Too good to be true!!!

[Bazza1234]

I just knew that there was something suspicious about my timed 27:30 San Francisco Parkrun as previously reported here. 5 minutes faster than my previous PB!!!!! A good look at Google maps has now shown me that I did not complete the full course.

But first a short story - it is obvious to me that something is basically wrong with the US Parkrun organisation (probably at national level) . After several years , they still have only 4 venues - and my observation of the SFO venue was that there were a small number of very willing supporters - but with no money to set up a "proper" Parkrun. When I arrived at the appointed place for the start, I "expected" to see the usual large flags flying which are standard as far as I know at every Aussie parkrun - even those just starting up. I am not sure what is supplied to a new Aussie startup - or who supplies it - but all venues that I have been to have flags for the start/finish plus extra flags along the course to indicate turning points, etc. SFO had none of this - and the young keen bloke who is the Event Manager confused me with his verbal directions of the course just before the start and , as the rest of the field left me well behind and there were no flags or Marshalls along the course, it was a sure thing that I would not run the course correctly.

So, on the map here parkrun.us/crissyfield/course/ , you can see the large loop around Crissy Field itself and alongside the Crissy Field marsh -- BUT I missed out on running the short out, around and back bit at the far left of the track -- about 600 metres in all, so , if I had run that as I should have, that would have added an extra 5 minutes or so to my result and made it more like it usually is - 32:30 PB!

[Artefactfinder Graduate]

I agree...Parkruns in the States are a bit rubbish. Im in Florida and there is one about an hour and a half from me. Too far and from what ive heard has a low attendance too. Such a pity. I wish there were more. I wonder why they haven't taken off here?

[Bazza1234 Graduate in reply to Artefactfinder]

San Francisco Parkrun should be HUGE!!! I have never seen so many runners on the road in one place at one time - they were literally everywhere in that Fort Mason area on Saturday morning . I thought that many of them were headed to the Parkrun start place - but , if any were, they would not have been able to find it becuase it is only shown on the website. Big flags would attract runners. In fact, IF it ever did grow to the size that many other Parkruns are in the UK and Australia with several hundred runners each week, Chrissy park would be a totally unsuitable venue because there are so many other walkers and dogs there.

I have heard from a number of places that parkruns in the US have not been able to get funding support from either Government or commercial sources.

[runningnearbeirut Graduate]

What a shame about your pb. At least you knew in your heart it wasn't right so were let down gently.

[misswobble Graduate]

It's shame that baz. You think it would be really big over there. Mind you track and field is not popular there apparently. Athletes competing here complain they don't get the tv coverage so don't get the level of sponsorship etc they could do

[Curlygurly2 Graduate]

That's a shame, I wouldn't have looked personally! You know my story from my first PR, I ran about an extra 600 MTs!

[rmnsuk Graduate]

I wonder why. I live in a bit of a backwater in the UK west midlands and the last two parkruns had 285 entrants each. Not only that but all the other local towns have their own parkruns so it's not like people come from miles around. No flags though.