Mt Tam 30k Trail Race 2015 by InsideTrail.com

Graphic: Inside Trail Racing

InsideTrail.com held it's annual Mt Tam Trail Run  in mid November and I signed up for the 30k as a fitness test en route to a spring marathon PR attempt. I took Friday off work and made a day out of our trip to Stinson by stopping off at cool places to have fun with the kids. I rented the Sandpiper Cottage for the weekend in Stinson Beach and loved it. I got a good nights rest and had a home cooked breakfast when I woke up and everything I needed to have a great race morning was with me at the cottage. No rushing around, no early morning driving, no chance of forgetting any gear. I walked 100 yards out of my front door and arrived just after 8am to the start line feeling pumped and ready to take on this challenge.

2014 Quad Dipsea registration is coming soon.

Just a quick reminder that registration for the 2014 Quad Dipsea will open  on Friday August 1st at 8:00am through ultrasignup.com.  So mark your calendars, as the race will likely fill on that day. The race will be held on November 29th. Best of luck getting in!

Trail racing in the Bay Area for October 2013

Trail racing in the bay area is at its best in  October in my opinion. The heat of summer is mostly behind us replaced by the crisp, cool autumn weather. A little rain starts to creep in and the dry dusty hardpack gives way to a softer more forgiving trail. The colors are changing and the trees are really begging to be looked at. If your not out in the woods in October you may want to check your status as a trail runner. Check out the upcoming races around the bay and do yourself a solid, sign up for an awesome race.

Mt Tam 50k race review






Mt Tam Trail Run from InsideTrail.com

My day started at 6:30 am driving north on HWY 280 heading for Stinson Beach. The race start was scheduled for 8:30 and my gps tells me my drive is one hour and fifteen minutes long. That gives me 45 minutes to sign in, pin my bib on, use the restroom, stretch out, use the restroom for a final time and start running. I arrived one hour and forty minutes later and had twenty minutes to accomplish all that was needed. Bathroom was first. So many bathrooms are available at Stinson Beach that the race director did not have to truck in any porto pottys. Check in seemed a bit confused but when we approached the table we were able to check in, receive our bibs and my wife was able to drop down to the 10k event all in a few minutes. Back to the car for water belts, hand helds, and a final inventory of all that is going out on the trail and all that is staying in the car. Some dynamic stretching while we headed over to the crowd that had gathered to hear the pre-race instructions. We missed that part but we are experienced trail runners so we don't need to hear how to follow a course that we have already memorized or how its bad juju to litter. The instructions that we were present for were muffled and hard to hear and understand. Typical small bullhorn fidelity.

Running races of note for the weekend of 10/27 & 10/28

Its a weekend full of wine in the Bay Area!!! Many of you probably already have your weekend run plans made. Perhaps your running in one of the Wine runs taking place in the Bay Area this weekend. If so, be careful not to drink and run. You could get an RUI.