Golden Gate Half Marathon shifts course as government shutdown hits permits

By John Ramos

After more than a month, the federal government shutdown has caused serious disruption in a lot of people’s lives. The annual Golden Gate Half Marathon was threatened by the shutdown, but organizers made some last-minute adjustments and the show was scheduled to go on Sunday morning, with a few changes.

Each year, Sports Basement in the Presidio is a gathering place for the 7,500 runners on the day before the race, picking up their race bibs and browsing through this year’s race merchandise.  The Golden Gate Half Marathon is one of the most popular running events in California, and Gretchen Schoenstein — who hosts a weekly radio show called “Finish Line Moments” — said there is one reason that literally towers above the rest.

“I mean, come on…is there a better way to display what this race is all about tomorrow?” she said, holding up a race T-shirt with a graphic image of the bridge.

There are plenty of iconic views along the race route,  but Schoenstein said it is the Golden Gate that attracts the huge crowd of runners.

“To be able to say that you ran a bridge?” she said. “I mean, if you take the whole world’s population and you think about how many people go for a run, not that many people will have the ability to say they’ve run the Golden Gate Bridge. It’s a bucket list for some people.”

But part of the annual route runs along National Park property — and that’s where things got a little tricky. With the federal government on hiatus, there was no way to get the permit they needed to hold the race.

“When we realized that the government shutdown wasn’t going to be over, our race organizers worked with the City of San Francisco, Presidio Trust, and the Golden Gate Bridge District to adjust the course to still be able to present a phenomenal 13.1-mile half-marathon for all these runners coming into San Francisco who want to run the bridge,” said Schoenstein.

A few changes to the course had to be made — and since it was so last-minute, the race on Sunday will not be certified by US Track and Field. That means it will just be for fun, which suited Paul Camara from Daly City just fine. Years ago, he became a runner because of the Golden Gate Half Marathon.

“First ever race. I went all out, half-marathon off the bat,” he said. “Surprised I could do it, and didn’t know I could do it, and the energy of the crowd, the sights…seeing the bridge. Going up, then going across back and forth. I can’t miss it. So, every year, I’ll do it.”

This was Breanna Thomas’s first time running the bridge. She lives in Southern California but came up because of her love for San Francisco — and the free beer she scored at the pre-race party.

“Like, born in LA but raised in the Bay, that’s what I say,” she said. “And SF is just home and nowhere else I would love to run, with great weather, great views, great people! And we’re ending with a beer at the end? Like, beer at the beginning, beer at the end?  I’m here for it!”

Organizers say the lack of certification will only matter in the unlikely event of a world record being set, or for people trying to collect points toward a US Track and Field Master designation. The race begins bright and early Sunday morning and, while there will be some changes from the normal route, they don’t think anyone will get lost. Unless you’re in the lead, all you have to do is follow the crowd to the finish line.