When I found out that I would be in San Francisco the
weekend of the Bay to Breakers race, I decided I wanted to run the race. When I registered, I discovered they
not only offered the 12K distance, but you could also add an extra 3K, called
the Breaker Bonus, which included a free beer and extra medal. Extra medal?
Sign me up!
Overall, I had the best time at Bay to Breakers. Here’s the good, the bad and the naked
truth about my experience.
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| Start Line! |
The Good
Prior to running this race, I didn’t think I’d ever want to
travel to a race for a distance less than a half marathon, however Bay to
Breakers changed that. I had the
best time. There are so many
things to love about this race.
Bay to Breakers really is one big party! It starts in the corrals where we tossed tortillas in the air. I’m not sure where the tradition originated, but it was fun. The costumes were so much fun too—some were basic and some included full face make-up with a little bit of everything in between. And the runners weren’t the only ones in costume—the spectators brought their party game too.
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| Even the race mascot runs the race |
The course took us through the streets of San Francisco,
through a gorgeous park and along the ocean as part of the Breaker Bonus. Even with the Hayes Street Hill, I
really enjoyed the course. It
never felt boring—not only did the race have entertainment, some spectators
were DJ-ing music for us too. Like
I said—one big party!
I know that a race doesn’t just happen—it takes the work of
a lot of people, many who are volunteers.
And all the volunteers for the race were awesome. From the ones at the race expo, to the
ones in the finish line they were are so friendly and genuinely seemed happy to
be there.
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| Almost to the Finish |
Leading up to the race, the weather was a bit chaotic and
the night before, thunderstorms were predicted. Not only did that alter my race outfit, it also alter some
times of the race activities. Bay
to Breakers did an awesome job of communicating to the runners and doing
everything they could to ensure that we would be safe in the weather
conditions.
And those thunderstorms they predicted? Other than about 15 minutes of rain
before the race even started, it was a beautiful day. All the extra layers I wore to stay dry and warm were lost
during the race and we finished with sunshine and blue skies. It was perfect running weather!
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| Will Run For Bling |
The Bad
I can only think of one bad moment from today’s race. At an aid station, I grabbed the Ultima
and it was lemon flavor- I’m not sure if it just wasn’t mixed right or it was
the flavor, but it definitely wasn’t what I was expecting. I like Ultima, but I don’t think the
lemon flavor is my jam. And if
that’s the only bad thing I can find with today’s race, I call that a major
win!
The Naked Truth
Now to the nitty gritty. Part of why the Bay to Breakers race is known for being one
big party is that some people run it naked. Yes, you read that correctly. Naked.
I knew this going into the race. But knowing it and actually seeing it are two separate
things. I saw my first naked
runner about a quarter mile into the race. It was like an “Oh!” reaction—then after that, it wasn’t as
weird. Kudos to those runners for
being comfortable in their own skin.
I’m not sure if it’s something I could ever do, but it definitely adds
to the party of the race.
Someone asked me how many runners ran naked—I don’t know a
percentage, but I know I definitely saw runners in the double digits and if
you’re in to statistics, I saw more men than women running naked.
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| One of my #runmigas, Uyen |
I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun at a
race. I got to run with friends,
run through a great city and party at one of the oldest footraces in the United
States. Would I run it again? Absolutely!! I think everyone should
run it at least ones to experience it.
What’s the most fun race you’ve ever run?
Until next time, happy running.
Jenn13.1
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