Highway cones as they appeared before the start of the race. Imagine how much more effective a crossing guard might be if dressed in one of these cones.

Runners arrived hydrated and drank water to keep hydrated just before the race. As a consequence, the need for toilets grew as the race start neared. Just before the start, the lines at these toilets were fifteen deep each.

AT&T was there with a portable cell tower. The man atop the cab held a walkie-talkie and was adjusting a microwave dish. Such portable cell towers are becoming more common as large events overload the local cellphone service area with a sudden concentration of devices.

Floats this year cost a $200 entry fee. The section of Main Street between Howard and Harrison was the float assembly area (corral). Perhaps because of the entry fee, there appeared to be fewer floats this year.

People stretched to warm up for the race. Stretches were common all along the sidewalks of Howard Street.

The start of the race was masked off and barricaded and ready for the arrival of the elite runners. This year's race was sponsored by Ing Direct .

A trio of women were were dressed as figures of spring, complete with hand-held bubble machines.

A cow lead his leashed wolf for a walk toward the starting line. The leashed wolf carried a wooden knife.

One group was costumed as cave people. This fellow wore masses of fake hair while wearing a genuine caveman-era pair of sun glasses.

Western looking costumes while, not authentic, did avoid an anachronistic conflict with their use of smart phones.

Fancy orange top hats were decorated with flexible tubes. It was unclear if they were supposed to be candy hats or straw hats.

A man wearing a giant carrot suit sat on the edge of a planter box to rest. Later, when he stood to run, he towered over the runners. The internal bracing of the carrot was metal, so the contraption must have been heavy, hence the need to rest.

A man in a fur suit and wearing a Viking hat wore a sign that read "Dø I löok illegål?". A humorous commentary on the recent anti-immigrant Arizona law .

While preparing a float, three fellows took time out to perform a leap. The leap had been requested by a woman (out of frame) who waited with a smart phone to take this picture.

A float in the form of a wading pool was being finished for the race. Most floats contained loudspeakers which blasted intensely rhythmic music.

Three homeless people had camped the night before along the sidewalk of Main Street on the Market Street side of Howard. Thousands of race entrants walked past these men. At the same time, loudspeakers blared "Runners to the left. Walkers to the right." It must have been a surreal morning.

A paper cutout Santa in a nice attempt to resemble a greeting card or perhaps a still photograph.

These two clowns were leaning against the side of a building. The street by now was filled to overflowing and the sidewalks were filled with runners walking toward the front of the race. This photograph was taken while walking upstream back toward the bay.

Pink ladies in matching pink hats posed for a photograph.

One woman wore a hat that was sewn to look like a globe of the earth. The word "Earth," had been printed on her sleeve. She waited amid the crowds waiting to start.

This fellow decorated a motorcycle helmet using colored tape and a shower hat.

A convict, a cheer leader, and a man carrying a box were just a few of the costumes seen that morning.

The loudspeakers announced that just five minutes remained before the start of the women elite runners (who started five minutes early). This man in a King Neptune costume cheered that announcement.

A hour before the race start, hardly any runners had arrived yet. Contrast that to one hour later when the race started. By then, people were arriving as fast as the race passed the start, so the river of people seemed never to end.

The start of the women elite runners marked the five minute mark before the start of the race proper. When that was announced, runners began to surge forward toward the start. Here at Steuart and Howard, that start was three blocks ahead.

A full seven minutes after the start, Howard Street is still filled to overflowing with runners from Main Street all the way back to the Embarcadero and around the corners.

The floats along Main Street began to be rolled forward to become ready to be inserted into the parade.

One float featured a cigar-smoking rubber duck with thousands of bubbles floating from its butt.

One float was decorated in pink with tigers on its corners and a frog named Zack on its front. The sign read, "Kiss Me."

At quarter past eight, the race still had not thinned enough for the floats to start. Here a mobile photo booth allowed runners to sit for a moment and have their photo taken. The photo was self-triggered by stepping on a switch in the floor. Note "Spicy Mustard," to the right.

Two of a half dozen people dressed as Smurfs for a float.

As the time for the floats to start neared, this disco float was moved forward into position.

Yes, that is the start of the race far ahead at Beale Street. People who live on the race route will be awakened this morning to the sound of thunder as the stampede passes.