Despite an uncommon heat spell, San Francisco's Bay to Breakers 2009 was its usual hit. Typically, the race is an oddball set of nude runners, runners in costumes, etc. but there is a serious race with prizes as well, and a record set today. Now the 2009 winner of the Bay To Breakers makes a course record.
Sammy Kitwara, 22, set a course record in the Bay to Breakers 2009 as he ran to the finish in 33 minutes, 31 seconds this morning. At the same time, course organizers said that was the fastest 12K race run ever smashing a 1993 record of 33 minutes, 42 seconds by fellow Kenyan Ismael Kirui.
He did so despite the fact that Bay to Breakers 2009 runs, like all previous ones, up and down the hills of San Francisco.
Kitwara was followed by Tilahun Regassa, 19, from Ethiopia, in second place with a time of 34 minutes, 15 seconds, while third place in Bay to Breakers 2009 went to John Yuda, 29, from Tanzania, at 34 minutes and 23 minutes.
The Bay to Breakers 2009 woman's winner was 26-year-old Ethiopian Teyba Erkesso at 38 minutes, 29 seconds, with Lineth Chepkurui, 21, of Kenya, second with a time of 38 minutes, 35 seconds. Third place was Olympian Deena Kastor, 36, of Mammoth, with a time of 39 minutes, 5 seconds.
Bay to Breakers 2009 is a serious race, despite the fun, and the men's and women's divisions winners take home $25K. In addition, Kitwara and Chepkurui also get $5,000 each as the first man and woman to finish the Hayes Street Hill, and Kitwara snags $3,000 more for breaking the course record.
After complaints following last year’s race, organizers and authorities promised to create new rules for Bay to Breakers 2009 to curb excessive drinking. It seemed there was less, but as always, there will be plenty of booze at the after race shingdig, so it's hard as yet to say what changes, if any, really result.
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