Mt. Tam Triple Crown, Running Stage

[Jim Hewett]

This morning I ventured to Mill Valley to start my third consecutive day of racing up Mt. Tam - this time on foot.

A group of about 100 people gathered for the Mt. Tam Hill Climb, a traditional labor day race from downtown Mill Valley to the door at the lookout on top of East Peak.  I've never actually done a running race but this was the third stage of the Triple Crown, so I thought I would give it a go.

We left at 8 o'clock and immediately hit a long flight of steps.  I got to the top of this in third and we started climbing the uphill pavement of Tamalpais Ave.  Steve, who was in second place behind me in the Triple Crown standings, was just ahead of me.  Things shook out a little with the group behind and two runners came by me and moved ahead of Steve.  We pretty much kept this order as we moved onto Summit and made a couple of switchback cuts to get to Lower Temelpa Trail.  The two frontrunners got out of sight, but Steve was always just ahead.  I may have gotten as close as 30 feet, but he kept at it and I never made contact on Lower Temelpa.  We crossed HooKooEeeKoo fireroad and made the right onto Upper Temelpa Trail.  Steve and I both slowed a little as the going got steep and rugged.  We transitioned between running and fast walking as we moved through the tunnel of Madrone trees.  Steve may have done a little more of the former, as he pulled a bit out of sight.  I could hear his breathing on some of the close switchback sections, but I didn't see him again until I came out of Temelpa on Verna Dunshee, the paved lookout loop around East Peak.  I turned right and saw steve go left into the loose steep gully that was the final section to the top.  We both climbed as fast as we could up the sandy gully and to the door at the lookout.  Steve got me by 14 seconds, as he and I placed 3rd and 4th overall, coming in under 39:30.  Jack Ketcham got there just behind us as a steady stream of exhausted runners poured in to recover and enjoy the wonderful view.

Steve put out a very strong effort, but it wasn't enough to offset my victories in the prior stages.  I was crowned official Mt. Tam Triple Crown King of the Mountain!

 

[Paul Montgomery]

You are the MAN...next up Dipsea?

[Carl Sanders]

King Hewett -- way to rule the mountain! Great write ups.