Bay to Breakers? I'd Rather Have a Migraine

You won't find me running with guys in
pink gorilla suits this May 19th
(photo credit here)

This coming May 18th, I'll be running the Miles for Migraines 10k rather than Bay to Breakers the following day.  Running Bay to Breakers is worse than suffering a migraine.  In fact, I'd rather have my spleen removed without anesthesia than run Bay to Breakers.

Can you tell I'm tired of answering questions from well meaning non-runners asking "Are you running Bay to Breakers?".  Like many runners, I avoid this race like the plague.   Now I must admit never having run Bay to Breakers myself.   But everything I've heard indicates it's a huge mob of San Francisco-style exhibitionism and excess with some running thrown in for good measure.  No thank you.

Let me be clear, I'm not against the Bay to Breakers.  It's just not for me. If you're doing Bay to Breakers, knock yourself out.   You'll probably have a much better time without old school curmudgeons like me around, anyway. 
 
Lots of runners like to run races to, you know, like actually run.  There's a liberation in going out and running free from the chaos of urban life.  There's a sense of accomplishment in preparing for the challenge and testing yourself on race day.   Many runners have no interest missing out on these experiences stuck in a mob behind a bunch of drunken streakers.  And smaller races like Miles for Migraines also contain a certain familiarity and camaraderie mega-races like Bay to Breakers simply can't capture.

So instead of Bay to Breakers, I'll be running an actual race that weekend.  Have fun without me!