More than 33,000 runners will take to San Francisco's streets this weekend for the 49th running of The San Francisco Marathon, with organisers confirming that the flagship 26.2-mile distance and the China Airlines Bridge Half Marathon have both sold out for the second consecutive year. Entry to the full marathon closed months ahead of schedule, and race organisers have already opened a waitlist for 2027, when the event will mark its 50th anniversary.
The weekend format spans two days and multiple distances, including a 5K, 10K, half marathon, full marathon and an ultramarathon distance that has become one of the race's defining features. Ultra runners will set off from the start line at 10:15pm on Saturday, tackling 52.4 miles through the night before the marathon field begins at dawn on Sunday. The course threads through some of the city's most recognisable landmarks, including the Golden Gate Bridge, the Presidio and the waterfront along the Embarcadero, with rolling hills throughout that have long made the course one of the more demanding major-city marathons in the country.
Race organisers have pointed to a combination of factors behind the surge in entries, including growing interest in destination marathons on the American west coast and a wider resurgence in road-race participation following several years of steady post-pandemic recovery. San Francisco's course, while not a major marks record, has built a reputation among serious amateur runners for its scenery and its challenge, drawing entrants from well beyond the Bay Area.
Logistically, the sold-out fields have prompted the city to implement an extensive road closure schedule across both days, with major arteries including sections of Highway 1 and the Golden Gate Bridge itself closed to vehicle traffic during peak race hours. Local businesses along the route have reported preparing for one of the busiest weekends of the summer, with several near the finish line in the Marina district planning extended hours to accommodate finishers and their support crews.
For competitive watchers, the race lacks the depth of field seen at the major World Marathon Majors, but it remains a significant fixture on the domestic calendar and a bellwether for participation trends heading into the autumn marathon season. With London and Boston several months behind and the autumn majors — Berlin, Chicago and New York — still to come, San Francisco offers a useful mid-year snapshot of just how much appetite remains for marathon running in 2026.