Tamalpa Runners
Encyclopedia
The Tamalpa Runners, a Marin County, California
based running club
, comprises over 700 members of all ages and running
abilities. Tamalpa was founded in 1976 by Kees Tuinzing and Don Pickett (1968 Dipsea Race
winner, aka Mr. Dipsea).
Tamalpa Runners is dedicated to the proposition that not all runners are created equal, but everyone in the club can have a great time running. The club sponsors competitive racing teams, as well as offering group fun runs primarily on and around Mount Tamalpais
. The club publishes a monthly newsletter, the Tamalpa Gazette, which chronicles club events, coaching tips, and race results.
Another Tamalpa institution is the Tamalpa Club Racing Series (TCRS), founded in 1983 as a series of low-key cross country running
events. TCRS races are held every month except June (in honor of the Dipsea) and December (in deference to Tamalpa Christmas Party hangovers). The TCRS courses are a combination of various traditional courses in Marin County
selected each year by the club's race directors.
, first run in 1905 over the 7.4 mile Dipsea Trail from Mill Valley
to Stinson Beach
, is the oldest cross country race in the United States
. The race takes place on the second Sunday in June every year. The venue is considered by many to be the most beautiful cross-country course in the world, with stairs and steep trails that also make it both grueling and treacherous. Its unique handicapping system has produced both men and women winners of all ages. It is a very popular event, attracting runners from around the globe, but because of safety and environmental concerns, the field is limited to 1,500. Tamalpa club members routinely dominate the event, often taking home a majority of the coveted black t-shirts awarded to the top 35 finishers. 2011 ended a 34-year reign of the Dipsea's Team Trophy (given to the team with the most black shirts) to the Pelican Inn Runners.
Marin County, California
Marin County is a county located in the North San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. As of 2010, the population was 252,409. The county seat is San Rafael and the largest employer is the county government. Marin County is well...
based running club
Running club
A running club is an eclectic institution specialising in running and oriented towards the sport and recreation of running or track and field...
, comprises over 700 members of all ages and running
Running
Running is a means of terrestrial locomotion allowing humans and other animals to move rapidly on foot. It is simply defined in athletics terms as a gait in which at regular points during the running cycle both feet are off the ground...
abilities. Tamalpa was founded in 1976 by Kees Tuinzing and Don Pickett (1968 Dipsea Race
Dipsea Race
The Dipsea Race is the oldest cross-country trail running event—and one of the oldest foot races of any kind—in the United States. The 7.5 mile long Dipsea Race has been held annually almost every year since 1905, starting in Mill Valley, and finishing at Stinson Beach, in Marin County,...
winner, aka Mr. Dipsea).
Tamalpa Runners is dedicated to the proposition that not all runners are created equal, but everyone in the club can have a great time running. The club sponsors competitive racing teams, as well as offering group fun runs primarily on and around Mount Tamalpais
Mount Tamalpais
Mount Tamalpais is a peak in Marin County, California, United States, often considered symbolic of Marin County. Much of Mount Tamalpais is protected within public lands such as Mount Tamalpais State Park and the Mount Tamalpais Watershed.-Geography:...
. The club publishes a monthly newsletter, the Tamalpa Gazette, which chronicles club events, coaching tips, and race results.
Another Tamalpa institution is the Tamalpa Club Racing Series (TCRS), founded in 1983 as a series of low-key cross country running
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
events. TCRS races are held every month except June (in honor of the Dipsea) and December (in deference to Tamalpa Christmas Party hangovers). The TCRS courses are a combination of various traditional courses in Marin County
Marin County, California
Marin County is a county located in the North San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. As of 2010, the population was 252,409. The county seat is San Rafael and the largest employer is the county government. Marin County is well...
selected each year by the club's race directors.
The Dipsea
The Dipsea RaceDipsea Race
The Dipsea Race is the oldest cross-country trail running event—and one of the oldest foot races of any kind—in the United States. The 7.5 mile long Dipsea Race has been held annually almost every year since 1905, starting in Mill Valley, and finishing at Stinson Beach, in Marin County,...
, first run in 1905 over the 7.4 mile Dipsea Trail from Mill Valley
Mill Valley, California
Mill Valley is a city in Marin County, California, United States located about north of San Francisco via the Golden Gate Bridge. The population was 13,903 at the 2010 census.Mill Valley is located on the western and northern shores of Richardson Bay...
to Stinson Beach
Stinson Beach, California
Stinson Beach is a census-designated place in Marin County, California, on the west coast of the United States. Stinson Beach is located east-southeast of Bolinas, at an elevation of 26 feet . The population of the Stinson Beach CDP was 632 at the 2010 census.Stinson Beach is about a 35-minute...
, is the oldest cross country race in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The race takes place on the second Sunday in June every year. The venue is considered by many to be the most beautiful cross-country course in the world, with stairs and steep trails that also make it both grueling and treacherous. Its unique handicapping system has produced both men and women winners of all ages. It is a very popular event, attracting runners from around the globe, but because of safety and environmental concerns, the field is limited to 1,500. Tamalpa club members routinely dominate the event, often taking home a majority of the coveted black t-shirts awarded to the top 35 finishers. 2011 ended a 34-year reign of the Dipsea's Team Trophy (given to the team with the most black shirts) to the Pelican Inn Runners.
External links
- TamalpaRunners.org
- Tamalpa Runners Message Board
- Dipsea.org - 'Dipsea: Mill ValleyMill Valley, CaliforniaMill Valley is a city in Marin County, California, United States located about north of San Francisco via the Golden Gate Bridge. The population was 13,903 at the 2010 census.Mill Valley is located on the western and northern shores of Richardson Bay...
to Stinson BeachStinson Beach, CaliforniaStinson Beach is a census-designated place in Marin County, California, on the west coast of the United States. Stinson Beach is located east-southeast of Bolinas, at an elevation of 26 feet . The population of the Stinson Beach CDP was 632 at the 2010 census.Stinson Beach is about a 35-minute...
' - RunnersWorld.com - 'A 6-Minute Difference: Ever wonder how much faster (or slower) you'd run if you were the opposite sex? Janet Furman Bowman may be the only runner in America who knows', Cynthia Gorney, Runner's WorldRunner's WorldRunner's World is a globally circulated monthly magazine for runners of all skills sets, published by Rodale Press in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
(2005) - SFGate.com - 'Marathons are just a warm-up for ultrarunner', Ted Gross, The San Francisco ChronicleSan Francisco Chroniclethumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
(July 8, 2005)