This would be my second year running the Double Dipsea. Can’t believe it’s been four weeks already since Quicksilver 100K. After recovering for a week, I headed down under to Sydney and Melbourne on a business trip (my 4th international trip of the year). Splitting time between an increase in work hours and trying to spend more time with the family after summer start, my running has been limited to the occasional 6-8 milers during lunch and hopping on my treadmill for an hour at 15% grade. Not exactly what you would call “training”, but at this point I’ll take what I can get. The Double Dipsea was well timed in that I was really starting to crave for dirt on my feet. Here’s my Strava activity from the run.

Double Dipsea

After a hectic week, I didn’t get to think about the run until Friday evening, when I took out the middle seat of our minivan, packed up the sleeping bag and drove up to Stinson Beach for a night of dirt bagging. The parking lot was closed, so found a dirt patch across from the Stinson Beach Community Center and settled in for a quiet night. It’s always nice to wake up and saunter over to the start line with absolutely no rush whatsoever. It was around 7:00am and I could already tell it was going to be a warm day.

In the car I laced up my $30 PR shoes and just lay there for a while trying to remember the course. And then YOLO and all that, I figured the weather was just right for my Luna Sandals. I wasn’t going for any particular time or anything and with the dry weather, didn’t have to worry about slipping and sliding in mud. Besides, it’s all I’ve been running in the last few weeks. Best. Decision. Ever.

Met Kristen Dymmel at the start (and her family) who just won her age group at the Big Basin 50K! As always the most inspiring part of Double Dipsea is the initial wave of 70+ year olds toeing the start line. I’d be happy to do when I’m in my 60’s what these folks are doing in their 80’s!. My wave was at 8:52 and we began the climb up to Cardiac.

I was pushing pretty hard (or so I thought) when Michael Stricklan passed me before I got to the summit. Last year I made it to Muir Beach before we crossed paths. Looks like someone’s been training (or I’ve gotten fat, lazy and old). Hooting and hollering the descent down to Muir Beach is always fun with repetitive ‘on your left’. Up Dipsea Trail and down the million steps to the turn around point. 1:20 split time. Short stop and began the climb up. I didn’t have any water with me and the aid stations were close enough that I didn’t feel thirsty. It was warmer than last year and I felt the cramp descending down back to Muir Beach.

Popped in a couple of salt pills and hiked up to Cardiac again. Made it to the top around 2:20. More cramps, more salt pills and started chop stepping down the stairs. A very brief stop at Insult Hill and off to the finish. I crossed the finish line at 2:50, 20th in age group. A little slower than last year, but the sandals and the dirt made up for it.

Didn’t realize how much I missed running in my Luna Sandals. Nothing like getting your feet dirty (literally). In just two weeks the whole family (including @ChippyTheDoge) is heading over on a 12-day-long RV trip to Mt. Hood. Plan is no more than 4-5 hours of driving every other day. I get to run the Mt. Hood 50M and then we head on back while I nurse my sore legs. Should be fun. And when I toed the start line, it dawned on me that next year, I’ll get a 5 minute head start. In the wise words of Dipsea Demon, “You don’t stop running when you get old. You get old when you stop running”. Yeah, that.