Guides

A Beginner's Guide to Running in San Francisco

By SF Runners Team

Welcome to Running in San Francisco

So you want to start running in San Francisco? Great choice. This city is one of the best running cities in the world — but it comes with some unique challenges. Here’s everything you need to know.

Embrace the Hills

Let’s address the elephant in the room: San Francisco is hilly. Very hilly. But here’s the secret — you don’t have to run the hills right away. There are plenty of flat routes to build your fitness:

  • The Embarcadero — 5 miles of flat waterfront from Oracle Park to Fisherman’s Wharf
  • Crissy Field — 1.5 miles of flat bayfront path with Golden Gate Bridge views
  • Ocean Beach — 3.5 miles of flat (though sandy) beach running

Once you’ve built a base, the hills become a feature, not a bug. Running San Francisco’s hills will make you stronger than your flat-city counterparts.

Dress in Layers

San Francisco’s weather is famously unpredictable. A common beginner mistake is dressing for the temperature at your front door. Here’s the deal:

  • Summer (June-August): Often the coldest months due to fog. Bring a light jacket.
  • Fall (September-November): The warmest, sunniest months. T-shirt weather.
  • Winter (December-February): Rainy season. Waterproof jacket essential.
  • Spring (March-May): Mild and variable. Layers are your friend.

A packable wind jacket (like the Patagonia Houdini) is the single most useful piece of gear for SF running.

Find Your Crew

Running with others makes everything better. San Francisco has a thriving running community:

  • November Project SF — Free fitness group, Wednesdays at 6:30 AM
  • SF Road Runners — The city’s oldest running club
  • Midnight Runners SF — Social running crew for the nightlife crowd

Check our running groups directory for the full list.

Essential Gear

You don’t need much to start, but these items make San Francisco running more enjoyable:

  1. Trail-capable shoes — Many SF routes mix pavement and dirt trails
  2. Wind jacket — For the inevitable fog
  3. GPS watch — To track those elevation gains
  4. Reflective gear — For foggy, low-visibility mornings

Start Simple

Here’s a simple plan to get started:

  1. Week 1-2: Walk/run intervals on the Embarcadero (flat, no pressure)
  2. Week 3-4: Continuous easy running on Crissy Field
  3. Week 5-6: Add the Lands End trail for some gentle elevation
  4. Week 7-8: Try the Golden Gate Bridge out-and-back

Before you know it, you’ll be a San Francisco runner. Welcome to the community.