News from 2007 and 2006
Big
Congratulations to the Tamalpa Senior Mens Team for taking second place this
morning in Ohio. Brian Pilcher was Tamalpa's top runner and eighth in the
50-59 individual standings. Tamalpa Results below. For full results see Club
National XC Results.
2. Tamalpa Runners 6 M50 Brian Pilcher, 51, Ross, CA 37:56.2 15 M50 Mark Richtman, 52, Novato, CA 39:03.6 16 M50 Tom O'Reilly, 50, Corte Madera, CA 39:11.3 19 M50 Roy Kissin, 50, Larkspur, CA 39:26.5 32 M50 Michael Radcliffe, 50, Mill Valley, CA 40:24.2 41 M50 Jim Howard, 53, Applegate, CA 41:00.3 Total Time = 3:16:01.7 Total Places = 88
Just
a reminder that this Saturday, Dec. 8th is the annual Tamalpa Christmas Party,
to be held once again at the Mill Valley Outdoor Art Club. The festivities
start at 5:30 pm, and dinner will be held at approximately 7:00 pm. Tim Amyx
will once again be presenting his always great "Tamalpa Year in Review" video,
the Tamalpa Lifetime Achievement award(s) will be presented, and following
dinner the entertainment continues with live music from "The Kings". For all
those interested in attending, this is a pot-luck affair, with those with
the last names of A-O bringing a side dish, and P-Z bringing a desert. (Or
bring both of your favorites) Cost is $20.00 if you mail in a check to Tamalpa
*now*, or $25.00 at the door. Click here for more info about the event. If
you would like to assist our social committee in putting on this event, volunteers
are needed for kitchen, food serving and clean-up after the party as well.
Contact Dave Pinto at 531-4049 or E-mail at dpinto@sonic.net, if you would
like to help out. We'll see you all on the 8th. Happy Holidays!
Tamalpans
once again filled the field at the 25th annual Quadruple Dipsea, held on Thanksgiving
weekend. 232 runners managed to finish the double out-and-back course, with
26 Tamalpans crossing the finish line. 25 year old newcomer Eric Skaggs, of
Ashland, OR, destroyed the field in his first Quad, becoming only the second
runner ever to break the fabled 4 hour mark. Eric's time of 3:53:07 was only
38 seconds off of former Tamalpan Carl Anderson's course record. Not to be
outdone, Livermore's Beth Vitalis *did* break Karen Brown's course record
by racing to an outstanding 4:39:39, and finishing 7th overall in the race.
Congratulations to both of these champions! Victor Ballesteros proved that
he is one of the strongest Tamalpa ultrarunners these days by racing to his
second consecutive second place finish in the Quad, with a fine time of 4:13:35.
Jamie Berns was not able to repeat her winning ways of last year, but still
managed to run a gustsy race and finish as first Tamalpan woman, and 7th female
overall, despite battling debilitating leg cramps on the fourth leg of the
race. Jamie's time was a solid 5:08:07. Way to go Jamie and Victor! For complete
race results, go here.
Over
240 runners participated in the 7th Annual Tamalpa Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving
Day at the Indian Valley campus of the College of Marin. Race director Jason
Jacobson reports that 89 youngsters competed in the Kids 1.05 Mile race, and
155 adults and teens stretched their legs on the 2.82 mile cross-country course.
Many thanks go out to Jason and his group of Tamalpan volunteers who ensured
yet another successful year for this event. If the race continues to grow
at this rate, they'll have to start having a lottery for entries! For race(s)
results, click here.
A
large turnout of Tamalpans at the recent Pacific Association Cross Country
Championship races in Golden Gate Park helped secure 5 of the 9 PA team titles
for the 2007 XC Gran Prix season. Thanks to all Tamalpans who participated
in any of the cross country races this year, and a special congratulations
to the teams who won their respective age group divisions in the Gran Prix
- Women's Masters and Super Seniors, and Men's Seniors, Super-Seniors, and
Veterans. Final divison standings can be found here.
One hundred racers enjoyed a cool sunny morning at the final TCRS of the year, the Redwood HS 5k, in Larkspur. Mark McManus, one month into his role as a new dad, (welcome Baby Myles!) showed who indeed has the quickest wheels in the club by winning handily over second-place finisher Jason Jacobson. Mark's time was a relaxed (for him) 16:26. After a number of high 2007 TCRS finishes, Tamara Gonzalez finally broke in to the winner's circle by outlasting a game Linda Sharp. Tammy and Linda both went under 20 minutes, with Tammy running 19:50, to Linda's 19:58. Race results can be seen here, and year-end TCRS standings will posted here shortly. As is tradition, December takes a break from TCRS racing, the next race is scheduled for Sunday, January 20th, at Tennessee Valley. Congratulations to all participants in any of the TCRS races this past year. We'll see you in January!
The
Tamalpa Runners once again hosted this successful PAUSATF cross-country event,
with nearly 300 runners taking part in three separate races (Women's, Men's
Masters, and Men's Open) on a beautiful morning perfect for trail racing.
The race of the day belonged to San Francisco's Jim Sorensen, who destroyed
the rest of the field in the men's masters race, with a nearly 2 minute margin
on the 4.25 mile course. Brian Pilcher was Tamalpa's fastest finisher of the
day, finishing 9th overall in the master's race. Other notable Tamalpan efforts
were turned in by Tammy Gonzalez, Linda Sharp, Jon Rushman, Tom O'Reilly,
and Don Porteous. Many thanks to race director Ken Grebenstein and the dozens
of Tamalpa volunteers who helped make this event the special experience that
it is. For complete race results, go here.
For some photos of Tamalpans running on race day, click here.
Natalie Simi added another win to her long list of TCRS victories at the October club rcae, held on the Tocolomah end of Samuel P. Taylor State Park. Club pres Brad O'Brien took the men's race, using the flat sections of the bike path to his advantage, and pulling away from a game Wayne Patton, who finished 51 seconds behing Brad on the approx. 5 miler. Total number of racers was 72 participants, which is lower than usual for this normally popular TCRS. For complete race results, go here. For some Dave Waco photos of race participants, click here. Next month's Nov. 4th club race will be the last race of the year, and will take place at the traditional Redwood High School location, 5k distance. If you are curious to see how you rank in the TCRS standings before this last race, check it out here. See you on the 4th, and don't forget about the Daylight Savings Time change!
The
annual Steve Lyons Track meet proved to be another fun-filled and exciting
affair, with dozens of athletes participating in individual races and relays
of varying distances. The highlight of the evening was definitely the new
pending world record set in the men's age 50 and over 4 x 1600 meter relay,
by the Tamalpa quartet of Brian Pilcher, Roy Kissin, Tom O'Reilly and Mark
Richtman in a sizzling time of 19:31.2, 12 seconds under the existing record,
previously held by Tamalpans Frank Ruona, Don Porteus, Jim Williams, and Steve
Lyons. For complete meet results, go here.
For pictures of the record-breaking relay race, go here.
Congratulations to our super seniors!
