Over the golden gate San Francisco Marathon, USA. 31 July 2005 By Sergey Porada and then goes past Aquatic Park and Yelena Kurdyumova up Fort Masson Hill, suggesting stunning views of Golden Gate Everyone knows that San Bridge. Francisco is one of the greatest running cities in the world. Cool The gloomy silhouette of summers and wonderful Alcatraz Island Prison is also waterfront trails attract hundreds discernable. Alcatraz served as a of everyday runners every week of military fortification in the 1850s, the year. But the 28th San as an incarceration facility for Francisco Marathon and Spanish-American War prisoners companion events beat all at the close of the 19th century, expectations with a record 11,290 and as a Federal maximum- finishers. Runners choose this security prison from 1934 to 1963. race without the lure of prize It was closed due to high costs money that many of the other 300 and security issues, but over the marathons in North America can years it was home to Al Capone, boast. They are lured not by lucre, George “Machine Gun” Kelley, and but by the scenic beauty of the Robert “The Birdman” Stroud. It is course and the clockwork now a very popular tourist organization of the event. attraction. The unbeatable beauty of the From the starting gun 25-year course was this year crowned with old Simon Isaacs of Washington the pearl of the coast – Golden DC led the race. Tracking him, 35- Gate Bridge, spanning the year old Californian Tony Torres, entrance to San Francisco Bay. was preparing a surprise. “I felt Marathon runners can now make that the early pace was slow, and I the round trip journey across this knew that I could do better than legendary symbol of the city. But that”, said Torres after the race. the organizers catered for more. Another Californian, Sarah They offered a rich mix of events Hallas, headed the women’s field for different ages, tastes, and and with every kilometre levels of training. Apart from the increased her lead. Without marathon, there was a 5km female rivals she competed with run/walk, and two classic half the men and strove to improve marathon events. her personal best. “There were a The half marathons started couple of men that I was able to within three hours of each other. run with most of the way. That The “first” one started together was great, so I got through the with the marathon at 05.20 and hills okay”, she said. She finished followed the first half of the unchallenged, improving her marathon course. It is a treat for personal best by 47 seconds. “It those who want to see Golden feels great to be a winner” – she Gate Bridge in the rays of the said of her first marathon victory. rising sun. The “second” Half Marathon starts at 08:15 in Golden Gate Park, the finest and largest city park on the West Coast of the USA, and follows the second half of the marathon course. To do this one, you don’t have to get up in the dark. At 05.00 on the cool summer morning of 31 July the Marathon and ‘first’ Half Marathon participants gathered at the start line - conveniently located in downtown San Francisco. It was on the waterfront, by the famous Embarcadero, near the newly renovated Ferry Building. The course goes west through Fisherman’s Wharf, the city’s most visited area, famous for its seafood restaurants, family entertainment, and art galleries. It 7 DISTANCE RUNNING October – December 2005 Result MEN 1 Tony TORRES USA 2:31:57 2 Simon ISAACS USA 2:34:52 3 Niklas KROEHN AUT 2:34:58 4 Duncan LARKIN USA 2:37:26 5 Chikara OMINE USA 2:38:01 6Fritz VAN DE KAMP USA 2:38:38 Right next to the bay, runners helped to define and project San magnificent Golden Gate Park, 7 Vytautas EZERSKIS USA 2:42:56 are early on treated to a fresh sea Francisco’s image in much the almost 5km long and 2.5km wide, 8 David SIEGEL USA 2:44:43 breeze and stunning views of the same way as the Brooklyn Bridge and a favorite stamping ground 9 Rodrigo RUELAS USA 2:44:59 coastline. Then, after 8.5km, they did for New York. for local runners. The park is 10 Steve RADTKE USA 2:47:28 step onto the Golden Gate Bridge. bigger than New York’s Central WOMEN Making a round trip on the 1 Sarah HALLAS USA 2:56:55 Park, and is home to over a 2 Tyler STEWART USA 3:04:27 The design of the famous famous span runners can admire million trees from almost every 2.8km-long suspension bridge, panoramas of the Pacific Ocean, 3 Shana BROWN USA 3:05:12 country of the world, nine lakes, a 4 Caroline RADTKE USA 3:09:26 built from 1933-1937, echoes an San Francisco Bay, the city’s lily pond, an arboretum and a 5 Jane BLOOM USA 3:14:01 Art Deco theme. Architect Joseph skyline, and the hills of Marin botanical garden. Runners headed 6Ashley CLARK USA 3:14:44 Strauss defied the conventional County. west to the half marathon point at 7 Stephanie KSENZULAK USA 3:14:51 wisdom of the time that the Spreckels Lake. 8 Kelly KRONIN USA 3:14:55 Golden Gate could not be While most of the participants 9 Patty CHEN USA 3:15:52 bridged, and through his work were enjoying breathtaking sights “First” Half Marathon winners 10 Valerie CURTIS USA 3:18:13 from the bridge, Tony Torres made Michael Western (1:17:48) and a breathtaking effort and took the Eileen White (1:29:12), and Garden (the oldest in the USA), lead at 16km. From there on he anyone else who finished in under headed the race. Finishing at the the De Young Art Museum and two hours, could take a shuttle the Conservatory of Flowers, one Ferry Building in 2:31:57, he bus to the Marathon finish line on looked fresh and strong. “It’s a of the finest examples of Victorian the Embarcadero and watch the architecture in San Francisco. pretty hard course, so my time finish of the marathon winners. was kind of slow”, said Torres, who Those “first” half marathoners who Exiting the park runners ran his first marathon only last reached the lake in under three continued through the suburbs, December, just 150km away up hours could see the start of the eventually reaching the Giants Highway 80 in Sacramento. “second” Half Marathon. Baseball Stadium. From there Simon Isaacs lost three they returned under a stretch of After that start runners were palm trees to the finish in front of minutes to Torres to finish greeted by buffalo grazing in a second, fending off Austria’s the Ferry Building. The winners of paddock on a huge glade in the “second” Half Marathon were Niklas Kroehn, by only six Golden Gate Park, as wearying seconds. Sean Nixon (1:15:20) and Lisa marathoners embarked on the Daan (1: 21:46). But they had Coming off the bridge runners second half of the course. already been beaten to the mark took in the Pacific Ocean coastline Together they ran around Stow by those who had crossed the at Baker Beach and entered the Lake, with Strawberry Hill in the Golden Gate, and persevered to centre, past the Japanese Tea the Marathon finishing post. DISTANCE RUNNING October – December 2005 8.