The 49th San Francisco Marathon takes over the city on the weekend of July 25-26, 2026, with start and finish on the Embarcadero. The Full Marathon (26.2 miles) sets off at 5:15am Sunday from Embarcadero & Market, running a counterclockwise loop past Fisherman’s Wharf, the Marina Green and Crissy Field before climbing onto the Golden Gate Bridge and into Marin County and back, then through the Presidio, Golden Gate Park, Haight-Ashbury, the Mission District and Dogpatch, for roughly 1,300 feet of total climbing before finishing at Embarcadero & Howard. The 1st Half Marathon (Bridge Half) covers the first part of that course — the bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, Golden Gate Park — starting downtown at 6:30am, while the 2nd Half Marathon (City Half) starts from Golden Gate Park/Crissy Field and finishes downtown via the Mission District and Oracle Park, under the Bay Bridge. Saturday kicks the weekend off with the flat, fast Saturday 5K along the Embarcadero at 8:00am, alongside the Alexi Pappas 10K, and for the boldest the Chargel Ultramarathon (52.4 miles) starts at 10:15pm Saturday, using the full marathon course for its second loop. The Full Marathon is USATF-certified, a Boston Marathon qualifier, and part of the Abbott age-group qualifying series, with a 6-hour time limit and staggered cut-offs across the Golden Gate Bridge section. Bib pickup takes place at the race expo at Fort Mason. Results: ChronoTrack Live.
Full 2026 Weekend Programme
FULL
MARATHON
Sunday, 5:15am — Embarcadero & Market
26.2 miles · USATF-certified, Boston qualifier · ~1,300ft of climbing · 6-hour limit
1ST HALF
BRIDGE HALF
Sunday, 6:30am — Embarcadero & Market
13.1 miles · Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, finishes near Golden Gate Park
2ND HALF
CITY HALF
Sunday morning — Golden Gate Park / Crissy Field
13.1 miles · Mission District, Oracle Park, Bay Bridge, finishes downtown
ALEXI PAPPAS
10K
Race weekend — Embarcadero
6.2 miles · Waterfront tour of the city
SATURDAY
5K
Saturday, 8:00am — Embarcadero & Washington St
Flat 3.1 miles · 1-hour time limit · Family & stroller-friendly
CHARGEL
ULTRAMARATHON
Saturday, 10:15pm — Embarcadero
52.4 miles · Second loop uses the full Marathon course, finishes Sunday
Venue: Embarcadero, San Francisco, California, USA (start/finish for most distances). Dates: Saturday-Sunday, July 25-26, 2026. Distances: Full Marathon 26.2mi · 1st Half (Bridge Half) & 2nd Half (City Half) 13.1mi each · Alexi Pappas 10K · Saturday 5K · Chargel Ultramarathon 52.4mi. Starts: Saturday 5K 8:00am · Chargel Ultramarathon 10:15pm Saturday · Full Marathon 5:15am Sunday (corrals through 5:30am) · 1st Half 6:30am Sunday. Course: counterclockwise loop, Fisherman’s Wharf, Marina Green, Crissy Field, Golden Gate Bridge, Presidio, Golden Gate Park, Haight-Ashbury, Mission District, Dogpatch; ~1,300ft total elevation gain/loss. Certification: USATF-certified, Boston Marathon qualifier, Abbott age-group qualifying race. Bib pickup: race expo at Fort Mason. Edition: 49th annual, ahead of the 50th in 2027. Results: ChronoTrack Live.
Route Profile & Key Landmarks
Landmark
Distance(s)
Details
Embarcadero START/FINISH
All distances
Waterfront start and finish area for most of the weekend’s races
Golden Gate Bridge ICONIC CROSSING
Full Marathon · 1st Half
The signature moment of the course, crossing into Marin County and back
Golden Gate Park PARK
Full Marathon · 1st Half · 2nd Half
Finish area for the 1st Half, start area for the 2nd Half
Oracle Park (AT&T Park) LANDMARK
Full Marathon · 2nd Half
Home of the San Francisco Giants, passed en route to the finish under the Bay Bridge
2026 EDITION San Francisco, California (US) · ChronoTrack Live