Bay to Breakers brings bananas, astronauts, and faux crossing guards to San Francisco’s streets

The 12k race, which has cut across the city for 111 years, is one of the longest running in the world. It began after an earthquake – and a resulting fire – devastated San Francisco in 1906. Six years later, the race was created to lift the spirits of a city still in recovery.

That capacity – however jokingly described – meant Zhao and 14 friends were clad in gray wigs and yellow vests, carrying whistles. They’d stationed themselves at the base of The Panhandle to cheer on those walking the route, which went from the Embarcadero on the east side of the city, to Ocean Beach on the west.

“It seems we’ve gotten more sophisticated over time,” added one of Zhao’s friends before heading back into the crowd. Aleeya and Lyssa Ortega, 16-year-old twins from San Francisco, were dressed as sunflowers to walk alongside their aunt, Bridget Sandoval. Sandoval was dressed in bridal attire to commemorate her engagement just last month, while her groom-to-be wore a tuxedo t-shirt.

Sandoval’s sister walked alongside the group with a poster around her neck, which announced – in all capital letters – that she was still on the market. “Last year, it felt like the city was coming back to life,” agreed his friend, 31-year-old Joseph Caputo. “And to see it again this year – it’s just a beautiful thing to embrace.”

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