Bay To Breakers: 12k across San Francisco

For those of you not from the Bay Area, the Bay To Breakers is something of an iconic footrace/moving block party through the streets of San Francisco. Every year in May thousands of people go through the backs of their closets, the drawer they never open, that bag that should have been donated to the Goodwill, to find the most ridiculous clothing they have ever owned... and then they go out in public in it. At least half of the 60,000 runners and walkers dress in their best Halloween costumes, participate in group centipedes, create elaborate floats, or take everything off to walk naked. I decided that this year, Michael and I had to participate.

The annual Bay To Breakers is also a serious 12k race that brings runners from all of the world to compete. The winners finished the race in under 38 minutes while we all took 2.5 hours. The race started as a way to lift the city's spirits after the disastrous 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The first run was in 1912 and was known as the Cross City Race. It is the longest consecutively run footrace in the world.

So early Sunday morning Michael, Erlinda, Serafina and I found our way to the start line and joined the crowds standing waiting for the official start of the race. Apparently Thor and Wolverine are fans of the B2B as well...

We participated in the traditional throwing of the tortillas while we waited. Here is a video of the tortilla tossing in action. Then finally the race began and the crowds started to move forward. Here we are approaching Hayes Hill, the only elevated part of the race. I happened to catch a snap of the guy in front of me dressed as the unpronounceable active Volcano in Iceland.

The best part of walking the Bay To Breakers is the people watching. Here are some of our favorite costumes....

A group of adult babies....

The Bay To Breakers brings many people out of their homes to the streets to cheer on the participants. This group of Chefs stood by, beer in hand. Not sure what Flash was doing there, perhaps considering a change of career?

This is the first group of synchronized swimmers we came across...

Here is the second...
Mmmmmm, bacon makes everything better....


The best moment of the day was when we witnessed the spontaneous celebration that occurred when two groups of Crayola Crayons found each other.

And no race is complete without a keg of beer. An impressive use of a skateboard.

The race started in the financial district on the east side of the city close to the Bay and wound through the city. We crossed the 7 mile marker in Golden Gate Park. Now we knew we were getting close to the ocean and the finish line.

Ah, the ocean and the last turn before the finish line...

We made it!