Established in 1971, Pamakid Runners has a deep San Francisco history, including direct descendancy from the storied South End and Dolphin rowing clubs and their land-roving offshoot, the Dolphin South End Runners (DSE). A new club was conceived by the Boitano and Cunneen families with two key objectives: to form a competitive racing team, and to include women as members and competitors—despite the fact that the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) didn’t allow women to participate in races, a discrimination that would persist until 1974.

Pamakids was thus established as one of the first gender-integrated clubs in the Bay Area. Fittingly, Betty Cunneen presided as the first club president. In recognition of the new club’s focus on families and inclusive running, founding members created the portmanteau, Pamakids ("Pa-Ma-Kid"), as the club name. The mythical Soonar bird was chosen as the club mascot. The Pacific Association of the AAU officially sanctioned Pamakid Runners Club in January 1971.

Pamakids quickly joined the local race circuit, competing across many distances. Nevertheless, social connection and community-building through running were core elements of the Pamakids from the start. Club members met for over 15 years for regular Wednesday night runs around Lake Merced. In fact, this weekly tradition led to the club’s first organized event, an 8-mile race from Daly City to Lake Merced, which eventually morphed into the club’s annual spring race and celebration, the Rites of Spring.

Not satisfied with small intra-club race organizing, Pamakids chartered the first San Francisco Marathon, in 1977, under the guidance of then-president, Jim Scannell. The marathon continued under the Pamakids stewardship for five years. Then, in 1983, Pamakids founded the San Francisco Half Marathon, which the club owns and organizes to this day. The San Francisco Half Marathon has become one of the city’s largest road races. Through the continued financial success of the San Francisco Half Marathon, Pamakids donates over one hundred thousand dollars annually to such organizations as Running for a Better Oakland, Girls on the Run, and Support for Families.