The Super-Naked-Fun 2014 Bay to Breakers

This morning, I had the pleasure of "exposing" my 7-year-old, Sophie, to the great San Francisco bacchanal known as the Bay to Breakers 12k. The 103rd BtoB was a classic run, complete with costumes, nakedness, and a fair amount of tolerated debauchery. A race for some, a party for most, and a great time for all!

This was Sophie's longest race to date, although technically she had finished BtoB twice before in her pre-running days (Daddy always gets an official entry, just in case she wants to someday run it 50 times). Months of big talk about training and getting costumes ready soon came down to "OMG, it's tomorrow!". A temporary mustache tattoo and her inov-8's would have to do.

(Sophie dons the blue moustache...what remained after donuts, that is)

(28,000 official entries this year)

(This guy says the egg is this way)

(Sophie flicks a tortilla, a BtoB start corral tradition)

The officials were nice enough to allow her into the Seeded corral with me, where she got to line up with the Kenyans and Aggies, get a pic with Ape Hashbury, and wish well fellow runners Ian Sharman, Bob Hearn (again donning an impressive sequin thong, this time with cape), and many more as we hung around for a late start. Once the gun went off, we quickly stepped to the side for a more pedestrian pace.

(Sophie gives Ape Hashbury a hug!)

(Lining up with the Aggies and Kenyans...maybe some day!)

(And we're off!)

(The streets of SF belong to the fruits and nuts for a day)

"Pedestrian" was definitely the pace of the day for Sophie. There was just too much stimuli to focus on running. Look, Pac Man! Mermaids! Sponge Bob! Vikings! Dinosaurs! NAKED PEOPLE!!!! What's not to love?

(Colorful, warm, and safe - not a bad costume!)

(Hustling through the first mile)

(First naked sighting!)

(Sophie's reaction)

Hayes Hill was it's usual party, and Sophie was thrilled that we were nearing the halfway point. We tried some run a block/walk a block, but didn't push ourselves into sweaty territory. Daddy didn't want to ruin it. ;-) The salmon, who run the course backwards, gave us some high fives as we made the climb.

(Um, yeah...)

(Go, salmon!)

(Spectators dress up as well!)

(Giants in bikinis)

(Hayes Hill is packed!)

(Yip, yip, yip, yip, yip)

(Nerd humor)

(Hayes Hill)

(Sophie makes it to the top...DON'T LOOK TO YOUR RIGHT!!!)

(Oh, forget it...they're everywhere)

(Daddy, what is that? Honestly, I have no words)

(Dragon coming through!)

(My bad, she's catching up to the other dinosaurs)

(Plenty to take in)

(Daniel Boo-yah!)

We soon found ourselves along Hwy 1 at the finish, crossing the line in 2:08:49 for 19,628th place (Sophie was 64th of 152 in the F14-under age group!). Hurray, that means more snacks! And a finisher medal that likely won't leave her grasp for the coming week. It was hard to say who was beaming with more pride, Sophie or Daddy!

(There's the finish!)

(Sophie does it!)

(Finish line fun)

(Chillin' on the bus ride back)

Sophie said her favorite part was "getting a picture with the pink ape", and was still baffled at why anyone would run naked. But soon she thought of her younger sister, Quinn, who will strip at a moments notice to do her naked dance for any stranger interested. "It's nice there is a race for the Quinn's of the world". Well said!

(Winner Geoffrey Kinisi breaks into dance after his 35:10 victory)

The official naked person count for us was 12 this year, a far cry from the 44 we counted in 2010, but still respectable. One more BtoB in the books!

- SD