When someone talks about running, we often picture an oval track or a trail through the woods. But for millions of people, running paths are made of asphalt and concrete. Today, we’ll discuss all the considerations you should make before you venture into the world of urban running. Written by Lucas Collins Edited by Pavlína Marek Running on pavement might seem the same as running on other surfaces. However, there are many different things to take into consideration when you choose to go for a jog on the road or a sidewalk, from the obvious ones, like safety, to more nuanced ones such as a lack ..read more

Most of us view “runner” as an essential part of our identity. It’s not just something we do. We live, breathe, eat, and sleep for our sport. From giving up Friday happy hour so that we can nail our Saturday long run to early pre-work speed sessions, we make sacrifices for our sport. Often, our social lives revolve around it as well—running buddies we meet in our local group become life-long friends, and certain races are the can’t-miss parties of the year. We want to be able to continue this life-long love well past our 20s, 30s, and 40s. And nutrition can play an essential role in this. Toda ..read more

As discussed previously, the long run is the foundation of your training, no matter the distance of the event you’ve signed up for. In the previous article in this series, we went over all the ways that the long run benefits you, both physically and mentally, and why it’s important to prioritize them in your training. There’s a ton of great information out there covering the topic, but I’m going to take this post as an opportunity to go over some logistics in three simple W’s. Let’s go! Written by Coach Karen Peterson Edited by Pavlína Marek WHEN The days when you have fewer obligations are al ..read more

In comparison to other cities, San Francisco is quite small. Surrounded on three sides by water, the City by the Bay has nowhere to grow, which allows for plenty of green spaces to remain more or less untouched. There are the Marin Headlands right across the Golden Gate Bridge, and many state and regional parks dot the peninsula just south of the city. Even with all this natural space nearby, San Francisco is dappled with green spaces within, all of which can be reached without a car. Written by Pavlína Marek Beaches The waves of the Pacific Ocean wash right up against the western end of the c ..read more

You’ve run your race, now it’s time to refuel. Where to eat after the San Francisco Marathon? Whether you like a good burger, prefer some fresh oysters, or crave the best Japanese vegan food inspired by Zen Buddhist recipes, you’re in the right place in San Francisco. Dive into the food scene of the City by the Bay, dig in, and enjoy! Written by Pavlína Marek The Perfect Post-Race Meal There are as many perfect post-race meals as there are runners—and you can (most likely) find them all in San Francisco. The Ferry Building If you’re a beer-and-burger kind of marathoner, what about heading to t ..read more

When I relocated from the San Francisco Bay Area to the Front Range of Northern Colorado in 2015, I knew I’d have some adjustments to make in the respiratory department. Living at 5,000 feet above sea level, and regularly traveling to higher elevations to train and race, I could feel the strains on my endurance and pace. What I never anticipated was developing asthma—not from lack of oxygen, but from the particulates, pollutants, and ozone plaguing this part of the country due to topography and rapid growth. It was time to employ some breathing techniques to help me face these challenges. Writ ..read more

The first winner of the San Francisco Marathon’s NB+ category, Cal Calamia, is heading to the world-famous Boston Marathon. A gender-expansive runner, Calamia is one of the thousands of runners who can, for the first time ever, run this course as themselves. Why was Calamia ready to give up on their dream of running Boston? How did the San Francisco Marathon help pave the way? And what does Calamia’s training look like? Read this and more in the following article. Written & edited by Pavlína Marek In 2022, Cal Calamia was the first runner in the NB+ category to cross the finish line of the ..read more

Some may love it, some may dread it, but almost all runners will do it: the long run. It’s an integral part of many runners’ training plans and although some are nowadays stepping away from the practice, instead splitting their long runs into two sessions, the majority of people training for their goal races will be sacrificing their weekend mornings and days to these runs. If you’re one of us hitting the roads and trails for longer than usual, Coach K is here to walk you through the long run and all its intricacies. (This is the first in a three-part series covering the long run. We’ll look a ..read more

You’re registered for your goal race, and you’ve committed to training so that you can be as prepared as possible to toe the line. You have a training plan to follow and, for the next few months, you’ll steadily and thoughtfully increase your mileage for the demands of race day. Heck, you’ve even bought fresh running shoes. You’re ready to go. Or are you? You’re taking care of the physical part of the challenge, but what about mental training? Written by Coach K (coachk1964[AT]gmail.com) Edited by Pavlína Marek Now that you’re digging into your workouts, it’s time to set yourself up with some ..read more

Welcome to the Trail and Ultra Running Special! Whether you’re new to trails and have never heard of ultrarunning or you’re a seasoned trail beast who has run conquered distances some don’t even like to drive, this one’s for you. Written and edited by Pavlína Marek Sure, roads are great, especially when they take you on a marathon adventure across the Golden Gate Bridge or through San Francisco’s most vibrant neighborhoods. We must know—after all, for 45 years, we’ve been putting on a race to showcase just that! However, the hearts of some of our runners and staff alike are lit on fire by more ..read more