Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Saturday (01/02) Route Description

You will be logging between 3-7 miles depending upon your training level. The link below should give you a relatively clear sense of where we're going. I've also included a verbal description beneath it:

SATURDAY MORNING'S RUN COURSE!



A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SATURDAY'S RUN-

We will head SOUTH along the Marina towards our favorite hill. Crest this hill and head down into Aquatic Park. Run along the waterfront into Fisherman's Wharf. You will be on Jefferson.

Please keep a watchful eye for tourists, cyclists, and other traffic in Fisherman's Wharf. Continue running to the intersection of Jefferson/Powell. There is a large GAP store on the right. This is 1.5 miles. Beginners will turn around here and head back to the monkey bars for 3 MILES!

Everyone else will running along Jefferson which will eventually turn into the Embarcadero. At the intersection of Embarcadero & Bay there is a Houston's restaurant on the right. This is 2 MILES. Intermediate runners turn around here. Head back to the monkey bars for 4 MILES!

Advanced and Race level runners will continue past Embarcadero & Bay. 1/2 a mile later you will encounter the intersection of Embarcadero/Green. This is 2.5 MILES. Advanced runners turn around here. Head back to the monkey bars for 5 MILES!

Race level runners will continue running along the Embarcadero past the Ferry Building. Continue running until you reach the intersection of Embarcadero/Harrison. There is a Gordon Biersch restaurant across the street at this intersection. This is 3.5 MILES.RACE level runners will turn around here. Head back to the monkey bars for 7 MILES!

Monday, December 28, 2009

Tuesday (4/9) Route Description

Tomorrow you will be logging between 4-7 miles depending upon your training level. The link below should give you a relatively clear sense of where we're
going. I've also included a verbal description beneath it:

TUESDAY’S RUN COURSE!

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TOMORROW'S RUN-

In short, we will head NORTH from the Marina Green Monkey Bars on along Marina Boulevard until we reach the intersection of Mason/Halleck right before Crissy Field Center. Continue running on the paved path along Mason past SportsBasement. You will continue along this path for another half mile or so.

Eventually the path curves over to the right and merges with a dirt/fire road that heads towards the Warming Hut (for the uninitiated, the Warming Hut is A BIG WHITE BUILDING WITH TABLES AND BENCHES IN FRONT OF IT. Hopefully, it will be hard to miss). The Warming Hut is 2 MILES! ALL LEVELS will turn around and head back to the monkey bars for 4 MILES. Beginners will be done upon returning to the monkey bars.

ALL OTHER RUNNERS will continue running SOUTH along the paved path past the Marina Safeway and UP our favorite hill. Just as the hill is about to head down into Aquatic Park, Intermediate runners will turn around and head back to the monkey bars for 5 MILES!

Advanced and Race level runners will run down the hill into Aquatic Park. Run along the sidewalk adjacent to the waterfront. Advanced level runners will turn around At the end of Aquatic Park/Edge of Fisherman’s Wharf. Return to the monkey bars for 6 MILES!

Race level runners will continue into Fisherman’s Wharf to the intersection of Jefferson and Powell. Look for the Gap store on your right. Turn around here and head back to the monkey bars for 7 MILES!

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Saturday (6/19) Course Description

We will run a lengthy stretch along the Great Highway FIRST and get our remaining mileage in Golden Gate Park LAST. You will be logging between 8-11 miles depending upon your training level.

Here is a map link for the course-

Great Highway/Golden Gate Park Route

Here is a description of our course:

Everyone will head SOUTH from the Beach Chalet on the paved path running along the Great Highway. Everyone will run ALL THE WAY TO THE END OF THE GREAT HIGHWAY! The intersection of Great Highway and SLOAT is the end of the Great Highway.

There’s a controlled intersection here and the paved path effectively ends. This is a 2.35 mile stretch. If you need to use the restroom and/or grab a drink of water you will need to cross the street and head WEST over to the rest area (this will be clear once you get there).

Turn around and head back to the Beach Chalet. This is admittedly a challenging stretch as it seems to go on FOREVER!

Once you get back to the Beach Chalet, you will have 4.7 miles under your belt. Again, feel free to stop, knock back a gel and/or some water, use the restroom, etc.before you head into Golden Gate Park for your remaining mileage.

Head NORTH from the Beach Chalet and promptly take a right turn to get onto JFK. You will run along the dirt path for about a half a mile until you come to a stop sign. Turn LEFT at this stop sign at the pedestrian crosswalk onto the dirt path running along JFK. I will try to put some chalk down at this intersection indicating where to go.

