Runners gear up for San Francisco's Bay to Breakers race

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- At least 40,000 runners will take part in the 107th running of the Bay to Breakers race Sunday.

Runners picked up their packets Saturday at Pier 35 along San Francisco's waterfront.

This year runners can go an extra three kilometers at the end of the race. It's called the Breakers Bonus. If you go the added distance you'll get a second medal.

Like usual, you can expect wild costumes, a scenic race route, and of course naked runners. Alaska Airlines is this year's title sponsor.

"One year a naked guy with butterfly wings on his back passed me up and I said I'm not going to look at that for the next five miles so I got ahead of him and I ran my best time," Bill Pierce from San Jose said.

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The race route starts on the bay side of San Francisco and goes up the infamous Hayes Hill, past Alamo Square, and through Golden Gate Park all the way to the finish line at Ocean Beach, hence the name Bay to Breakers.

"My friend is from Chicago. We grew up together. He came out here in 1991 and I smoked him in that race so he's back for a rematch," San Jose resident Bill Pierce said.

There's a wide spectrum of participants from elite runners to people who just show up to party.

"I've heard it's a fun race. It's been on my list for about 15 years. I've done various races around the Bay Area and this is my first time running this race," Simpreet Kaur from Dublin said.

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"We're actually happy to be introducing a new thing this year known as the Breakers Bonus. For the first time ever we're giving people the option to extend their race by an extra three kilometers off the classic 12K course," Chris Holmes, General Manager of Alaska Airlines Bay to Breakers said.

The race shuts down main streets in the city along the route. If you have to get from north to south, the Embarcadero and 19th Avenue will be your best bets. Organizers try to re-open roads by 2 p.m.

Organizers are predicting many royal wedding themed costumes this year.

Click here for a look back at recent Bay to Breakers stories, videos, and photos.

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