Giant Race and Relaxing

Traveling to San Fran I checked into running a race while I was out there.  I found the Giant Race was being held while we would be there and signed up the for the half marathon.  The race started outside of AT&T park where the Giants play and finished on the infield of the stadium.

Unfortunately there was a 5k that started about an hour before the race and there was a 10k that started at the same time as the 1/2 marathon.  It was also an out and back course for all races, which meant a very narrow course for the first 4 miles and still narrow after that since it was held through the Presidio near the Golden Gate Bridge.

I took the camera incase I saw anything that caught my eye but I decided to just get the race over with after I was so frustrated at the start organization and narrowness... seriously you are hosting a huge race you should have been forced to go through some training on how to host the event properly.  I should have known after the race expo.  Oh well.  Enough about that and hopefully they figure it out.  I stick to Disney organized races or those hosted by Fleet Feet Rochester (Dave and Ellen are amazing).

start that wraps around a corner

After the race we went out to the Cheesecake Factory that was located on the top floor of Macy's overlooking Union Square.  We got to eat outside and enjoy the view.  Lunch was yummy and the outside seating was very limited compared to inside seating so we were lucky to be seated outside.  

 We figured out that after lunch we would go back to the Golden Gate Bridge.  I really wanted to walk across it since we didn't the other day.  I also wanted to go watch the sunset so we headed over to the Golden Gate Bridge.  I also would have liked to take pictures of it at night but that didn't work out so well (too many lights in the park where we were).  We did walk almost halfway across the bridge this time though.  It wasn't bad except for the very chilly wind.

We did wait in a lot of traffic on the bus just to get dropped off at the  park and then we figured traffic would have been way better and the bus would be back to a consistent schedule after our walk and waiting for the sunset (which we didn't see... notice the heavy clouds/fog).  We sat around the corner from the bus stop semi-blocked from the bone chilling wind.  I guess it is all about timing to capture a good picture of the bridge without fog and such.  

 

Telegraph Hill and the Death Boat

Ok... I know it has been way too long since the last post so I will wrap up our San Fran trip.  We walked up the stairs to Coit Tower to see the beautiful view.  Of course we stopped along the way to take in the view and let people walking down the stairs by.  Once at the top we realized why people were "looking at us funny" on the way up.  Apparently there is a bus that actually drops you at the top of Telegraph Hill.  All those stairs for no real reason.

random sign along the stairs

after already climbing over 200 stairs what's left

Lombard St. and the Bridge

Coit Tower

After taking in the view we caught the bus back down and went over to Pier 39 to take a boat cruise of the bay.  Although it was windy and cold on the boat it allowed us beautiful views and took us out to the Golden Gate bridge and circled around Alcatrez before returning to the dock.

We found out that with our tickets from the boat cruise we could get tickets for the Rocket Boat death boat for $10.  Luke was excited about that and after I had a cup of coffee to warm up we boarded the death boat.  It wasn't actually a death boat but I think it is a more fitting name.  Seriously, hitting waves at high speed and being strapped to a chair on a speed boat is not my idea of fun.  Many people were enjoying the death boat, I was not one of them.  I would have felt better if I was allowed to wear the life jacket instead of having it under my seat in the event that I needed it.

before leaving the dock 

Although the boat ride totaled 30 minutes it felt way longer than the 1 1/2 hour cruise we just took.  You can see the spray and such from the death boat as it made a turn back towards the bridge (this boat went opposite the other tour boat so it was the bay bridge).

Luke and the Death Boat

Stress from the death boat equals a trip to Ghiradelli Square for another ice cream sundae before heading back to the hotel to rest a little bit for my half marathon the next day.  Luke did not complain about calling it an early day after the stairs and walking I'd put him through the past couple days.