Running The 2018 by Phil McNally (Including full course video for 2018)

Full Course Video Link Play this 30min video at 2x speed for a quick overview or quarter speed for a real time check on specific landmarks.

If my annoying calf strain fixes itself in the next three weeks, I will be running The San Francisco Marathon for the 10th time. I have run in a few other cities but nothing beats a run across the in the morning.

Sometimes it is less sunny and more windy, rainy, cloudy

I have quite a range of results on the course. My first attempt in 2007 produced a 4 hour 27 minute finish and a nice lie down in the medical tent until I recovered. After mile twenty, I can vaguely remember having to pick out achievable goals to keep going, like…"I will run to that next lamp post before I walk again" waves of nausea would slow me down every time I tried to run more than 100ft. The crowd were doing their best to support the effort but I was crushed when I heard the distant, echoing shout...

"Come on you're almost there. Just FIVE MORE MILES".

My best effort came in 2012 with a 3:03 finish. Five years of training and racing had taught me some respect for accurate pre-race predictions and race day pacing. It was a joy to get it right on the day and feel like I could have run no faster.

My hope every year is to train hard and come up with a good prediction for race day. With a challenging target in mind, I like to make accurate pace notes that account for each of the miles ups and downs. If I get it right, the second half should be slightly faster than the first (negative split) and the finishing miles should be hard but fast. A strong finish is the best reward.

The 2018 course has some new twists and turns that I have not seen in the past. The climb to the start of the Golden Gate Bridge is new and so is the turnaround at the other end. I am a bit of a data nerd for this marathon as I have years of personal tracker info that I use to create my annual pace notes. This new course moves all the mile markers which kind of screws up my plan. What to do?

Sat 7th July 2018 5:20AM I am on my bicycle in front of Embarcadero Plaza, the starting point of the race. I have the new route map in my pocket, a Gopro on my head and a Garmin on my wrist. Time for a fresh set of data. I set off to ride the full course and take all my data home for analysis. I put my video and graphics skills to work and make a Full Course Video to visualize the challenges.

The San Francisco Marathon comes with many memorable climbs and descents along the way. Two and a half miles in, you are just getting warmed up when you get a shadowing of the hills to come with a 70ft 'bump' at Fort Mason. No need to get excited, just ease up the hill. Let others burn past. Remember Slow start = Fast Finish.

Soon you are back on flat land for a few more miles along the Marina and Chrissy field. Halfway into mile five, we say goodbye to flat running.

We won't see that level again until mile twenty four.

The steepest climb of the day is underway and won't stop until we reach the middle of the bridge some 250ft above us. This is no time to power up the hill. With twenty miles still to go, you have to be brave and hold off the gas pedal. A constant effort is better than a constant pace. Pump your arms for a bit of an extra boost but save your legs.

The bridge itself is a rolling hill. You never notice it in the car but you get a nice speed boost on the downhill. The bridge weather can be unpredictable. Cloud and drizzle with a strong wind is not unusual on race day. If that is the case, find a big guy running at your pace and draft. You should still be able to manage three steps per breath at this point. In 2, 3 out 2, 3. Stay calm and look out for the race leaders coming back on the other side.

Sometimes it is less sunny and more windy, rainy, cloudy

The new turnaround has a pretty steep decline on a gravel road that takes you under the bridge and back up a steep paved road on the other side. Don't fight the hills, just keep with the constant effort. Running downhill is naturally faster than running flat but running uphill is even slower than the gain you make on the descents. It is just part of the reality of running a hilly course. Plan for the extra time.

By now, a third of the race is over and the reality of the miles ahead are on your mind. This is where you can follow your pace notes (see end of article) and not think too much beyond holding an efficient running stride. Just take one mile at a time and get back across the bridge.

After the bridge, another half a mile uphill gets you to the high point of the Presidio. If you like downhills, the twelfth mile will be your favorite. A shorter stride and high cadence will get you down as fast and safe as possible. Enjoy it while it lasts, this could be your fastest mile of the day.

