Watch Them Go

Some of us can run only a block, and then only to catch someone selling bacon-wrapped hot dogs. Dean Karnazes isn’t one of us: In 2006, he ran 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days, finishing in New York. Then he promptly ran to Missouri. He’s the host of the San Francisco Marathon, which is a laughably short 26 miles. It also features a hysterical half marathon and a 5K route you can walk. Imagine! The course of the main race, though, is a gem, traversing the Embarcadero, the Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, the Mission, Potrero Hill, and Dogpatch, with 12 local bands on the “music miles.” The rest of us can make do with Health & Fitness Expo over the weekend, the pasta feed on Saturday, a spectator bus that makes three stops along the course, and a postrace BBQ.

The expo runs Aug. 1-2.
Sun., Aug. 3, 5:30 a.m., 2008