the bay-to-breakers is a beautiful thing.
this signature san francisco ritual is 1/10th road race and 9/10ths costume parade, and this year's version was about as good as it gets. in contrast to last year's driving rain storm, absolutely perfect weather treated sunday's revelers to ideal let-your-freak-flag-fly conditions.
the pure creativity that this spectacle evokes is both invigorating and inspiring. while the actual runners at the head of the pack take the competition rather seriously, it's the miscreants that bring up the rear who give this race its character.
dress for this festive affair ranges from elaborate, hand-made costumes to, well, very little at all.
a group of kenyans dominated the race again this year, crossing the 7.5 mile course in about 35 minutes. as is typically the case, these runners finished the race before over 50% of the participants even hit the starting line.
rolling kegs, rocking house parties, outdoor bands, and tolerant police make the roughly 4 hour jaunt through the city streets a roving free-for-all.
"we've been to frisco, and we've seen it all," declared a bunch of tourists quoted in the chronicle. well put. the bay-to-breakers has it all, and it truly embodies the spirit of what makes san francisco such a colorful playground.
Posted by bojon at May 19, 2003 01:05 AM