(Photo and caption courtesy Dipsea.org)
"Dynamite." "Cardiac." "Suicide."
If you thought the Dipsea race was for the faint of heart, the names of these three stations should convince you otherwise.
On Sunday, June 14th, the 99th annual Dipsea will take place and you should be there at the finish line to see why it's such a big deal.
The race started back in 1904 as a wager between friends. Who could run from the Mill Valley train depot to the newly-opened Dispea Inn on the beach first? Due to the beauty and challenge of the course, the wager turned out to be a great success and the race was repeated nearly every year since. "It's the oldest cross-country trail running event -- and the second oldest foot race of any kind -- in the United States."
There are harder races, longer races, and bigger races in the world, but the Dipsea has a certain magnetic appeal that's hard to beat. Because the race gives head-starts depending on age, there have been winners from the ages of 9 to 70. It features 675 stairs in the first mile, and an altitude gain of 2200 feet over the 7-mile course.
Even more interesting, shortcuts are allowed, and at several points in the race, runners must decide between forking paths, weighing the pros and cons of both. The race has an intoxicating mix of strategy, luck, and tradition, all while experiencing the most painful exhaustion and enjoying some of the most beautiful scenery in the state.
If you're free on the morning of 14th, stop by the finish line at the Stinson Beach parking lot. The race starts at 8:30 AM, so within an hour you'll get to see some of the happiest people on the verge of collapse ever. By the smiles on their weary faces you'll know that they'll be back next year. You should be too.
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