Everyone should know that this is MUCH more than a race... it's a true San Francisco cultural experience. The BIG controversy this year was that they were not allowing shopping carts on the course, so partiers who liked to push their own keg were out out of luck! Also know that there's a good chance you'll be running behind a nude man at some point. I wonder if they stash clothes and some bus money at the finish somehow???

Ok, so if you're up front, you pretty much can race this like a normal race, which frankly surprised me. The craziness mostly doesn't start until the crazy runners do in the back. I ran just behind the front runners and got a decent mix of race experience and party. In only a couple places did the cloud of weed smoke become so thick that I actually held my breath... And protesters did plug up the street really early on which choked the flow of us runners to a trickle, but that's part of the deal with this one.

The course is surprisingly flat by SF standards, and just over 7 miles long. There's the Hayes Street Hill, near the middle with a timing mat at the base and the top that's a fun way to check your hill climbing. From there it's a drop down along the park to the Ocean.

I really dug the teams of Centipedes that run the race, some with history back to the 70s! Centipedes are 13 runners physically roped together, so they travel only as fast as their slowest runner. Watch to give a high five to the Salmon centipede- they are (no surprise) dressed like salmon, and start and the finish and run up stream to the start. Then there's a centipede of guys who run every year with the goal to not get "chicked". I post a pic of a ladybug-pede...

Historically, this was a race that attracted lots of bandits. I'll say that at one point we ran past security dudes standing in the street and one tried to physically grab a girl who didn't have a bib, so I wouldn't count on sneaking in unless you're way in the back party part of the race, perhaps.

Summary- this is a historic race, that is a mardi-gras style event for SF. If you run, you should have this on your list, and make sure you enjoy it for all the right reasons. Costumes are encouraged, clothing is optional!