Two first-time winners took top honors at the September TCRS in the Bahia/Rush Creek area of north Novato. George Dombroski and Moriah Buckley each ran away from the competition in their respective gender divisions, with George completing the beautiful undulating course course in 30:43, while Moriah finished in 37:45. After a 1/4 mile steep paved uphill to begin the race, seventy-seven racers enjoyed the gorgeous sunny morning, and soft dirt trails circumnavigating around the marshes between Black Point and Gnoss Field Airport. Speedy high schooler Terrence Bennett was second male finisher, while Karen Stenberg was next woman to cross the line behind Moriah. For race results, go here. Next month's club race will once again be the "hilly" Samuel P Taylor course, climbing, then descending the Jewell trail. For directions to the race start, click here. See you there!
One
of the largest fields in recent memory turned out for the annual Labor Day
Mt. Tam Hill Climb. 114 runners completed the approx. 2.6 mile nearly vertical
course from downtown Mill Valley to the East Peak of Mt. Tam. Newcomer Galen
Burrell ran the third fastest time in race history, with a phenomenal 31:52,
easily outdistancing second place finisher and *still* current course record
holder Tom Borschel, who finished in 34:00. It was great to see Tom travel
from Colorado, to the scene of one of his greatest race triumphs. Judy Rabinowitz
trounced the ladies field, in a PR time of 39:53. Jamie Berns continued her
strong 2007 racing season by finishing second overall for the women. 32 athletes
also competed in the first-ever Mt. Tam Hill Climb "Triple Crown",
which consisted of a Mt. Bike race to the top of Mt. Tam on Saturday, a road
bike race also to the top of the mountain on Sunday, and Monday's running
event. Overall champion was Tim Knudsen, in a tight competition with Sam Lueck
and Greg Allen. Greg's wife Christy Allen won the women's competiton for the
Triple. Congratulations to all atheletes who competed in one, two, or all
three of the events. Race results for the running race and Triple Crown races
can be found here.
The usual post-race party/T-Shirt awards at Roger Gordon's house was of course
enjoyed by all, and thanks again to Roger and Rick Blick for organizing these
fun events. See you next year!
The
Tamalpa Runners once again hosted the USATF National 50k Trail Championship
race at the Headlands 50k, on August 26th. 130+ racers enjoyed near-perfect
running conditions on a cool, overcast day. Repeating as mens overall winner,
and retaining his National Men's overall champion title was Bryan Dayton,
who finished in a fine time of 3:55:25. Running in his first ultramarathon,
Tamalpan Mark McManus scorched the course with a fantastic 4:02:19, to finish
second overall. Great race, Mark! Beverly Anderson-Abbs took first place honors
in the women's division, finishing in a solid 4:42:31. Congratulations to
Tamalpans Sunny Blende, Bob Knox, and Dave Covey for winning their age divisions,
thereby becoming National Age Group Champions! Nineteen Tamalpans completed
the race this year, and several dozen Tamalpan volunteers helped to conduct
the event on race day. Many thanks to these volunteers, as well as the race
directors Guy Palmer, Greg Nacco, and Jerry Leith for putting on yet another
first-class event! For complete race results, go here,
while Tamalpa-specific results can be found here.
Race-day photos can also be viewed here.
Flat
and fast was the name of the game at the August 12 TCRS in Corte Madera. The
3.2 mile course held on the paved bike path and levees surrounding Corte Madera
marsh saw 84 runners complete the circuit, with Tom Lyons and Kelsey Ripp
taking the men's and ladies race, respectively. Tom finished in 17:44, while
Kelsey won a tight women's race in 20:27. Complete results, and Jim Myer's
race write up can be found here.
Next month's club race will be held SATURDAY, Sep. 15th, on a new course in
the Bahia/Rush Creek area.
The
famous Sweetwater Saloon in Mill Valley is reportedly closing its doors for
good on September 1st. Tamalpa's own Geoff Vaughan, and his great band VINYL
will be playing there this Saturday evening, 8/18, at 9:30pm. Come join Geoff,
the band, and other Tamalpans for a rousing send off to this venerable establishment.
For more info on what promises to be a very fun evening, go here.
Don't miss this great event!
The
second annual July Golf `n Run TCRS took place at the San Geronimo Golf Course
on Friday night, July 13th. This year the racers enjoyed temperaturess more
moderate than the 2006 inferno/survival run. Roughly 20 runners participated
in both the round of golf and club race, and Peter O'Reilly defended his "Golden
Shoes" trophy (combined low golf score and race time) he won at last
years inaugural event. 100 runners completed the gently rolling 4.5 mile race,
with teen runners taking both the male and female first place honors. Terrence
Bennett outpaced Jason Jacobson for the men's honors in a fine 26:35, while
Kelsey Ripp led the ladies in 31:53. Complete race results can be found here.
Dave Waco also took some fine photos at the race, they can be viewed here.
Following the race, everyone enjoyed the banquet-style dinner and festivities
inside the golf course clubhouse. Many thanks go out to Brad O'Brien and Steve
Shapiro, as well as the SGGC folks who organized this fun event. The August
TCRS on Sunday the 12th sees a return to the levees in Corte Madera Marsh,
for a flat and fast 3.2 miler. (Slightly different course) We'll see you there!
Tamalpa
will once again supporting this fund raising event to be held on September
8, in an effort to raise funds for breast cancer research here in Marin County.
This will be our fifth year in attempting to raise $100,000, raise awareness,
and help find a cure for breast cancer. The 5+ mile course will start in Old
Mill Park in Mill Valley and be an out and back route. Part of the Dipsea
trail is involved, with the course proceeding along the Sun trail to the German
Tourist club, to the Redwood trail over to Mountain Home Inn. The course then
winds along Edgewood avenue and back to the Dipsea stairs to Old Mill Park.This
event is open to all hikers and runners, with an entry fee of $50.00 for adults
and $25.00 for students. We encourage all to support this cause either as
a participant or volunteer. Please call Jerry Leith at 415-924-5037 or e-mail
him at jerryleith@aol.com for more
information. More info can also be found at http://www.breastcancerwatch.org/events.html
Look for additional information in the Tamalpa Gazette, or the Marin IJ as
the event approaches.
Five
Tamalpans finished this years Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run, with
all five runners breaking the 24 hour mark, and receiving the coveted Silver
Buckle. Paul Brunner was the first Tamalpan across the finish line in Auburn,
running a fine 21:58:04, in his first 100 miler. Florencia Gascon-Amyx completed
her second WS100, and was the only Tamalpan woman to complete the trek from
Squaw Valley to Auburn this year. Race conditions were among the best ever
in the history of the race, with no snow in the high country, and temperatures
that never exceeded 90 degrees in the canyons. For complete race results,
go here. For Tamalpa-specific
results, click here.
Congrats to all Tamalpans who finshed the race!
Jamie
Berns and Roy Rivers continued their domination of the Bay Area Triple Crown
of handicapped trail races by deliberately finishing together in a tie at
the recent Double Dipsea. Berns has now become the first athlete to ever win
the Dipsea "Triple Crown" - victories in the Single, Double, and
Quadruple Dipseas. Awesome, Jamie! Roy also completes a fine "Triple",
by finishing third, first, and first in the Dipsea, Woodminster, and Double
Dipsea races this year. Congrats to Roy for this impressive achievement. Numerous
other Tamalpans competed in the race, including 8 of the top ten finishers!
