The Bay to Breakers is an annual footrace which takes place in San Francisco, California. The name reflects the fact that the race runs from the northeast end of the downtown area near The Embarcadero (the Bay side of the city) to the west end of the city and Ocean Beach. The race is 7.46 miles (12 kilometers) long. Road running or road racing is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road (as opposed to track and cross country running). ... For details about the famous earthquake, refer to the article 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... The Embarcaderos Ferry Building The Embarcadero is the name given the eastern waterfront of San Francisco, California, along San Francisco Bay. ... San Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay, and the Golden Gate The San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary through which water draining of approximately forty percent of California, flowing in Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, enters the Pacific Ocean. ... Ocean Beach is a beach that runs along the west coast of San Francisco, California at the Pacific Ocean. ... A mile is any of a number of units of distance, each in the magnitude of 1–10 km. ... A kilometer (Commonwealth spelling: kilometre), symbol: km is a unit of length in the metric system equal to 1,000 metres (from the Greek words χίλια (khilia) = thousand and μέτρο (metro) = count/measure). ...

The course begins at the northeast end and runs southwest through downtown just south of Market Street. The first mile of the race is so crowded that many participants must walk it. It then turns west along Hayes Street and up Hayes Street Hill near Alamo Square. This is the only major incline in the surprisingly flat (considering it runs through San Francisco) race. After the hill, the race runs along the panhandle and then west through Golden Gate Park, past the Conservatory of Flowers, all the way to Great Highway and Ocean Beach.

Clothing-free Bare to Breakers participants.

Started in 1912 as a way to lift the city's spirits after the disastrous 1906 San Francisco earthquake, it is the longest consecutively running footrace in the world (other races' courses and lengths have changed over time). During World War II participation sometimes slipped below 50 registrants, but the tradition carried on and the race now also holds the Guinness World Record for the highest participation footrace with 110,000 runners in 1986. This record number was partly the product of the running fad of the 1980s; more recently the average participation is between 70,000 and 80,000. The San Francisco Examiner annually publishes a list of the first 10,000 finishers the day after the race. Bay to Breakers Map Created in Adobe Illustrator by Jeremy Kemp, 2/28/05 From information provided at: http://www. ... Bay to Breakers Map Created in Adobe Illustrator by Jeremy Kemp, 2/28/05 From information provided at: http://www. ... Alamo Square is a park located on top of a hill in the Western Addition neighborhood in San Francisco, USA. It takes up four city blocks and is bordered by Hayes Street to the south, Fulton Street to the north, Scott Street to the west, and Steiner Street to the... The domed Conservatory of Flowers is one of the worlds largest. ... The domed Conservatory of Flowers is one of the worlds largest. ... The Great Highway is a small highway and street in San Francisco that runs along Ocean Beach on the western side of the city. ... Ocean Beach is a beach that runs along the west coast of San Francisco, California at the Pacific Ocean. ... Image File history File links B2B.jpg Summary Participants in the Bay to Breakers event in San Francisco. ... Image File history File links B2B.jpg Summary Participants in the Bay to Breakers event in San Francisco. ... Nudism, or naturism, is the practice of going nude or unclothed in social and usually mixed gender groups, specifically in cultures where this is not the norm. ... 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Arnold Genthes famous photograph of San Francisco following the earthquake, looking towards the fire on Sacramento Street. ... Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total dead: 50 million Military dead: 8 million Civilian dead: 4 million Total dead: 12 million World War II... Suresh Joachim, minutes away from breaking the ironing world record at 55 hours and 5 minutes, at Shoppers World, Brampton. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Man Running - Edward Muybridge Horse Running - Edward Muybridge Running is by definition the fastest means for an animal to move on foot. ... MacGyver - 1980s hero The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive. ... The San Francisco Examiner is a daily newspaper in San Francisco, California, where it has been published continuously since 1865, beginning with the name The Daily Examiner. ...

Large numbers of participants walk the route behind the runners. Many participants dress in elaborate costumes or, in some cases, wear nothing at all, thus lending a party atmosphere to the event. Bay to Breakers is also the world's premiere event for "centipede racers," a team of runners tied together, usually in some artistic fashion. Line art depictions of a man and a woman designed to educate extraterrestrials about the appearance of the human body. ...

The route is typically dotted with various local bands performing. At the end of the race is Footstock, a gathering where tired participants can enjoy a performance by a nationally known act such as Bonnie Raitt, Smash Mouth or Better Than Ezra.

More obscure traditions

• Before the start of the race, the assembled runners participate in a traditional "tortilla toss," in which thousands of tortillas are thrown like frisbees through the dense crowd.
• In addition to the usual running Elvises and nude people, well-known recurring characters at the race include:
  • The "spawning salmon," a centipede team dressed as salmon that start at the finish line and struggle upstream to the start through the crush of runners.
  • The "Tiki Bar," basically a fully equipped, man-powered bar with an island theme.
  • Superheroes, including traditional characters such as Batman, Supergirl and Spiderman, as well as unique characters spawned for the race including such random notables as The Assman, The Governator, the Hot Babies, the Cuban Milk Lady and the Pregnant Jeannies.

Traditional tortilla making. ... Elvis Impersonators An Elvis impersonator is someone who impersonates or copies Elvis Presley either as a hobby, career in entertainment or occasionally for fun. ... The Chinook or King Salmon is the largest salmon in North America and can grow up to 58 long and 125 pounds. ... A Tiki Bar is an artifact of Tiki Culture, often of Mid 20th Century origin, wherein you can enjoy a momentary escape from the cares of modern world into a neo-Polynesian setting of scowling gods, powerful rum drinks, and mood lit bamboo & tapa cloth seating. ... Tourists sit outside a bar in Chiang Mai, Thailand A bar in Switzerland. ...

See also

• public nudity for other instances of popular clothing free events

Nudism, or naturism, is the practice of going nude or unclothed in social and usually mixed gender groups, specifically in cultures where this is not the norm. ...

External links

• Bay to Breakers website Official Site
• Bare to Breakers website Clothes free contingent group
• Breakers to Bay website The Breakers to Bay salmon run