What Makes The San Francisco Marathon The Perfect Destination Race

This is an updated version of the “Perfect Destination Race” article written by 2020 San Francisco Marathon Ambassador, Lindsay Walter. Lindsay is a social media influencer, alopecia ambassador, and health advocate.

Anytime there is an opportunity to travel and run a marathon, I always jump on the chance to do so. Add in the chance to run in San Francisco along the water, right by all of the iconic landmarks and over the Golden Gate Bridge at sunrise, and you get an absolute dream.

Admittedly, planning for a race-cation (race vacation) does require some thought when it comes to packing and preparation to make the most out of your time, but it is worth it.

The Destination

San Francisco overflows with great museums, cozy cafés, green spaces, historical landmarks, and even curious wildlife. If you can think of it, you can probably find it in the city—or very nearby. A whale watching tour? Check. A hike to a mountain with a glorious view? Check. Riding a streetcar? Check.

I ran my first San Francisco Marathon in 2017 and it exceeded my expectations. The running weather at the end of July in the Bay Area is a runner’s dream. It is cool in the morning, a tank top and shorts, or even a long sleeve is perfect depending on your preference.

If you’ve never been to the area, or are coming out of town like I did, I suggest getting into town a few days early in order to adjust to the time difference and get settled in.

This will also allow a day or two to take part in all of the sight-seeing and tours you’ll want to do. Plan ahead with this, buy tickets in advance and have a tentative itinerary. This will help you to avoid feeling rushed, but also give you enough time to fit everything you’ll want to do into your trip.

My favorite tour was Alcatraz. I took on a lot of the city by foot, so I was really able to get in the full experience and views of my destination race, and then give myself a day to rest my legs and prepare for the marathon and all of those hills.

Green Spaces in San Francisco to Satisfy Your Need for Nature

Top 5 Natural Attractions Near San Francisco

The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of the Ferry Building

Accommodation & Food

San Francisco is full of delicious food and grand and quirky accommodation options. No matter your tastes, you’ll find something that’ll be right up your alley.

I think it is best to stay at one of the partner hotels. This makes for an easy walk right to the start area, and back ‘home’ from the finish line. I don’t like to be stressed on race morning, so this works best for me. These hotels also often have events for runners, including shakeout runs or special runner meals.

If you are staying further out, make sure you figure out beforehand how you’ll be getting to the start. There will be a lot going on with the race, including closed roads, and increased traffic so always allow extra time when going anywhere; start line, expo, dinner etc. It’s recommended that you skip the car and rely more on public transport. This will help you not to feel stressed.

I looked up restaurants in advance. I picked a few I wanted to go to to enjoy the food there, of course Ghirardelli Chocolate was on the list. But then the day before the race, I planned out healthy options. I have learned traveling to a destination race with a plan makes it so much easier.

Where to Eat After the SF Marathon?

Plan Your Lodging and Travel!

The Course

The course is built to give you maximum experience. You’ll run past the most famous tourist attractions as well as the city’s lesser-known gems. If you’re worried about getting tired halfway through, don’t—there’s so much to see you won’t have time to think about hurting legs.

I mentioned hills earlier in this article. You can rest easy; they are nothing to fear. You know it’s going to be hilly—so train on hills! This way, you’re already prepared and you’ll be able to enjoy the race on race day.

The best part of the race is all of the views. There is nothing like seeing the beautiful sunrise over the water as you’re running downtown and then up to the bridge. That really leaves you breathless (and not because of the aforementioned hills). It’s absolutely stunning.

I also loved running over the Golden Gate Bridge, which is part of the full marathon course and the first half marathon. It was quite windy, so prepare yourself for that.

Another added bonus of this race weekend is the variety of distances. You have a 5K option on Saturday and Sunday. A first half and second half marathon, full marathon and ultra marathon. This means there is something for everyone. 

I fell in love with this race the moment I ran in, but not just for the views and challenging course, but because of the community. That is what really makes the SFM an awesome destination race. I met so many fellow runners and volunteers throughout the weekend, especially at the awesome Marathon Expo. Everyone was so encouraging, kind and supportive. It felt like a true family and I felt so welcomed and embraced the entire race weekend. 

The San Francisco Marathon truly is one of my favorite races, and a bucket list race for sure! 

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