For complete race results, go here.
Tamalpan Roy Rivers has created a neat website dedicated to the Saturday morning Mountain Home Inn fun run, complete with beautiful photos and comments about recent Saturday runs, and some miscellaneous other adventures. If you want to see how we enjoy our Saturday mornings on the mountain (and occasionally elsewhere), click here.
At its June meeting, the Tamalpa Board voted to implement an idea which has been discussed off and on for many years: the removal of The Tamalpa Gazette from local running stores. The reasoning is primarily concern for the club’s declining membership, and the possibility that some members may not renew because they can get The Gazette for free at the stores. This change in policy may or may not affect membership renewals, but it becomes effective with the July `07 issue. Tamalpa is fortunate indeed to have as fine a newsletter as The Gazette, which has a storied past and has been under the able direction of Dave Waco for some years now. It is proclaimed to be of significant value to Tamalpa members who receive it, and it has likely motivated many local runners in their initial decision to join Tamalpa. With club dues at a very affordable $20 annual rate for many years now, one would not think that a free Gazette from the shoe store would make much of a difference in a decision to renew one’s membership. However, club records indicate that many runners choose not to renew after their initial year or two as official members, yet remain active in the local running community. It remains to be seen whether the Board’s decision will in any way affect club membership numbers. The new policy, though, is also intended to add significance to being a Tamalpa member, to allow those who make a point of paying their dues feel as though they ARE supporting a special cause in our local running world. Kees at Arch Rival, and Charles at Fleet Feet were both understanding and expressed a desire to maintain a strong relationship between the club and the stores. Both are very willing to have informational fliers about Tamalpa, as well as Membership Applications, available in lieu of the actual Gazettes. The Tamalpa Board encourages feedback from members and non-members regarding this change in policy, and regarding Tamalpa activities in general.
The
97th annual Dipsea saw above average temperatures, finish line drama and a
sizzling performance from new champion Jamie Berns. Passing Sam Hirabayashi
on Dynamite, Jamie took the lead for good, and never looked back, finishing
in front of Russ Kiernan by a comfortable 1:40. Cagey veteran Russ ran his
usual solid race, and overtook a wobbly Roy Rivers mere yards from the finish
line. Roy was picked by many pre-race prognosticators to take the Bear this
year, but fell victim once again to the extreme demands he puts on his body
during his all-out assault on the Dipsea course. Roy received an IV immediately
after the race, but was up and feeling fine within an hour. Mark McManus once
again finished with the fastest time trophy for the men, and Liz Fagan-Gottlieb
had the fastest women's split of the day. Mike and Christine Lopez took home
the trophy in a very tightly contested Family division. Congratulations to
all these special athletes, as well as everyone who particiapted in this years
race! The Tamalpa Runners once again won the team trophy, placing 5 of the
top 7 finishers in the race. Thanks must also go out to the Dipsea Committee,
volunteers, and the many specatators who make this such a great event to be
a part of. Of course, there are a thousand different Dipsea stories, we're
sure we'll be re-hashing them for weeks to come. But for now, time to relax!
(All except for you, Russ. Training starts tomorrow!) For complete unofficial
race results, click here.
For more Dipsea coverage, go here
to the Marin IJ's Dipsea page. (IJ photo/Frankie Frost)
Tamalpa Runners will present "The Dipsea Tonight Show" at the Mill Valley Public Library on Monday, June 4 from 7:00 to 8:30 pm in the Creekside Room. The program will be hosted by George Frazier with music by Dr. Elmo. Guests will include three-time Dipsea champion Russ Kiernan, 2007 race favorite Roy Rivers, Quad Dipsea champion Jamie Berns, and 2006 fastest-time winner Mark McManus. George will question Russ, Roy, Jamie and Mark about their training, trail techniques, race-day strategy, and hopes for the 2007 race. A question and answer period will follow. This program is free and open to the public. To get the full flavor of this event go to the Dipsea Tonight Web Page.
Tamalpan and Dipsea committee member Edda Stickle has put out the call for Dipsea volunteers for next weekend. If you would like to help out our favorite race, please see the message from Edda below:
The 97th Annual Dipsea Race still has some key volunteer positions that need to be filled on Saturday, June 9, and Sunday, June 10. Duties include driving a truck, loaded with various equipment, from San Rafael to Stinson Beach on Saturday and assisting with the equipment set up at the finish area in Stinson Beach. Additional set up of equipment needs to be done on Sunday morning. At 11:30am, at the end of the race all equipment needs to be loaded again and taken back to San Rafael. Hours required on Saturday are approximately from 2:00pm to 7:00pm and Sunday 11:30am to 3:00pm. No special driver’s license is required. All volunteers receive a Dipsea volunteer shirt and a catered lunch by the famous Buckeye Roadhouse in Mill Valley. Please contact, www.Dipsea.org or eddastickle@yahoo.com. Questions may be directed to Edda Stickle at (415) 897-6417.
This is a good chance to score some good Dipsea karma points!
Get
even more fired up, read the Tamalpa
Dipsea Webpage.
This
Sunday, June 3rd, will be Tamalpa Day at the Mountain Play. This year's production
will be Hair!, and social chairman Dave Pinto is arranging to have an area
of seating set aside for Tamalpans who wish to attend the show. This time-honored
Marin event is always enjoyable, and should not be missed! If you are interested
in attending, please contact Dave at: dpinto@sonic
. For more info, click here.
Results
The
Marin Memorial Day 10K's 30th edition featured exciting duels on both the
male and female sides. Defending champion Magdalena Lewy-Boulet bettered her
2006 mark with a fine 33:54, the fourth fastest time in the race's long history.
Sergio Reyes nipped fellow Aggie J.T. Service by a mere second, running 30:56.
Two boys set age group course records in the 10K: Alexi Taylor, 12, ran 39:18
for the best-ever 12-and-under time; and 18-year-old Steve Sadaro's 31:31
topped all previous marks in the 13-18 group. The accompanying 2.5 Miler was
won by Maria Gioroano, 37, in a fast 14:11, placing her second overall to
the first male, Mark Bretan, 16, timed in 13:30.
From Race Director Janet Bowman: Many Tamalpans contributed to this complex
event. Thanks especially to the hard-working Race Committee members: John
Stauffer, Lillie O'Reilly, Dave Pinto, Brad O'Brien, Mike Holland, Bill Joost,
Tom Guerin, Ken Grebenstein, and Joaquin Fritz. Liz Shortino and Sarah Leipsic
successfully revived the Youth Track Races, which had a huge turnout. Others
playing major roles included Ana Braga-Levaggi, who secured our permits and
insurance; Art Marthinsen, the Race Announcer; Jason Roberts, Publicity; Kees
Tuinzing and Frank Ruona, Course Set-Up. Also, special thanks to Jen Erickson,
Pam DeWeerd, Karen Corral, Carolyn Hutchins, Russ Kiernan, and approximately
150 others who answered the call for course monitors, split timers, lead bikers,
registration staff, finish line staff, post-finish-line distribution, and
of course, cleanup. And much appreciation, too, to our long-time supporting
sponsor ArchRival Stores, our new supporting sponsor New Balance, and to Barton's
Bagels, REI, Whole Foods, Woodlands Market, Power Bar, the Water Store, and
Runner's World.