The next few street miles are net uphill and you will find out if your pace notes are achievable as you cross the halfway mark. These miles are where dreams meet reality. Can you keep on the pace with two steps per breath or do you need to let the pace slide and find your own speed for the day?

The gives us new hope with two miles of smooth, fast downhill…

...followed by three miles uphill. Ah! just when you thought it was getting easier.

Things do flatten out around mile seventeen and by mile nineteen you are leaving the greenery behind. After you run through the tunnel at the end of the park, there is a small uphill kick to get you to street level. If things are going well, you can power up with a smile. If you have run too fast, it might slow you to a walk. I have done both.

Do you still feel strong here?

Haight Street run to the sun. Time to get back on pace and concentrate on running efficiency. Watch out for holes in the road as it can be a bit rough. Some surprisingly steep and fast downhills arrive at the end of mile nineteen where I once heard a runner squeal in pain as we accelerated over the brow of the hill. If your legs can take advantage of the slope, it can result in some fast miles.

By mile twenty two, the ups and downs are mostly over but the race still has four miles of hard work ahead. One step per breath to the end. There is not much to look at but the bumps in the road. Don't trip now. One step at a time. Can you hold the pace notes? Do you remember you had pace notes? Do you remember your name?

The baseball stadium! Finally! Watch out for that big curb step after the iron bridge.

Keep going around the stadium and back onto Embarcadero. You think you must be almost home but the finish lies beyond the Bay bridge which always looks further away than you want. One step at a time...

The crowds on the side of the road thicken as the finish line comes into sight. Try this tip from my friend, Chris…Throw both hands in the air and cheer to the crowd over the last 100m, you will be rewarded with a roaring response of support all the way to the finish line. Well done. You deserve a medal.

Appendix: How I pace the San Francisco Marathon

If the course was perfectly flat, I would still not run an even pace. I like a slow start and fast finish - negative split. The slow start helps keep your heart rate down and the fast finish gives a great phycological boost as you pass other runners in the last third of the race.

On a flat course, my first two miles would be 105% and 102% of the average and the last ten miles would be 98% - 99% of the average. Layered on top of that, we have the ups and downs of the San Francisco course. If a hill slowed me by 12 seconds going up, the same gradient would only give back 8 seconds on the way down. I have calculated this on a mile by mile basis from the GPS data I collected during the Full Course Video. One more thing to keep in mind is the accuracy of your watch data. It is normal to see a distance of 26.5 miles on your watch at the finish line. That is an extra 0.3 miles to account for in the Pace notes.

The pace changes are represented by the blue line compared to the average pace of the green line which also shows the negative split.

All of this translates into real world pace notes that match with the data your watch will display on race day. I plan for a 26.5 mile distance and the numbers reflect that. If you run an efficient race line, you might get a slight boost by running less than 26.5.

Finishing Time 3:00

Mile Mile Pace Ave Pace 0-1 07:03 07:03 1-2 06:47 06:55 2-3 06:59 06:56 3-4 06:45 06:53 4-5 06:45 06:52 5-6 07:45 07:01 6-7 07:46 07:07 7-8 06:45 07:04 8-9 06:55 07:03 9-10 06:52 07:02 10-11 07:08 07:03 11-12 05:34 06:55 12-13 07:43 06:59 13-14 06:38 06:57 14-15 06:19 06:55 15-16 07:11 06:56 16-17 07:18 06:57 17-18 06:46 06:56 18-19 06:55 06:56 19-20 05:58 06:53 20-21 06:12 06:51 21-22 06:35 06:51 22-23 06:40 06:50 23-24 06:30 06:49 24-25 06:40 06:49 25-26 06:36 06:49 26+ 06:36 06:48

