Bays to Breakers 2012: San Francisco Classic Reflects All We Love About Sports

Sunday, May 20 marks the 101st running of San Francisco's classic footrace simply known as Bay to Breakers.

The 7.46 mile race attracts the best the city has to offer, everything from world-class runners to pink gorilla costumes.

Quite frankly, it reflects everything we love about sports.

Competition

Sports wouldn't be sports without the competition. We love to win and we hate to lose. That's what makes playing so fun. The annual Bay to Breakers run in San Francisco is every bit as competitive as the next major marathon, as the 12K race attracts experienced runners from around the globe. 

Not everyone will aim to take first place and some will aim to create laughs and memories, but either way the competition to be noticed and remembered is fierce. 

Expression

One of the underrated elements of sports is expression. It's not always as simple as your team colors or your snazzy head band, but how we present ourselves and behave as players in a game serves as a display of who we really are. 

Participants at the Bays to Breakers race use original ideas and classic favorites to not only entertain the field of runners, but to enjoy and express themselves as unique sports fans. 

Camaraderie

When tens of thousands of people turn out for a single cause, there is a significant sense of camaraderie attached to it. In the case of the Bays to Breakers race across the city of San Francisco, every runner is out to accomplish the same goal—finish by the noon deadline—even though some may have shifting priorities. 

The cross-city race was even designed to lift the city's spirits after the disastrous earthquake that struck San Francisco in 1906. The race not only improved morale, but created a sense of camaraderie that has lasted more than a century.

Follow Patrick Clarke on Twitter for more on Bay to Breakers 2012.