Double Dipsea - The Double Arse Kicker

After having spent the last five years living in the Bay Area I have heard a number of legendary stories about the Dipsea Trail. The trail starts out in Mill Valley in Marin and ends up on the beautiful Stinson Beach. Around six months ago I was exploring a number of trails in the area on my mountain bike, and I came across a sign that read "Dipsea Trail". After showering off the dirt I went online and did some research on the Dipsea Trail and the infamous annual race.

In 2010 the Dipsea Race had its 100th anniversary, and I thought that would be a perfect time to sign up. Sounds easy enough, but this race is unlike most other trail races. It's got a really cool handicap system (think golf), which creates a very interesting race dynamic. During the Dipsea Race you are competing against people of all ages. Some over 80 and some not even old enough to be teenagers. If the course isn't tough enough the really tricky part is to actually get in. No online registration. No credit cards. No dice. I didn't get in. However, Reilly Johnson did. She won. She's eight years old(!)

Read this Runner's World article for a great overview of the quirky race.

This morning the fog horns on the Golden Gate Bridge could be heard across San Francisco. The 40 minute drive to Stinson Beach was a wet one. The parking lot at Stinson was full of runners, and as I arrived I heard the most legendary race announcement I've ever heard: "Can racers above the age of 80 approach the starting line." The annual Double Dipsea race was about to kick off.

One hour later it was time for the last wave of runners. More than 500 runners were already kicking up the dirt on the trial. I have taken this trail for a test run in the past, and I knew I didn't need any competition from the other runners. The Dipsea Trail is a challenge enough in itself. My last run there with my buddy Joe Levy ended in blood and tears. At 9:15am we took off. The sun had started to burn through the fog. A group of guys at the front who were giving each other a lot of crap at the starting line sped off. At the time it seemed like a good idea to keep up the group. As the trail got steeper and my pulse started taking on a life of its own I realized that these guys are professional runners. I decided to let them do their thing and I'll do whatever my thing is - which at that point was focusing on finishing.

After a lot of up and down up and down I found myself in Mill Valley, and as we turned to hit the infamous steps I couldn't help but think that a double Dipsea was a bad idea (if I'd only gotten into the Dipsea instead...). My legs were burning and my heart was pounding at my ribs. There were people everywhere, all trying to keep their tired legs from tripping on the treacherous steps. Crossing the bridge at Muir Woods I knew what was ahead - Cardiac Arrest - an aptly named climb to the highest point of the course.

This point is by far the most beautiful part of course in my opinion. Amazing views of the Pacific Ocean and all single track. Another huge plus is that this section is all downhill apart from the final climb towards the end with another fitting name - Insult Hill. I had heard rumors abut some strategic short cuts and they were high on my priority list as my legs felt like a mixture of jello and crutches. In addition, I had extra motivation to finish the race early as the US were playing Ghana in World Cup.

Crossing the line at 2:05:30 I felt a sense of relief. Last time the trail kicked my ass. Now it's a tied game.

Kudos to the race organizers for a very well organized race. If the beautiful scenery is not inspiring enough in itself, it is impossible to run this race without being inspired by 70 and 80 year old people tackling this 2 x 7 mile course without hesitation.

Feel free to share your Dipsea experiences or post questions if you are considering participating in future races.