On Sunday I ran the SF Half Marathon.  Joy, Susie, and Eleanor also ran the 1st half of the full and it was a lot of fun but a lot of hard work too.

It all started with the alarm going off at 4:30 am.  Yep, you read that right.  We met up with Susie downstairs by 5:20 and walked down the street to the start line.  Brother also came along and brought the dog for moral support.

The race started at 6:00 am but we probably didn’t pass the start line until 6:20.  The first half was a very familiar route: down Embarcadero, through Fisherman’s Wharf, over the Fort Mason hill, and past Chrissy Field.  THEN there was the hill.  It was a steep one and ended with the on-ramp to the Golden Gate Bridge.

On the bridge, we got to run along one of the traffic lanes, turn around at the parking lot on the Marin side, and run back on another traffic lane.  It was cold and foggy and really crowded.  So, we weaved and sprinted through the crowd and also found Susie and Eleanor, who we lost track of during the first 6 miles.  Joy and I had a little 5-hour energy drink right before the bridge so we were feeling goooood.

Once off the bridge, we were faced with another series of hills for the last half of the race.  We went through a tunnel, past the really big fancy houses in the Presidio, and then up and down the 19th street.  The rolling hills were brutal and felt more like interval training.  Our half ended in Golden Gate Park while the 2nd Half was starting and the Full Marathoners kept going.

I finished in 2:20 and Joy came in just a minute later.  She looked really strong most of the way but then started cramping on the last 3 miles.  At the finish line, we got our medals (also doubles as a keychain!) and warming capes.  They also had lots of goodies and water for us to inhale as we got in line for the shuttle back to the start where Johnny was waiting.

For brunch, we had dim sum at Yank Sing and it really hit the spot.  Overall, it was a fun race but it’s got some pretty challenging hills.  Luckily I had three training sessions this month and the trainer got me conditioned for them.  I ran strong and felt strong the whole way.  I probably could have had a faster time but I’m happy with the way I felt throughout the race and afterward.

Here is the finisher’s medal, my dri-fit shirt, and bib.

Here is the route that my GPS recorded.  After all the races I’ve finished, I’m still amazed at how far I can go sometimes.  So…where and when is the next race?!