26.5 3:00:00 06:48 Watch Finishing Watch Distance Time Average Pace

Finishing Time 3:05

Mile Mile Pace Ave Pace 0-1 07:15 07:15 1-2 06:58 07:07 2-3 07:11 07:08 3-4 06:56 07:05 4-5 06:56 07:03 5-6 07:58 07:12 6-7 07:59 07:19 7-8 06:56 07:16 8-9 07:06 07:15 9-10 07:03 07:14 10-11 07:20 07:14 11-12 05:43 07:07 12-13 07:56 07:11 13-14 06:49 07:09 14-15 06:29 07:06 15-16 07:22 07:07 16-17 07:30 07:09 17-18 06:57 07:08 18-19 07:06 07:08 19-20 06:08 07:05 20-21 06:22 07:03 21-22 06:46 07:02 22-23 06:51 07:02 23-24 06:41 07:01 24-25 06:51 07:00 25-26 06:47 07:00 26+ 06:47 06:59

26.5 3:05:00 06:59 Watch Finishing Watch Distance Time Average Pace

Finishing Time 3:10

Mile Mile Pace Ave Pace 0-1 07:27 07:27 1-2 07:10 07:18 2-3 07:22 07:20 3-4 07:07 07:16 4-5 07:07 07:15 5-6 08:10 07:24 6-7 08:12 07:31 7-8 07:07 07:28 8-9 07:18 07:27 9-10 07:15 07:25 10-11 07:32 07:26 11-12 05:53 07:18 12-13 08:09 07:22 13-14 07:00 07:21 14-15 06:40 07:18 15-16 07:34 07:19 16-17 07:42 07:20 17-18 07:09 07:20 18-19 07:18 07:20 19-20 06:17 07:16 20-21 06:33 07:14 21-22 06:57 07:14 22-23 07:02 07:13 23-24 06:52 07:12 24-25 07:02 07:12 25-26 06:58 07:11 26+ 06:58 07:10

26.5 3:10:00 07:10 Watch Finishing Watch Distance Time Average Pace

Finishing Time 3:15

Mile Mile Pace Ave Pace 0-1 07:38 07:38 1-2 07:21 07:30 2-3 07:34 07:31 3-4 07:18 07:28 4-5 07:18 07:26 5-6 08:23 07:36 6-7 08:25 07:43 7-8 07:19 07:40 8-9 07:29 07:38 9-10 07:26 07:37 10-11 07:44 07:38 11-12 06:02 07:30 12-13 08:22 07:34 13-14 07:11 07:32 14-15 06:50 07:29 15-16 07:46 07:30 16-17 07:54 07:32 17-18 07:20 07:31 18-19 07:29 07:31 19-20 06:27 07:28 20-21 06:43 07:26 21-22 07:08 07:25 22-23 07:13 07:24 23-24 07:03 07:24 24-25 07:13 07:23 25-26 07:09 07:23 26+ 07:09 07:22

26.5 3:15:00 07:22 Watch Finishing Watch Distance Time Average Pace

Finishing Time 3:20

Mile Mile Pace Ave Pace 0-1 07:50 07:50 1-2 07:32 07:41 2-3 07:46 07:43 3-4 07:30 07:39 4-5 07:30 07:37 5-6 08:36 07:47 6-7 08:37 07:54 7-8 07:30 07:51 8-9 07:41 07:50 9-10 07:37 07:49 10-11 07:56 07:50 11-12 06:11 07:41 12-13 08:35 07:45 13-14 07:22 07:44 14-15 07:01 07:41 15-16 07:58 07:42 16-17 08:07 07:43 17-18 07:31 07:43 18-19 07:41 07:43 19-20 06:37 07:39 20-21 06:53 07:37 21-22 07:19 07:36 22-23 07:25 07:36 23-24 07:14 07:35 24-25 07:25 07:35 25-26 07:20 07:34 26+ 07:20 07:33

