Nike Women's Marathon | california-girls

Story and photos by Jessica Montevago

Sweat drips from her forehead, as she propels herself towards the finish line. Her legs begin to burn, but the sound from the thousands of people in the crowd, chanting and cheering motivates her to finish strong.

What better way to spend a weekend with your

girlfriends, than participating in the Nike Women’s

Marathon (NWM) in San Francisco? If the elegant

Tiffany’s necklace handed to you by an attractive

local fireman, as you cross the finish line isn’t

convincing enough, than perhaps the rewarding

experience of exercising with your girlfriends

while giving back to the community is.

The NWM is a gratifying experience that over

20,000 runners participate in annually, accord-

ing to www.halfmarathons.net. As runners flood

the streets of San Francisco, with an array of

jerseys dedicated to friends and family members,

it is evident that runners are most attracted to the

NWM for its purpose of giving back to the community.

NWM is dedicated to giving its proceeds to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). Over the past 10 years, nearly half a million NWM participants collectively raised over $1 billion, to support the LLS’s research and patient services, according to the NWM official Facebook page.

“The Women's Nike Half Marathon has become a yearly tradition for the women in my family,” said Kaitlyn Campbell, a woman from Biola, Calif. “ Each year there are at least eight of us who run or speed walk it together, and make a weekend out of it.”

With San Francisco’s gorgeous scenery, the NWM is the perfect event for you and your girlfriends to enjoy a early morning workout. Starting in Union Square, runners will get the opportunity to run past famous tourist attractions including: Fishermen’s Wharf, the Golden Gate Bridge, the beach, the famous restaurant, Cliff House, and the beautiful Golden Gate Park.

“Honestly, we look forward to it and the time that we get to spend together in San Francisco,” Campbell said.

If running a full marathon is a concern for you, the NWM also includes a half marathon for runners to participate in. Whether you walk the half marathon or run the full, as long as you are participating in the experience it does not matter how you reach the finish line.

“Last year, three of us cousins speed walked the entire half marathon while pregnant,” Campbell said.

Cambell goes on to explain, that even though you plan to walk the race, building up your endurance prior to the race is necessary. The scenic views throughout the race are breathtaking, but walking or running up the hills in San Francisco can become tiresome. By training , even if it is going on a small 30-minute walk a day, will make your experience more enjoyable. The NWM even provides training groups all throughout the Bay Area, for runners to join to help motivate them to prepare. Runners can join a training group by signing up with Team in Training.

“This October will be my 10th year running the half marathon,” said Judy Rohrbach, a woman from Danville, Calif. “Every time I have done it, whether its with a few or my girlfriends, or my two daughters, it’s always a blast.”

If spending a weekend in San Francisco with your girl friends sounds like the perfect plan for your next get-together, sign up for the NWM. Sign ups for the NWM in San Francisco will open up after the NWM in D.C., which takes place on June 9, according to NWM official homepage.

It is important to note, that because this specific race is so popular, it is not guaranteed that all aspiring runners will be able to participate. The selection process for those able to participate will take place in a random lotto format. However, do not let the popularity of this race discourage you from trying to sign up, because it is a memorable experience that is well worth the effort.

“I went with eight other girls in my sorority and it was

one of the greatest experiences and accomplishments

of my life,” said Molly McPherson, a senior at Chico

State. “We had so much fun running together and

crossing the finish line was amazing.”

If you are selected to participate in the NWM, might

as well take this opportunity and turn it into a weekend

getaway with your girlfriends. Spend the early part of

the weekend, shopping and enjoying the beautiful

city, but make sure to save your energy for the race.

“One year my daughters and I stayed at the St Francis,

right in front of the starting line,” Rohrbach said. “It