Favorite Trails in San Francisco
Sponsored by Feetures!
By Lesley Kothe
The Golden Gate Bridge, fog and sour dough bread: these are the hallmarks of the best running city in America. Tourists hang out of their rental car windows to snap photos of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz and the sparkling waters of the San Francisco Bay, but the best way to experience San Francisco is on the run!
For a runner motivated by aesthetics, a run on Crissy Field, the flat but windy path along the Bay, is hard to beat. Dodging bikes, kids and golden retrievers, you’ll run to the base of the Golden Gate Bridge. In addition to San Francisco’s most famous landmark, you’ll see surfers, wind surfers, sailboats and an occasional seal enjoying the Bay. For a shorter out-and-back course, turn around at the base of the bridge. Views of Alcatraz and the city’s skyline, including the Transamerica Pyramid, will keep you occupied on the return trip.
If you are prepared for a longer run, venture over the bridge and into the Marin Headlands. The views will be worth the hill workout! For a real adventure, run all the way to Sausalito and then take the ferry back to the city. Another option for a longer run is the coastal trail, which starts at the bridge and goes along the coastline above the Pacific Ocean.
As a runner, you will not mind when the fog rolls in, filling the Bay and obscuring the views, because a foggy day creates the perfect temperature for running. In San Francisco it is never “too hot” or “too cold” for a run. Unless it is raining (which is only 3 months of the year), running in San Francisco is always “just right.”
My favorite part of running in San Francisco is the post-run snack. For a quintessential San Francisco experience, refuel with a hunk of sour dough bread and a bowl of chowder at Fisherman’s wharf, or an Irish Coffee at the Buena Vista Café.
See you on the run!
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