26.5 3:20:00 07:33 Watch Finishing Watch Distance Time Average Pace

Finishing Time 3:25

Mile Mile Pace Ave Pace 0-1 08:02 08:02 1-2 07:44 07:53 2-3 07:57 07:54 3-4 07:41 07:51 4-5 07:41 07:49 5-6 08:49 07:59 6-7 08:50 08:06 7-8 07:41 08:03 8-9 07:52 08:02 9-10 07:49 08:01 10-11 08:08 08:01 11-12 06:20 07:53 12-13 08:48 07:57 13-14 07:33 07:55 14-15 07:11 07:52 15-16 08:10 07:54 16-17 08:19 07:55 17-18 07:43 07:54 18-19 07:52 07:54 19-20 06:47 07:51 20-21 07:04 07:49 21-22 07:30 07:48 22-23 07:36 07:47 23-24 07:24 07:46 24-25 07:36 07:46 25-26 07:31 07:45 26+ 07:31 07:44

26.5 3:25:00 07:44 Watch Finishing Watch Distance Time Average Pace

Finishing Time 3:30

Mile Mile Pace Ave Pace 0-1 08:14 08:14 1-2 07:55 08:04 2-3 08:09 08:06 3-4 07:52 08:02 4-5 07:52 08:00 5-6 09:02 08:11 6-7 09:03 08:18 7-8 07:52 08:15 8-9 08:04 08:14 9-10 08:00 08:12 10-11 08:20 08:13 11-12 06:30 08:04 12-13 09:01 08:09 13-14 07:44 08:07 14-15 07:22 08:04 15-16 08:22 08:05 16-17 08:31 08:07 17-18 07:54 08:06 18-19 08:04 08:06 19-20 06:57 08:02 20-21 07:14 08:00 21-22 07:41 07:59 22-23 07:47 07:59 23-24 07:35 07:58 24-25 07:47 07:57 25-26 07:42 07:57 26+ 07:42 07:55

26.5 3:30:00 07:55 Watch Finishing Watch Distance Time Average Pace

Finishing Time 3:35

Mile Mile Pace Ave Pace 0-1 08:25 08:25 1-2 08:06 08:16 2-3 08:21 08:17 3-4 08:03 08:14 4-5 08:03 08:12 5-6 09:15 08:22 6-7 09:16 08:30 7-8 08:04 08:27 8-9 08:15 08:25 9-10 08:12 08:24 10-11 08:32 08:25 11-12 06:39 08:16 12-13 09:14 08:20 13-14 07:55 08:19 14-15 07:32 08:15 15-16 08:34 08:17 16-17 08:43 08:18 17-18 08:05 08:17 18-19 08:15 08:17 19-20 07:07 08:14 20-21 07:24 08:11 21-22 07:52 08:11 22-23 07:58 08:10 23-24 07:46 08:09 24-25 07:58 08:09 25-26 07:53 08:08 26+ 07:53 08:07

26.5 3:35:00 08:07 Watch Finishing Watch Distance Time Average Pace

Finishing Time 3:40

Mile Mile Pace Ave Pace 0-1 08:37 08:37 1-2 08:18 08:27 2-3 08:32 08:29 3-4 08:15 08:25 4-5 08:15 08:23 5-6 09:28 08:34 6-7 09:29 08:42 7-8 08:15 08:38 8-9 08:27 08:37 9-10 08:23 08:36 10-11 08:44 08:36 11-12 06:48 08:27 12-13 09:26 08:32 13-14 08:06 08:30 14-15 07:43 08:27 15-16 08:46 08:28 16-17 08:55 08:30 17-18 08:16 08:29 18-19 08:27 08:29 19-20 07:17 08:25 20-21 07:35 08:23 21-22 08:03 08:22 22-23 08:09 08:21 23-24 07:57 08:20 24-25 08:09 08:20 25-26 08:04 08:19 26+ 08:04 08:18

