From The Bay To The Breakers
I found myself feeling anxious, irritated and a bit annoyed for [what seemed like] no apparent reason. After awhile, I realized what was causing the dis-ease.
There's a helicopter whose "geostationary" flight pattern is directly overhead. The monotonous drone of its rotor blades is filtering through the low-level din of this usually quiet Sunday morning. That's what was getting on my nerves. Why the hell does it need to stay just there. It's too high up to read it's markings but it's probably some news helicopter reporting on the activity below. But there's nothing happening below. Then it hits me. The Bay to Breakers Marathon. The course is right down my street ...well, one block over. As I look out the window, I can see the first of the runners speeding by. The rest of the marathoners are on their way.
Note that I'm writing this at 8:15 a.m. (PDT).
Pretty soon, the neighborhood will be drowning in a sea of bodies. The first wave seems to be passing now. These are the legitimate runners. The regular Kenyans (who very frequently come in first) along with other professional marathoners who come each year for this foot race. Accompanying them are the other runners who've also trained for and "run" the race. Then, there's a lull.
Then comes the waves of the San Francisco participants. This is the bulk of the race, the group of people ...some running, some walking, many of whom have dressed up in all kinds of outlandish getups and costumes... that considers this an annual mobile party. And there's also the usual contingent of "naked runners". It's like a second Halloween, with the marathon itself being the theme, instead of ghosts and goblins. To see some of these "marathoners", just google "bay to breakers" for the myriad posts and pictures that have been (and will be) made available.
I should've realize this was marathon Sunday when I saw all the porta-potties lining one side of the park across the street. This was a very good idea. You see, last year, there were literally hundreds of people (men, women and children) relieving themselves behind the trees which hadn't grown fully enough to provide sufficient cover. (The park and its trees are only a year old.) But when you gotta go, you gotta go ...and they went. So, as unsightly as is this procession of green cubicles, it's preferable to last year's spectacle.
In the past, I've walked the race and even ridden my bike, but I've never run it. It's not that long a course. It runs from one end of the city (San Francisco Bay), through the city streets, on through Golden Gate Park, to the other end ([Pacific] Ocean Beach) and is only 12 kilometers (7.46 miles) -- a little over 1/4 the length of a full marathon (which is 42.2 kilometers / 26.2 miles). However, you do encounter several steep hills. One such formidable incline is referred to as "Heartbreak Hill" ...and rightly so. It has proven to be the breaking point of many of the unskilled and untrained. Hey, this hill, which is right down the street from where I live, is a bitch to even walk up; I generally go several blocks out of my way to go around it.
The race was scheduled to start at 8:00 a.m. (PDT). [Most of] the runners will finish within the first hour. It'll take quite a few hours for the last of the other participants to cross the finish line ...for them it's not really a race. For the remainder of the day there will be various activities and parties throughout the city. Many people will remain "in costume", so it's not at all unusual to see a Chinese dragon floating down the street supported by its six inhabitants ...or a couple of bearded ballerinas in pink tights and tutus ...a woman in a wedding gown and running shoes ...or a few complete naked [men and women] with nothing on but their painted costumes. Ahh, San Francisco.
Last year, a Kenyan had the winning time of 34 minutes and 49 seconds.
The Kenyan Gilbert Okari, won again this year with a time of 34 minutes and 20 seconds ...(amended to this post after the results were available).
Quote of the Week: "It's not the journey that wears you out, it that grain of sand in your shoe."
Note that I'm writing this at 8:15 a.m. (PDT).
Pretty soon, the neighborhood will be drowning in a sea of bodies. The first wave seems to be passing now. These are the legitimate runners. The regular Kenyans (who very frequently come in first) along with other professional marathoners who come each year for this foot race. Accompanying them are the other runners who've also trained for and "run" the race. Then, there's a lull.
