Sports Events San Francisco 2019

Most San Francisco residents would never dream of racing across town from the Bay to the Pacific Ocean—it’s one thing to slowly climb a steep hill, it’s quite another to run—but all bets are off on Bay to Breakers Sunday. The Alaska Airlines-sponsored 12K is a sporting event where spectators are as much a part of the action as the athletes. More than 40,000 competitors and 100,000 spectators turn out for the run, both as bibbed participants and costumed partiers who hop the barrier to walk through the city in the longest-running footrace in America. Next: May 17, 2020

There’s a reason why Escape From Alcatraz is one of the best-known triathlons in the world. The spectator-friendly race combines the beauty of San Francisco with one of the most challenging courses in the sport. The race commences with a plunge into the choppy, chilled waters of the Bay off the coast of Alcatraz Island. The swim concludes on the shore of the city, where athletes switch to running shoes for a half-mile trek to their bikes before starting an 18-mile ride. The final leg of the race is an 8-mile run. Amateurs are welcome to vie for a spot, but winners tend to be professional athletes and Olympians. Organizers will be celebrating the 40th Escape in 2020. Next: June 7, 2020

One of the most iconic marathon courses in the world, the Big Sur Marathon treats participants to coastal vistas, a trip through a Redwood forest, and a jog across the Bixby Bridge. For racers who prioritize views, this is a bucket list race. Outdoor retailer REI calls it the most stunning coastal run on Earth, but getting a bib for the race is not guaranteed: The marathon is capped at 4,940 racers, while the total for related runs on marathon days is around 10,000. (There is also a 5K, 12K, 11-miler, 21-miler, and a relay that all run along Highway 1 on the same Sunday morning.) Next: April 26, 2020

One of the oldest college rivalries in the country, the Cal Golden Bears and Stanford first faced off against one another in 1892, when Stanford emerged victorious. The two schools take turns hosting the match: Cal in even-numbered years and Stanford in odd-numbered years. Stanford leads the series, with an overall win-loss record of 64-46-11, but Cal wins historical bragging rights for executing the first card stunt during the Game in 1910—one of the nine years when rivalry was channeled into rugby instead of football. Football serves as an excuse for the pageantry and trash-talking, but the shenanigans surrounding the game continue off the field: Students and alumni take part in a week of spirit events leading up to the match-up each year. Next: November 23, 2019

It’s the longest-running women-only tennis tournament in the world, and the opening women’s stop on the U.S. Open Series. While the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic doesn’t receive network television coverage like Wimbledon or the U.S. Open, all the household names in women’s tennis have played here: Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Monica Seles, Venus Williams, Lindsay Davenport, and—yes, the greatest of all time—Serena Williams have all taken top prize at the Silicon Valley Classic. In 2019, the classic will celebrate its 49th year of competition and offer a $799,280 total purse for the tournament. Next: July 29-August 4, 2019

More than just a marathon, the Biofreeze San Francisco Marathon offers five route options to accommodate runners’ preferences: a full marathon tour of the city, half marathon options for both the first and second halves of the standard marathon route, a 5K, or an ultra marathon. Race officials say more than 27,500 runners participate in the various races, and more than 80,000 spectators line the streets to cheer them on. Next: July 28, 2019

For fans determined to meet their baseball idols—like pitcher Madison Bumgarner, should he remain with the Giants after the 2019 season—FanFest is an exercise in patience. The lines for autographs can be long, and the 30,000-strong crowd is committed. But there’s more to do than take selfies with baseball players. The rain-or-shine free event at Oracle Park includes self-guided tours of the stadium, close-ups with the World Series trophies, time to play on the field (weather permitting), and the opportunity to purchase single-game tickets for the season. Next: February 2020

The event is a 10-day celebration of movement with hundreds of performances, free dance classes, open rehearsals, and lecture demonstrations. More than 15,000 people participated in 2019 Dance Week, which started with a “globetrotting dance sequence and dance party, One Dance.” Sessions cover everything from folk dance to ballet to burlesque, so there’s something for every style and skill level. Next: Spring 2020

New to the list
The common refrain when training for AIDS LifeCycle is “it’s a ride, not a race”—but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. One of the most grueling amateur sporting events in California, AIDS Lifecycle is a 545-mile cycling event that starts in San Francisco and ends in Los Angeles. Over the course of a week, more than 2,200 participants ride, camp, and bond over their shared goal: raising money for San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the Los Angeles LGBT Center to provide free H.I.V./AIDS medical care, testing, and prevention services. Fund-raising is a required component of AIDS Lifecycle participation. In 2019, the ride raised more than $16 million for the cause, and the top rider raised more than $225,000. Since the first ride in 1993, AIDS Lifecycle has raised more than $200 million. Next: May 31-June 6, 2020

New to the list
The organizers behind Bring Your Own Big Wheel have no interest in looky-loos and Instagram spectators, but this under-the-radar tradition welcomes active participants—people who will sacrifice a few bumps and bruises to zig-zag down Vermont Street in the name of silly speed-demon glory. The current organizer, who goes by Frog, says BYOBW is about doing something absurd just for the heck of it: “You put on your banana costume, squish your butt into a seat too small, and roll/skid down the street with a few hundred other wigged and tinseled people: some lawyers, some construction workers, some students, and—of course—some tech bros. But, just for those couple hours, you are all equal.” The 19-year-old event draws about 1,200 Big Wheel enthusiasts together on Easter Sunday, and there are a few rules—no metal wheels, pack out what you pack in, respect the neighbors, and sign a liability waiver before riding. Donations are encouraged, but will never be required, to help cover the cost of the event. Next: April 12, 2020

A body positivity-driven fitness festival and fund-raiser for the Movemeant Foundation, We Dare to Bare takes over San Francisco’s Marina Green each year with nearly 1,000 participants and a combination of cycling, HIIT, strength, pilates, and dance classes. A sports bra is included in the price of admission, and most attendees exercise in their sports bras during the event. Participants are encouraged to hit a fund-raising target to support Movemeant’s education programs for girls, in addition to paying for entry. Next: May 2020