The San Francisco Marathon is a loop course, taking runners on a journey around the city, hitting gorgeous locales and iconic landmarks all along the way. Starting at the world famous Ferry Building, racers head along the Embarcadero, with the beautiful San Francisco bay on their right. From there they pass through Fisherman’s Wharf and through the Marina. Next runners head up and back across the Golden Gate Bridge and down through the Presidio, along the Pacific Ocean. A tour of the beautiful Golden Gate Park follows, and after some turns and curves through the trees and around the lakes, runners empty out onto the historic and very colorful Haight street. The course takes some loops through the Mission, Potrero, and Mission Bay Districts, heads by numerous charming little parks, then heads up towards AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants. And then it’s just a home stretch, under the fancy new Bay Bridge and back up to the Ferry Building. The course is USATF certified and is a Boston Marathon qualifying race. In addition to the full marathon distance, there are 2 half marathons, a 10k, 2 5ks and the only big city ultra marathon in the USA. In order to qualify as an Official Full Marathon Finisher, you must finish within the 6-hour course limit.