US Half Marathon 2

I RUN WITH PURPOSE
Running is not my forte but I’m good at it. I run with reason, I run for my bestfriend who passed away several years ago. I carry hear spirit and her name with me and I only run races that benefit any type of cancer research.
I ran this a couple yrs ago and trained hard for it. I don’t like practicing on the course, I let the course unravel as I run them!
EXPO
very dinky and held at SportsBasement. Not sure if is even call it an expo.
PRERACE
they don’t have anywhere to hold your belongings. Thank god my xbf at the time was there, he was my bitch and watched my things as one should do. Parking sucked. No corrals.
RACE
Of the marathons I’ve done this was the first with hills. I can run in cold and I’m good at it, but hills… Uhm tough shit. But I did very well and hit fastest of all marathons. Course was pretty, I have an awesome photo of me running on the GG bridge.
AFTERMATH
Yummy refreshments. Organized ending. Love the announcer calling runners as they cross. Spectators can see you coming running down a hill and into the finish line. My xbf was my spectator, appreciated his support at the time when his heart was really there for me. He was never interested in marathons nor running, never. but now he’s a copycat and tries to do what I do. It’s nice to know I’m a powerful influence on the mindless!
Will I be back? Yes.

I ran the race earlier this year and there were some improvements. I thought I wouldn’t do the run again but shortly after they offered super early registration (like 11 mos in advanced) for $ 30 so I couldn’t pass that up.
I was waiting for another early reg offer but it never came. Project Sport recently announced the April race will become a Rock ‘n’ Roll Half. That will be fun for the SJ runners who are tired of the same course. Early reg is $ 80. No current plans to sign up but we’ll see.

My first half marathon as well :) SO worth it. you really can’t beat the view! i thought it was easy until i realized that the golden gate bridge has the tiniest bit of incline. i thought it would be completely flat! i didn’t like the dirt path on the marin side of the bridge because it seemed pretty dangerous. in fact, one of my friends injured her hip because of it. the way back was beautiful as well, but the last part through the fields = HORRIBLE! maybe it was because it was the last three miles, but the dirt was slippery, and i kept thinking that i was going to fall. i thought i was running really slowly, but then looking at my watch, i think i actually ran those miles faster. mental game?
There weren’t that many booths at the end of the race like there were for other races I’ve done, but the booths that were there (Zico, Pop Chips, 5 Hour Energy, and this one other energy drink-​type brand) were all eager to give stuff away — awesome! Left happy :) And accomplished!

