Double Dipsea

Lori and I volunteered at the Double Dipsea trail race Saturday up in Stinson Beach. It's a hellacious 13.1 mile round trip trail run. We worked Insult Hill with Richard Pon, a pretty well known runner in the area, and 2 guys Farley and Eric. Insult Hill is the first aid staion on the course at 1.5 miles in, and the last one on the way out. We had water and an electrolyte drink for runners, plus ice, salt, and all the other things they could need. There were almost 500 runners, staggered by age and gender. On the way in everyone seemed so happy and energized. And on the way back, after the leaders of the pack went through, it was like watching a beaten army return from battle. Some were staggering, walking sideways, panting, on the verge of death. I worked the ice bucket station on the way back pouring ice cold water on runners who wanted it. The whole day was amazing and a total blast.

Gallery












One of the people who showed up to help was Harry Cordellos, a completely blind runner. He's run the Double Dipsea 18 times, and done over 150 marathons.

"There have been movies about the Dipsea (Rob Nilsson’s 1986 indie hit On the Edge, starring real-life Dipsea runner Bruce Dern, as well as Drow Millar’s documentary on Jack Kirk and another by Ray Gatchalian on Harry Cordellos, a blind man who ran the Dipsea several times in the 1970s and ’80s); a Miss Dipsea from 1965-70, whose duties included firing the starting gun, riding to Stinson in a limo and kissing the winners; a 14.2-mile Double Dipsea, which starts (and ends) at Stinson; even an unbelievable Quadruple Dipsea, which has been completed by (among others) 77-year-old Mike Tselentis."

Amazing.

Here's Harry in the orange vest


Here's some more info about Harry