Marathon training in SF?

February 3, 2008 7:41 PM

Can someone recommend a good beginner's marathon training group in San Francisco?

So I've dabbled with running for a while now (starting and stopping the couch-to-5K program a few times), but I keep vaguely trailing off. I've decided that running a marathon would be a good concrete goal to have in mind. I also think doing it in a group would be fun; I could meet some folks and I think having an external training regimen / schedule would help me stay focused. I don't have a particular marathon in mind.

I've seen a few running groups on craigslist and various bulletin boards, so I'm basically looking for recommendations here. I'm OK with paying some money for the training, though I'd prefer free or cheap options. I was on the cusp of signing up the the AIDS marathon training, but they seem to have a requirement that you raise $1800 for the marathon, and I'd rather not do that.

Besides that, I'm mostly looking for something that's 1) beginner friendly, 2) located in San Francisco somewhere I can take the bus (or bike) to, and 3) with a fun group of folks.

posted by whir to sports, hobbies, & recreation (7 comments total)

I would recommend you'd check out the runners world forums at http://forums.runnersworld.com. lots of experts there.
posted by krautland at 8:00 PM on February 3, 2008

I ran my first marathon through Team in Training But like the AIDS marathon, they have a fund raising requirement. What the requirement is depends on the race you decided to train for. They raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Don't let the fundraising requirement scare you off though. They provide you with a fundraising coach, fundraising ideas, and fundraising groups. It's easier than you'd think. I managed to raise enough while I was still a college student and none of my friends had any money donate. Bars will more than willing to let you host parties and donate door money to you. Garage sales work. And your friends and family and co-workers can always be asked to help.

I thought the experience was well worth the effort it took to fundraise. You get a large group to run and train with. They provide a coach and team leaders sponsor nightly runs for smaller groups. TnT was very well run, and everyone I participated finished our marathon (San Diego Rock and Roll). Plus you meet lots of people from your city.
posted by Arbac at 8:12 PM on February 3, 2008

I used Team in Training. It was a pretty awesome experience (except for the running part—turns out I hate running). You run for a cause, meet lots of people, do training runs, attend workshops, cross-train together, get discounts all over the place, and raise money so that they will be able to fund your food, hotel, transportation and travel costs to the marathon destination (mine was in Honolulu).
posted by iamkimiam at 8:14 PM on February 3, 2008

Or what Arbac said.
posted by iamkimiam at 8:15 PM on February 3, 2008

Yay for running marathons! There's absolutely no reason you can't achieve that goal if you stick with your training and prepare yourself properly.

Most of the running shoe stores have little running groups that get together -- in my experience, you'll find just about everyone involved in the running scene to be totally supportive and not at all judgmental about the kind of shape you're in when you first show up to one of their gatherings.

So... don't worry at all about being intimidated. It might even be worth checking out one of those gatherings to get a better sense from the locals of what's going on, even if you don't end up running with them more than a single time.

For the first time marathons, I'd avoid SF itself -- not only is it one of the most brutal marathons I've done, the city itself seems to absolutely hate the event. I did it last year, and I actually heard a frustrated driver yell, "Get off the fucking road, fuckers!"

You won't get that in San Diego, that's for sure. Nor in Portland, for that matter... both excellent first-time marathons.
posted by ph00dz at 8:48 PM on February 3, 2008

I don't know about any training in SF, but for a practice run, might you consider Bay to Breakers? It's only a 12K run (as opposed to 42K for an actual marathon).

I did B2B in 2005, and it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. :)
posted by Zarya at 9:24 PM on February 3, 2008

IMHO, there are far too many cookie-cutter "first marathon" groups out there. I was where you are once, kinda. I ran cross-country in high school, and was a bike messenger (in SF, among other places) and was in great shape, but not a distance runner, when I joined a marathon group.

I really wish that I hadn't. The training program seemed sensible on paper, but it was too far, too fast for me, and I wound up seriously injuring myself. Now that I'm sorer and wiser, I understand that a marathon isn't the right goal for a beginning runner to work toward.

If you love to run, and you want motivation, community and support, find a group of runners who focus on the 5K. After running in a few 5K's, you'll learn a lot about your running style, the type of coaching you need and you'll have put in some serious base mileage.

Look into South End Rowing Club or a similar group, or ask around where you buy your running shoes. Hell, find a Hash running club, and goof around with them for a while. Running should be something you love, not just something you do so you can tick "run a marathon" off of your to-do list.

I don't think they're going to stop holding marathon races anytime soon. Put in those base miles, get to know yourself as a runner, spend a while getting strong and smart, and run that marathon when you're ready, not when that "run a marathon for charity" or "change your life by running a marathon" group meets its deadline.
posted by freshwater_pr0n at 12:06 AM on February 4, 2008