Gloomy Sunday weather couldn’t begin to cloud the intoxicating—and occasionally intoxicated—energy that thousands of San Franciscans brought to this year’s Bay to Breakers race.
Creative and perfectly impractical costumes, runners’ highs and party stops along the way were just part of the scene during the roughly seven-and-a-half mile citywide trek from the Embarcadero to Ocean Beach—an annual tradition that’s been a part of San Francisco culture since 1912.
Wave after wave of eager runners were let loose onto the course, livening up the otherwise quiet setting of Downtown San Francisco early Sunday morning.
Centipede teams, meaning groups of people who wore matching outfits and completed the race while tied to each other, immediately set a high bar for the most impressive getups.
There was an exceptionally large group of black cats (spreading bad luck across the paths of their competition perhaps?) and the Golden Gate Bridge even made an appearance.
The Panhandle made for a popular spot to recuperate after summiting the Hayes Street hill. The park was also a good vantage point to take a moment to count whether there were more Super Mario Bros. costumes or birthday suits trotting by.
Onlookers got in on the fun, too, waving to their dedicated loved ones as they ran by or just taking in the spectacle of it all.
Spirits were still high even at the finish line, miles from where the race started. Participants sprinted, leaped and strutted across the finish line to receive their medal and their complimentary beer.
