US Half Marathon

More than one listing for the US Half. I can only assume somebody added another one for a different year.
2014 we started at Aquatic Park going along the waterfront and across the bridge to Marin headlands and returning going through the Golden Gate National area.
This Half Marathon is also part of the ‘Golden State Series” where if you complete all 3 events within a year you bag yourself an additional medal and who doesn’t love some extra bling? The other 2 series events consists of Livermore Half Marathon and The Towns Half Marathon.
Registration:
Easy sign up. Didn’t get a great deal of information in the confirmation email and took until the very last minute to get an email regarding Runner number for my pick up.
Packet Pick Up:
An 8 hour expo at the Fort Mason Center the day before. I would have liked to have packet pick up on the day to save me driving 60+ miles 2 days in a row but screw paying $ 35 for that!
The expo was fairly small yet did have some good booths. I always like checking out the fitness and nutrition booths, I was hoping for some samples but didn’t appear to be any by the time I got there at around 3:30pm.
Pick up was easy though, lines moved quickly and were well organized.
The Day:
I was part of the pacing team for this event which I found out about just a few days before and so glad I did it as I had a great time.
Lot’s of restrooms were found before the start and we started right on time. The course is beautiful but definitely longer than 13.1 as others have mentioned as my Garmin measured it at 13:24. The mile markers seemed to not be completely accurate either. That aside things were well organized along the course and there was enough Water stations, I would have liked to have seen more than just water though, maybe some electrolyte drink, energy Gummies or even half’s of Banana at one or two stations as I noticed a lot of people flagging and comments on being hungry.
Post Run at the finish line was insanely busy with a few bits of food and drink here and there (Banana’s, Oranges, KIND snacks and Muscle Milk). The Banana was a welcome sight as anyone that knows me knows I just run for the free Banana and bling at the end.
Alcohol was also available for purchase if you’re that way inclined at 9am.
Goodies for finishing were standard yet pretty cool:
— Long sleeved tech shirt that I definitely will wear time and time again.
— Heafty double sided rotating medal.
— Water bottle. Mine leaks but hell. it’s free so I’m not too upset.
Personal experience:
After having been not able to really Run much after an injury over a year ago this pacing gig was a good way for me to teach myself restraint. At 2:15 it was a lot slower than my usual pace (1:35 — 1:40) and it meant that I was able to hold conversations with some of the other Runners and I met some really cool people and I got to take in the beautiful views and snap some pictures along the way.
Looking forward to the Livermore Half in March!

I ran this race in 2013 and I’m running it again this November. the course itself is a little challenging if you are not prepared for some inclines, and depending on some weather a lot of direct sunlight, but it has gorgeous view of SF (of course) throughout the race. The bib pickup the day before is kind of a hassle in the Presidio but manageable. Last year there were mile markers though I relied more on my Nike + Runing app for pace and mile markers, and it seems they improved on the water stations and Goo (Gu) from past reviews they were spread out enough over the race to stay hydrated. I took a taxi to the event to make sure I had no issues getting there on time, friends found parking but this is SF and one should always expect probelms finding parking (especially during any event). They had bag check last year and I had no problems with it, and unlike past reviews they handed you your medal at the finish line.
Looking forward to running it again this year!

Last place.
Two more runs happened after my first Unilocal back in 2009. They were great.
Then in 2012 they advertised the «lowest price ever». Having a record of all race payments dating back to 2005 decided to send Project Sport a polite email asking for clarification.
No response.
Next started commenting on their Facebook posts asking for evidence this was indeed the lowest price because there was evidence to the contrary.
No response and banned from their page.
Time to file a formal complaint:
To the surprise of no one there was nothing but silence.
Few days ago a friend asked if I was still running the race each year. Reminded me there was at least one forum to let everyone know what happened that they can’t ignore.
Avoid this losing team.

