Streets of San Francisco

Business had me in the "City" this last week; "Running Tourism" gave me the chance to it in a unique manner.

My hotel was off of Union Square and a mile down Market Street to the Embarcadero. At 0530 I had the streets to myself, or so it seemed, save for a the pre-work day preps of shop keepers sweeping or hosing down the walkways, construction crews erecting barricades or removing them from last night's work, and a few early commuters.

The wind was brisk and the air wet and cold but the sky relatively clear. No infamous San Francisco marine layer this morning. The first mile took me down through the Financial District and by the Ferry Terminal, I was starting to feel the self-generated heat taking the edge off the cold wind. Turning up the Embarcadero I now fronted the Bay and the morning dawn and it's shadows made Alcatrez Island appear like ship at anchor. Passing Fisherman's Wharf, the wind kept up its steady blow which, as indicated by the whitecaps in the Bay, probably was a steady 15 knots.

I reached my half-way point at Chrissy Field and stopped to take in the Golden Gate as the sun cracked the eastern horizon and truly made it live up to its name. One last look and then I turned with a tail-wind for the return trip.

A few more joggers and a few more commuters on the way back. With the brisk wind I was howling along, as well. My pace was somewhere in the low 7min and I finished the 8 miles just under an hour. Not quite the Bay to Breakers but a great Bay tour none the less.