A recent half marathon that celebrated cross-border unity turned into a frustrating experience for many runners when their cars were towed during the San Diego–Tijuana Binational Half Marathon held on Sunday.
Instead of enjoying the after-race festivities and refueling after the 13.1-mile run that began in San Ysidro and passed into Tijuana, a number of tired participants ended up waiting at the Western Towing impound lot to reclaim their vehicles.
Numerous runners expressed their confusion, stating they had adhered to the parking instructions outlined on the event’s website, which reassured them that parking at a nearby mall was a safe option.
The official marathon website had said, “For your convenience, Las Américas Premium Outlets will allow you to leave your car parked there on race day without the risk of being towed. This convenient option allows you to park at the race start area and enjoy the event with peace of mind.”
However, Bernice Diaz, whose sister parked at Las Americas Premium Lot, shared her shock, saying, “We get there, and there’s no car. I was like, ‘Where is my car?’ I was not the only one: all these people are part of it, which is unfortunate.”
Another authorized parking area was the Baja-Mex Ped West Parking located at 4575 Camino de la Plaza, which charged a $12 race-day fee for those who showed their bibs upon entry.
Some participants also claimed that they were directed by event officials to park in areas not designated for official parking. Alex Rodriguez, a marathon runner, recounted that he was told by the staff to leave his vehicle near Popeyes in San Ysidro. Upon finishing the race, he was met with disappointment when he couldn’t locate his car.
Rodriguez remarked, “The team for Binational was instructing us to park in a parking lot…They told us it was our fault, but it’s not our fault when the official people of Binational Half Marathon instructed us to park there.”
In response, the Binational Race Team clarified to a local news outlet that the towing occurrences took place at the San Ysidro Village parking lot, which they did not authorize as a parking area. They emphasized that no staff members were designated to oversee vehicle traffic or parking at Las Americas Premium Outlets or its surroundings.