I ran the 10K in 2009 but they appear to no longer have that event. I would give the 10K 4 stars but the Half gets 3 stars from me. It’s a modest race with typically less than 4000 runners and takes place during a time when SF is at its most beautiful. Since race day always lands on Daylight Savings, you’ll also get at least 2 hours more sleep than you would for, say, the SF Marathon.
However, I think the main issue I have with this race is that it doesn’t give you an experience other SF races can’t. The views are nice but limited to just the Chrissy Park/​Fort Mason/​Golden Gate Bridge areas. The San Francisco Marathon and the Nike Women’s Marathon are better in that they showcase other sides of the City. In fact, one thing the US Half severely *lacks* is a bag check-​in service. I ran around like crazy 10 min before the race looking for it but it was non-​existent. Luckily my husband drove back and picked it up from me, but I saw others on the course who were not as lucky and ran with their bags on their back.
With that said, if your goal is to *just* run on Golden Gate Bridge, I would recommend this race. Yes, you will end up only running on the sidewalk — and I actually preferred this to running on the roadway — but it’s not nearly as crowded or as slippery or as cold as the San Francisco Marathon.
And honestly? Those extra hours for sleep are pretty nice.

3.5
Very scenic route with a few killer climbs and a million killer views, cool race t-​shirts and finisher medals too. There were no start corrals so you just kinda lump together and head off. The course definitely could have used more water stops and I think the distance was slightly off. Neat concept to pass out refillable water bottles at the finish and minimize waste.

I read so many bad reviews about the 2 US Half Marathons, I was anticipating the worst. So let me start with this: You will have a great time! There is nothing wrong with this race, just minor little things; but in the end it is organized just fine. It simply s a smaller event. If you are used to the Wipro SFM you just cannot compare.
What’s good:
— The course is gorgeous but watch out there are 3 climbs (2 just before the bridge and 1 at the end of the bridge on the Marin county side, you go down below the bridge then back up). Add a little hill in the last mile (downright mean! LOL) and this is a challenging course. For me what made it worse was the heat. Nov 2013 race was under clear blue skies with no wind. The last 3 miles on Crissy Field were hard!
— The Medal: Biggest, beautiful, awesome!
— Race shirt is not bad.
— Signs, timing, banners, all is there. Nice race, well organized, starts on time
— Portable Potties, plenty before start of the race. Not many on the course but with experience you learn not to drink much the morning of a race.
— The size: 5000 people. Just right. Feels more like a group jog. Very friendly.
— Photos: There were plenty of photographers and you should be able to get some good shots… (note they are expensive though!)
What’s not so good:
— They advertised an embedded scannable tracker in your BiB. Instead you had to zip tie a tracker to your shoe and return it after the finish line to avoid a $ 30 penalty fee. Nobody likes false advertisement.
— Water stations were announced every 2 miles. Although there were enough, I think they should have had one at Mile 6. they had one at mile 2 and 4. You cross the bridge. By then you are at 6.5mi and nothing at the Vista point. Instead they make you run another 1 mile (Down and Up) before getting drinks… It was hot (for an SF race) and an extra water station would have helped. No GU station (SFM does provide some).
— When you pick up your shirt, you cannot change size unless you come back at the end of the day (who wants to drive to Sports basement twice a day?). I assume this is the price to pay for a smaller race. Logistic are tighter
— They give you a empty soft bottle at the end and everyone has to fill it up from a single barrel. Slightly unhygienic. But once again. Smaller budget.
All in all I had an awesome time! Little details could be improved but it works! If you want awesome views of the GG Bridge, no fog like in summer.

I’ve run the US Half Marathon a couple of times now (both April & Nov). I feel like it’s improving although I have also adapted to the race because of its limitations. The past two times, I’ve started about 15 minutes after the initial gun goes off in order to avoid many of the crowds, etc. that challenge the start and also the bridge part of the race.
Pros:
— Views on and around the GG Bridge are awesome
— Fun festive atmosphere at the end (not unique to this race but the finishing location certainly is unique)
— Not too many hills considering that it’s in SF — if you feel like there are too many, perhaps you need to train for them a little more, that’s all
— Everything around the organization of this race seems to be improving — they had shirts, the packet pickup and expo was more organized, etc.
Cons:
— Not easy to get to (actually part of the reason I arrived late once, then realized it was actually a benefit)
— Running on the bridge can be difficult because you have to stay on the sidewalk — gets very crowded
— Where are the bananas and oranges at the end of the race… I really didn’t want a potato and cheese pie after running haha
I noticed another reviewer say that the race was actually longer than 13.1 miles and I actually agree. I train and run that route a fair amount. My GPS app showed it being 13.4. It started out accurate in the first half of the race but then kept getting longer apart. I also know my pace and it definitely felt like the distance was off given my pace/​time.