My first half marathon! This was an awesome intro course for a ½ marathon newbie like myself, and I’m glad that my inaugural race was on such a breathtakingly beautiful course. Here’s my lowdown:
The Expo:
+ We went to Sports Basement around 2:30pm the Saturday before, and there was slight congestion in the Presidio. There were energy drinks, electrolyte chews, Clif Bars, Zico coconut water, 5 hour energy, and some other stuff I can’t remember. Quite small for an expo, but I was happy for the freebies.
+ You pick up your racing bib and t-​shirt here. I liked the t-​shirt design this year, but I would’ve preferred a long sleeve shirt. They’re warmer and more useful. Don’t be cheap, guys; make a long-​sleeve shirt next time.
The Race: The Good:
+ Like I said, the course is breathtakingly beautiful. I took the 28 bus around 6am to the end of the line at Fort Mason, and I walked through the Fort Mason Green as dawn was breaking. As you walk up the hills and then down another hill, you’re greeted by a tranquil and gorgeous view of the Bay, with the shadowy currents and the purple-​pink colors of the dawn. There are boats and piratey ships floating in the distance, and the lights of Ghirardelli Square twinkle against the retreating darkness. A beautiful scene. I almost feel like that view alone make this race worth it!
+ The course is so pretty! You start at Aquatic Park, and run up into the Marina District, along the Marina Green and Crissy Field, into the Presidio, across the Golden Gate Bridge, into the Marin Headlands, and then loop back around the same way. For SF-​ers, I think this race is enough to make you fall back in love with this City. For visitors, this race could very well make you see why people are infatuated with this City.
The Race: What Needs Improvement:
+ There needs to be more mile markers. I think I only saw a few, and it would be helpful to have more of them — this is something that can be easily fixed, without much work.
+ More water stations. The website advertised 6 water aid stations, but I only counted 5. I feel like an extra station would’ve made a big difference. Also, some of the stations were spaced out really far apart, and at many points, I found myself really hoping for and needing water and getting somewhat irritated that there weren’t more stations. Don’t be cheap, guys. It’s just water. We need it. But, I honestly can’t count on the race organizers to add more next time, so if I run this course again, I will definitely bring my own water bottle.
+ Bottlenecks on the GG Bridge. I read that during past races, they only had ONE side of the bridge open for runners, which just sounds pretty insane to me. This time, they opened both sides of the bridge for runners, and even with that, there was still congestion at certain points. It’s hard to pass people, and this definitely slows you down. I read that the SF Marathon manages to get the City to close down a few lanes of traffic, and I think it’d be a good idea to do that here too.
+ At the finish line festival, there needed to be more water. That tank of water was out of water not long after the race. Come on guys, you really need to step it up and give us more water here. I feel like this whole not-​enough-​water thing could be a potential liability (yes, I’m a law student) — I mean, you don’t want people to pass out or have something worse happen to them. Don’t be cheap — get more water. The other things being passed out — coconut water, Pop Chips, Peasant Pies, etc. — were alright.
So, I’d say that the positive aspects of this race are largely due to the scenery itself. So props for choosing a really pretty race course. As to the organization of the race, it could be improved so that the running experience is even better for everyone. I’d still recommend this race to anyone looking to run a ½ marathon, but I’d caution them as to the above points.

I’ve ran the original US Half several times but only once for US Half 2. It’s definitely a good race and beautiful but challenging course! Of course, the only difference is that this race is in April instead of November.
Cons:
More volunteers; waiting to get a small cup of water to be poured sucks when there are 3 ppl in front me waiting as well.

My review for the April 2011 US Half Marathon compared to the November 2010 does not change. Giving it one star less for problems that still did not get fixed.
The water stations still needed more volunteers. At one station the single individual just couldnt keep up with the demand.
The organizers really need to reconsider their concept for finish line activities. There were no organized line or even way to get finish line water. They provide a water bottle and well it was just a crowd of people trying to get water. Ridiculous! Some people can be super dehydrated and can suffer if not hydrated. Does not take much to have a line.

The US Half folks do a solid job of organizing a 3,000 person race. They were gifted with the most gorgeous day on April 10^th this year. After a windy and bitterly cold evening, the morning emerged with clear skies, still air and that lovely upper 50’s temp. I perhaps overdressed a small bit for this race ;) The course is challenging, but offers such wonderful views and you get to run across the Golden Gate. Iconic. There was also a free tasty breakfast burrito at the end.
My minor grievances are two. One, the lack of bathroom facilities that seemed to be available. I thought I saw two port o potties on the way back on the GG, but they looked locked, so I didn’t stop to investigate. Had I stopped at any bathroom I would not have beaten my PR, but I also might have soiled myself, so still something to think about. I’d love a time station half way through, so you can see what the clock time is. I could also get a watch.

I’m comparing this half marathon to a few I’ve ran in the past, and in my opinion, some negatives include:
–Expo: pretty small. On the website it said there would more than 30 exhibitors, but I think there were maybe 10?
–Gear check-​in: it was so unclear where it was located. Someone directed me to the finish area, but only to learn that it was located near the start line, where the crowds were blocking. Thus, it was hard to see from afar. At first I was kinda skeptical of the check-​in because it was just a U-​Haul van with two guys taking the bags and randomly piling them. No kind of organization whatsoever. I hesitated a bit to leave my bag because I feared my cell phone, camera, id, credit card would disappear.
–All the hydration stops were pretty unorganized. Cups were not ready by the time runners arrived. Volunteers were scrambling to put the cups out and frantically filling them up. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very grateful for all the volunteers at the event, but I wished the water stops were more efficient.
–The post race expo was also a disappointment in terms of the layout. I felt like the booths were set up in a narrow space. There was only ONE water tent. My insides were screaming for water by the time I crossed the finished line, but unfortunately I never made it to the front of the water tent.
Some pros:
–Perfect weather.
–Scenic route.
–Barcode on the bib in which you can scan and see your results immediately after you finish.
–Cool medal that fits with the first US Half medal.

