I Left My Heart in San Francisco

Jerry Rice is regarded as the greatest wide receiver in NFL history. That is a fact. What makes him a legend though was the amount of work that he did to keep himself in tip top shape. During the offseason Jerry would run the hills of San Francisco in Edgewood Trail. Many players came to join Jerry and running back Rodger Craig to run the Hill and many of them (some of the fittest people on the planet) tossed their cookies.  We ended up visiting Twin Peaks which was nearby after which I get it… Those are some serious hills.

Lands End

We saw everything that could possibly be squeezed into four and half days.  Besides the 49ers game vs. the LA Rams, this was my favorite part. A hike starting the Lands End Visitors Center, around the mouth of San Francisco Bay and covering 4.82 miles (in 2 hours and 40 minutes). We saw some incredible scenery and some deceptively steep inclines (see my opening). There was even a minor run in with a tiny woodland creature. It was a great way to spend a day and we got some health along the way.  I didn’t realize how crazy the hill profile was until @hoodieruns mentioned it via Strava (see below). 

South San Francisco

We stayed in the neighborhood of South San Francisco, about 12 miles from the Golden Gate bridge and close to just about everything. Highways were close and so was, Starbucks. It was a great location from which to be able to explore the city. Finally on the day we were due to fly out, I managed to get out for a very slow and hilly run.  I covered 2.49 miles in 32m22s, climbing 230+ feet of elevation along the way.  The interesting part of this run was that even though I was tired, I still kept moving. By altering my pace on the uphill and managing to conserve energy on the downhill, I managed to get stretch this run out. It turned out to be a great morning out and I got to explore the neighborhood.

If you have the chance to visit San Francisco, jump at it.  There’s hiking, walking, running, cycling and a long list of other outdoor activities to partake in.  The city is super friendly, very accessible and just waiting to be run. Just remember to pack your running shoes.

Beez