Bay to Breakers - 05/16/10

Only in The CITY can you race against a fuzzy pink gorilla  ...  and lose.  Tommy the Gorilla came in about a minute ahead of me in this year's ING Bay to Breakers.  This is a guy who can legitimately put down a sub-5:00 pace.  He came in tenth overall (without the costume) a few years ago.  The costume costs him about 1:20 per mile.  I saw him up ahead for the first couple of miles, but he was gone after that.  If he faded, it was not enough for him to come back into sight.  He was seeded as an elite male and actually beat one of the 20 elite males in the race.  How embarrassing is that?

This event has a little of something for everyone.  There are people who want to race up front.  Those looking for a good run in the middle.  Those who want a party in back and mixed in along the way.  Many people run in costumes.  There are floats.  The floats were causing problems a few years ago.  There was talk of banning them, but The CITY wants a party.  So, the floats have to have a permit and follow some rules.  A shopping cart rolling down the street with a keg of beer is no longer a float (or even permitted).  When the drunks started threatening and pelting the city cleaning crews (because they did not want the party to stop) the crackdown started.  You do not mess with the public employee unions in The CITY.  Lots of people also don't like having their flowers ... um ... watered.  This year's race still had problems and the debate on what to do continues. 

On top of the craziness and spectacle, the event is a mass of humanity.  It claims to average about 33,000 registered runners and walkers, but a total of 60,000 participants each year.  This year's results show a total of 24,423 official finishers.  At its height, the race had over 100,000 participants.  Bandits -- those who run but do not pay -- are a significant problem for the race organizer.  Even our Mayor ran as a bandit (did not pay) and a turkey (crossed the finish line without a number).  He woke up early on race morning and decided to participate.  Other than some grousing in the running community, no one seems to have noticed or cared. 

The predicted weather for the race was sunny and warm. The weather forecasts never seem to be too good at predicting when the fog will first roll in.  Race morning was cool, but not cold. It was overcast -- low clouds or high fog, depending on your view. There was a slight breeze, but not really a wind. Much better conditions for running than the predicted conditions. I came out of The Relay feeling much better than last year and decided to run for time.

 ... Three, Two, One [Bang]

I saw Edward H. just before the start.  We lined up five to ten feet behind the start line to the right of center.  There was the final count down, the gun and we were off.  Tommy started with the elite runners and was out of sight before too long.  I passed Mile 1 at about 6:21.  Shortly after that, I saw the first naked runner.  He was hauling cookies.  I could see them as he ran by.  Despite running naked, he decided he needed a hat.  Shortly after he passed me, his hat flew off.  He stopped and ran back to get it.  I had to watch his naked butt go by a second time.  Fortunately, he was out of sight before too long.  His picture is on some of the other blogs.  I am not going to put it here.

Around a mile and half into the race, I fell into pace with a group of six guys with red coats and toy rifles, running in their jockey shorts.  Somewhere shortly after mile two, they were organized in a rectangle with two lines of three each.  I was a few feet behind them, on their left corner.  Just as we passed an intersection, a group of patriot soldiers ambushed them, jumping from the crowd with their pop guns blazing.  The redcoats stopped to engage the attackers and a fierce gun battle ensued.  I almost crashed into the back of the redcoats as they stopped.  I made a quick swerve to the left and continued.  Clearly the redcoats survived since the photo of them looks like it was taken a couple of miles later.

The Hayes Street Hill

I saw the Mile 2 marker, but was distracted at the point where I needed to hit my watch.  So, I did not get a split time.  I was probably looking up the Hayes Street Hill, planning my approach.  There is a gradual rise leading to the Hayes Street Hill.  At about Mile 2.5, the serious climbing starts with an 11.7% grade for nearly half a mile.  Mile 3 comes shortly after the summit.  My total time was 19:59 at Mile 3, which is a little slower off the hill than I was hoping. 

The often repeated information is that the Hayes Street Hill is the high point of the race and the course then gradually flows downhill to the finish.  The statement may be true figuratively since the hill is the signature challenge of the race.  Still, it is not true in fact.  One local blogger suggests that this was said once and has been repeated so many times in the mainstream media that it is taken as true.  Based on data from a Garmin watch and topographic maps, the chart above is closer to the real profile of the race.  That explains why I have traditionally had so much trouble getting back on pace along the Golden Gate Park Panhandle, leading to Mile 4.  The real high point, a little before Mile 5.5 in Golden Gate Park, is ten feet higher than the Hayes Street Hill.

The Post Hill Push

6:44 was my pace at Mile 4 with a cumulative time of 26:43.  This is going the wrong direction.  I push heading into the park.  Mile 5 is 6:29.  Better but I have more time to make up.  I know exactly where the serious downhill starts.  It is ahead of the bridge that takes Crossover Drive over Kennedy Drive.  My plan is to be in full downhill running mode when I hit Transverse Drive, just past the bridge.  My split at Mile 6 is 6:08.  Now I am making some time and I can feel the strain in my legs.  There are bands along the route in the park, like this Jewish surf music group. 

At the west end of the park, near the windmill, I approach the Mile 7 marker.  It looks to be out of place.  The time for Mile 7 is 5:46 and the last .46 of a mile is 3:13.  The Mile 7 marker is definitely out of place.  Mile 7 is probably closer to 6:00 and and the last bit to the finish was probably about 3:00. 

I finished in 48:15, an average pace of 6:28 per mile.  I came in 209 out of 24,423 finishers and 6 out of 1934 in my age group (50 - 59).  That is my best Bay to Breakers time in six races and my third best 12K ever.  I was happy with the result.

Afterwards

When I got to the finish line I did not see anyone I knew.  I went to the expo, but many booths were still setting-up and a few were only at the point of unloading their trucks.  I recalled the difficulty I had last year getting home on Muni and decided that if I left right away I would have better luck.  I did.

My wife was out when I got home.  I decided to go out for some breakfast.  As luck would have it, I saw her along the way at the California Street and Market Street cable car stop.  We went over to Perry's and I had the Tortilla Scramble for the first time.  It was tasty.  What a great morning.

For a limited time, there are race photo proofs at Sport Photo.  You can click on the event (ING Bay to Breakers) and then enter my name or bib number (164).  I did not find them compelling enough to pay for them.

Next up is the Marin Memorial 10K (on Memorial Day) as part of the Pamakids Racing Team.