Dipsea Day, 2018 is almost upon us.
For those you interested interested in the long, storied history of the Dipsea, you can learn more here. In a nutshell, it’s the second oldest running race (behind only the Boston Marathon) in the United States. It starts in downtown Mill Valley, CA and ends 7.4 miles (not to mention nearly 2,000 feet of vertical climbing) later in Stinston Beach.
The first four miles are uphill — at times, almost wildly so. It features three sets of steps (700 steps in total) which are almost as legendary as the race itself. What’s most unique, however, is the age-based handicapping system which makes it possible for almost anyone — man, woman, young and old alike — to win.
In nutshell, it’s one hell of a quirky race — maybe the quirkiest race in the country — which suits its home turf — Marin County — fairly well. I love everything about the Dipsea except for running it officially during race day, something I’ve only done once in all my years living in Marin. Instead, I choose to “run” the race as a Sweep — a quasi-race official, responsible for tending to wounds. The Dipsea can get notoriously physical. People run this race for time and mostattack the course quite aggressively. As a result there are a often injuries along the way. In addition to this, us Sweeps also monitor the course for safety and “fair play” purposes.
I love being part of the race and Sweeping is a great way to give a little something back to the local running community. It’s also a great way for me to also be out there on the course, rooting for my literally dozens of friends (not to mention both my kids) who are out racing.
As you could imagine, I particularly enjoy following my kids during the Dipsea. They both take it very seriously and train for it for months. I don’t want to jinx either one of them, but suspect they will both have a good day this year. Or maybe not. If you’re familar with this race you know that ANYTHING — good or bad — can happen come race day. You can have a great day one year and a disastrous one the year following.
After the race, they have a big picnic at Stinson Beach and an awards ceremony unlike any other that I’ve ever witnessed. The first 35 finishers are awarded Black Shirts, with the corresponding number of their finish. Black Shirt winners (as well as overall winners) come in nearly any gender and age. Last year’s Black Shirt winners included a 15 year old high school student along with a 78 year old former winner. The prize doesn’t necessarily go to the fastest runner (though there’s an award for that too). Winning a Black Shirt is a VERY big deal, locally.
Anyway, I could go on and on, but if you like running and you like all that is quirky, then you’d love the Dipsea. If you haven’t done the Dipsea yet and are local (or even non local) I suggest putting it on your bucket list. I promise it will be an experience you’ll neither regret or forget.
