FOUR COLORADANS FINISHED IN THE TOP 35 AT THE DIPSEA TRAIL RACE. PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT ARE WES THURMAN OF COLORADO SPRINGS, CHUCK SMEAD OF MOSCA, HEATH HIBBARD OF MONTROSE AND MARK TATUM OF COLORADO SPRINGS.
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Dipsea Trail Races in Northern California
eath Hibbard claimed a first place overall finish in Northern California’s legendary Double Dipsea Race on June 16 after dominating the original Dipsea Race with several fellow Coloradans less than a week before. First run in 1905, the original Dipsea is the oldest trail race in America and the second oldest footrace in the U.S. after the Boston Marathon. Originating as a bet between two men in a bar in 1904, it is run every year on the second Sunday in June. The scenic 7.4 mile course in Marin County, north of San Francisco, goes from Mill Valley to Stinson Beach and is considered to be one of the most beautiful courses in the world. The stairs, creek crossings, rocks, overhanging tree limbs, and steep trails make it a grueling and treacherous race. Racers gain about 2,000 feet in less than two miles during the race. And its unique handicapping system based on age and gender has made winners of men and women of all ages. Because of its beauty and challenge, it is a very popular event, and because of safety and environmental concerns the number of runners is limited to about 1,500. While racers enter from all over the world, the Dipsea is primarily a Northern California event and the entry process is allegedly tilted a bit to favor local contestants. According to Hibbard, a 65-year-old from Ridgeway, “It’s the hardest race to get into, especially the first time.” The "Double Dipsea" event, which is also handicapped, was founded in 1970 by legendary Bay Area runner Walt Stack. The 13.7 mile race goes from Stinson Beach to Mill Photography By BRUCE KIRSCHNER
Valley and back - extra grueling. According to the official race website, “Double Dipsea is a not just another tough trail run. It's a sadistically designed race, intended to test your patience and perseverance. It rewards those most able to overcome adversity and show grace under fire. It leaves defeated those unable to adapt and quick to give in to frustration.” To best be prepared for the Dipsea Race, Hibbard decided to scope out the course ahead of time with a fellow Boulder Road Runner Men’s 60+ USATF national championship team member, Chuck Smead, from Mosca, Colorado. Heath was already very familiar with the course. This year was his fourth consecutive event, having placed 5th in 2015, 3rd in 2016, and 9th in 2017. Sixty-six-year-old Smead, who has been a national class long distance runner since the early 1970s, last ran the Dipsea Race in 2012 and, despite a bad fall, managed to finish in 20th place. But that wasn’t enough experience with the race for Hibbard and Smead. They flew out a month in advance to train on the course for six days, including the infamous stairs, “676 steps…brutal, equivalent to a 50-story building,” according to Hibbard. Smead reported, “We ran every day on the course because you have to figure out how to run it. This is not something that you just show up and run like most races. You’ve got to have experience on it. It’s got rocks, nasty downhills, poison oak, and the stairs…which are scary and really screw me up. The stairs were my biggest challenge. They killed me. I never figured them out. To do it right, you really need to train on the course for a month. You have to figure out
where to best spend your energy on the course. If you don’t, you’re in trouble.” Smead added, “I guess this year I was more concerned about preserving myself than I was being really aggressive enough to win this race. To do well in this race, you really have to be aggressive. Heath is built perfect for this race. He’s good enough on the uphill where he can maintain but he’s a crazy fast on the downhill for his age. Plus he’s got the experience.” Hibbard finished the original Dipsea Race on June 10 in 1:05:28 for fourth place overall. Smead finished in 21st overall place in 1:09:39. Fellow Coloradans Mark Tatum and Wes Thurman, both from Colorado Springs, finished third overall in 1:00:21 and 22nd overall in 56:45, respectively. All four Coloradans qualified for the infamous and highly coveted Dipsea “Black Shirts.” Organizers award the top 35 finishers black cotton shirts with their finishing place on the back. As an overall top five Dipsea Race finisher, Hibbard was awarded a big cup trophy. According to Hibbard, “They give me the trophy, get me on the podium, and put a microphone in my hand. Then they tell me, ‘By the way, you have to give a speech.’ So I just fumbled my way through that!” A glutton for punishment, Hibbard was back on the same course only six days later to overcome twice the adversity for the outand-back Double Dipsea, capturing first place overall and a second visit to the podium.
-Bruce Kirschner coloradorunnermag.com 23
