The 100th running of the Zazzle Bay to Breakers 12K sets off bright and early Sunday morning with the first wave of runners taking off at 7am. We laid out a map of the route earlier this week, and I thought it would be useful to follow up with more specific details of the race. You can follow on the map below.
The race kicks off near the Embarcadero at Beale and Howard. Runners will make their way down Howard Street before turning right at 9th Street. They'll follow 9th across Market and then turn slightly left onto Hayes Street, which leads them up the infamous Hayes Street Hill. At approximately the 2.5 mile mark, runners will climb what is estimated at an 11.15% incline on Hayes between Fillmore and Steiner. The peak of the hill comes near the Painted Ladies at Alamo Square.
Once runners reach the top of Hayes Street Hill they begin a quick descent for a couple blocks before things flatten out for much of the rest of the way. Runners turn left at Popeye's Chicken on Divisadero and I'm sure a few runners will stop by there for some munchies. They then make a quick right onto Fell Street which takes them through the Panhandle and into Golden Gate Park. In GG Park the runners will head along JFK Drive and proceed through the park to the Great Highway right on the ocean front. When runners hit the Great Highway they'll make a sharp left to the finish line.
Upon completion of the race, after grabbing water and the obligatory photo, runners walk down the Great Highway to MLK Drive. They then turn left onto MLK Drive and can follow that all the way back to Footstock. It is approximately a mile and a half walk from the finish line to Footstock and the awaiting public transportation.
