How Running The SF Marathon Gave Him A Sense of Purpose After The Death Of A Loved One

On March 20, 2016, Jonathan’s mom, Shelley, passed away after a five-year battle with ovarian cancer. Jonathan not only lost his mom, but he also lost his sense of purpose. His career, his PhD, his entire profession has been in cancer research -- even before his mom was diagnosed with cancer. So, even though he understood her diagnosis ... More

What Makes The San Francisco Marathon The Perfect Destination Race

Written by 2020 San Francisco Marathon Ambassador, Lindsay Walter. Lindsay is a social media influencer, alopecia ambassador, and health advocate.   Anytime there is an opportunity to travel and run a marathon I always jump on the chance to do so. And then, add in the chance to run in San Francisco along the water, right by all of ... More

Gold Story: Mom of 4, Nurse, Runner. SF Marathon Course Record Holder Anna Bretan Does It All!

Running has been a part of Anna Bretan’s life for as long as she can remember. Her parents have always been runners, and still are even in their 60s. Her three brothers all run, and Anna started running in high school. “Running totally suits who I am,” Anna said. “I joined the cross country team in high school and they were all ... More

BEYOND GOLDEN GATE PARK | TAKING THE RACE THROUGH THE CITY

Contributed by Erin Mara, a writer and runner living in San Francisco. Above: August 19, 1984 – San Francisco, California, United States: Runners in Golden Gate Park, with the Conservatory of Flowers in the background, during The San Francisco Marathon. (Steve Ringman / San Francisco Chronicle / Polaris) After the inaugural San ... More

OLYMPIC DREAMS

Contributed by Erin Mara, a writer and runner living in San Francisco. Above: August 19, 1984 – San Francisco, California, United States: Runners in Golden Gate Park, with the Conservatory of Flowers in the background, during The San Francisco Marathon. (Steve Ringman / San Francisco Chronicle / Polaris) The San Francisco Marathon has ... More

MORE THAN JUST A RACE | WHAT RUNNING THE SAN FRANCISCO MARATHON MEANS

THE SAN FRANCISCO MARATHON IS MORE THAN A RACE FOR SOME RUNNERS — IT’S A TIME TO HEAL AND PERSEVERE. CANCER SURVIVORS, STROKE VICTIMS, AND OTHERS PUSH THROUGH STRUGGLES AND SADNESS WITH EVERY MILE. Contributed by Erin Mara, a writer and runner living in San Francisco. Illustrations by inoutlines Carol Dellinger, 54, Spokane, ... More

WHY RUNNERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD RUN THE SAN FRANCISCO MARATHON

Contributed by Erin Mara, a writer and runner living in San Francisco. Illustrations by inoutlines We polled San Francisco Marathon runners and asked them what they loved about the race, plus what lessons running has taught them along the way. A few common themes came up, so read on to learn about why racers love running in San ... More

HOW THE SAN FRANCISCO MARATHON GOT ITS START

Above: August 19, 1984 – San Francisco, California, United States: Runners in Golden Gate Park, with the Conservatory of Flowers in the background, during The San Francisco Marathon. (Steve Ringman / San Francisco Chronicle / Polaris) Contributed by Erin Mara, a writer and runner living in San Francisco. The San Francisco Marathon — ... More

WHY LOCALS LOVE RUNNING THE SAN FRANCISCO MARATHON

Contributed by Erin Mara, a writer and runner living in San Francisco. Illustrations by inoutlines Jorge Leiva, 45, San Francisco Loves the beauty of the city, as he realized while running. Jorge grew up in San Francisco, but now fully appreciates the city’s scenery after running two San Francisco Half Marathons. This year, he ... More

How A Health Scare Motivated This Runner To Run A 50K For Her 50th Birthday | Runner Spotlight Series

“I don’t know how to swim, I don’t know how to ride a bike, but I can run!” San Francisco Marathon runner Marlena said when she decided to start running. At the age of 43, Marlena thought she may be having a stroke. She’s a nurse, so she knows the symptoms, and she ended up in the emergency room while she was having a really bad ... More