Dipseas

The weekend of Headlands Hundred, that Sunday, we celebrated a birthday by doing a double on the Dipsea trail. What a way to kick-off a birthday celebration! Brian August was turning 40 and his girlfriend Dana and friends came up with the idea of doing the double since he had never run the trail. Brian's no slouch, he's a very fast triathlete but his triathlon training has kept him off the trails. He's actually coached by the guy who won last year's Quad Dipsea.

The Dipsea is my all time favorite trail but it is far enough north of San Francisco that I don't get to run it as often as I want. With Pine to Palm 100 coming up it was time to start logging some miles on the trail and the other Mt. Tam trails. There are bigger climbs on Mt. Tam and while the ground is softer, slippery mud in some places, it's also more challenging with rocks, roots and steps. From the pictures I've seen of the new 100-mile course in Oregon, brought back by friends who have scouted the area, I think Mt. Tam's trails will be better for my training than the dry, exposed, less technical trails of the Marin Headlands.

So this past Saturday I was back out there, hauling my sorry butt across that trail four times for 28+ miles. I'd tell you the time but I don't want to embarrass myself. It felt good though challenging as it was and many people were hiking in the area so there was lots of company. This was followed by an 18-miler in San Francisco on Sunday that was a mixture of road and trail, a good respite from the hills of Mt. Tam. I'll see about doing the same workout this weekend. Body is feeling beat especially after last night's track workout. I'm crossing my fingers that they will be ready for more hills and distance by the weekend or it's going to be a long one. I may have to grease the mental wheels with promises of beer and sugar, hopefully it won't have to come to that.

The before picture at Mill Valley, before the sweat, dirt, mud and good times.

Heading up towards Cardiac Hill.

At Cardiac Hill.

Tina and Kara slipping past the redwoods.

Birthday boy ascending the steps on the Stinson side. Heading back to Mill Valley.

Almost home! Troy heading towards the Muir Woods parking lot.

Got my "double dip" button!

Then it was on to the birthday celebration at Brian and Dana's home.

Birthday boy and birthday cake.

And there was also good, microbrewed beer. I could use some of that right now.