 19 begins near the exit of the Stow Lake loop. I made sure to go out of my way to punch the poster board and power up. 😅 Just past this point was the 1st-half marathon finish line. Lots of tabling & support for finishers: water, bananas, etc. The de Young Museum was on my right but I missed recognizing it. Pedestrians scrambled to cross between runners. Mile 19 ends near the Conservatory of Flowers, though I also missed looking at it. 💐 At some point around this time, I had an insight: with the heart-rate monitor, I can observe and manage my heart-rate via three zones: 1) Blue (Easy: Comfortable pace; conversational); 2) Green (Aerobic: Moderate pace; optimal cardiovascular training); and 3) Orange (Threshold: Fast pace; forceful breathing). I decided to adapt my run/walk--running when blue (~125 bpm) and walking when orange (> 145 bpm, I think). My body did feel cooked, but I found myself relaxing, recovering, and enjoying the race more. At a pedestrian underpass, a barely-upright baby teetered and played with a rail of the heavy metal gate, closely monitored by their dad. Mile 20 zig-zagged, then exited Golden Gate Park onto Haight Street. I loved taking the time to go through the bohemian Haight: Jimi Hendrix mural, bookstores, coffee shops, etc. 

Miles 21-25 (Haight-Ashbury & Industrial areas)

T-Rex hydration volunteer with Golden Gate Running Club (Mile ~21.5 near 229 Guerrero St in the Mission District; 9:48 a.m.)

Just 10K distance left 🙂 Mentally I have felt OK: I know I have trained and done the work, so just counting the miles as I slowly progress. I have done 10K. I can visualize the route I take near my house...but I also know how much time it takes. 😛 Mile 21 is nearly all downhill. More runner "valves": race volunteers swing long banners in tandem across the intersection, shunting runners one way or another, for traffic control. It feels just a bit disconcerting to get cut-off from the pack and shunted onto a deserted street, like I'm about to get whacked 😅 Once reaching the industrial areas, my brain got bored. A volunteer in an inflatable T-Rex costume handed out cups 🦖💯 Another station had people offering small homemade pancakes (sadly, I observed one partially-eaten pancake discarded in the roadway just around the corner). Overheard: a man saying "I think it might have been a mistake to start drinking this can of beer" to his partner, who replied "Why don't you just chuck it?". Friends, the man did NOT chuck his can of beer. One woman accepted a conical paper cup of Gatorade from a mother tabling with her family on the curb. I thanked an elderly Asian couple boosting runners as they passed by--the connection I felt when I saw the way their faces lit-up at having someone say thank you back to them. 😊 In fact, I tried frequently to clap and also verbally thank boosters for taking the time and energy to pump us up. Near the end, I belatedly recognized how mind-numbing it must be for hydration volunteers to say "electrolytes" or "water" or whatever it is they provide, for hours upon hours. I struggled and walked a lot in these miles, running until my heart-rate monitor indicated I was hitting orange, then relaxing until blue. This seemed to work out. 

Finish

Celebratory selfie with Dawn 💜 after exiting the finish-line gated area (11:08 a.m.)

Texted with Dawn as I approached the finish. The SF Giants had opened their gates for the afternoon game against the Colorado Rockies, and I passed attendees queuing. Medics assisted someone on the ground onto a stretcher, shielding them from view with blue tarp 😥 The course ran around the stadium, with orange safety cones separating the raceway from attendees. Little acts of kindness: Near the end, one woman kindly stayed with her companion, encouraging her to go as slow as she needed to in order to finish. 💜 I think I timed my last running interval about as well as I could--I was able to run continuously and smile and enjoy the moment. I saw Dawn in the crowd--whew!--and she captured video of me passing by. Dawn was the first person to tell me my time--a new PR for the SF Marathon, and my #2 overall 💯 I felt much better than in 2006--when afterward I felt so exhausted and wiped-out I had to sit doubled-over in the YMCA locker room before showering. Note: this is one reason why I never got around to a contemporary write-up of the 2006 SF Marathon. While in the exit area, I ate 2 bananas, got a free bag of granola, collected my medal, and exited to hug Dawn. We got a finisher blue hoodie at one pop-up tent. At the Challenges pop-up tent the staff were friendly but due to unforeseen circumstances the SF/Oakland Bay Challenge medals had not arrived yet. Dawn fed me tortilla chips from a bag a vendor had distributed. I forgot to mask while in the crush of runners. 😛 Garmin training readiness = 1 😅

Follow-along mile-by-mile video journey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdfXTMmpkwE

Post-race / Reflections

What worked:

• Anti-chafing: legs & chest 
• Race prep: laying out everything the night before
• Masking
• Hotel & logistics
• Audiobook
• Weather: perfect
• Magnesium lotion: relaxed Achilles & muscles
• On-pace 1st-half marathon (2:28:09), ~8 minutes over target 2:20:00 time
• Watch charged and only drained by about half
  

Improvements:

• Charge phone to 100%
• Adjust training to properly target 10:50/mile race pace (i.e., 10:15/mile or faster to compensate for 1:00 walk)
• Review fueling for continuous marathon goal distance (i.e., without assuming access to convenience store/home)
• Earbuds capable of 6-hour+ run time (or carry charging case)
  
• Hill training (build-up quads, etc.)
  
• Protect toes on downhills:
• Heel-lock lacing
• Other (?)
  
• Shorts with more pockets (?)
• Move ahead in the Corral chutes to find my pace group
• Pace: Review course hills & determine if better to Conserve energy on the hilly
• Race your pace, if the courses overlap with different races (e.g., Half Marathon & Full Marathon)
  

Any irregular feelings, aches, pains, heart rate, and so forth?: Sore legs but especially gluts, bruised left toenail, bruised right pinky toe
Foods eaten today: Pod coffee maker coffee (forget the exact blend; 8 oz), Clif Bar - Oatmeal Raisin Walnut & Peanut Butter Crunch, Chargel gel drink (180g, x2 - Apple, Strawberry), Nuun Hydration electrolytes (4 oz, x10), Taqueria Las Vegas - Jumbo burrito with shredded chicken, tortilla chips