For the More Serious Runners, Barrios, Mota Showed the Way

Mexico’s Arturo Barrios and Portugal’s Rosa Mota led a pack of more than 100,000 runners Sunday to win the wacky 76th Examiner Bay to Breakers race.

“This is a wonderful race,” said Barrios, the former Texas A & M runner who finished in 34 minutes, 44 seconds. “Even if you are tired, the people cheer you on.”

The 7.5-mile race begins at the foot of the Oakland Bay Bridge, snakes past the city’s high-rise buildings, winds up the treacherous Hayes Street hill, cuts through Golden Gate Park and ends at Ocean Beach.

Barrios, who now lives in Boulder, Colo., holds the world 10-kilometer road record. He won 13 of 14 road races from 1985 to 1986 and was named international road runner of the year by several running magazines last year.

Mark Curp, who finished third last year, took second place in the men’s division with a time of 35:14.1. Last year’s winner, Ed Eyestone, was third in 35:26, Andrew Lloyd was fourth and Paul Cummings fifth.

Mota, who won the Boston Marathon this year and was a bronze medalist in the 1984 Olympic marathon in Los Angeles, finished in 39:15:6.

There was concern she would not be in top form so soon after Boston, but she said, “It depends on the way you run the marathon. I didn’t push myself to the limit.”

Lisa Martin, an Australian who finished third last year, took second in 39:19.9, and Lorraine Moller of New Zealand was third in 40.06.2.

A new male team called Powerbar was first in the centipede division, which also included a group of San Francisco 49er players. Powerbar ran the course in 39:15.6 in the cool and overcast weather.

The men’s and women’s winners each receive a $25,000 BMW and two round-trip, first-class flights to Hong Kong. The top California finishers win flights to Australia to compete in that country’s version of the race.