Race: San Francisco Marathon
Runner: Coach Stephanie Hamilton
Race Date: 07/26/2026
Location: San Francisco, California
Results: 03:13:09
Elevation Gain: 1300 feet
Start Time: 5:15am PST
Race Summary:
As soon as I registered for The San Francisco Marathon, I instantly LOCKED IN.
The early mornings. The two-a-days. The Saturday long runs. ALL OF IT.
I had one clear goal: Qualify for the 2027 Boston Marathon.
Come race week, I knew I had put in the work, but I started to question whether I had done enough. Had I trained hills hard enough? Should I have done more? Those were the only thoughts going through my mind for the 48-hours leading up to race day: What if I hadn’t done enough?
And then it was here. Race day. With the Boston Qualifying time for my age group being sub 3:25, my goal was to run with the 3:20 pace group to ensure I had a buffer given the competitive field over the last several years. As I entered the first corral and spotted my pace group, there was only one thing on my mind:
“Just hang onto this group, Stef. Hang on, that is all you need to do.”
The first 8 miles were a mental challenge. My legs were shaky from nerves and my mind even more so. I was feeling nervous, excited, motivated, overwhelmed and everything in between. 
As the race continued, I saw the first hill approaching. I was filled with dread. I expected discomfort and demotivation, even panic – but that is not what I felt. Instead, I felt… ease.
Ease, because the very first hill felt EASY.
But that didn’t matter. I knew there were 22+ hilly miles to go. Then we hit the next hill – the hill leading up to the Golden Gate Bridge. This is the hill everyone talks about, the hill I had been bracing myself for. And once more… I surprised myself. I was passing people left and right, and the more people I passed, the more confident I became.
At mile 8, I started to pull away from the pace group. My body had found its rhythm. I was nervous at first – was I picking it up too early? But each mile felt better than the last and my pace continued to quicken. Mile by mile I watched the gap between my target pace and current pace increase. I was cruising.
And I was loving every second of it.
About halfway through the race, with all the major hills behind me, it hit me – I was on track to qualify for Boston. All I needed to do was maintain pace. With a lingering grin at the thought, I continued. Miles 13-21 are kind of a blur. The next thing I knew, I was coming up on mile 22 and realized that the 3:15 pace group was within sight. Dang, I thought to myself: “How cool would it be to catch them?!”
And catch them I did.
At this point, my legs were shot. Each step downhill felt like a dagger to my quads.
One foot in front of the other, Stef, just put one foot in front of the other, I kept repeating to myself.
And then I was at mile 25. 1 mile left, and I was still on pace. I was going to do it – I was going to qualify for Boston.
I crossed the finish line and felt a rush of emotions. Before I had time to process the thoughts going through my head, I heard my name and turned to see my husband sporting the biggest grin. “I DID IT BABE, I DID IT!” I yelled, matching his grin.
And then came the tears. Tears of relief. Tears of joy. But most of all, tears of pride. I had done what I had set out to do. I had put in the work, and I had proved to myself that hard work pays off. I did it.
I qualified for the 2027 Boston Marathon.
What Were Your Three Favorite Aspects of the Race?
The Temperature 🌡️
I live in Key West, Florida so let’s just say my training runs were a little steamy this summer. 🥵 San Francisco was a breath of fresh air, LITERALLY! I had decided I wanted to qualify for Boston in March, and knowing the September cutoff, my options were limited in terms of finding a marathon with “good racing weather”. I can confidently say that I found one of the “coolest” races of the summer!
The Views 🌅
The word GORGEOUS does not even begin to describe the natural beauty of this course. The sun rose just as we made the climb up to the Golden Gate Bridge and I audibly let out an “OH MY GOSH” at the peak. It is a mental image I will NEVER forget! Between the ocean front views and mountainous landscape, there is something for everyone to appreciate and enjoy! 🤩
The CHALLENGE ⛰️
With a 1300-foot elevation gain, the San Francisco Marathon is not exactly the ideal BQ course. In fact, once the gun went off, I heard the announcer say to the crowd, “qualifying for the Boston Marathon on this course is not for the faint hearted”. Well, that certainly didn’t help my nerves! 😅 Now, after accomplishing my goal, I can look back and say with confidence that the challenge made the reward that much more satisfying.
Were There Any Aspects of the Race That “Just Didn’t Do It for You?”
The last 5 miles were primarily downhill. 😩 Typically, a downhill finish is a blessing, but that is most certainly NOT the case after 1300-feet of elevation change! My quads were SHOT! When I say each step was a challenge, I mean each step was accompanied by both a wince and a grimace. 😅 I prepared well for the uphills… the downhills not so much (lesson learned!).
What Was the Weirdest Thing About This Race?
The fact that it took place in the ONLY city in the United States that had temperatures in the 50’s in the middle of July! I felt #BLESSED! 🙏🏻
Share Your Pro Tips: What Would Another Runner Want to Know Before Registering?
🏋️♀️ DON’T SKIP LEG DAY – BUILD THOSE QUAD MUSCLES!
The downhills are even more difficult than the uphills. Building quad strength will alleviate the pain during the race and eliminate the hobbling (and difficulty using the bathroom) after the race! During my next marathon build I plan to incorporate heel elevated goblet squats, which target your quads, glutes and core!
🔑 STAY IN ACCOMMODATIONS CLOSE TO THE START LINE!
