The Dipsea Race: Old runners never die; they just reach the 672nd step. -Jack Kirk

Please read the following before entering the Dipsea Race!



  • ENTRY FEE: The entry fee for the 2017 Dipsea Race is $90 for adults, and $60 for children 16 and under. Note that the race will fill up early and some people will not be accepted into the race. We will charge a $10.00 processing fee for all Dipsea Race Applications that are not accepted. The fee is intended to cover some of the costs of paperwork, handling and postage, not to subsidize the race. We impose the fee by cashing the entry check and returning the refunds by separate check along with your notice. REMEMBER: Cancellation of your check does not mean you have been accepted in the race.

  • SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION: There is no electronic submission for this application. To apply, you must print out the application and mail it to the Dipsea Race, P.O. Box 30, Mill Valley, CA 94942. Do NOT send as email, and do not attempt to deliver it directly to the Dipsea office. Applications will be accepted only if delivered through the USPS mail system to our P.O. Box. It must be stamped and postmarked. FedEx, UPS, and other similar companies will not deliver to a P.O. box; it must be sent through the U.S. Postal Service.

  • HAND DELIVERY: In previous years, the fastest way to get your application to us was to hand-deliver it to the Mill Valley Post Office. The officials there tell us they won't accept and hand cancel letters directly for our post office box in Mill Valley. We understand that Dipsea applications posted at the Mill Valley post office will go to a regional facility for sorting and then will be delivered to the Mill Valley Post Office. So it might be fastest to mail the application from a regional center.

  • INVITATIONAL INSTRUCTIONS: If you qualified for Invitational status for this year's race, do not use this form to apply for the Invitational section. 2017 qualified Invitational runners will be notified via email by March 1, 2017 and my mail of the new online registration process. (It is imperative that we have your current email address--Qualified Invitational runners may find help and instructions at http://application.dipsea.org; if you have technical problems or are unable to log in, click on "Help" at the website address above.)

    You are guaranteed qualification for the 2017 Dipsea Race Invitational Section if you finished the Dipsea race in 2017 by finishing in the top 450 places if you started in the Invitational section or the top 750 places if you started in the Runner Section, provided your application is received by April 1, 2017. If you did qualify for Invitational but did not receive a postcard or email, go to http://application.dipsea.org and click on "Help" and review the online instructions and frequently asked questions. If you still need additional help, you can submit a help ticket and someone will follow up with you.

    NOTE: Nine out of ten help tickets submitted can be answered by reading the FAQ articles or the instructions provided. Trouble tickets can take several days to be reviewed, so please take advantage of the self-help options.

    Your application and entry fee must be received by April 1, 2017 in order to be registered in the race. We cannot do anything for you after the April 1st deadline. No exceptions.

  • How Entrants are Accepted: (the short version)
    • Approximately 600 spots are reserved for Invitational runners. See above for Invitational qualification.
    • Approximately 500 spots go to "First come, first served" applications. The sooner we receive your application, the more likely it will be accepted under this category. These spots generally fill up within a day of the application being posted. Note: in the past few years, these spots are full within minutes of the post office opening on the day after the Dipsea application becomes available online. Even if your application is in the mail as soon as the application is posted, and even if it's received the next day, it's still likely you won't be in the first 500.
    • 100 spots go to the highest bidder. The Dipsea Auction is for highly motivated runners who have been frustrated by the postal system or who don't like the odds of the Dipsea Lottery system. Here's how it works:
      • A. No separate application is needed.
      • B. We will enter into the auction every runner who submits a completed application form with an entry fee larger than the regular entry fee of $90 for adults and $60 for children. No separate application is needed, just send money! All auction proceed above the regular entry fees are donated to the Dipsea Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, which uses them for trail maintenance, scholarships and other Dipsea Foundation programs and may be tax deductible subject to the advice of your tax advisor. NOTE: The amount of the money sent has continued to increase steadily since this opportunity was added.
      • C. Those applications will be sorted according to submitted entry fee, with adjustments for children. Runners with the 100 largest extra fees will be accepted into the Race, without preference for Invitational Section or Runner Section status. Success in the auction does not guarantee Invitational status. Section assignments will be made by the committee based upon the stated qualification.
      • D. Applicants unsuccessful in the Auction will be automatically entered in the Dipsea Lottery, see below, providing one last chance at Race entry.
    • The final 300 places in the 2017 Dipsea Race will be filled by lottery. After the three above scenarios are completed, all remaining applications received (not postmarked) by April 1, 2017 are eligible. No special application is required. The drawing will be conducted randomly. We cannot predict the chances of success. The odds will be based upon the total number of applications received.

  • ENTRY STATUS NOTIFICATION: You will be notified of your status in the race during the first week of May. Additionally, a list of accepted entrants will appear on this website in mid-April.

  • APPLICATION DEADLINE: All applications must be received (not postmarked, but received) in our office by April 1, 2017. No exceptions.

  • DOWNLOADED APPLICATION--FILE FORMAT: The Adobe Acrobat Reader browser plugin is required to view the application. If you do not have the plugin, you can download the plugin here. Note that you also must have access to a printer to print out this document to mail it to us.

  • MORE RACE INFORMATION: Additionally, it is highly recommended that you read through the entire application packet, especially if you are at all unfamiliar with the Dipsea Race. You are required and responsible for following all rules and regulations stated within the packet. The pages of the application packet are below.

  • OTHER ISSUES: Any problems or comments? If so, please use the Contact Form to contact the Dipsea Webmaster.



I acknowledge that I have read and understood the above, and I wish to download the application for the 2017 Dipsea Race.

(click on the above button to download the application packet for printing)