Cycling & running events in San Francisco, 2026

San Francisco Training Notes

Running: Golden Gate Park gives locals a seven-mile paved perimeter for steady Z2, and the park always has lots of runners. The Embarcadero gives a flat start when you link Fisherman’s Wharf, Marina Green, and the Golden Gate Bridge. 5 to 7 miles and feels like getting out of the city without leaving it. Crissy Field has a 5-mile paved loop for intervals. The Crosstown Trail runs 17 miles when base miles need bite. San Francisco Running Company puts people on Marin Headlands trails, Mt. They run a 5-mile, roughly 1,500-foot Ninja Lite loop. Lake Merced Half Marathon and Summer Evening Race Series make easy anchor races.

Cycling: The Wiggle bike route keeps locals moving across town with one mile of mellow grade. The Embarcadero Promenade bikeway, Battery Street protected bike lane, Third Street bike lane, Presidio Loop, Golden Gate Park Loop, and Golden Gate Bridge bike path all stay in the normal rotation. San Francisco Cycling Club runs the Friday Coffee Ride at 0615 and finishes at The Mill with no shortage of conversation or caffeine. Hawk Hill, Twin Peaks, Mount Davidson, and Mt. Tam bring the climbing. The Headlands Loop packs over 2,000 feet into just over 18 miles. Point Reyes Loop runs almost 100 miles round trip from downtown with close to 4,500 feet. Race Across California 2026 can sit as the big anchor.

Season: September and October are the cleanest bet, with warmer weather, great morning light, and peak riding season feel. Summer stays cool and foggy, so locals dress for wind, hit Ocean Beach or Lands End for running, and point bikes north when the Headlands or Mt. Tam look good. The fog lands less hard in eastern neighborhoods and late summer. Winter brings cool, moist days, so runners lean on Golden Gate Park, the Embarcadero, Lake Merced, and Presidio loops, while cyclists keep base miles rolling on city lanes, Golden Gate Park, Paradise Loop, and Headlands routes when the window opens.