Ran and finished (with the Finisher medal to prove it) the San Francisco Half Marathon this weekend. The weather was great for running: 60 degrees and foggy. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t great for scenery due to the thick fog. Sam and I both came in at 1:49.03, placing in the Top 20% of our age group. Pretty damn good for my first race in years and first race longer than 3 miles since college. I think it reflects well on the months of training we’ve banked while training for the New York Marathon in November.
Special thanks to Cara for driving us to the start line at 4:45 am and then later joining in for StarCraft.
Comments on the race:
* Mile markers were at waist level so I missed most of them. I suggest 10 foot ladders.
* The start was sections in broad categories (Under 3:30, 3:30 – 4 Hours…) which led to a lot of passing and being passed in the crowded early miles.
* Running on the Golden Gate Bridge was difficult in the one lane that was section for runners each way, made worse by runners ahead of us slowing down and even walking. It was only 7 or 8 miles by that point (again missing mile markers) and was suprised to see so many people struggling early.
* Clocks nowhere on the course. If I hadn’t brought along my Polar watch and heart rate monitor, I’d have had no clue as to my pace.
* Very nice to run along the water front in San Francisco. Lots of great memories.
* The hills after the bridge, through the Presido and Richmond…brutal, but that’s San Francisco.
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New York Marathon Tips
Tips for Running the New York City Marathon:
# Write your name on your shirt! Residents of New York will be out in masses, usually in the millions to support your quest for the finish line in Central Park, but they don’t know you. However, you’ll get a lot of support and cheers if you write your name in big letters on your shirt. Keep in mind that you’ll have a race number so plan accordingly. Bonus: American flags and “Ohio Loves NY” are appreciated.
# If you plan to keep them after the race, cut your toe nails before it. Shorter nails will be less likely to have problems.
# Bring Advil. New York is the city where you can get anything from Starbucks to pot delivered to your apartment, but Advil is your only friend on mile 16.
# Don’t try anything new on race day.
# An extension of the above is: Find out what sports drinks, power gel, etc. they are giving to the runners on the course, and try it before hand. I trained with Poweraid, but on race day had to drink a poor-man’s watered-down fruit punch drink. Get used to it.
# Drink early, drink often. It might be cold and you might not be sweating much, but you need lots of fluid.
# Have fun! For you first timers, finishing is a life experience.
Good luck on race day! I’ll be near the finish line on the right side, a few hundred yards before the finish…cheering for Florida Jill, England, John, and you.