Elevation Celebration: New Miles in Marin County (Explore the New SFM Half Marathon Course!)

On the Golden Gate Bridge’s north tower, between miles 7 and 8, Marathon runners and Bridge Half runners will spot a sign indicating they’re entering Marin County. If you’re one of these runners, when you arrive at this sign, it’s time to gird your quadriceps because you’re about to cruise down some steep hills for the next several miles. Next, you’ll find a lengthy flat section just above sea level followed by a challenging uphill back to the Bridge. As a bonus, these miles are also a part of SFM’s new Bridge Half Marathon course!

Written by SFM Ambassador Scott Benbow
Edited by Pavlína Marek

For runners who have tackled the San Francisco Marathon more than once, the northern portion of the race has steadily increased in length over the years. In 2025, runners of the Bridge Half and the Marathon will run more than four miles in Marin County.

Get Ready for a Rollercoaster Ride

This part of the race is in Sausalito, the southernmost town in Marin County. You’ll be running through the Marin Headlands and into the town’s beautiful residential area for approximately four miles. The Headlands are steep, gorgeous, and will likely be shrouded in morning fog when most runners get to this section of the race.

Parts of this town resemble Italy’s Amalfi Coast, with homes scattered dramatically on steep cliffs. Other parts of the course in Sausalito are pancake-flat and close to sea level.

Fun for Kids and Their Parents

Need fun activities for children traveling with you? For parents traveling with kids, the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito is an excellent place to spend a day resting your marathon-ready legs before the race while your children run around and play in creative indoor and outdoor playgrounds. When my son was a toddler and for a few years after, he loved our frequent visits to the museum.

The museum sits in Fort Baker, a 120-year-old former U.S. Army post. Like Crissy Field and the Presidio on the San Francisco side of the Bridge, Fort Baker is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGRNA). From almost anywhere in Fort Baker, you’ll have an awesome view of its GGRNA cousins. Farther to the southeast, if it’s not too foggy, the breathtaking skyline of San Francisco looms in the distance. Closer to the east you’ll also see Angel Island and Alcatraz.

Getting there is Half the Fun

Take a ferry from the aptly named Ferry Building in San Francisco. You’ll recognize the Ferry Building as the location of the start and finish lines of the Marathon.

The ferry will drop you off in downtown Sausalito approximately 2 miles from Fort Baker. It’s walkable, but the sidewalks are narrow. This might be a time to spare your legs and take public transit, rideshare, or a taxi.

During the race, Sausalito will mark two important points for the runners. While the new SFM half marathon runners might start ‘smelling the barn,’ marathon runners will begin nearing the halfway point. The miles after you leave the beautiful town of Sausalito and head back over the bridge are when many will start taking stock of their energy reserves, hydration, and general confidence about the miles in front of them.

While contemplating the remaining miles of your race, you’ll see sites that will remind you why you chose to run the country’s most beautiful city (and two-county) Marathon. Welcome and enjoy!

About Scott Benbow

Scott Benbow is a San Francisco Marathon Ambassador, attorney, nonprofit specialist, and passionate SFM runner. He lives in San Francisco and runs the hills of our incredibly beautiful city with us every year.