Better In Numbers

In addition to exploration and exercise, another highly valued asset that I gain from running is alone time.  Whether it is on city streets or on trails in the wilderness, putting on my headphones and escaping into my own world where I can follow my own course and just think about things is incredibly liberating.  Thus, many of my running sessions are done solo.  We all face every day issues at work and in our personal lives and running is my way of recharging my batteries so that I can tackle these issues with a fresh, positive, can-do mentality.  This mindset also trains me not to take the good things for granted and relish the pleasures in life more than I would otherwise.

As much as I love my solo runs, I always find myself feeling more energized and excited when running with other people.  This is true whether I’m competing in a race, or going for a run accompanied by friends or my wife and our six-pound Pomeranian mix, Brady.  Feeding off other people’s energy and enthusiasm fills me with excitement and adrenaline. 

As an early birthday present, my wife signed the both of us up for an annual race in San Francisco called Bay to Breakers.  The race, a favorite in the Bay area, is a 12 kilometer course across the city from San Francisco Bay on the west side of town to Ocean Beach on the east side.  Although a footrace, Bay to Breakers is widely known for its party atmosphere.  The number of racers often tops the 40,000 mark with many participants sporting costumes, some wearing barely anything or in some cases, nothing at all.  Bay to Breakers is one of the oldest and largest foot races in the world.  Conceived to cope with the hardships that plagued the city after a devastating earthquake in 1906, the race has been a local tradition since 1912 and has become nationally known throughout the years.  Bay to Breakers had intrigued me for quite some time.  I had read stories and heard of the madness (i.e. the costumes, the naked people, the crowds, the house parties along the course) and I was ecstatic that I was finally going to get a chance to see for myself. 

Janet, Brady, and I and arrived in San Francisco the day before the race and met up with some friends, spending the day hiking the trails of Land’s End and the Golden Gate Recreational Area before having dinner and calling it a night.  Relaxing in our hotel room that night, which was located right next to the start line, Janet and I discussed what we were going to do with Brady while we ran the race the next morning.  I had gotten word from the security guys setting up the barricades on the street that dogs were not permitted on the course.  But I didn’t want to leave him all alone in the hotel room for three hours.  Our only two options were to bring him along or leave him in the hotel.  We decided that we would bring him along and just hope that no one would make a fuss over it.  I mean, come on.  People run naked for goodness sake!  Having a small dog accompany us shouldn’t be an issue.  The next morning as we were getting ready, we heard the crowd roaring and the race announcer right outside our hotel down on the street.  At 8:00 AM the first wave of runners took off.  Our plan was to go downstairs and join one of the later waves hoping that there would be less of a crowd and Brady wouldn’t be too overwhelmed.  We exited the hotel and casually wove our way into the crowd of runners waiting to begin the race.  After an hour of waiting, our corral finally began at 9:30 AM.  During that hour, we were able to observe the creative and outlandish costumes and chat with some of the other racers.  Luckily, no one had given us a hard time about Brady.  Tortillas and beach balls flew and everyone was in good spirit.  Since we were in the second to last corral to leave the start line, we would be moving at a pretty modest pace.  Most of the folks back here were essentially participating to walk, have fun and people watch.  Due to the substantial amount runners, the race directors staggered the start, letting a corral go every fifteen minutes in an effort to not overcrowd the streets.  We were walking at a brisk pace, running occasionally.  Brady was having an absolute blast.  He was so intrigued by all the people and hopped along gracefully with his tongue out.  We occasionally had to pick him up in some areas where it was condensed to avoid him being stepped on or kicked but mostly he was on foot enjoying the new territory he was exploring. As we made our way down Hayes street, we encountered a pair of naked racers.  Janet got out her phone and snapped a picture.  “Let’s send this to Mom” she said.  “It will be priceless” We both laughed hysterically at the thought of her mom opening that text message only to see two older men bearing it all among a handful of racers clad in costumes and running gear (The photo was only showing their rear ends so it was a PG-13 photo).  Around mile 3 we scaled a steep San Francisco hill known as the Hayes Street Hill where Alamo square rested at the top.  The going was slow and the crowd was condensed so we carried Brady up this climb.  We as we carried on, we saw several house parties along the street with crowds of people, beer in hand, cheering us on from their balconies and front steps.  Several onlookers were also playing games and blaring music.  The scene was like a bunch of runners and speed walkers racing through an outdoor fraternity party along a city street.  We crested the hill, passing Alamo square and made our way downhill, entering the Gold Gate recreational area where the street widened and it was less populated so we could let Brady walk more freely and relax a little more.  We were now away from the building lined city streets and in a more nature oriented area where there were small fields, hills, trails and lots of trees.  We came upon a small waterfall with a creek rolling parallel to the sidewalk.  A group of guys wearing space jam themed costumes strolled by, one dribbling a basketball and another, a soccer ball.  Since the beginning of his short life thus far, Brady relished any opportunity he had to chase a bouncing ball.  So naturally, he went nuts at the presence of the bouncing balls, barking and trying to run towards them.  Upon witnessing this, the dribbler of the soccer ball, bearing a Taz costume, handed the ball to me.  “Here you go he can have it.  We found it along the course” he explained.  “Wow, he’s going to love you for that!” I responded.  We thanked him for his kind gesture and began kicking the ball down the road watching in amusement as Brady chased it trying to bite and jump on top of it.  Both feats were hopelessly impossible given the size of the ball and the fact that it kept rolling whenever he jumped on it which make it all the more entertaining to watch.  As we made our way down John F. Kennedy Drive towards Ocean Beach, the temperature cooled and a thin layer of haze began rolling in.  It had been warm, almost hot in the early stages of the race and the cooler temperatures felt refreshing.  The rest of the race was filled with smiles, laughs, crazy costumes, more naked people, beautiful scenery and positive energy.  This race offered the best of both worlds i.e. a little city, a little nature and I was loving it.  Janet and I were having a great time but Brady was having the time of his life.  He was all smiles.  After we ditched the soccer ball he ran up behind a girl wearing a tutu, jumped up and tried to yank it down.  We laughed hysterically, although the tutu wearer didn’t quite share this same sentiment, and I took off the bright orange bandana that was tied around my wrist and held it out.  As Brady jumped up trying to retrieve it, I would run with him in hot pursuit hopping along trying to grab the bandana from my outstretched hand.  As we approached the finish line near the beach the three of us picked up the pace and all crossed together.  The volunteers were even kind enough to give Brady a finishers medal.  After all, 7.44 miles is quite an impressive accomplishment for a little pooch!  It was our first race together as a family.  Looking at the pictures of the three of us on Janet’s phone during the Uber ride back to our hotel, I smiled widely.  Janet and I laughed as we looked through the photos.  Meanwhile, Brady didn’t waste any time curling into a comfy position and promptly passing out.  I had realized earlier on that it was his six-month birthday.  What an awesome way for a puppy to celebrate his birthday by running/walking 7.44 miles! Not only was the race tons of fun, but the three of us experienced it together as a family, and I couldn’t have been happier.

Later that afternoon after indulging in some delicious pizza in the Italian neighborhood of North Beach, we headed back home to Los Angeles.  Brady continued to sleep on the way home and we shared stories and laughed about our race experience.  These are the types of races I have grown to especially love.  Sharing the experience with other people with a common goal of completing the race.  As much as I love embarking on a solo endeavor, nothing can compare to participating in a fun run with your loved ones, feeding off their excitement, and creating new memories.  I promised Janet that we would do these types of races more often.  I was excited about what the future held.  We were just getting warmed up!