The final TCRS tuneup before the Dipsea took place at Dominican College in San Rafael on May 20th. The hilly 5.25 mi. course featured more challenging climbs and descents to toughen the legs of all those endeavoring to do well on Dipsea day. Roy Rivers continued to show he is the king of the hilly courses, with a comfortable victory over a steadily improving Eric Stewart. Karen Steele benefitted from a wrong turn by race leader Liz Shortino in the last 3/4 mile of the race to notch her second TCRS victory of 2007. Moriah Buckley flew down the steep downhill finish to overtake Karen Stenberg for a strong second place showing. 96 racers enjoyed the beautiful weather and undulating hills behind the Dominican campus. For race results go here. No TCRS in June, as is tradition, but the July club race will return to the San Geronimo Golf Course on July 13 for another Friday evening extravaganza. Hopefully the weather will be a bit cooler this year. Be sure not to miss this event!
The second club track meet of the season was held on May 15th, with some notable performances. For meet results, click here. The next scheduled meet takes place Tuesday evening, June 19th.
A
fine turnout of 127 racers tackled the challenging Marinwood/Terra Linda Ridge
course for the April club race. Mark McManus held off all comers once again
to notch his third win of the season. Laila Rezai proved that her intense
Dipsea training is paying off by besting TCRS stalwarts Karen Steele and Liz
Shortino. Even though the course had been fairly well saturated by the previous
days rains, the muddy sections proved to be not much of a bother to the runners.
For complete race results, click here.
Next month's club race will be held May 20th, behind Dominican College, and
will no doubt contain plenty of challenging hills to toughen us up for Dipsea
day.
The
first of a series of five track meets organized annually by Kevin Mangan and
the Tamalpa Runners took place on April 17th, at San Rafael High School. As
usual, the road and track warriors enjoyed the chance to lace up the `ol spikes
and go for a few fast laps around the track. There will be four more meets
throughout the summer, occurring once a month, on May 15, June 19, July 17,
August 21, and September 18. For more information, click
here. For meet results, click here.
The
first "long" ultra of the PAUSATF Ultra Gran Prix season took place
on April 14th, with seven Tamalpans completing the American River 50 Miler.
The course, which winds along the American River, and stretches from Sacramento
to Auburn, is a favorite stop along the ultra gran prix circuit. New Tamalpan
Paul Brunner led the way for the club, finishing in a fine 7:18:15, good for
13th place overall. Paul is training for his first 100 miler, to be run at
Western States in June. First Tamalpan female was Carrie Sisk, who navigated
the course through the occasional rain squalls in a strong 8:14:59, and 9th
woman overall. Other long-time Tamalpa ultra stars Greg Nacco, Gary Wang,
Frank Bozanich, Jim Schollard and Cindy Goh also completed the cousre in fine
fashion as well. Congratulations to all these athletes! For Tamalpa-specific
results, click here.
For complete race results go here.
The spring buildup to the Dipsea Race began with the first of a series of three monthly hilly TCRS races, held in Tennessee Valley on March 25th. The course, although slightly disputed as to the actual length, proved to be a good challenge for the 113 finishers who navigated the undulating course. Most estimates and GPS results had the course coming in at around 4.6 miles or so. Mark McManus proved that he is definitely on the comeback trail by holding off a strong Roy Rivers to take the win. Natalie Simi returned to the TCRS winners circle by using her downhill running skills to finish ahead of Karen Steele. Most folks agreed that the 1/2 mile *steep* paved downhill finish was a bit harsh on the early season legs of the racers. Complete race results can be found here, and updated TCRS standings can be found here. Following the race was the annual TCRS and Tamalpa Runners of the Year awards breakfast. Everyone enjoyed the pancake breakfast cooked up by Dave Pinto and his band of uber-volunteers. Next month the silliness and hilliness continues, with the April TCRS taking place in Marinwood, the course will be approx. 5 miles, with plenty of ups and downs to keep your attention.
Nearly
50 Tamalpans participated in the always popular Way Too Cool 50k, held on
March 10th, in Cool, Ca. Roy Rivers once again led the way for the Tamalpans,
running a fine 3:52:10, good for 6th place overall, out of 433 finishers.
Jamie Berns was the top Tamalpa women's finisher, completing her second ultra
in 4:44:54. Tamalpa claimed the Men's, Women's, and Mixed team titles for
this PAUSATF Ultra Gran Prix race, as well. Other notable Tamalpa performances
came from Greg Nacco, Jed Tukman, Don Lindsey, Laila Rezai, Moriah Underhill-Buckley,
Nancy Williams, and 79 year-old Sam Hirabayashi, who cracked the 7 hour mark,
with a few minutes to spare. Congratulations to all of the days participants!
For Tamalpa-specific results click here.
For complete results, go here.
In an effort to bolster team competition and participation, a Tamalpa Racing Team Signup page has been created. (Thanks Gary Wang, Ken Grebenstein and Janet Bowman!) Tamalpa members interested in representing the club at local PAUSATF Road, XC and Ultra Gran Prix races in 2007 are encouraged to visit the signup page, register, and select the races they feel they may be racing in this year. Listing the possible races you may be competing in will help your respective team captains organize teams for the upcoming races, as well as be able to contact you with any pertinent race, travel, or training info. Those listing their 2007 races on the page are not required to *absolutely* have to race in the events they have chosen, but listing the races you are interested in will definitely help motivate others to sign up, as well. Click here to see who has signed up already, or go to the "RACE" menu at the top of the page, and click on the "Team Signups" link. Let's make 2007 the strongest Tamalpa racing season ever!
In an effort to bolster the strength of our women's racing teams, Tamalpa is proud to offer a new FREE racing program for all women members. Our goal is to help Tamalpa women get motivated and inspired to run to their potential, and have an opportunity to experience the excitement of the club-vs-club racing scene. This program is open to runners of all ages and abilities. You don’t have to be a “fast” runner. Some of the benefits include: Free entry fees, coaching, camaraderie, carpooling, and other benefits are provided. To receive them, you only have to commit to racing six races for the entire year. Don't procrastinate......It's fun to run......It's fun to race......Come join the fun! For more info on this program, click here.
The
7th Annual San Rafael Twilight Relays were held at San Rafael HS on Saturday,
March 10, 2007. The relays featured some of the finest running talent in the
Bay area representing over 30 high schools, and as usual, was an exciting
night of racing. Meet director Jason Jacobson thanks all of the Tamalpa volunteers
who helped make the meet a rousing sucess once again. For more meet results,
go here.
Tamalpan Roy Rivers has created a neat website dedicated to the Saturday morning Mountain Home Inn fun run, complete with beautiful photos and comments about recent Saturday runs, and some miscellaneous other adventures. If you want to see how we enjoy our Saturday mornings on the mountain (and occasionally elsewhere), click here.
