San Francisco Marathon

Last updated

San Francisco Marathon
DateJuly
Location San Francisco, California, United States
Event type Road
DistanceMarathon, Half Marathon, Ultramarathon, 10k, and 5K
Established1977(48 years ago) (1977)
Official site www.thesfmarathon.com

The San Francisco Marathon is an annual USATF-certified road running event held in San Francisco, California, that includes a full marathon, two half marathons, an ultramarathon, [1] a 10k, [2] and a 5K. [3] With the exceptions of 1988, 1993, and 2020, the marathon has been held annually since 1977. [4] The marathon starts and finishes on the Embarcadero near the Ferry Building and crosses the Golden Gate Bridge. [5] It is a qualifying race for the Boston Marathon. [6]

Contents

History

The first San Francisco Marathon was organized by the Pamakids Runners Club, and was held on July 10, 1977. [7] The inaugural was won by Athol Barton, a taxicab driver from New Zealand who at the time lived in Reno, Nevada in a time of 2:24:59. [4] [8] Fewer than 900 ran this inaugural race. [8] The event's all-time record for marathon finishers came in 1983 with 7,231. [9] An estimated 7,800 runners participated in the various events in 2004 [10] and 11,290 in 2005. [11] This number had increased to approximately 19,000 in 2008 [12] and 21,000 in 2009 [13] The 2009 event was hosted by ultramarathoner Dean Karnazes and Runner's World columnist Bart Yasso. [3]

In 2005, 356 of the 4,873 finishers qualified for Boston. [14] Of the 4,021 finishers in 2006, 277 qualified. [15] 2010's race produced 462 qualifiers, [16] 468 runners qualified in 2011, [17] 377 qualified in 2012, [18] and 2016's race produced 296 qualifiers. [19] 2018's race produced 324 Boston Marathon qualifiers. [20]

The purse has also varied from year to year. In 1977, Barton took home a t-shirt for his efforts. [8] When Pete Pfitzinger won in 1986, he earned $5,000 and a new car. [8] Although many top runners were attracted to the $35,000 purse that was offered in 1998 ($10,000 for first place, $5,000 for second place, $2,500 for third place), [21] no prize money was offered from 1999 through 2001. [22] [23] [24] From 2002 to 2004, $10,000 was divided among the winners. [25] [26] [27] Prize money has not been offered since 2005, primarily due to lack of large sponsors. [28] [29] [30]

The 2020 in-person edition of the race was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with all registrants given the option of running the race virtually, or transferring their entry to 2021 for a US$39 fee. [a] [32] [33] [34] The 2021 race was held on September 18–19th, 2021.

Controversies

In 2024, organizers admitted to miscalculating the race distance for one of the half marathon races. Participants found out two days after the race that the course had only been 12.6 miles instead of 13.1. [35] There are two half marathon races offered, a "city half" and a "bridge half"; the "city half" half-marathon was the course that was short. [36]

Course

The current marathon course forms a loop that starts and finishes on the Embarcadero near the Ferry Building. [3] The course runs past many notable landmarks in San Francisco including Fisherman's Wharf, Aquatic Park, the Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, and Oracle Park. [37] The course briefly enters Marin County at the northern end of the Golden Gate Bridge. [38]

The marathon course has undergone a number of changes since its inception. [4] [8] [25] [39] In the late 1980s, the start was moved from Marin County to San Francisco. [40] In 1999, race organizers made a number of changes to make the course faster. [22] That year the course was altered to start and end near the Polo Fields in Golden Gate Park and the run across the Golden Gate Bridge was eliminated. [22] Previous routes have taken the marathon along the Great Highway. [25] In 2002, the start/finish at Golden Gate Park was moved to the Embarcadero with a run across the Golden Gate Bridge. [41]

The first half marathon originally crossed the Golden Gate Bridge along the full marathon, but was eliminated in 2018 due to security and safety concerns. Previously, the full marathon and first half marathon ran on the roadbed of the bridge, shutting down automobile traffic for two lanes. [42]

There are two half-marathon races offered, a "Bridge Half", which ends near the Golden Gate Bridge, and a "City Half", which begins in Golden Gate Park. [36]

In 2002, the San Francisco Marathon was the fictionalized backdrop for an episode of Monk entitled "Mr. Monk and the Marathon Man." [43]