Over 30,000 athletes participated in race weekend and the start line and surrounding area was PACKED! We stayed at the Hyatt Regency which was conveniently located less than a block from the start. The proximity came in handy on two occasions.
About 15 minutes until go time, I realized I had forgotten my Race Pace Bracelet in the hotel room… my heart dropped. I had purchased the bracelet the day after I registered for the race with the intention of wearing it every long run to manifest the BQ time I needed. When I realized I did not have it with me, I turned to my husband and the next thing I know he is running up to the room to grab it – total life saver! 🥰
Minutes before the gun went off, nature called. 💩
Oh no. The outhouse lines were a block long, and I am NOT exaggerating. I had to make a split-second decision – risk it, or “race” up to the hotel room. I made the right call. I got my pre-race strides in and got back to the start line with 5 minutes to spare and could not have been more grateful that I had the opportunity to do so!
The hotel also offered amazing runner perks including room discounts, unlimited complimentary water bottles, a pre-race pasta dinner, and a post-race brunch buffet! 🍳
The Aesthetics: Are they Good?!
Let’s just say “pretty” is an UNDERSTATEMENT! The course is simply STUNNING! I am not one to run with my phone, and have never been interested in Meta Glasses, but seeing several runners capture the beauty of the moment with a click of a button made me reconsider my opinion for my next scenic race!
Between the Golden Gate Bridge, amazing sunrise, mountainous landscape and ocean views, I could not have imagined a more scenic route! This is without doubt the most beautiful course I have ever had the privilege of running!
Difficulty: Is It a Tough Course?
With the 1300-foot elevation gain, the course is intimidating, but I would say the BARK is worse than the BITE! The uphills were challenging, but the scenic views served as a distraction throughout. As long as you are willing to incorporate weekly hill workouts into your training plan, you will be fine!
Organized: Did It Feel Like a Well-Oiled Machine or Were They Flying by the Seat of Their Pants?
I was extremely impressed with every organizational aspect of this race!
Communication
Upon registering, I received weekly emails ranging from training tips to accommodation suggestions. I read them all (which, to be honest, says a lot! 😂)
Packet Pick Up
My experience with packet pickup was seamless! There were a variety of races offered over the weekend, and the organization did an AMAZING job differentiating where the runners of each distance needed to go to pick up their pre-race packs.
Expo
I have been to my fair share of marathon expos and was genuinely impressed by this one! They had amazing merch in addition to a variety of hands-on activities! You were able to “pin” your home location (it felt pretty cool to be able to pin myself on an island!) as well as a variety of dry erase boards where you were able to share your mindset! Mine was “grateful”, in my favorite color, of course! 🩵
Race Day
From start to finish the race ran smoothly. The corals were clearly labeled, and I had no issue locating my entrance point. Rehydration and aid stations were plentiful throughout the course, appropriately manned and ORGANIZED! Official results and photos were available mere hours after the race concluded. My only (and I mean ONLY) complaint was lack of onsite outhouses I was lucky (and extremely grateful) that I was staying in a hotel less than a block away!
Competition: Is There a Strong Field?
I would say it is fairly competitive, given the elevation!
Top Three Males: 2:26:25, 2:27:48, 2:30:43
Top Three Females: 2:45:14, 2:52:29, 2:58:11
With my time of 3:13:09 I was: 204th overall, 13th overall female & 2nd in my age group (30-34)
Spectators: Is This a Friendly Course for Friends & Family?
Unfortunately, it is not. My husband and parents were able to see me start and finish, but that is about it. There were groups of spectators scattered along the way, but it was not feasible to make it from the start / finish to any of the other viewing points.
The SWAG: Was It Good?
All runners received a dry fit long sleeve with the Golden Gate Bridge on the back as well as a Golden Gate Bridge finisher medal! 🏅
Overall Score: How Many Stars Do You Give This Race, and Would You Recommend It?
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars!
I recommend this race to ANYONE and EVERYONE!
Whether you are an experienced marathon runner or just getting started, this is a race I think everyone would enjoy! Not only is the course itself awe-inspiring, but the city of San Francisco has so much else to offer!
Not ready for a marathon? There are a variety of other distances offered including a 1K fun run, 5K and half marathon!
I am truly blessed. I have been running competitively for over 20 years, and my parents have never missed a race. From middle school all the way through college, they traveled near and far to support and cheer me on. 🫶🏻
At the end of my collegiate career, we came up with an idea – whenever I registered for a race, we would make a family vacation out of it! New family tradition unlocked! 🔓
That said, not only do I want to share my race experience, but my tourist experience as well! 📸
Things to Do in San Francisco Before & After the Race:
Attractions:
🚡 Experience an old school San Francisco Cable Car
⛴️ Take a Ferry Ride to Sausalito
🎣 Dine & Shop on Fisherman’s Wharf
🦭 Scope out the seals on Pier 39
🏬 Explore the Embarcadero Center
🍷 Order a flight at Artesa Winery
🚕 Rent a Waymo
Restaurants:
🥯 Start your day with breakfast bagel at Posh Bakery
🍕 Enjoy a taste of Italy at Bar Bocce
🍤 Snack on coconut shrimp at Luau Lounge
🦪 Savor clam chowder at Eclipse Kitchen & Bar
🍹 Relax with a cocktail at Pier 23