110 runners braved the elements at a sometimes windy and sloppy February TCRS on the levees at Hamilton Field. Mark McManus continues his return to form after a layoff due to injury, and easily won the 5+ mile race over runner-up Brad O'Brien. Karen Steele also repeated as Hamilton Field champ, besting Tamara Gonzalez by about the length of a football field. The mostly flat course reversed directions this year, and had the added bonus(?) of an extra mile or two thrown in for added enjoyment. ;-) For complete results, go here. For updated TCRS standings, click here. The next TCRS, on March 25th in Tennessee Valley, will feature the Tamalpa Runners of the Year awards during the pancake breakfast immediately after the race. Be there!
The
annual Tamalpa Runners Couples Relay was blessed with a beautiful dry morning
and a dramatic rainbow backdrop as 53 couples of all ages and genders navigated
the one mile loop (two miles per runner) around the Vintage Oaks shopping
center in Novato, on Sunday Feb. 11th. There were many fine performances on
the day, but of course the focus was on fun and camaraderie. Race director
Bill Joost, as well as the dozen or so Tamalpan volunteers helped ensure another
successful event. Complete race results are posted here.Craig
Stern took a lot of great photos at the event, you can see them here.
(Check out the rainbow in the background of a lot of the pix!)
Roger's
Super Bowl Run
The
22nd running of Roger Gordon's Super Bowl 7 mile handicapped trail race took
place this past Sunday, with 73 competitors crossing the finish line. Numbers
were down a bit for this years race, which was a shame, as the run experienced
perhaps the best weather ever in the history of the run. Beautiful! Dave Waco
did a great job handicapping the race, with the bulk of the field being tightly
bunched together at the finish. As usual, however, there are always one or
two people who benefit greatly from a mistakenly generous assigned handicap.
This years recipient of the "Too much time" award was Guy Palmer,
who was given a whopping 40 minutes handicap, based upon his disappearance
from the Tamalpa racing scene over the past few years, as well as his clever
disguise as a chubby jogger. Guy's thoroughbred genes and competitive instincts
took over however, (he is a former 51 minute Dipsea runner!) and he bested
the field by a huge 6 minute winning margin. Indi Young ran the race of her
life to finish in second, nearly 2 minutes ahead of third place. Roy Rivers
and Jamie Berns had the fastest mens and womens scratch times (no surprise
there), with a 44:57 and 52:37, respectively. Brad Bryon won the prediction
competition, finishing 18 seconds off his predicted time. As is tradition,
the top 25 finishers went home with a bottle of wine. Thanks again to Roger
and his volunteers for another stellar racing experience on Super Bowl Sunday!
For complete race results click here.
Fabled
Dipsea runner Jack Kirk passed away on January 29th, at the age of 100. Anyone
even remotely familiar with the Dipsea knows of Jack, and his incredible accomplishments
in our favorite race. Dipsea historian and fellow Tamalpan Barry Spitz has
put the word out that friends and fans of Jack, and the Dipsea race will gather
on the 672nd step (four below the top at Sequoia Valley Road and Edgewood
Avenue) at 6 p.m. this Friday, February 2. The group will meet and walk up
together from old Mill Park at 5:45, and others can drive to the top. It was
Kirk who first said "Old Dipsea Runners Never Die, They Just Reach the 672nd
Step," when there were only 671 steps. Folks can share reminscences at the
top of the stairs, then walk down together. All are welcome. For more stories
about Jack and his storied Dipsea career, click here.
The
2007 Tamalpa Club Racing Series began on Sunday, the 21st at the traditional
January Tennessee Valley location, for the 25th consecutive year.. Youth was
once again served on the men's side, as six of the top ten finishers were
either open, or teen-aged runners. This definitely bucks the usual trend of
"more mature" racers finishing in the top positions at TCRS. Steve
Sodaro, who runs for Cal, outlasted a game Josh Babiak to finish in a fine
19:10, only 2 seconds off of Jake Schmitt's course record. The woman's race
was a different matter, as Jake's mom, Laura Schmitt, pulled away from teen
phenom Alessandra Roger to score a decisive victory.There were an incredible
210 finishers in the first club race of the year, probably attributible to
the beautiful crystal clear morning. Race results can be found here.
February's TCRS finds us at the relatively new Hamilton
Field course on Sunday, February 25. See you all there!
Craig Stern has once again organized a series off-season
training runs for Marin teens who want to improve their base fitness level
for the upcoming spring racing season. There are several organized runs left
on the calendar, see Craig's comments below about the program.
- Here is your chance
to run with some of your fellow competitors in a relaxed, low key aerobic
base building off-season training program. We encourage high school cross
country and track and field athletes to work on building base mileage during
the off-season. We have had “state” qualifiers participate. They swear by
the off-season training. Plus, we run on trails you do not get a chance to
run on during the season. All runs are on the weekends and do not conflict
with in-season training. Be sure to get an okay from your coach to make sure
you are not over-training. For more information and membership info go to
http://eteamz.active.com/ttxc
Tentative Schedule for Off-Season (subject to adjustment) Remaining runs:
Jan. 21st—Sunday—there is a nice 4 miles or so at Tennessee Valley—yes—the
TCRS hosted by Tamalpa Runners. Lots of fun!!! Feb. 3rd—Saturday—an
all-day clinic is being hosted at Logan High School —we are attempting to
put together a group of Tamalpa Teens to attend. This is an amazing Track
and Field clinic—with hands-on demonstrations and clinics in all areas of
track and field. Your chance to meet approximately 20+ Olympic athletes and
get their advice and expert coaching. Don’t miss this. RSVP by January 21st
if you wish to attend with the group."
Tamalpa teens, get a head start on your competition
this spring!
New
Years Day Run in Fairfax
Approximately
55 runners and hikers enjoyed a beautiful crisp and clear New Years Day morning
at Deer Park school in Fairfax, getting an early start to their 2007 training
season. Various routes were run by the enthusiastic participants, with some
folks enjoying the trails for over three hours! To see some photos of the
happy harriers at play, go here.
To all those who made it out there for the event, it was good to see you,
and to the rest of you, we'll see you on the trails in 2007! Happy New Year!
New
Years Day Run in FairfaxJack Burns sends along the following message about the upcoming New Years Day Fun Run, from the Deer Park School in Fairfax. (10am start)
"That's right! Another year is about to pass and I have just the cure for the hangover that's sure to accompany all the celebrating, especially if you're a Tamalpan. If you're a Hasher your blood/alcohol levels should already be sufficiently high to keep you from noticing much difference between Monday January 1st and any another Monday of the year. Of course I'm talking about the New Years Day run from Deer Park school in Fairfax. It will be the same format as past years... show up, freeze your a** off, run, go home. If we're lucky we might even get rained on. It starts at 10 AM with a group photo preceding the run. We usually have between 40 and 75 people, many of whom still look like zombies. There will be three different routes to choose from, ranging in distance from 7 3/4 miles to 10 1/2 miles, and, of course, you're welcome to improvise. Just don't expect us to send helicopters out looking for you if you're not at work on Tuesday. Hope to see everyone there to help ring in the new year. And pass the word. This gathering is open to all." - Jack
This is always a fun event, hope to see you all there, and Happy New Year!
