Pulling into the station

May 17, 2004

5:30 am I drag my butt outta bed and get ready to go in five minutes. (I have mastered the art of multitasking my morning get-ready-to-go tasks - I can get up and be out the door in 7 minutes for work.) As I'm pulling out of the neighborhood, I have a sudden realization that I've forgotten where the BART station is. I know the general area (Paseo Padre, over by the hospital). But the exact street... hmm.

6 am The train doors shut - with me inside, thank you. This is the first train of the morning and I made it with about two minutes to spare. I love being at the end of a line.

7 am I'm standing at the end of Market in that little park between it and Embarcadero. I'm wondering where all the people are.

7:30 am I found everyone. Over two blocks and up one at the start of the race. I have also found the tortilla madness. Tortillas are flying everywhere - onto windows, people, trees...

8:10 am Ten minutes after the offical start of the race, the area where I'm at starts to move forward. It has begun. I pass through the tortilla covered street and am surprised of how un-slippery mashed tortillas are. (And NOTE: tortillas mashed with beer mixed with SF early morning smells... not so good. Kinda makes you want to vomit.)

8:35 am Mom text messages me that the first runner has ALREADY CROSSED THE FINISH LINE. At this point, I have just passed the starting line.

8:45 am I spot my first naked runner.

11:56 am I walk through the chutes at the finish line. I'm done! Hooray!

I walked thought Golden Gate Park and discovered that there is a Tulip garden and there are buffalo there, too. I did not know this before. I passed - and was passed by - far too many naked people. (And not the good kind of naked people, either.) Elvis was there - okay, I passed about 12 of them holding onto a shopping cart full of beer. My mom says that Jesus even ran this year - two of them. (Pluralize Jesus. Jesi? Jesuses?) And even Mayor Newsom ran. (Fully clothed, dammit.) I saw Pacman and his little ghostie buddies, some drunk guys in half-assed togas, guys in dresses, girls in old prom dresses, and even a bridal party. I wish I had brought my camera after all.

Great fun. Everyone should do it at least once.

I have a blister on my left baby toe and yesterday, it was so hard to walk when I got home. But today is much better. My knees aren't all that sore, but my right thigh is. That's why I'm going to get a massage tonight! Yes, yes, I found my gift certificate thing-a-ma-jobby and booked me a massage for tonight. I'm taking Danielle along - she's getting a mini-facial and a mini-massage. We both need it.

So when I see the "Walk to the Far Side" registration come up, think I should go for it? I think I will. And I'm going to start now for a group to walk with. It's so much more fun in a group. Any takers? ;-) (I think that one is in November.)

Bay to Breakers stopped here at 11:26 a.m.

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