Winners

DateMenCountryTimeWomenCountryTimeFinishers
July 27, 2024 Charlie Lawrence Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:22:30Jenna WolfrumFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:52:105770 [44]
July 23, 2023 Brice Daubord [45] Flag of France.svg  France 2:26:17Leandra Zimmermann [45] Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:45:594979
July 24, 2022Simon RicciFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:31:42Brooke StarnFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:44:384080
September 19, 2021 Gregory Billington Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:20:42 Judith Corachán Vaquera Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 2:55:333189
2020cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic [32]
July 28, 2019 Gregory Billington Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:25:25Nina ZarinaANA flag (2017).svg  Authorised Neutral Athletes 2:47:015226 [46]
July 29, 2018Jorge MaravillaFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:27:56Bonnie TranFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:54:095242 [47]
July 23, 2017Jorge MaravillaFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:28:23Devin McMahonFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:52:496510 [48]
July 31, 2016Max Haines-StilesFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:30:42Tori TylerFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:49:516270 [49]
July 26, 2015Chris MockoFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:26:22Anna BretanFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:49:426026 [50]
July 27, 2014August BrautigamFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:32:17Anna BretanFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:47:516580 [51]
June 16, 2013Francois LhuissierFlag of France.svg  France 2:25:15 CRAnna BretanFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:42:26 CR5827 [52]
July 29, 2012Nathan KrahFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:26:44Devon Crosby-HelmsFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:44:026494 [53]
July 31, 2011Michael WardianFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:27:06Emily FieldFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:50:246020 [54]
July 25, 2010Keith BechtolFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:23:28Emily HardinFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:51:545992 [55]
July 26, 2009Andrew CookFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:26:32 Yoko Shibui Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 2:46:345101 [56]
August 3, 2008Chad WorthenFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:31:52Lauren GustafsonFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:52:334,354 [57] 4,447 [58]
July 29, 2007Andrew CookFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:25:57Yolanda FlaminoFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:43:414,250 [59] 4,275 [60]
July 30, 2006Andrew CookFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:26:46Julia StampsFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:54:554,021 [15] [61] 4,062 [60]
July 31, 2005Tony TorresFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:31:57Sarah HallasFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:56:554,869 [60] 4,873 [14] [62] 4,918 [11]
August 1, 2004John WeruFlag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 2:33:41Susan LokenFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:50:212,665 [60] [63]
July 27, 2003Patrick KamauFlag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 2:35:11Lucy CarrFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 3:02:001,891 [64]
July 28, 2002Nate BowenFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:31:46 Magdalena Lewy Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:50:111,920 [65]
July 8, 2001Vytautas EzerskisFlag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania 2:30:53Micha LoweFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 3:12:102,249 [66]
July 9, 2000Michael BuchananFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:32:49Lisa MurphyFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 3:08:152,345 [67]
July 11, 1999Brad HawthorneFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:24:36Patti SmithFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 3:09:44
July 12, 1998Hamid OubadrissFlag of France.svg  France 2:23:54 Salina Chirchir Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 2:45:36
July 13, 1997Hamid MiloudiFlag of Algeria.svg  Algeria 2:26:49Kristen OrreFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 3:02:33
July 14, 1996Brad LaelFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:37:27Margee BrownFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:57:45
July 9, 1995Hector LopezFlag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 2:23:38Lisa KelpFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:51:12
July 31, 1994Patrick MuturiFlag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 2:17:34 Karolina Szabo Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary 2:44:34
July 18, 1993 Driss Dacha Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco 2:20:02Tatiana TitovaFlag of Russia.svg  Russia 2:40:32
August 30, 1992Sergio JimenezFlag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 2:16:44 Irina Bogachova Flag of Kyrgyzstan.svg  Kyrgyzstan 2:36:54
June 23, 1991Daniel MartinezFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:15:31 Lesley Ann Lehane Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:35:33
July 1, 1990 Antonio Niemczak Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 2:13:48 Janis Klecker Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:39:52
July 9, 1989Ernest TjelaFlag of Lesotho.svg  Lesotho 2:15:01Stephanie RobertsonFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 3:09:08
1988not held
July 19, 1987 Mehmet Terzi Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey 2:14:07Eileen ClaugusFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:39:02
July 20, 1986 Pete Pfitzinger Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:13:29 Maria Trujillo Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:37:58
July 21, 1985 Ric Sayre Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:15:07Kersti JakobsenFlag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 2:38:04
August 19, 1984Simeon KigenFlag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 2:10:18 Katy Laetsch Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:35:56
July 24, 1983 Pete Pfitzinger Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:14:45 Janis Klecker Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:35:447,231 [9]
July 11, 1982Miguel TibaduizaFlag of Colombia.svg  Colombia 2:14:32 Nancy Ditz Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:44:05
July 12, 1981Harold SchulzFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:15:17 Laurie Binder Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:38:04
July 13, 1980Antonio RamirezFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:18:15Joann DahlkoetterFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:43:20
July 8, 1979John MorenoFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:18:54Carol YoungFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:49:46
July 9, 1978Steven PalladinoFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:21:15Sue PetersenFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:50:15
July 10, 1977Athol BartonFlag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 2:24:59Tena HarmsFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States 2:53:20
Countries Winners Represented
CountryMaleFemaleTotal
Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States 263662
Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 415
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 202
Flag of Algeria.svg  Algeria 101
Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia 101
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 011
Flag of France.svg  France 202
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary 011
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 011
Flag of Kyrgyzstan.svg  Kyrgyzstan 011
Flag of Lesotho.svg  Lesotho 101
Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania 101
Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco 101
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 101
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 101
Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey 101
Flag of Russia.svg  Russia 011
ANA flag (2017).svg  Authorised Neutral Athletes 011

NOTE: Due to World Athletics policies, the 2019 win by Zarina is legally listed as an Authorised Neutral Athlete because of policies related to Doping in Russia.

Notes

  1. It had initially been postponed to 2020.11.15 before being cancelled. [31]

References

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