Tamalpans
once again dominated the Quadruple Dipsea, with nearly 40 club members completing
the always challenging 28.4 mi. course on our favorite trail. The story of
the day was definitely all about the irrepressible 55 year-old Jamie Berns,
who won the women's race in her very first ultra. Jamie's time of 4:48:56
was only 6 minutes behind the women's course record, held by former Tamalpa
great Karen Brown. Impressive, indeed! Top Tamalpa male in the race was defending
champ Roy Rivers, who led the race for over three laps, before being passed
by eventual race winner Michael Buchanan of San Carlos. Buchanan's time was
4:15:25. San Rafael resident Victor Ballesteros managed to pass Roy on the
final lap as well, to finish in 2nd. Sign that guy up for Tamalpa! Complete
race results and splits of all participants, as well as some photos, can be
found here. (Large
pdf file, may take a little while to open.)
Over
175 men, women and kids enjoyed a spirited run on a beautiful Thanksgiving
Day morning on the Indian Valley campus of the College of Marin. It was the
6th annual Tamalpa Turkey Trot, and all participants built up their turkey
day appetites by racing though the hills behind the college. Event director
Jason Jacobson would like to thank all racers and volunteers who participated
in the event. Full results can be found here.
The
final TCRS of the 2006 campaign took place at the traditional November spot,
at Redwood High School in Greenbrae. 72 racers enjoyed the sunny morning and
flat course to close out the year on a fast note. Tom Lyons led the way for
the men, with his third win in the last 4 TCRS's, with a comfortable victory
over runner-up Roy Kissin. Lisa Monroe-Watts also dominated the women's field,
finishing ahead of a game Tamara Gonzalez. Karen Steele and Brad Bryon won
the overall points titles for the season. Congratulations to Karen and Brad,
as well as all TCRS racers who participated throughout the year! As is tradition,
we'll take a break in December, and resume next years TCRS series in January,
most likely at Tennessee Valley, date TBD. November race results can be seen
here. Final
overall and division standings will be posted here very soon. To view some
pictures from the race, click here.
Long-time
Tamalpan Darrell Schlee lost his fight with prostate cancer recently, passing
away at the age of 66. Darell was a well-liked and accomplished ultramarathoner,
finishing his favorite race, the Quadruple Dipsea, an incredible 17 consecutive
times. His license plate reads 4XDPSEA. This year's Quad, to be held Nov.
25, will honor Schlee. All runners will get a pin with his picture, and the
race shirt will carry the words "Schlee 18." Among Schlee's many triumphs
in scores of ultras were two coveted belt buckles in the Western States 100
Mile Endurance Run, and, in 2000, first place in the 60-plus age division
at the Golden Gate Headlands 50K. There will be a Celebration of Life at Unity
of Marin, 600 Palm Drive, Novato (Hamilton AFB) on Saturday, December 16th,
1pm-5pm. We will miss you, Darrell. Run long, and run free!
Photo by Adele Ho
Unofficial results are here:
Photos of just about every runner are available here.
Viewing the photos will require a quick and painless registration to Snapfish.
You can buy prints directly from this site for next to nothing.
And we've got video:
Due
to construction on the Cross-Marin Bike trail in Samuel P Taylor State Park,
the regular October TCRS 10k course was rerouted to include 2.5 miles of the
paved trail, and 3 miles of the scenic Jewell Trail, which climbed an estimated
600 feet up to spectacular vistas on Olema Ridge. 67 participants enjoyed
the crisp temperatures and gorgeous views, with Tom Lyons dominating the mens
field for an easy victory. Christina Lachman emerged victorious on the women's
side, pulling away from a game Florencia Gascon-Amyx, and rapidly improving
Diane Prater. Thanks to the regular crew of TCRS volunteers (Heidi, Jen, etc.),
as well as Bill Bushnell for making the trek up to the top of the ridge, to
man the turnaound point of the race. For race results, click here.
Next month, the final TCRS of the year will be the traditional Redwood HS
5k, on November 5th.
Run in heavy fog conditions, sixty-eight racers completed the deceptively challenging Coyote Ridge TCRS, on September 10th. Running exclusively on dirt fire roads high above Tennessee Valley, the runners enjoyed the cool racing conditions. Roy "The Champ" Kissin held off a hard-charging Brad O'Brien, and garnered his first racing victory in many years. Karen Steele score another TCRS victory for the ladies, comfortably ahead of second-place finisher Shari Tracy. For complete results, go here.
The
2006 edition of this Marin County quasi-legal trail racing classic went off
without a hitch once again, thanks to Roger Gordon and his band of merry volunteers.
93 runner/climbers made it to the top of our beloved mont under sunny skies
and moderate temperatures. Roy Rivers reclaimed his King of the Mountain title,
by easily outdistancing former multiple Hill Climb champ Jeff Teeters. Former
pro mountain bike racer Rachel Lloyd finished as first woman, and an impressive
7th place overall. Racers were forced to detour on part of the course, thanks
to some curious trail closures enforced by the State Park rangers on race
day. Times were not affected greatly, and no one seemed to have any complaints.
Thanks again go out to Roger for hosting the post-race festivities and T-shirt
handout. For results, click here.
The
Tamalpa Runners once again hosted the USATF National 50k Trail Championship
at The Golden Gate Headlands 50k,
on Saturday, August 26th. The race is a beautiful, spectacularly scenic and
fairly hilly 50k trail run in the coastal headlands of the Golden Gate National
Recreation area and the Mt. Tamalpais California State Park. The race was
a success, with 166 runners completing the challenging course. Top finisher
was Brian Dayton, of Boulder, CO, who finally cracked the winners circle,
after several close top finishes in previous years. Brian's time was a fine
3:59:53. The women's champion was Kami Semick of Bend, OR, who smashed the
existing women's course record of Karen Brown, in a great time of 4:25:15.
Kami also had another achievement of note, in that she defeated top ultra
star Nikki Kimball, who had never been beaten in a trail race of any length
before. Top Tamalpa finishers included Roy Rivers for the men, and Jeri Howland
for the women. For complete race results, go here.
Thanks must go out to race organizers Guy Palmer, Greg Nacco, and Jerry Leith,
as well as the many Tamalpa volunteers who assisted on race day!
The August club race took place on the Shoreline bike path in East San Rafael, with 79 participants completing the flat 3.3 mile course. Tamalpa Ultra stalwarts Tom Lyons and Jed Tukman duked it out for the victory, with Tom taking the win. Alessandra Roger cracked the top ten overall, and easily won the ladies race over Tamara Gonzalez. Cool and overcast weather conditions were ideal for racing, a welcome respite from the heat wave that affected the previous club race. For complete race results, go here. Next months race will be held September 10th, on Miwok/Coyote Ridge, an out-and-back course of approx. 5 miles.
Tamalpan Roy Rivers has created a neat website dedicated to the Saturday morning Mountain Home Inn fun run, complete with beautiful photos and comments about recent Saturday runs, and some miscellaneous other adventures. If you want to see how we enjoy our Saturday mornings on the mountain (and occasionally elsewhere), click here.
