That’s Jamie Rivers, who won her second Dipsea race yesterday. On the right is Jerry Hauke, who was for many years, the race director. Jamie’s club, the Pelican Inn Track Club, won the team trophy — breaking a 34-year streak for the Tamalpa Runners club.
The Dipsea is the oldest cross-country race in America. Details here.
It was with a certain amount of sadness that I watched the race yesterday. I’ve been running it for about 20 years, and last year was my last. As I explained to my friends, I want to able to walk when I’m 95. After having both knees operated on, I’ve recovered well, but more years of too-fast downhill running (to make up for slow uphills) promised continued loss of knee cartilage. I don’t want artificial knees. I want to be able to walk as long as I live.
I got up as usual at 6, had tea, and drove over the hill to Mill Valley. I didn’t jump in the cold creek under the waterfall, my former pre-race ritual — tuning into the mountain spirits. I didn’t have the butterflies-in-stomach pre-race jitters, or have to endure the pain of anaerobic distress, or worry about which shortcuts to take — but gosh darnit, I missed it. As everyone milled around at Stinson Beach after the race, I missed the burning in the quads, the muscle soreness, the feeling of accomplishment of being part of a great tradition.
Ah well, onwards and outwards. And congratulations to the red hot runners of the Pelican Inn Track Club.
