[PacerChris]

Who's in? I'll be there, if that sways anybody one way or t'other! <img alt="biggrin.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif"><br><br>
I'll be leading either the 3:00 or the 3:10 group or possibly a little of both (1st half with the 3:00 group then hand off, then finish up with the 3:10 group). I'm looking forward to a fun time - wife and older daughter are coming out with me as well. The last 2 days have been gorgeous here in SW Ohio, but we had weeks of really hot & humid weather so I'm ready to see if Mark Twain was right!<br><br>
Anybody run the route before? It doesn't look too hilly given San Francisco's reputation, but I know elevation charts can sometimes be misleading! If anyone has some good local knowledge of where some big climbs might be, I can plan for that with my pacing to make sure we don't have to push hard up a hill!

 

[srlopez]

It is hilly, at least in the first half. But "hilly" is different for everyone.<br><br>
I ran it in 05. Aside from being sick, the two things I remember most are:<br><br>
1. Two different half marathons. The second one starts halfway in... at your pace, you should miss the whole "dodging folks" action.<br><br>
2. Really wacky road closures in the second half. It is hard to explain, but essentially, they will shunt people down different roads and then reopen the roads that were closed so traffic can get through. And then a little later, they'll go back to the original roads.<br><br>
What this means to the runner: You will see other runners coming from unexpected directions. You will be running down the street and all of the sudden, a course marshal will pull a rope across the street in front of you and you will turn instead of continuing straight. "All of the sudden" doesn't mean they'll trip you... you'll see them doing it about 2 blocks ahead of you. Really REALLY weird. Check their site and/or officials to see if they are doing it this year. It was strange.<br><br>
Aside from that, there were a couple things they screwed up in 05 (food and early starters), but they fixed them in 06, so they aren't worth discussing.<br><br>
I wish I could give you better info on the hills... but at your pace and with your experience on hills, I dunno what would be helpful. Anyway, the first half is hillier than the second.<br><br>
And if it is foggy, the golden gate bridge will be slippery.

 

[srlopez]

Oh, and I won't be there this year. I need to return to settle the score with that course (like I wrote, I was sick), so maybe next year.<br><br>
I'll be at Kilauea for the Volcano Marathon. Cross your fingers for me... most of the trails used for this race have been closed since mid-June because Kilauea is actually acting like, you know, a volcano. I hope it won't be canceled.

 

[PacerChris]

Thanks for the info - I kinda get the impression that, like The Pig, they could have had a much hillier route if they chose to do so, and they put the hills in the first half. I'll keep that in mind - I like to try and plan around the hills so I can bank a little time before and then take it easy up the hills, esp. if there are some mothers late in the race.<br><br>
Good luck with your marathon - sounds like an interesting one! Volcanos can be like women - beautiful, hot, but very tempermental and with a mind of their own.

 

[mmoonptdeux]

This is the third time I've tried posting this (workus interruptus and then kr logging me off for whatever reason....grrrrrr!), so let's see if this goes through<br><br>
Anyyyyyyyyyyyyyway, <b>Pacer</b> - only two ascents you should concern yourself with. The Ft. Mason hill at 2.5 miles (steep but short; you'll be rewarded with a gentle descent to the Marina Green afterward) and the ascent to essentially the middle of the Golden Gate Bridge from mile 5 to 6 1/2.<br><br>
Downhills to take heed of are right after the bridge in miles 10-11 (steep at times; can be slippery also like the bridge, if there's fog like <b>srlopez</b> (BTW, good luck at your race!) mentioned) and the descent in the Lower Haight into the Mission District to Guerrero between miles 20-21.<br><br>
IMO, those who've done even a decent amount of hill training will find these hills ascents/descents at moments challenging but nothing that will wreck their race.<br><br>
Other than that, much of the middle section of the course qualifies as rolly but nothing too taxing. The 2.5 mile sections right after the start and up to the finish line are pretty flat.

 

[runningINnyc]

As you know I'll be there to run the HM, drooling over <b>PC's</b> pipes and trying to keep it together over the first half of the course.

 

[mmoonptdeux]

And I'll be there to run the same HM, just hoping to get a glance of the ravishing <span style="color:#006400;"><b>Maria & her sis</b><span style="color:#000000;">before they blaze off toward the Fisherman's Wharf.</span></span>

 

[srlopez]

Chris can sing?

 

[Nettie]

No, his pipe cleaner arms!

 

[srlopez]

They are fuzzy?

 

[PacerChris]

Heck, yeah I can sing! Pay me $1 and I'll give you the entire Rapper's Delight!

 

[GaRebelRunner]

I ran the half in 2005 and had a blast. It was hilly but not as bad as I was expecting. The Golden Gate Bridge was shrouded in fog the day I ran but it was a magnificent experience. I didn't have any problems with the roads being alternated. The race organizers had said they would be shunting runners down different sidestreets for better traffice control but all would be for the same distance.<br><br>
I also really loved the 5:30 start although I think it's at 6:00am now. Had lots of time to get back to the hotel and shower and check out well ahead of the required checkout time.<br><br>
I'm more into half marathons than fulls but I might run the SF full someday.

 

[Nettie]

I can neither confirm nor deny that.<br><br>
His arms are pipe cleaner-ish in diameter.

 

[runningINnyc]

Like an angel <img alt="angel12.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/angel12.gif">