Couldn’t have asked for a better 1^st half marathon!
What I liked:
*Picking up the packet at Sports Basement: Who doesn’t LOVE SB?! I was able to buy a SPI Belt from a vendor and get 15% on all the last minute running goodies (like Sharkies!) I needed for the half.
*GORGEOUS weather. Pretty chilly in the morning, but if you’re dressed right, then it’s totally fine and it was beautiful running across the GG as the sun rose up over the city.
*The course: SO scenic. It made the run a lot easier because I was taking in the views and not counting miles or minutes. I don’t think there was ever a moment I thought that it sucked… ok maybe it wasn’t that great after mile 10, but at that point, you’re just thinking about the end!
*Sufficient water/​Cytomax stations: It could’ve been somewhat more efficient in terms of having all the cups filled & ready, but with experience on the volunteer side of marathons, I know they’re just trying their best!
*The free goodies! T-​shirt, finisher’s medal, breakfast burritos, water bottle, Pop chips, Muscle Milk, beer… you name it, they’ve got it.
After running this, I’m pretty much hooked! I want to branch out and try other half marathons, but I’ll definitely make time to run this one again or the one in the fall.

This is good half marathon event. I would have given it 5 stars but the only reason I didn’t was there wasn’t many porta potty stops on the course. I don’t even think I saw one outside of the starting area.
Outside of that this is a good event. The course is well marked. The water stations are roughly every 2 miles with a gu stop on mile 10. Staffing was on the small side but what do you expect for a race with only 3,000 runners.
The weather was perfect for a half marathon. It was in the low 50s at start and sunny. There was a little wind on the Golden Gate Bridge but nothing to worry about.
The course was gorgeous. Started by Aquatic Park and headed towards the Marina Green the over the Golden Gate Bridge and back. Beautiful!
There was some hills but nothing to complain about if you trained for it.
Had a great time. Would run the November race but not I’m pretty sure conditions will not be this good.

Porto Potties (before the race): Once again– a huge problem. Be ready to stand in line for 30+ minutes, and the lines are in the direct path of the race start.
2) Course: Amazing SF views; I carried my own water bottle this time so as to blow right past the lame water stations. The hills on this course are no friggin joke… Trust me.
3) Post race festivities: Average to below average at best. It was somewhat of a hassle to stand in line to get an EMPTY aluminum water bottle– and an even greater hassle to get it filled up. I got so frustrated, that I left, walked down the street and bought a bottle of water at Subway instead.
Overall, organization is consistently sketchy, the course is quite challenging with outstanding views. I won’t do it again, but I’m sure I’ll change my mind in a week’s time.

3,000 runners, 60% women. Go Girl Power!
Fun starting line with music and excited runners. I’ve already conditioned my mind about the hills so I wasn’t surprised that right off Van Ness was already a hill.
Well marked course all the way with cops/​volunteers ensuring smooth traffic. They were true with water stations every 2 miles. I took advantage of every single one of them.
This run is just so gorgeous and breath taking views. Once I saw the bridge up close and personal, I got reminded again why I love San Francisco. There is just no way to describe the beauty set before me. I made sure not to think of my time and just take in everything that I was seeing. I think I got my high at mile 5, there at the bridge. And I didn’t think that bridge was a slow incline…
Coming off the bridge was a down hill, which was a good break. But I’m actually more scared of running them. I don’t know how to run down hills. I’m scared I’d just fall flat on my face. And then a hill followed, when you think it was over, you make a right to another slow up hill. Then I saw the mile 7 marker… yes…then a water station… yes…then back to the bridge again. The part I hated most was the gravel path around mile 11. It seemed to go on forever and it was getting so hot. Then half a mile to the finish line was another short uphill… ggrrrrr. Just when I didn’t have anything more to give.
At the finish line, I got my red water bottle thinking it was filled with water already. I got annoyed at the line at the water station. They should have made this bigger. I was so thirsty and I had to fall in line to get water. But once I got it I was happy. Such a wonderful feeling of finishing 13.1 miles.
They were giving out breakfast burritos and that was good. I took a picture with my medal, got my pop chips, muscle milk, listened to the fun music they were playing and then I was done.
My thighs are sore and hurting but I run the Golden Gate Bridge… with style and cutting off 10 minutes from my first half marathon. It was fun!!!

