Runners rolling out with the morning fogSan Francisco holds its 86th annual Bay to Breakers RaceMay 18, 1997Web posted at: 12:00 a.m. EDT (0400 GMT) 
(CNN) -- Tourists know San Francisco as a "walking town," easily accessible by foot despite its many hills. This weekend, the city is picking up the pace and becoming a running town, instead. About 80,000 athletes are converging on the city Sunday for the 86th annual Examiner Bay to Breakers Race. The 12-kilometer race (7 1/2 miles) begins at 8 a.m. in the downtown financial district by the San Francisco Bay. It ends to the west, on the Great Highway at Golden Gate Park, on the Pacific Ocean. The event, which organizers say is the largest foot race in the world, draws runners from all over the globe. It is also the 12K U.S. National Championship, which helps provide funding for American athletes training for the Olympics. Not all the runners are that serious about winning. Participants dressed up as giant tacos, hula dancers and unwieldy Golden Gate Bridges liven up the race. But there's still competition -- costume judging has been held since 1992. The cross-city race began on New Year's Day in 1912. According to organizers, its first winner completed the course in 44 minutes 10 seconds and attributed his victory to training and his mother's cooking. Following the race, participants and spectators can celebrate at Footstock, a festival in Golden Gate Park. 
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