You will continue running along this path for some time. As you close in on the first mile you will see the 'Bison Paddock' on your left. Shortly after you pass the paddock, you will see Lake Spreckles on the left.

If you need water, cross the pedestrian crosswalk over to Lake Spreckles and you will see the water fountain on your left.

Continue running on the dirt path. A half a mile later, look for a FF 8 in white ‘flour’ on the dirt path in front of you. Additionally, look over to the right (and downhill) and you will see a rest area/water fountains.

Lastly, look for a FF 8 in chalk on the road to your left. Beginner runners will turn around here and head back to the Beach Chalet for 8 MILES! Admittedly, there aren’t a lot of great visual cues for this turn around, so keep your eyes peeled for the flour/chalk markings!

Everyone else will continue running along the dirt path towards JFK/Transverse. This is roughly 2 miles from the Beach Chalet. If you cross over to the LEFT side of JFK, you will find another water fountain.

Continue running on the RIGHT side of the dirt path past JFK/Transverse for another 200 meters are so. KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED FOR A PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET AND A ‘FF 9’ IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PATH! Intermediate level runners will turn around here and head back to the Beach Chalet for 9 MILES!

Advanced/Race level runners will continue running on the right side of JFK. Roughly half a mile from the aforementioned crosswalk and ‘FF9’ you will see DeYoung Museum coming up on your RIGHT. It’s kind of a funky looking building, hard to miss.

KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED FOR A PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET AND A ‘FF 10’ IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PATH! Advanced level runners will turn around here and head back to the Beach Chalet for 10 MILES!

Race level runners will pass De Young Museum and eventually see the Flower Observatory appear on the left. You are close to the turn around for 11 miles. JFK soon intersects with ‘Middle Drive’.

Right at this intersection you will find a ‘FF 11’ in chalk on the ground. Turn around here and head back to the Beach Chalet for 11 MILES!

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Saturday (12/18) Course Description

On Saturday , you will be logging between 6-10 miles depending upon your training level. The link below should give you a relatively clear sense of where we're going.

I've also included a verbal description beneath it:

SATURDAY’S RUN COURSE!

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SATURDAY’S RUN-

We will head SOUTH along the Marina towards the hill by the Marina Safeway. Crest this hill and head down into Aquatic Park. Run along the waterfront into Fisherman's Wharf. You will be on Jefferson.

Please keep a watchful eye for tourists, cyclists, and other traffic in Fisherman's Wharf. Continue running to the intersection of Jefferson/Powell. There is a large GAP store on the right. This is 1.5 miles.

Continue running along Jefferson which will eventually turn into the Embarcadero. At the intersection of Embarcadero & Bay there is a Houston's restaurant on the right. This is 2 MILES. KEEP RUNNING!

Everyone will continue running along the Embarcadero all the way to the MAIN entrance of the Ferry Building. This is 3 MILES.Beginner level runners will turn around here. Head back to the monkey bars for 6 MILES!

Intermediate, Advanced, and Race level runners will continue along the Embarcadero until you reach the intersection of Embarcadero/Harrison! There is a Gordon Biersch on the other side of Embarcadero/Harrison for your visual cue. This is 3.5 MILES! Intermediate runners turn around here and head back to the monkey bars for 7 MILES!

Advanced and Race level runners will continue running along the Embarcadero. Right around the time Embarcadero is turning into ‘King Street’ you will come to the intersection of Embarcadero/Townsend. LOOK FOR PIER 38 ON YOUR LEFT! This is 4 MILES! Advanced level runners will turn around and head back to the monkey bars for 8 MILES!

Race level runners will continue running along King Street past AT&T Park (or whatever they call it today). You will run to the intersection of King Street and 4Th Street. This is 4.5 MILES! Turn around and head back to the monkey bars. You need 6 miles at target half marathon pace.

I would suggest starting your target pace at the end of Aquatic Park/edge of Fisherman's Wharf (1 mile into our run) and try to maintain it all the way to King/4th and back to the intersection of Embarcadero/Bay ('Hillstone' restaurant is across the street). Then segue back into comfortable, conversational pace for the balance of your run.

Once you get back to the monkey bars, head NORTH along the Marina to the intersection of Marina & Broderick. This is ½ mile from the monkey bars. Turn around and head back to the monkey bars for 10 MILES!