As my first half marathon I really enjoyed the views along this picturesque course. It’s not often that you get to cross the Golden Gate and see the early morning sun rise across the bay.
My only gripe with this run was that the course was definitely longer than 13.1 miles (more like 13.3−13.4). My run stat app was on par with their markers for the first few miles but then the signs just kept getting further and further apart. Other runners I spoke to all noticed it too.
6 inclines! I’ll admit I probably wasn’t ready for all the ascent/​descent but I fared them OK. By the time the last descent came my knees where really starting to hurt. Next time I’ll come better prepared.
Tips: I arrived about 40 minutes before start time and was able to park easily on the street at Beach/​Leavenworth so forget paying and just circle a few times north of Bay Street.
Arrive super early (at least 90 minutes) if you’re checking a bag since I saw a super long line to check bags (bring own bag w/​name/​bib #).
Forget the Grapes of Rock after party… waste of $ 10 (runners discount). A few beer & wine vendors, $ 7 a token, 1 – 2 food vendors, and the endless sound checks for the first 2 hours gets the event off to a super slow start.

Pros:
–The views on this course are beautiful. No other race can really compare.
–Course was not too crowded.
–Running on the Golden Gate bridge is awesome.
–The city is very supportive.
–Some hills, but not too many… just the right amount.
–The medal this year is gorgeous and very big.
Cons:
–Parking is expensive so try to find alternative transportation to the race.
–No corrals to start.
–Race course pavement is a bit uneven at times and might hurt your feet a bit.
–Race time chip only chips you at beginning of the race and end of the race so you don’t have any stats about how fast you ran the milestones ie 5k, 10k, etc.
–No fruit at the end of the race, although the meat pies were very good.

I have run the US Half in the past and it has been fine. The views from the Golden Gate bridge and the course itself is beautiful. However, this review is for Project Sport, the organizers of this race and the Grapes of Rock or as I like to call it «the half marathon that never was». Project Sport cancelled the Grapes of Rock Half Marathon a month prior to the race. I never received an email notifying me of a cancellation nor did my friends. Some people did receive refunds fast, but I believe these people purchased their ticket through Groupon and they helped get their refund. I, however, did not buy a Groupon ticket and the process of receiving a refund was annoying and time consuming.
I only found out that the race was cancelled because the hotel I booked called to see if I still wanted the room. My countless emails to Project Sport (the organizers of the USHalf), Grapes of Rock, their respective twitter and Facebook page were largely ignored. I only received a refund after writing and mailing an actual letter to them. They mailed me back a check three months after the race was cancelled. I received no apology for the inconvenience or any letter from them with the check. They included my own letter back to me and the copy of my receipt I sent. I thought this was rude.
I would strongly caution against signing up for this race or any race/​event organized by Project Sport. From my experiences, the race is poorly organized, mismanaged and complaints are often ignored. On the Better Business Bureau they have an «F» rating.

This was a terrible race experience overall.
Yes, the views are gorgeous. But the organization that runs is is poorly organized and very unhelpful.
First, as many have mentioned, there were very few water stations. And before the race was over they packed up and dumped out water! Sooooo many people behind me, lagging behind, were screwed the last half of the race! Who dumps water 2 hours into a half marathon? Considering people walk, get hurt, etc, there was no reasoning to dump water so early. I felt really bad knowing so many runners behind me would get jack.
Second, there were no medics. None. I twisted my ankle slightly some and was looking for a medic to wrap it, but none was to be found. I asked a few volunteers at water stations (which again were sparse) and none knew of any. I ran the whole course and didn’t see a single one. Totally unacceptable.
Third, they (the organization) are unresponsive. I sent numerous emails for questions and issues and not one was responded to. I tried Twitter, and the account is outbound only tweets. WTF? I sent a message to their FB page and they responded that I had to email the organization… so the uselessness continued.
At the end the snacks and drinks were decent, so one star there. This year (2013) it’s turning into the first SF Rock and Roll Marathon. I will not be running it, or any other race by this organization again.