The US Half Marathon 2 (the other half) on 04.10.2011 was my first ever half marathon.
If you’ve ever wanted to run from Aquatic Park (next to Ghiridelli square) to the Golden Gate bridge and back, this is the race for you. 13.1 miles of challenging, yet very do-​able terrain. I counted 3 climbs: one going up to the GG bridge, one somewhere in the middle, and one by Fort Mason between miles 11 – 12. I think there were 5 water stations total, and the 2^nd to last one had Clif energy gels (around mile 9 – 10).
The route is super scenic and takes you up, on, down and around the GG bridge. The weather was clear, but got really sunny towards mile 10 — 13 (around 8:30am).
Race starts at 7am.
Cost: $ 65.25
Free swag:
1. T-​shirt — made of a nice mesh material, but the smallest size is a Men’s small, which is way too big for me. Sadness.
2. Cool red aluminum water bottle w/​St. Jude’s logo
3. Breakfast burrito w/​chorizo and eggs at the finish line
4. Medal for finishing the race
5. Sponsor booth with free samples: Pop chips, clif bar, muscle milk, honest tea, etc
TIPS for first timers (stuff i wish i knew):
1. Stay away from cotton socks (they absorb sweat and can cause friction = blisters!) :(Invest in a pair of dry fit socks.
2. My shoes were too small (buy half a size bigger than your normal size) = blisters! :(
3. Carry water (if your’e a camel like me)
4. SPIbelt (small personal items belt) is the best thing ever! It’s like a mini fanny pack that doesn’t bounce when you run.
5. Electrolyte gel cubes or gels will save you! Gives you that extra burst of energy when you need it. Be sure to chase with plenty of H2O
6. Eat well and hydrate well a couple days before the race
7. Two words: BODY GLIDE.
8. Find a pacer, follow them stalker style, and don’t let them out of your sight!
Here are some helpful links to help you train and read about how to carb up before a long run:

The «second» half. This is a beautiful run through to the golden gate bridge and back to aquatic park. And today’s run was perfect– weather an all. The course remains the same as the US Half in November.
The course isnt too challenging, except for this one flat part on the sand/​gravel that, to me, just keeps going on forever, and it seems to get hotter and hotter. Not terribly hilly either. You got the first incline right at the start of the race, then another rounding up towards presidio, another making your way to the other side of the bridge, and the last one as you make your way to the finish.
This marks my 1^st marathon of 2011, maybe I’ll do the November one to end the year…

April 2010 was my first year running the US Half Marathon 2. It was a great course in that it was very challenging but scenic around the Golden Gate Bridge area.
Here’s what I remember about the course:
— Very hilly but there weren’t long stretches of gradual incline. I prefer short, steep hills over long, gradual inclines.
— Sufficient and well placed water stations supplied with water and sports drinks.
— In April, expect the possibility of rain which consequently might include gusty winds especially on the Golden Gate Bridge.
About the event and Project Sport (organizer):
— Approximately 3,000 participants (usually less if weather conditions are poor).
— I love races that includes medals as this one does along with a technical tee and an aluminum water bottle.
— Option to personalize your bib.
— Packet pick up is at Sports Basement in the Presidio and an easy process. You can also pick up for a friend. By presenting your bib, you get a discount on items purchased that day. More times than not, there are last minute items you’ll need to pick up anyhow so I love this perk.
— Pick up your race packet early as they might run out of your t-​shirt size. If you finish with the later pack, they run out of water bottles and medals at the finish line. They tell you they’ll mail it to you if you send them your address but I’ve given up on mine. Project Sport should get a better handle on the logistics when it comes to distributing these items.
I purchased a Groupon for this event so at $ 37 it was a great price. Unfortunately, there isn’t another Groupon for the 2011 event but I’ll be there to run it again in April.
I would give this event 4 stars but I took off one star for Project Sport. They aren’t the most responsive and they didn’t deliver what was promised to their participants (ie: water bottles, shirts,). I understand the money goes towards the costs to put on this event and the St. Jude Foundation but don’t over promise and under deliver.