26.5 3:40:00 08:18 Watch Finishing Watch Distance Time Average Pace

Finishing Time 3:45

Mile Mile Pace Ave Pace 0-1 08:49 08:49 1-2 08:29 08:39 2-3 08:44 08:41 3-4 08:26 08:37 4-5 08:26 08:35 5-6 09:41 08:46 6-7 09:42 08:54 7-8 08:26 08:50 8-9 08:38 08:49 9-10 08:35 08:48 10-11 08:55 08:48 11-12 06:57 08:39 12-13 09:39 08:44 13-14 08:17 08:42 14-15 07:53 08:39 15-16 08:58 08:40 16-17 09:07 08:41 17-18 08:28 08:41 18-19 08:38 08:40 19-20 07:27 08:37 20-21 07:45 08:34 21-22 08:14 08:33 22-23 08:20 08:33 23-24 08:08 08:32 24-25 08:20 08:31 25-26 08:15 08:31 26+ 08:15 08:29

26.5 3:45:00 08:29 Watch Finishing Watch Distance Time Average Pace

Finishing Time 3:50

Mile Mile Pace Ave Pace 0-1 09:01 09:01 1-2 08:40 08:50 2-3 08:55 08:52 3-4 08:37 08:48 4-5 08:37 08:46 5-6 09:54 08:57 6-7 09:55 09:06 7-8 08:37 09:02 8-9 08:50 09:01 9-10 08:46 08:59 10-11 09:07 09:00 11-12 07:07 08:51 12-13 09:52 08:55 13-14 08:28 08:53 14-15 08:04 08:50 15-16 09:10 08:51 16-17 09:20 08:53 17-18 08:39 08:52 18-19 08:50 08:52 19-20 07:37 08:48 20-21 07:55 08:46 21-22 08:25 08:45 22-23 08:31 08:44 23-24 08:19 08:43 24-25 08:31 08:43 25-26 08:26 08:42 26+ 08:26 08:41

26.5 3:50:00 08:41 Watch Finishing Watch Distance Time Average Pace

Finishing Time 3:55

Mile Mile Pace Ave Pace 0-1 09:12 09:12 1-2 08:51 09:02 2-3 09:07 09:04 3-4 08:48 09:00 4-5 08:48 08:58 5-6 10:07 09:09 6-7 10:08 09:17 7-8 08:49 09:14 8-9 09:01 09:12 9-10 08:58 09:11 10-11 09:19 09:12 11-12 07:16 09:02 12-13 10:05 09:07 13-14 08:39 09:05 14-15 08:14 09:02 15-16 09:22 09:03 16-17 09:32 09:05 17-18 08:50 09:04 18-19 09:01 09:04 19-20 07:47 09:00 20-21 08:06 08:57 21-22 08:36 08:56 22-23 08:42 08:56 23-24 08:29 08:55 24-25 08:42 08:54 25-26 08:37 08:53 26+ 08:37 08:52

26.5 3:55:00 08:52 Watch Finishing Watch Distance Time Average Pace

Finishing Time 4:00

Mile Mile Pace Ave Pace 0-1 09:24 09:24 1-2 09:03 09:13 2-3 09:19 09:15 3-4 09:00 09:11 4-5 09:00 09:09 5-6 10:19 09:21 6-7 10:21 09:29 7-8 09:00 09:26 8-9 09:13 09:24 9-10 09:09 09:23 10-11 09:31 09:23 11-12 07:25 09:14 12-13 10:18 09:19 13-14 08:50 09:17 14-15 08:25 09:13 15-16 09:34 09:14 16-17 09:44 09:16 17-18 09:02 09:15 18-19 09:13 09:15 19-20 07:57 09:11 20-21 08:16 09:09 21-22 08:47 09:08 22-23 08:53 09:07 23-24 08:40 09:06 24-25 08:53 09:05 25-26 08:48 09:05 26+ 08:48 09:03

26.5 4:00:00 09:03 Watch Finishing Watch Distance Time Average Pace