Monday, December 14, 2009

Tuesday (3/13) Running Route Description

On Tuesday, you will be logging between 3-6 miles depending upon your training level. The link below should give you a relatively clear sense of where we're going. I've also included a verbal description beneath it:

TUESDAY'S RUN COURSE!

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TUESDAY'S RUN-

We will head north along the Marina to the intersection of Mason/Halleck. This is right next to Crissy Field Center and is 1 mile into our run. Everyone will follow the pedestrian crosswalk and turn LEFT onto Halleck.You will be running uphill for about a block until you reach a controlled intersection with a stop sign. This is the intersection of Halleck/Lincoln.

Take a quick LEFT across the pedestrian crosswalk and then an IMMEDIATE RIGHT across the pedestrian crosswalk onto FUNSTON AVENUE

Continue running up Funston. You should see the Presidio YMCA on your left as you head up Funston. Continue up Funston for a few more blocks until you reach the intersection of Funston/Moraga.

Take a right on Moraga and take another RIGHT on Mesa Street. Follow Mesa back towards Halleck. (Mesa Street runs PARALLEL to Funston Ave.). You will follow Mesa until it runs into Lincoln. Head back down Halleck and head back to the monkey bars.

Once you reach the monkey bars you will have logged 3 MILES! Beginners can call it a day at this point.

Everyone else will head towards the Marina Safeway on the paved path. Intermediate level runners will head up our favorite hill. Crest the hill and continue a bit further to the point where the hill starts to head DOWN. Intermediate runners turn around here and head back to the monkey bars for 4 MILES!

Advanced and Race level runners head down the hill and into Aquatic Park. Advanced runners will run to the end of Aquatic Park (there is a big cul-de-sac at the end of Aquatic Park). Advanced runners will turn around here and head back to the monkey bars for 5 MILES!

Race level runners will run into Fisherman's Wharf to the intersection of Jefferson/Powell. Look for the art gallery on the right. Turn around here and head bck to the monkey bars for 6 MILES!

Friday, December 11, 2009

Saturday's (12/14/13) Run Description

We have yet another change of scenery on Saturday with a visit to Lake Merced.

Saturday’s Lake Merced Run!

Once again, we are meeting on the NORTH SIDE of Lake Merced. Specifically, we are meeting at the HUGE parking lot on the NORTH SIDE of Lake Merced. Again, here's a map link that should help you get oriented- North Side of Lake Merced.

This run is pretty straightforward. EVERYONE will do a full loop around the circumference of Lake Merced in a clockwise direction. There is a path that runs all the way around Lake Merced, so this should be manageable for everybody.

Roughly halfway through the loop around Lake Merced (2-2.5 miles), there is a port-a-potty and a couple water fountains if you need to make a pit stop.

After 2-2.5 miles, there is a decent stretch where you will be running slightly uphill, so pace yourself accordingly.

After completing a full loop of Lake Merced, you will have logged 4.5 MILES. Once you've finished a full loop around Lake Merced, head NORTH on Sunset Boulevard There is a path that runs parallel to Sunset Boulevard on the LEFT. This is where you want to run.

Beginner level runners will continue running up Sunset Boulevard until you reach the intersection of Sunset & Ulloa. The cross streets are 'roughly' alphabetical so pay close attention to the cross streets as you are running. Beginner runners will turn around at this intersection and head back to the Lake Merced parking lot for 6 MILES!

Everyone else will continue running up Sunset past this intersection. Roughly half a mile later you will arrive at the intersection of Sunset & Quintara. Intermediate level runners will turn around here and head back to the Lake Merced parking lot for 7 MILES!

Advanced/Race level runners will continue running up Sunset to the intersection of Sunset & Moraga. Advanced level runners will turn around here and head back to the Lake Merced parking lot for 8 MILES! Make sure to pick up 7 minutes of tempo on the return route.

Race level runners will continue running on Sunset towards Golden Gate Park. Eventually Sunset runs underneath an overpass (this is Lincoln you are running underneath) and right into Martin Luther King. Take a LEFT on Martin Luther King and run to the intersection of Martin Luther King & Chain of Lakes Drive East Turn around here and head back to Lake Merced for 10 MILES!

For your 6 miles at target half marathon pace, I would suggest seguing into target pace 2 miles into your run just as you reach the South Side of Lake Merced and start heading north around the other side of the Lake. Maintain this pace all the way to Sunset/Kirkham (when you encounter this intersection on the 'return' from MLK & Chain of Lakes Drive).