3 days before the race I received an email titled «Weekend Update.» It said, «Did you feel that? The sun? The temperature? That big blue sky without a drop of rain in it? That’s what you’re going to be running in on Sunday! The inaugural US Half Marathon 2»
This must have been a joke because
said it would be raining. There definitely weren’t blue skies in sight. Just for the record,
was right.
I made the crucial error of not using the restroom right before the race and didn’t want to wait in a veryyyyyyyy long port-​o-​potty line so I had to be resourceful. The start was congested, so I’d like to see them separate the group into waves in the future.
The course was straightforward. Out along the bay, past Crissy Field, up towards the bridge, back over the Golden Gate, along the coast, and to the finish.
The Pros:
–Aid stations were nicely spread out
–Cheering fans at mile 11
–Personalized bib
–Sigg water bottle filled with water at the finish
–Bought a groupon for registration so I saved 51% (only paid $ 37!)
–Hills are not as challenging as the ones in Nike Women’s Marathon
The Cons:
–Why ask for our shirt size in advance when they run out of the requested size anyways?
–Not enough volunteers handing out/​filling cups at aid stations
–Not many spectators to cheer
–RAINNNNNNNN for the last 40 minutes of the race. Running with rain and wind in my face is not my idea of a good time. This was not a con of the race but of the day.
Overall, not a bad race, but not the best in terms of organization. If I saw it on groupon again, I would buy it. At least I can say I ran in the inaugural race :)

Challenging. I was terified of this race since I didn’t look at the map or the elevation prior to a week before the race. I had never done hills run, ran in bad weather or without my iPod — so there were a lot of firsts for me. The hills were… serious. The weather was… CRAP, especially over the Golden Gate where on the way back the gusts were no joke. I ran w/​o my iPod, but by choice since I had a friend there to run with. The race had I believe 3000 slots (smaller race in comparison to RnR), but I believe the final outcome was 1400’ish…it immediately took off with an uphill… really?! Then it was a nice run through Marina, along the beachy area and it wasn’t until headed up the mountain to cross the bridge I thought…“Oh Crap!” the route weaved up the hill before heading across the bridge, to add mileage it looped off on to a trail down and under the bridget and back up… whoa, that hill back up was STEEP! Then we came back across –would’ve been great except for being side swiped by wicked winds! Crossed the bridge came back down and the part that I hated the most was the «trail like’ feel of mile 10, I believe — it annoyed me for no real reason except I wanted to be on asphalt, one last final crazy incline and downhill into the finish line. Again… challenging!
There were not enough aid stations between mile 2 and 5’sih miles, my friend and I kept wondering where the aid station was and it was definetly not every 2 miles. The markers were questionable, I ran with my Garmin on and there markers at one point were .25 miles ahead of my Garmin, then miraculously they synced up after mile 7.
The «expo» was a little weak, but we did get 15% off all merchandise at the Sports Basement, considering I had to buy stuff for the race because I was not prepared for the bad weather — I’ll take that discount with my free tube of chapstick!
One thing that I really like about the race co-​ordination was their focus to be green — there was very little paper or plastic waste, even the shirts were made of recyclable materials.
The end of race celebration seemed pretty cool — we received very cool medals, reusable waterbottles, there were people eating good sized yummy sandwhiches and there was beer! We opted not to have any but to get back to our rooms, get coffee and get cleaned up for a yummy lunch!
Would I run this race again? Definitely just because of the challenges it poses, I’d like to see if I can beat my race time next year! Don’t let the hills scare you, let them inspire you! My only suggestion — bring your fuel belt and keep — on — running!