I signed up for this one because I had run the the «Other Half,» which is held in April. If I had to choose between the two, I would have stuck with the April race because it’s much less crowded!
While this race is significantly smaller than NWM, the race course is a lot narrower once it hits the Presidio + Golden Gate Bridge. As everyone else has mentioned, there are no corrals, either. Soooo it’s pretty difficult to weave through peeps if you’re trying to get ahead.
The water stations were also a bit sparse. I had heard that it was because there was an issue with the amount of garbage /​trash last year? For how hot this race was, the lack of water stations = kind of painful. I mistakenly wore too much and was sweating soooo muchhhhh so I needed the replenish.
My least favourite part of this course is the last part where you’re running on dirt /​the path along Crissy Field. It’s not even like trail running. You just kind of feel like you’re slipping back. No funnnn. For how scenic the first part of the course is, the last part is blahhhhhh.
Yet, I’ll do it again because 1) Big Ass Medal 2) Easy Race Packet Pickup 3) VIEWS.

Second time running the course since I ran the «Other Half» in March. I like this run because its a much smaller run in terms of scope than the NWM or SF Marathon. Like a runner said to me on the way there «This is for the real runners!» Of course the smaller size meant a few miscues not having water readily available at the water stations (not enough volunteers to keep up with demand). The expo was limited, but because they teamed with Sports Basement, the 15% of your purchases in the store that day was really nice.
Of course, the reason to run this is… well the course! Its a beautiful run starting at Aquatic park, around Fort Mason, through Marina Green and Crissy Field up to the biggest atrraction THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE and back. There was one notable change on the return path as it brought you down to Fort Point along splashing sea water. I have always disliked the trail path along Crissy field. The weather was unusually warm for November, but then again what is usual for San Francisco weather wise these days.
The Medal this year was awesome. I big solid piece that highlights the tower of the Golden Gate and finished with Rivets (an homage to the bridge) along the border. SOLID, BIG, and Heavy, as a medal should be!

Great course. Ran it twice. Once on Sunday and the other one almost two years ago — being my first half marathon ever. It is a beautiful course and an awesome run. But do train and prepare for it because there are tons of hills. My legs are always sore after this race because it works every leg muscle! From the uphills to the downhills to the flat areas. It is a great run, especially on a gorgeous day. Wish there were more sponsors at the finish line thou.

I agree with the other reviewers.
Positive — SFO, scenery, a great fun run, free beer at the end (if you know where to go)
Negative — ran out of my size pink tech shirt so I did not get a shirt, no corrals, you cannot race this run for time, not enough bathrooms (and they are set up in front of the start line — not smart)
However, this year it was organized better than years past. But I am pretty pissed off about not getting a shirt. I got to the expo at 10:15 am. They had only been open 15 minutes. How the heck did you run out of my size in 15 minutes? Is your volunteer just so lazy they wont open a box? I asked her to double check — nope — she claimed that there were NO Womens XL. Since I am large breasted this is an issue. She gave me a large. I tried it on. No go. boobs too big. No shirt for me. Pretty pissed off about that.

The Good:
–Gorgeous course.
–Nice long sleeve technical tee.
–Decent medal.
–Food & drinks at the end.
–Bag check went smoothly for me.
–Even the start with no corrals wasn’t too bad because there really isn’t that many racers!
–QR code on the back of my bib gave me instant results.
The Bad:
-$ 10 online processing fee even though I registered AT THE EXPO.
–SHOCKING lack of bathrooms on the course. I literally saw only 2 sets of 4 (8 total!!) porta-​potties and at one set 2 of the porta-​potties were locked (down to 6 total!). I had to use a public restroom in Chrissy Field. Thank God for that.
–Mile markers were either missing at some miles or impossible to see (too low).
–The finisher’s aluminum water bottle LEAKS.

