Running Bay to Breakers

May 15, 2007 8:51 PM

I'm running the Bay to Breakers race in San Francisco next weekend. What to expect?

This Sunday, I am flying from New York to SF to visit friends and run the Bay to Breakers. i've run a few races in NYC, but this is supposed to be crazy! What's it like? Is there actual running involved, or is it so crowded you have to walk a lot of the way (as Wikipedia says). Is it fun or just too crazy for words (or both?) If you've done it or know anyone who's done it, let me know.

posted by sweetkid to Travel & Transportation around San Francisco, CA (9 answers total)

I did it several years ago when I lived there. There are folks who run it, but this happens early in the morning. After that, everyone is walking and having a good time. I walked the entire way while drinking heavily. There were mobile bars being pushed by other "participants." A man dressed as Captain America was sitting on a couch which someone had thrown into a pond in GG Park. There will be a lot of people in costume, and probably many who are nekkid. Wouldn't say it's too crazy for words, but it's definitely fun.
posted by sanko at 8:57 PM on May 15, 2007

I've been to that party. I've never run it, I was always one of the silly party people. My experience, in a nutshell:

They usually set up the race so that people who actually want to run it can start first. If you want to run, get there as early as you can and be as close to the start line as possible. The people I've known who ran it didn't have any trouble with the revelers, as we are usually quite far behind, but I'm sure a lot of serious runners do find it distracting if they end up in the wrong part of the crowd. We are a drunken, silly lot, some with costumes, some naked, and drinking the entire way. Some people build intricate floats (making it easier to push the keg up Hayes St hill). There are street parties along the path as the morning wears on, so be prepared for a lot of support from the nearby windows and streets.

Have fun! (I moved away last month; please send my love to San Francisco.)
posted by juliplease at 9:01 PM on May 15, 2007

There are over 11,000 pictures on flickr tagged baytobreakers. Take a peek! That ought to give you a little idea what you've gotten yourself into.

It's a grand ol' time.
posted by jewishbuddha at 9:52 PM on May 15, 2007

We'll have a couple kegs on a float. Keg stands for all. It'll be fun.
posted by devilsbrigade at 10:09 PM on May 15, 2007

The year I did it (2005) there was a float made to look like a crib, with a dancing Michael Jackson impersonator inside, with a little boy doll bent over the rails.

It gets a little crazy. ;)
posted by Zarya at 10:19 PM on May 15, 2007

Wow, I'm *in* some of those photos, jewishbuddha. (Easy to find, given that I know what I was dressed as.)

Of course, so are most people who wear/do anything interesting. And, OP, you will be too, if you dress as anything notable.

Re: serious runners-- I think most of the walking crowd tends to gather along the path of the first chunk of the race- so if you're a serious type, who has registered, you'll still pass lots of the crazies. And all along the race path there are people who come out to watch/provide food/enjoy the general merriment.

If you're not a serious type, you might want to note that they do actually prevent you from bringing huge amounts of alcohol into Golden Gate Park, or they did last year. Solution: don't have any left by then.

Someday, I'll do it as a salmon.
posted by nat at 10:48 PM on May 15, 2007

Other than at the front, the race starts very slowly, since so many people are packed into the street at the same time before the start, and a big proportion of those people are not serious runners. The year I ran it officially, we showed up only about 10 min before the start, and as a result it probably took us 15 min of walking in a crowd before we had room to run. Apart from that, though, there was enough room to run as fast as you wanted. If you're concerned about your time, they use chips now, so presumably you won't be penalized for any time you spend walking in the mass to starting line.
posted by epugachev at 10:55 PM on May 15, 2007

I've run this a couple of times - if you actually want to run, get there about an hour ahead and position yourself as far towards the front as possible. It does take a while to get going, but this is common for any mass start race. If you just want to enjoy the experience hang further towards the back and soak up the atmosphere/booze. It's the only event that allows me to indulge my twin interests of Kenyan runners and naked men and for that I love B2B dearly!
posted by poissonrouge at 12:55 AM on May 16, 2007

I do this nearly every year (sadly, not this year). I second getting there early. One year, the race's winner had crossed the finish line before I got to the start line.
posted by rsclark at 6:50 AM on May 16, 2007