San Francisco 1st Half Marathon 2026

On Sunday, July 26, 2026, at 6:30am, San Francisco wakes up wrapped in its signature morning fog — locals affectionately call it "Karl the Fog" — with a cool temperature of around 13-16°C (55-60°F), perfect running weather and a world away from the sweltering heat of other summer marathons. This is a race that's lively from the very first step: the Embarcadero start line gathers thousands of runners with music and announcers, and even at this early hour, there are always spectators there to send you off.The course has a moderate elevation gain (around 381m total), concentrated mostly in the first half, and delivers some of the most spectacular views of any half marathon in the world. Right from the start, the route hugs the bay past Fisherman's Wharf, where sea lions are often seen sunning themselves on the docks, and continues along the wide-open Marina Green, with the Golden Gate already visible in the distance. It crosses Crissy Field, a former military airfield now turned into a waterfront recreational area, before tackling the race's most iconic climb: the ascent up to the mouth of the Golden Gate Bridge, around mile 5. Crossing the bridge — made famous by films like Hitchcock's "Vertigo" — is, by the account of runners from all over the world, one of the most thrilling moments you can experience in a race. The north side rewards you with views of Sausalito and Cavallo Point, often with the fog already lifting by then to reveal the whole bay.Back on San Francisco soil, the route enters the Presidio and finishes in Golden Gate Park, running beneath eucalyptus and giant redwood trees on a much calmer, shadier stretch to the finish line, with supporters cheering near the park. The whole route features 6 aid stations with water, sports drink, and energy gels. After finishing, a free shuttle takes runners to the big main finish festival on the Embarcadero, where they join the rest of the weekend's runners in the celebration.