I feel compelled to edit my review after actually running the race (rather than basing it solely on the organizer’s pre-​race communication, or lack thereof).
— The expo on Saturday was well organized. Sports Basement even had staff in the parking lot with walkie-​talkies to get people parked quickly. No lines for packet pickup.
— The technical tee, medal and water bottle are great.
— The website listed official times on race day – always a good thing.
— Course is awesome!
***Original review***
Poor organization for the 2012 race, which is on Sunday. They just TODAY sent the email about packet pickup (it’s Wednesday!). There are just 3 opportunities to pick up your packet: a 3-​hour window during rush hour tomorrow in Sunnyvale, a 3-​hour window during rush hour on Friday in Walnut Creek, or Saturday in the Presidio. There is no race day pickup, a fact they *hilariously* emphasize in the email.

I’m not a newb when it comes to organized running have completed a marathon in Vegas, several half marathons in the greater Los Angeles area, Army Ten Miler in DC, Bay2Breakers, and more 5 and 10ks than I can name. I have never been as disappointed with a race than this event.
I’m not a whiner or a complainer and I submit the following as evidence that this was a poorly «run» event:
Pre-​event:
*Running out of event shirts in all sizes but Men’s Size Small @ the expo
*A dearth of expo participants/​swag goodies, Cliff was there but wasn’t even giving anything out @ 4pm
Event:
*Lack of mile markers
*Horrible hold up on the Golden Gate Bridge-​really took the fun out of running on the bridge. Why not get a permit so we can run on the bridge like the San Francisco Half Marathon?
Post-​event:
*They tell your participants that you are going to send them their medals because THEY messed up and did not have it on the day of our race. Now you pester us with emails and a survey that tries to get out of mailing us the medals? Come on! I’m not saying Medals for Mettle is not a great charitable organization, but if you mess up you fix it. Simple as that. Don’t try to make the participants go out of their way to pick up the medal.
*As for the award winning entertainment after the race, it was so small!
The course is very beautiful and I am glad some of the proceeds go to St. Judes Hospital but please there are too many well run races for me to ever sign up or recommend this race to anyone.
On a side note, thank you to all the volunteers who gave us water and sports drinks. Your efforts were greatly appreciated for waking up early to be there for us!

This is one of my favorite ½ marathon courses.
Benefits St. Jude’s Children Hospital — STAR!
Scenic hilly course (Aquatic Park, Presidio, GGB, Hawk Hill) — STAR!
Great Swag (tech shirt, medal and water bottle) — STAR!
Expo (SportsBasement) — STAR!
Despite the droning negative feedbacks, this is a GREAT event!
For the whiners and complainers — You’ll get your shirt and your medal in the mail. Construction won’t continue forever on Doyle Dr or the GGB.
Cheers to everyone who can look past the organizers’ and the route challenges and pat yourself on the back!
Think positive and BE positive… you just completed 13.1 miles!

This was my second half marathon so I only had the massive PF Chang in Phoenix to compare it to. To be honest, I did not miss the Rock n Roll trademark bands per mile.
The Good: The course was stellar. Aside from the hill after the 12^th mile marker, I never had much of a problem with the elevation changes (Hooray for training!). Running across the GG was definitely a unique experience, especially having seen it for the first time a day before. There were enough water stations to keep me hydrated. The medal we get is pretty rocking and there are lots of post-​race goodies. I am still using my tin water bottle.
The Bad: They ran out of shirts at the Expo and I am still waiting on that shirt more than a month later. There weren’t many people out volunteering/​cheering us on, but I attribute that more to the torrential downpour. Some of the course was a bit too narrow, especially on the bridge. You also had not concept of your time during the whole thing unless you had a watch.
That all being said, I loved the race (rain and all). I even signed up for the Other Half in April. If you haven’t run a half before, then I would suggest a different more wide-​scale race, but if you are looking for a good half for some fun, this is perfect.