Golf `n Run - July TCRS
Run
on a blistering hot July evening, the first TCRS of the summer is destined
to go down in the annals of Tamalpa history as a classic. Despite temperatures
in the nineties, 96 hardy souls completed the two loop, 4.6 mile race on the
cart paths surrounding San Geronimo Golf Course. About a dozen Tamalpans also
squeezed in 9 holes of golf prior to the race, including race winner Roy Rivers,
who enjoyed a shockingly easy victory over speedsters Bill Bushnell and Jason
Jacobson. Karen Steele and Tamara Gonzalez put forth a spirited duel, with
Karen taking the honors in the ladies race. In the first ever "Golden
Shoe" Biathlon, (lowest combined golf score and TCRS time) Peter O'Reilly
took home the coveted Golden shoes. (Ok, so they were bronzed) Following the
race, Tamalpans were treated to a banquet-style meal on the front lawn of
the Golf Course, complete with covered dining tent, banquet tables and plenty
of fine food and drink. The temperatures had cooled nicely, so that everyone
could enjoy the beautful balmy evening. TCRS organizers Steve Shapiro, Brad
O'Brien, Jen Erickson, as well as the staff at San Geronimo GC really outdid
themselves with this fantastic event! For race results, go here.
For updated TCRS standings, click here.
Dave Waco also took some good photos at the race, you can see them here.
And if you are interested in playing some golf in the near future, please
try to patronize our fantastic hosts for this event, the San Geronimo Golf
Course. You can check out their website here.
The August 13th TCRS will be a fast 4 miler held on the pancake-flat course
of eastern San Rafael (near Home Depot). See you there!
Near-record
high temperatures wreaked havoc on the field at the 2006 Western States 100
Mile Endurance Run, with only 210 finishers (in a field of 400) completing
the course within the 30 hour cut-off time. A controversial decision handed
down by the race officials gave the race victory to 36 year old Graham Cooper,
of Oakland, CA, in a finishing time of 18:17:27. Apparent race victor Brian
Morrison, 27, of Seattle, WA, was disqualified after race personnel decided
that Morrison received "physical assistance" multiple times in the
last 1/4 mile of the race on the Placer High track. Morrison staggered and
fell numerous times on the track, and was picked up and assisted forward by
well-meaning crew and spectators. Unfortunately, this assistance also meant
that Morrison was disqualified from the official results. An appeal by Morrison
may be pending. Nikki Kimball, of Bozeman, MT, repeated as women's champion,
and finished third overall in the race, in a time of 19:26:50. Seven Tamalpans
also completed the trek across the Sierras, with Mark Richtman leading the
way. Mark finished in 21:55:07, good for 20th place overall, and was first
senior. Other Tamalpan finishers included Diana Fitzpatrick, Greg Nacco, Tim
Fitzpatrick, Gary Wang, Nick Wilton, and Phil Ramsey. Congratulations to all
these fine athletes for completing this extremely challenging event! Complete
race results can be found here.
A
large field of over three hundred runners competed in this years Double Dipsea,
the third race in the "Triple Crown" of handicapped Bay Area trail
races. (Dipsea, Woodminster, Double Dipsea) Weather conditions were generally
favorable, with most of the course protected by a cool marine layer. Tamalpa's
own King of the Mountain, Roy Rivers, bested the field, and continued his
impressive streak of Dipsea finishes. In the last five races held on the Dipsea
trail - The single Dipsea, Double Dipsea, and Quad Dipsea, Roy has finished
no lower than 3rd place overall in any of the runs. Awesome racing, Roy! Tamalpans
also swept the next 3 places in the Double, with Judy Rabinowitz, Russ Kiernan,
and Jamie Berns following Roy across the line. Perennial Dipsea stud Cliff
Lentz rounded out the top five. As soon as results are posted by the DSE,
they will be found here.
The
96th running of America's second oldest footrace went off under cool conditions
and overcast skies, with Tamalpan Melody Ann Schultz claiming her third overall
title. Tamalpans finished first through sixth, and easily won the team title
for the umpteenth year in a row. Finishing in second place for the second
consecutive year, was Roy Rivers, who placed 1:28 behind Melody, and only
4 seconds ahead of a rapidly closing Mark McManus. Rounding out the top five
were last years champion Russ Kiernan and Jamie Berns. McManus easily had
the fastest time of the day, with a great 49:33 clocking over the slightly
longer course. Seventh place finisher Chris Lundy ran the fastest woman's
split, at 57:31. Diana and Tim Fitzpatrick took the Family trophy. There were
many great stories from this years Dipsea, some of which can be read at the
Marin IJ's Dipsea page here. For
complete race results, go here.
Dave Waco also took some great pictures near the finish line, you can see
them here.
Next up - Woodminster, and the Double Dipsea!
Tuesday, June 20th, the second Tamalpa Track Meet of the season will be held at San Rafael High School at 6pm. There will be a series of 5 meets held this summer, held on Tuesday nights once a month, with events ranging in distance from 200 meters to 2 miles. These meets are no charge, and are open to everyone of all abilities. If you need further info, click here, or contact meet director Kevin Mangan at: 415-927-1429, or kevinwpm@aol.com .
In an effort to bolster team competition and participation, a Tamalpa Racing Team Signup page has been created. (Thanks Gary Wang, Ken Grebenstein and Janet Bowman!) Tamalpa members interested in representing the club at local PAUSATF Road, XC and Ultra Gran Prix races in 2006 are encouraged to visit the signup page, register, and select the races they feel they may be racing in this year. Listing the possible races you may be competing in will help your respective team captains organize teams for the upcoming races, as well as be able to contact you with any pertinent race, travel, or training info. Those listing their 2006 races on the page are not required to *absolutely* have to race in the events they have chosen, but listing the races you are interested in will definitely help motivate others to sign up, as well. Click here to see who has signed up already, or go to the "RACE" menu at the top of the page, and click on the "Team Signups" link. Let's make 2006 the strongest Tamalpa racing season ever!
In an effort to bolster the strength of our women's racing teams, Tamalpa is proud to offer a new FREE racing program for all women members. Our goal is to help Tamalpa women get motivated and inspired to run to their potential, and have an opportunity to experience the excitement of the club-vs-club racing scene. This program is open to runners of all ages and abilities. You don’t have to be a “fast” runner. Some of the benefits include: Free entry fees, coaching, camaraderie, carpooling, and other benefits are provided. To receive them, you only have to commit to racing six races for the entire year. Don't procrastinate......It's fun to run......It's fun to race......Come join the fun! For more info on this program, click here.
Dave Pinto, Tamalpa Social Committee Chairman, has been busy planning a schedule of fun Tamalpa Social events for 2006. Activities range from a Tamalpa golf outing, to a multi-sport outing, the Mountain Play, a club picnic, and a Giants-Dodgers game in September. If you have any ideas about a fun Tamalpa social event, or would like to volunteer to help out the Tamalpa social committee, contact Dave Pinto at dpinto@sonic.net. For a calender of, and more info about Tamalpa Social Events, click here.
