When we first moved to SF I was so intimidated by the hills that I ran on the treadmill my first day. The second day I went for it. We were in Nob Hill/Chinatown border. I would run up Jackson Street as far as needed than turn around. If Jackson street wasn’t enough I would run into the Presidio Park that begins at the end of Jackson. On long runs I ran to the Presidio Park and run down to Crissy Field and across the Golden Gate Bridge.
The views in SF are aaaamazing. That first run when I saw that Golden Gate Bridge was breathtaking (I was in SF just a few months prior to run the SF marathon, and I lived in Berkeley for 2 years so it’s not like I had never seen it before, but it’s just so beautiful!). I would run along Lovers Lane in the Presidio area which was challenging but beautiful because you’re in the forest. I love how diverse the bay area is-forest, ocean, bustling city, amazing architecture, and unique districts. I never ran in the Cow Hollow District, but that was my favorite area to walk around get food (I talk about the best restaurants in San Francisco in this post).
There are flat areas in SF (Crissy Field and the Embarcadero) but if you’re running long, then there’s no way to stay flat forever. That month running so many hills did wonders for my speed though! When we moved to Sac it was so exciting to see those fast paces! And after the first week, I started to love the challenge of the hills.
We were there in September and it had sunny, warm days, but with running in the morning I can’t remember any days where I felt HOT. It wasn’t cold though either, basically ideal running conditions.
Overall, I loved running the San Francisco. There’s always sidewalks and even though you’re at sea level, the hills give you an advantage over runners from other areas. While living here is when I bought my first hydration pack-not like Santa Monica with regular water fountains.
It can also be a bit more rainy, but thanks to Portland I’ve learned what makes running in the rain bearable, and even enjoyable!
Beautiful!