San Francisco Citizen

This was the scene this AM at Mile 19 of San Francisco Marathon 2010. The crowd of two coffee-drinking women waited to see which runner would explode through the Stanyan Street Gateway of Golden Gate Park.* See?

Click to expand

Turns out it was Keith Bechtol from “Team Zombie.” He’s an 25-year-old astophysicist(!) from Stanfoo. Have you ever seen a five-digit bib number runner leading after 20 miles worth of marathon? Look at him go down Haight Street:

And here’s the second runner in the full marathon to make it out of the park, Michael Wardian, zipping by the iconic Haight Street McDonalds:

Looks intense:

There’s your separation, about two-and-a-half regular-size San Francisco city blocks:

Look out Zombie Keith! The non-zombies are gaining on you!

Results! Get all the deets after the jump.

Full Marathon:

1 Keith B 30811 02:23:28 2 Michael W 11 02:25:21 3 Zack E 20988 02:36:16 4 Florian S 90 02:37:08 5 Amir Doron K 20179 02:37:09

Half Marathon #1:

1 Michael D 22534 01:15:10 2 Brett D 22866 01:17:07 3 Matthieu B 23432 01:18:58 4 Justin M 23100 01:19:15 5 Steve L 23091 01:19:44

Half Marathon #2:

1 James G 46014 01:39:08 2 Katherine L 45634 01:40:05 3 Gina H 45307 01:40:14 4 Tim E 45963 01:40:27 5 Ha C 45628 01:42:13

5K:

1 Diane W 90478 00:32:50 2 Erica Y 90214 00:34:08 3 Josie N 92341 00:34:11

Progressive [Far Left] 5k

1 Fred L 92743 00:42:39 2 Amy L 92741 00:42:55 3 Kenna B 92780 00:51:47

Congratulations to all the participants and volunteers!

Moving on…

Frankly, this joint could do with a little nudity, booze, costuming and public urination.

Frankly.

I mean if the NIMBYs aren’t complaining about it, what kind of event do you really have? Wouldn’t the organizers be better off giving each “bandit” as many bagels as s/he could consume? Yes. And doesn’t this race start way, way too early? Yep. Giving in to every demand from the leadership elements of every micro-neighborhood homeowners group – that’s the path of least resistance but is this practice good for your event, SFM?

And hey, how about a costume division next year? Just saying… 

*Speaking of which, note the local high point in Golden Gate Park at Mile 16.5 near Prayerbook Cross. See, they have it pegged at almost 300 feet, per this elevation chart. Yet, the Bay to Breakers people and the MSM claim, every year, that the highest point on the B2B civic event course is the top of Hayes Street Hill (at 215 feet), despite the fact that the B2B route also goes right past Prayerbook Cross on JFK Jr, Drive. In the words of paid shill Dr. Henry Lee, “Something is wrong here. Something is terribly wrong.” Also, since I used the phrase “Bay to Breakers,” I now feel an obligation to mention the words “race, racing, or racers,” as many times as possible, as is the practice of the B2B flack team. Race, race, race, race, race, race, race, race, race, race, race, race, race, race, race, race, race, race, race… It’s a subliminal suggestion kind of thing to mess with your mind. See?

“The organizer of the Bay to Breakers road race confirmed that the 100th running of the venerable 12k race will take place on May 15, 2011. The race, a unique celebration of San Francisco and its racing culture, will institute new measures this year as part of its centennial celebration of the race.

“We cherish the fun aspects of the race that have made it unique worldwide– racers, runners dressed in costumes, centipedes, group running–that add to the excitement of a professional internationally important 12K footrace,” said Angela Fang, general race manager of the Bay to Breakers race. “In the coming months we will be announcing a number of compelling programs to enhance the race and the racing for the racers.”

Or something like that. B2B’s real press release is almost as bad as this.

Anyway, the San Francisco Marathon has an official release. Read it after the jump.

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