* I received a free entry to for the SoFi Golden Gate Half Marathon as part
of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about
becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews!
So you may have seen that I am a brand ambassador for
the 2016 SoFi Golden Gate Half
Marathon in San Francisco on November 6, 2016. This has been one of my bucket list races
since I first heard about the race a few years back. This used to be called the US Half
Marathon. The idea of running across the
Golden Gate Bridge sounds amazing and there is no way that the amazing scenery
couldn’t motivate you when your legs get tired.
I also perform better in colder races so I am hoping for a really good
showing, especially since it is about one month before I race the California
International Marathon in Sacramento on December 4th.
I want to share some details about the race itself and
don’t miss the coupon code I will post at the bottom to save you 10% off your
registration.
Sponsors
SoFi and Muscle Milk
Course
You start the race at the Muni Pier in Aquatic
Park. You can get some great pre-race
pictures with the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz in the background. The race
starts out by taking you through the marina and Presidio on your way to the
Golden Gate Bridge. You cross the bridge
on the eastern walkway toward Vista Point and then you head back toward San
Francisco on the western walkway. While
on the bridge, you can take in the amazing views of the ocean, Baker Beach, and
the beautiful skyline of San Francisco.
Once over the bridge, you head down to Fort Point and back through the
Marina to the Great Meadow at Fort Mason where the finish line and your awesome
medal will be waiting for you.
Expo
and Packet Pickup
The expo will be held the day before the race
(Saturday, November 5th) from 10:00 AM-6:00 PM. The location will be announced shortly. You will have to attend the expo to pick up
your race bib and event tee. There are
some options which will allow you to either get the bib and timing chip mailed
to you or you can pick it up on race day (both options have an additional fee
associated with them).
Swag
Included in your registration is a commemorative,
reusable water bottle, gender specific tech tee, really cool finisher’s medal,
free admission into the post-race RunSF Festival and more. There will also be a virtual gift bag with
more goodies.
Price
and Discount
The cost of the Golden
Gate Half Marathon is currently $94 for the half marathon.
If you cannot make it to the expo (like me) you can pay $35 and pick everything
up on the morning of the race. I
remember reading that you have access to special bathrooms as part of that fee. If you want your race bib and timing chip
mailed to you instead, it will cost $25, but I don’t think you get access to
the special bathrooms and will still have to pick up your shirt and water
bottle on race day. You can register at http://po.st/bibravegg and
be sure to use the code “BIBRAVEGG” to get 10% off.
Top
Reasons to run the 2016 SoFi Golden Gate Half Marathon
1) Amazing
view of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Baker Beach and more
2) An
awesome finishers medal and reusable water bottle
3) The
experience of running across the Golden Gate Bridge
4) Mostly
flat and fast course
5) Limited
registrations to make the race more personal (last year was limited to 3,700
runners)
6) Usually
great temperature (Average low: 52 degrees, Average high 66 degrees)
7) Several
places to park within about ½ mile of the start/finish line (pay by the hour
parking structures)
My
Training Plan
Since my goal race of the year is the California
International Marathon (CIM), I will follow the Run Less Run Faster training
plan for that race. I will be running
the Urban Cow Half Marathon in Sacramento on October 2nd, the
Granite Head Ales and Trails race on October 15th in addition to the
Golden Gate Half Marathon
(GGHM) on November 6th. I will use the hills on the GGHM to help me
prepare for the rolling hills of the CIM.
I love the Run Less Run Faster (RLRF) plans because
you run 3 days a week, with 2-3 days of cross training. I will be biking 1-2 days a week and swimming
one day a week. The runs are at specific paces and is broken down into one
interval/speed run, one tempo run, and one long run. I used the RLRF half marathon plan earlier
this year. It really worked for me as I
was able beat my best half marathon PR by almost 6 minutes during a training
run. The reduced mileage and elimination
of “junk miles” helps to reduce the amount of injuries from the author’s
claims. I can see the logic behind it,
but since I am not a doctor or physical therapist, I cannot confirm those
claims. You can find the book on Amazon
for about $10. If you are interested in
specific information about my plan, please drop me a comment and I would be
more than happy to share it with you.
Nice job! Can I ask you, what running shoes are you wearing?
ReplyDeleteThanks Joe. My favorite shoes right not are the Hoka Clifton 3, Hoka Clayton, Ampla Fly, and Brooks Launch 3. I will probably run my races in the Clayton or Clifton 3. They have tons of cushion and are super light.
Delete