San Francisco Ranked Best Running City
By Erin Mara
Note: This post was published in 2016.
San Francisco was just named Runner’s World No. 1 Running City in the U.S. – and though extremely honored – we can’t say we’re surprised. Locals have long-known our city is a top running destination for access, beauty, weather, community and so much more. Ask anyone here – we feel lucky to call San Francisco home.
San Francisco won the designation as the best running city for a handful of reasons, and The San Francisco Marathon showcases them all.
Run: #1 out of 150
Runners cross the Golden Gate Bridge at The Biofreeze San Francisco Marathon
The San Francisco Marathon is the city’s only marathon and its largest race. The city placed in the top spot for the running index, consisting of how often people in the household ran last year (12,554 runs per week for a total of 64,037 miles in 2015, according to Strava); the number of city races (nearly 250 in 2016); the number of running clubs (16); and the number of running stores (9). Cities received bonus points for whether there was a marathon in 2015, a Girls on the Run council, and whether the city was designated an RRCA community.
Parks: #5 out of 150
Aquatic Park, one of many waterfront highlights of the race.
Besides the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco’s greatest treasure is arguably its parks. From lush, 1,000-acre Golden Park on the western edge of the city to bayfront Crissy Field with its endless views of the Golden Bridge and Alcatraz, to the towering eucalyptus-dotted Presidio, The San Francisco Marathon takes runners through them all. The parks index consisted of the percentage of city population with walkable park access and park units, recreation and fitness facilities, the city’s Walk Score, and whether the city is accessible without a car.
Climate: #6 out of 150
Lincoln Boulevard is a scenic downhill stretch, connecting runners from the Golden Gate Bridge, through the Presidio, and into the Richmond District toward Golden Gate Park.
With its signature fog, a cool year-round climate and an average temperature of about 60 degrees, San Francisco boasts its best running weather in the summer — perfect timing for the San Francisco marathon, which takes place on the last Sunday in July each year. The climate index consisted of daily precipitation, average daily maximum and minimum air temperatures, average daily maximum heat index, and the average daily density of particulate matter, a measure of air pollution.
Food: #19 out of 150
San Francisco’s iconic Ferry Building is a top destination for foodies and farmers markets.
San Francisco is known worldwide for its culinary prowess, and the heart of its food culture sits in the San Francisco Ferry Building, an epicurean marketplace, with an impressive farmers market three days a week. The San Francisco Marathon starts almost directly in front of the Ferry Building, and its Race Expo is just a few miles away. The food index consisted of two data sets: farmers’ markets per 1,000 people and an index of factors that contribute to a healthy food environment, including store/restaurant proximity and food prices.
Read more about America’s 50 Best Running Cities.