The
29th Annual Marin Memorial Day Races, held on May 29, 2006, were another satisfying
success for Tamalpa, and all involved. Beautiful weather helped aid fast times
on this always speedy road course that snakes through Kentfield, Ross, San
Anselmo, and Greenbrae. The 10K race was designated as the 2006 PA/USATF 10K
Road Championship for all divisions with a $2600 prize purse. James Nielsen,
26, of Novato, took top honors overall with a fine 30:37 clocking. Magdalena
Lewy, 32, was top female in a time of 35:09. Top Tamalpa finisher was Bill
Bushnell, who covered the course in a quick 33:27. Over 700 runners participated
in both the 10k and 2.5 mile races. The Races benefited school running programs
in Marin County. Kudos and many thanks go out to Race Director Janet Bowman,
as well as the dozens of Tamalpa volunteers who helped make this race a success
once again. For complete race results, click here.
For age-group specific results, go here.
The third race in an increasingly more difficult series of TCRS courses saw Roy Rivers stranglehold on the "King of The Mountains" title wrested away by Mark McManus on the very challenging Alta Loma course just west of Fairfax. 85 racers made the climb up and over the hill on a beautiful spring day. Alesandra Roger won her first TCRS of the year, finishing comfortably in front of Karen Steele. For complete results, click here. As is tradition, there will be no June TCRS, so the next scheduled club race is to be held on Friday evening, July 21st, at the San Geronimo Golf Course in San Geronimo. A barbeque/picnic is slated to follow immediately after the race. We'll see you there!
Enjoying a brief respite from the seemingly never-ending spring rains, 119 runners tackled the deceptively tough Mt. Burdell course on April 9th. While there were a few tricky slick spots on the descent of the big hill, everyone made it to the finish line safely. Roy Rivers once again made it look easy, winning by over 2 minutes, in front of runner-up Brad O'Brien. Sarah Slaymaker easily bested the rest of the women, and most of the men as well, finishing in an impressive 8th place overall. Second place female finisher Judy Rabinowitz also ran well, and showed that she will be a force to be reckoned with come Dipsea day. Complete race results can be found here. Bernie Hollander and Edda Stickel once again hosted a post-race brunch at their beautiful home right down the street from the race site. Several dozen runners enjoyed the pot-luck affair. Thanks to everyone who brought the pot-luck munchies, as well as Bernie and Edda for hosting this fun event. Thanks also go out to the race day volunteers, for course marking and monitoring. Next month's club race will be held on the Loma Alta course, just past Fairfax. Get your hill-climbing legs ready!
Under
beautiful sunny skies, 130 runners tackled the very hilly Terra Linda Ridge
course in San Anselmo/Terra Linda. After a rolling circuit around the San
Domenico School campus, racers ascended the BIG hill up to Terra Linda Ridge,
navigated up and down several quad-busting hills, and finished with a screaming
downhill back to the school campus. Natalie Simi emerged victorious after
a great three-way battle all race long with Karen Steele and Laila Razai.
Roy Rivers continued to show why he is Tamalpa's King of the Mountains, with
a convincing win over Jason Jacobson, who held close to Roy until the final
up and downhill. Another great performance on the day was that of 10 year-old
Rita Purcell, who finished in 5th position out of the women. Great job Rita!
The annual Tamalpa Runner of the Year and TCRS awards breakfast followed the
race, held at the Sleepy Hollow Community Center. The pancakes and socializing
were enjoyed by all, and the running caps given out to 2005 TCRS participants
(6 races min.) were a big hit. Many thanks to all the volunteers who organized
the breakfast and awards ceremony. For race results, go here.
Next month's course returns to the Mt. Burdell course in Novato. See you there!
Nearly
40 Tamalpans made the annual early March trek to the Sierra foothills to participate
in one the nations most popular trail ultras. Despite concerns of dire weather
predictions, race day actually dawned clear and chilly, gradually warming
as the day progressed. While the skies were clear of moisture, the trails
were not - as evidenced by the mud-splattered legs of all the finishers. Tamalpans
once again fared very well, with Roy Rivers finishing as top Tamalpa finisher,
in fourth place overall out of 381 finishers. Mark Richtman also cracked the
top ten, with a great 8th place finish. Special note must also be made of
the finish of 78 year young Ultra phenom Sam Hirabayashi, who completed the
course in under 7.5 hours. For Tamalpa-specific race results, go here.
For complete race results, click here.
There
was hot competition on a cool and damp night, as the San Rafael Twilight Relays
once again showcased great high school athletes from around the Bay area on
March 11th. The rain made only a brief appearance near the end of the meet,
so attendance for this wonderful event was not greatly affected. The meet
went off without a hitch, thanks to the stellar efforts of meet director Jason
Jacobson and his crew of Tamalpan volunteers. For meet results, go here.
For the first time in 23 years, the February TCRS was not held at the St. Vincents course. TCRS honchos Brad O'Brien, Jen Erickson, and Steve Shapiro devised a new course a few miles north that ran along the flat levees of the old Hamilton Field airforce base. (With one nasty little hill thrown in half-way through the run.) Race length was approximately 4 miles. Karen Steele and Mark McManus took the honors, and there was a respectable number of 113 racers out on the course. Karen had a good duel going with Karen Stenberg and Nancee Kuehn for over half of the race, but powered away on the hill for the win. The men's race was pretty much over from the start, as Mark "Young Mac" McManus gapped the field early, and never looked back. He coasted to an easy winning margin over second place finisher Jason Jacobson. For complete results, click here. The March TCRS will once again be held on Terra Linda ridge, with the Tamalpa Runner of the Year awards breakfast to be held afterwards at the clubhouse in Sleepy Hollow (San Anselmo).
51
couples took part in the annual Tamalpa Runners Couples Relay on February
12th. The one mile loop course around the Vintage Oaks Shopping Center in
Novato was once again the scene for many spirited battles between couples
of young and old alike, with Liz Gottlieb and Jason Jacobson taking the overall
honors. There were many different age and gender divisions to contend, and
and plenty of awards were handed out to the racers. Many thanks go out to
race directors Jen Erickson and Bill Joost for staging this years race, as
well as the many volunteers who assisted on race day. Complete results can
be seen here.
After
a one year experiment running on a slightly different loop, 71 racers enjoyed
the return to the traditional Roger's Super Bowl Race course, starting and
finishing from his home on Hillside Ave in Mill Valley. As usual, Roger ordered
up spectacular weather for race day. Impromptu musical entertainment appeared
on Corte Madera Ridge to distract the racers from one of the many wicked uphills
on the 7 mile course, and the post-race festivities were once again enjoyed
by all. Chris Lyons took the overall honors, with Judi Blecka a close second.
Mark McManus was fastest on the day, clocking a speedy 43 minutes and change.
Special mention must also go out to Sarah Slaymaker, who had the fastest womens
split, in 51:24, as well as 48 year-old Roy Rivers, who had the second fastest
time of the day, (45:17) after pre-marking the entire course an hour earlier!
This bodes well for Roy's Dipsea this year! Thanks must once again go out
to Roger for hosting this great event, as well as handicapper Janet Bowman,
and all the volunteers. For complete race results, including the prediction
contest, click here.
The Tamalpa Yellow Pages are now available on our Business Directory page. Look to this directory to find Tamalpan business owners offering the goods and services you need. If you are interested in having your business listed, please send an email to the Tamalpa webmaster at webmaster@tamalparunners.org. Be sure to send all the necessary info. Only Tamalpa member owned businesses will be listed.
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