Bay to Breakers 2015: Route, Course Map, Times, Road Closures and Event Details

One of America's iconic footraces is all set for Sunday, May 17, as runners in the city of San Francisco take part in the annual Bay to Breakers 12K.

At approximately 7.5 miles, it's nowhere near a marathon, but the Bay to Breakers race isn't so much about competition and personal bests as it as about celebrating the spirit and charm of San Francisco. 

Some will come out in costumes, some in traditional running gear and still others just to cheer on the runners and have a good time. 

Here's a complete rundown of essential 2015 Bay to Breakers race info.


Route

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

As per usual, and in keeping with its indelible name, the Bay to Breakers race starts at Main Street and Howard Street, right near The Embarcadero and San Francisco Bay. Runners will cut a swath west through the city, parallel to Mission Street for a time, through Golden Gate Park and on toward the finish line at the Great Highway.

Course Map

For a complete course map, head on over to ZapposBaytoBreakers.com.

Times

Bay to Breakers is a very inclusive event, but unlike most major footraces (especially marathons), there is only one start time. Sunday at 8 a.m. local time (PT) at Howard and Main Street is the place to be if you want to participate, according to ZapposBaytoBreakers.com. 

Road Closures

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

NBC Bay Area has a complete rundown of street closures for the event. Based on the extensive list, many of the closures run only from the middle of the night until mid-morning on race day, while some like Fulton Street or others hear the Great Highway will be closed from Saturday through Sunday, for nearly a full day.

Event Details

Bay to Breakers is a longstanding tradition in San Francisco. This will be the 104th edition of the event, with the first Bay to Breakers cutting across the city in 1912. Perhaps the footrace's greatest claim to fame is the thousands of runners who show up to trek 12 kilometers across the city in full costume, providing a great sight for other runners, onlookers and media alike. The free-spirited nature of the Bay to Breakers is indeed infectious, and event organizers plan to set some unique world records this year.

"For example, we're going to set the world record on Sunday for the longest, one-handed conga line,” said Zappos.com Bay to Breakers Director of Operations Charles Holmes, via KTVU's David Stevenson.

Of course, all of this fun can have a negative impact on those who don't wish to get swept up in the cacophonous festivities. Steve Rubenstein of the San Francisco Chronicle detailed the organizers' commitment to keeping the footrace clean and fun, which includes extra attention on controlling littering and alcohol consumption:

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Holmes said the race has also increased the number of post-race trash picker uppers, to 50. They will start picking up trash the moment the last runner passes. We’re all in this thing together, said Holmes.

Alcohol is not allowed on the course. Alcohol is never allowed on the course. That’s why, this year, the cops are preparing for more drunks than ever.

There will be two “sobering centers” along the route where people who weren’t supposed to drink in the first place can dry out so they don’t have to go to jail.

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There are drawbacks and logistical issues to any major metropolitan event, especially one that shuts down major thoroughfares for significant lengths of time, but Bay to Breakers is an enduring testament to the city of San Francisco. Rubenstein reports 50,000 people are expected to take part in the footrace, making Bay to Breakers again all but impossible to ignore in the City by the Bay.