Golden Gate Half Marathon Delivers Classic San Francisco Morning for 24th Running

November 3, 2025

Thousands cross Golden Gate Bridge in popular Bay Area running tradition

SAN FRANCISCO (November 3, 2025) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – If it’s the first Sunday in November and you’re a Bay Area runner, that can mean only one thing:

Time for the Golden Gate Half Marathon.

The fall tradition continued Sunday with the 24th edition of the 13.1-mile race, delivering a quintessential San Francisco morning. Fog rolled across the Bay so thick that only the cables above the Golden Gate Bridge were visible for miles. Alcatraz loomed in the distance, and swimmers bobbed in the water adjacent to the start.

“There were beautiful views all the way, especially running across the bridge,” said Santa Cruz’s Mackenzie Deeter, who placed second in the women’s race.

Out of 7,500 entrants, none were faster than 38-year-old Christian Mathys, who flew in from Switzerland and won the men’s race in 1 hour, 10 minutes, 24 seconds.

“It was a very cool race with some nice spectators,” Mathys said. “I hit my pace exactly the first half. That was easy. Then it got harder and harder with all the hills. My legs were getting tired, but I pushed through.”

A Bay Area visitor won the women’s title as well, with New Yorker Anya Cheng capturing her first major half marathon win in 1:29:08.

“I’m dedicating it to the people I ran with,” Cheng said.

Christian Moreno of Los Angeles, inspired by the Dodgers’ Game 7 World Series win, placed second in 1:11:36.

“I tried to win, but I’ll take second,” said Moreno, who offered sage advice for other runners.

“I didn’t get caught up with the pace,” he said. “I wasn’t looking at my watch. I was running off effort. And if the effort’s there, it’ll bring you through on a hilly course. You can’t worry about pace too much. Just go out there and have fun.”

JL Odom, 46, of San Francisco, finished first among non-binary runners in 1:25:53.

“I run this route a lot,” Odom said. “I knew the hills were coming. I try to go fast on the flat parts and the downhill. From there, with the hills, I gave it what I could. It’s a challenging course, but I like a challenge.”

Among the thousands of stories on a picture-perfect morning, Dairy Demko showed he’s no stranger to a challenge. Eighteen months ago, Demko suffered a devastating fall that broke his neck and left him temporarily paralyzed.

After hundreds of hours of physical therapy, he attempted to complete Sunday’s 5K using mobility sticks.

“I’m incredibly grateful and incredibly proud of the people I’m supported by,” Demko said. “By my wife, by my family, by my friends, by my colleagues. All of them have been helping me carry this weight and get back on my feet.”

His message for others facing seemingly insurmountable challenges?

“Never lose hope,” he said. “If you’re dealing with physical issues, the body is a very powerful machine. It has the ability to repair itself. Stay positive. Stay hopeful, and you’ll get there eventually.”

Sunday’s Golden Gate Half Marathon raised more than $85,000 for cancer research – contributing to over $1 million generated since event organizer, Motiv Sports partnered with the American Cancer Society.

Registration open for the milestone 25th anniversary event on Sunday, November 1, 2026.  The half-marathon offers runners a chance to cross San Francisco’s iconic bridge in one of California’s most scenic road races.

For complete results, phots and more, visit RunSF.com.