Walt Stack DSE Double Dipsea 2022

**The 2022 race is sold out. We do not have a waitlist.**

The National Park Service has imposed new restrictions that limit participation to 400 runners (previous cap was 750). This relates to both the limited parking in Stinson Beach and their desire to have less impact on other national park users. At the same time, the staffing and permit fees have been raised significantly.

This event requires months of planning and coordination with permitting from five government agencies, special road control and, in short, more work and more cost than any other event on our schedule.

We think this situation stinks, but we have neither the desire, nor the resources, to argue with federal agencies. At the same time, we hate seeing one of our favorite races go away.

This puts us at a crossroads. Do we retire the 51-year-old race or continue it with a much higher entry fee for 2022 (and most likely going higher again in 2023)?

We have decided to leave it up to the people who want to participate and then re-evaluate after the 2022 event. If the event sells out this year, we would expect it to continue it into 2023 (we would also expect to add a wait list).

Entry fee for 2022 will be $165. That's almost twice what we would normally need to charge for a similar event at another park. If you are priced out of the race, we regret that being the case, but invite you to check out our schedule of other races and come run with us at any of those other events that are free of these limitations.

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First held in 1970, the Walt Stack DSE Double Dipsea is a not just another tough trail run. It's a sadistically designed race, intended to test your patience and perseverance. It rewards those most able to overcome adversity and show grace under fire. It leaves defeated those unable to adapt and quick to give in to frustration. Walt Stack, founder of Dolphin South End Runners Club (DSE) considered it his favorite race and it eventually took his name to honor and remember him.

It's not just the hills (though there are plenty) and it's not only the steps (lots of those, too). What really makes this race the madhouse of trail runs is the perversity of the handicapped start times. With this handicapped format, every runner is forced to deal with a barrier much more difficult than hills or steps: other people!

The slowest start first and the fastest start last. If this race were run on roads, this would be no big deal. But these ain't no roads! Mostly single-track from start to finish, virtually every runner is put in a position of constantly passing and being passed from in front and behind the entire race. It's hard to imagine designing a race that would make it more difficult to simply run the trails. As course record holder Alex Varner put it: "Finding ways to safely get around all the other runners and deal with the constant passing is a major part of the race." He should know. He won in 2012, 2013 and 2014, and every year he had to pass every runner on the course going out and coming back!

Fast or slow, as long as you can make the cut-offs and are ready to deal with the stress of so much passing (and being passed), we are happy to have you. Walt Stack and the Dolphin South End Runners may have created a sadistic course, but the race (like all DSE races) has always been and will continue to be welcoming to runners of all ability levels.

It begins at Stinson Beach, runs the length of the Dipsea Trail to Mill Valley then back to Stinson Beach. Epic views, adventures -- and lots of stairs -- await you!