“Ding!”

“Pacing: 9 minutes and 42 seconds.”

I hear this Map My Run dialogue near mile 6 of San Francisco’s 2015 Bay to Breakers 10K race – a bandwagon I jumped on a few days prior agreeing to come clad in all things red, white and blue.

I did not need to turn around to see where this robotic voice came from because two seconds later, a man in his 60s passes on my left, naked. Question being…where is his phone from which that announcement came from? Nevermind, don’t answer that.

Also passing on my left, a guy in an inflatable sumo wrestler costume. Talk about resistance training. A couple Dumb and Dumber tuxedo suit duos and a Baywatch lifeguard with her shark boyfriend. I can always count on Bay to Breakers to never disappoint, but what I didn’t expect was the clarity and liberation those ten kilometers would provide. In stark contrast to last year’s race where I was mustering up my own motivation, second-guessing my training, torn between sticking with the pack or running on my own, having to rush off afterward to other obligations and not able to revel in the frenzy of finishers.

I’ve had a blast all years racing, don’t get me wrong. But there was something extra special about this year. Something about meeting my running group at 7am – a time most of consider “late” compared to our usual meet up at 6:24am. Starting a warm-up bounce with a group cheer. Dressed head to toe in all things ‘merica. Excited, awake, cold, and picture-happy. Being around a bunch of people who are equal parts motivated, excited, jazzed and just straight-up fun. Either running with them or without them, the experience was exciting because I showed up, we all showed up, and we were doing it together.

I have many great things in my runner’s tool belt to make a decent althete: determination, drive, positive attitude, and discipline but endurance doesn’t make the cut. Speed and pacing aside, crossing the finish line at “Ding!” 1 hour, 22 minutes, I felt great and realized I could have kept going. What up, Golden Gate half marathon? You may just meet your match.

Consider this a verbal.