World Centipede Championships

Jan 27, 2010:

Here's a tidbit that not a lot of people know about ING Bay to Breakers 12k: It is the official race of the World Centipede Running Championships.

What's that, you ask?

Well, if you have ever seen a bunch of runners tied together during your ING Bay to Breakers experience, you've seen a centipede. These 13-person teams run the race connected by one costume - and they've been a Breakers tradition for more than 30 years.

In 1978, UC Davis track and cross country runner, Doug Peck was running with a teammate in the tomato fields of Davis discussing costume ideas for the annual 7.46 mile run from the Bay Bridge to Ocean Beach.

"Running in costume was already a tradition; we needed to do something different that year," Doug said.

The next day Doug asked his teammates, "Who wants to run in a group costume this year?" Twelve guys raised their hands, and a new Bay to Breaker tradition was born. One of those original centipede runners was Duane "Peanut" Harms, co-founder of the UC Davis Cal Aggies Track Club, which today is called the Aggies Running Club. Peanut and Doug, along with other Aggies, centered the "rules" of centipede running on having fun at a race already known for boisterous celebration. Official centipede rules, for instance, require each runner to wear a twinkie feeler on his/her head.

On race morning in 1978, the 13 Aggies, draped in a 65-foot-long by 5-foot-wide plastic sheet with head-holes, toed the starting line. To complete the costume, antennas made with Styrofoam balls were worn by the runners and, just like that, a 26-legged human centipede came to life.

According to Doug, it wasn't a great-looking costume, but it was a huge hit with race participants and spectators.

"No one had ever worn a team costume; we got a lot of stares," Doug said. "The best part was seeing the crowd's excitement when they saw us coming."

"We ended up running a 6 minute mile pace and all the while interacting with the crowd," Doug said. The centipede finished 130th.

The following year the Aggies challenged other running clubs and seven other centipedes showed up. In the mid-1980s, one centipede team managed to finish in the top 15. The concept has turned into a phenomenon and the centipedes quickly became a part of Breakers lore. Now dozens of centipede groups participate in the race - some for fun and others in serious competition. Last year, the Asics Aggies, an evolution of that first centipede group, took first place in both the men's and women's divisions.

For the last four years Doug has been part of a centipede with some of the original guys. "We call ourselves The 50+ Centipedes now." This year will mark the Bay to Breakers trendsetter's 38th race.

For the official centipede rules visit: http://ingbaytobreakers.com/index.php?page=centipedes