Then comes the waves of the San Francisco participants. This is the bulk of the race, the group of people ...some running, some walking, many of whom have dressed up in all kinds of outlandish getups and costumes... that considers this an annual mobile party. And there's also the usual contingent of "naked runners". It's like a second Halloween, with the marathon itself being the theme, instead of ghosts and goblins. To see some of these "marathoners", just google "bay to breakers" for the myriad posts and pictures that have been (and will be) made available.
I should've realize this was marathon Sunday when I saw all the porta-potties lining one side of the park across the street. This was a very good idea. You see, last year, there were literally hundreds of people (men, women and children) relieving themselves behind the trees which hadn't grown fully enough to provide sufficient cover. (The park and its trees are only a year old.) But when you gotta go, you gotta go ...and they went. So, as unsightly as is this procession of green cubicles, it's preferable to last year's spectacle.
In the past, I've walked the race and even ridden my bike, but I've never run it. It's not that long a course. It runs from one end of the city (San Francisco Bay), through the city streets, on through Golden Gate Park, to the other end ([Pacific] Ocean Beach) and is only 12 kilometers (7.46 miles) -- a little over 1/4 the length of a full marathon (which is 42.2 kilometers / 26.2 miles). However, you do encounter several steep hills. One such formidable incline is referred to as "Heartbreak Hill" ...and rightly so. It has proven to be the breaking point of many of the unskilled and untrained. Hey, this hill, which is right down the street from where I live, is a bitch to even walk up; I generally go several blocks out of my way to go around it.
The race was scheduled to start at 8:00 a.m. (PDT). [Most of] the runners will finish within the first hour. It'll take quite a few hours for the last of the other participants to cross the finish line ...for them it's not really a race. For the remainder of the day there will be various activities and parties throughout the city. Many people will remain "in costume", so it's not at all unusual to see a Chinese dragon floating down the street supported by its six inhabitants ...or a couple of bearded ballerinas in pink tights and tutus ...a woman in a wedding gown and running shoes ...or a few complete naked [men and women] with nothing on but their painted costumes. Ahh, San Francisco.
Last year, a Kenyan had the winning time of 34 minutes and 49 seconds.
The Kenyan Gilbert Okari, won again this year with a time of 34 minutes and 20 seconds ...(amended to this post after the results were available).
Quote of the Week: "It's not the journey that wears you out, it that grain of sand in your shoe."
posted by gieau_sf (8:25:00 AM)
-- All non-relevant comments will be (have been) deleted!
9 Comment(s):
LOL.......what a fun spectacle it must be. I'll hop over to the bay to breakers site immediately.
I once ran a 1/2 marathon (13 miles) in my 20s. I'd probably die of a heart attack now.
I hear ya. It's been a great many years since I had that much stamina.
Oh dear! I just read your post after putting up one about my indifference to competitive sports.
Nevermind.
But the difference is in the competing rather than watching. Running one of this things must be a personal contract with yourself. And in that lies the satisfaction.
I love these community events that bring people out together. In my town we have an Arts Walk, when all the stores stay open late to display local art, and then the Parade of the Species -- a parade of anyone in the community who creates an animal costume, some of which you've never seen in real life. We also have, at another time of the year, the Pet Parade, when all the children parade through town with their pets. Again costumes and loud crowds lining the streets. Marvelous to watch the creativity and pure silliness!
I love San Francisco! I used to run 10 miles a day, 4 days a week in my early twenties. I can't imagine running the Bay to Breakers today. I think that I would literally collapse! Oh, but what fun to watch!
p.s. To clear up any ambiguity--> not that I ever ran Bay to Breakers even back then. Back then I was running in relatively flat Ohio...
Gloria,
Yes, the hills make quite a bit of difference.
But hey, 10 miles a day, I impressed :-)
just in case your stat counters are still not working.........
i was here :)
at ca. 8:30 pm EST......
He-he That was odd, wasn't it. One of their servers went out but it's back up and running now.
At first I was a little annoyed at the "inconvenience" but then I considered what a great service they're providing for free so I got over it :)
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