HOME2024 RACEPREVIOUS RACESPHOTO GALLERYHOW TO ENTER HEAD STARTSDIPSEA HISTORYTHE COURSEVOLUNTEERDIPSEA FOUNDATIONCLUBS & LINKSOUR SPONSORSCONTACT USQUESTIONS?

The 2025 Application Process!



The 2025 Dipsea Application period has ended! Good luck to all those who entered!

The 2026 Dipsea application period will begin around mid-March 2026. Please check back closer to that time for information on the 2026 Dipsea Race.

PLEASE NOTE:

The 114th Annual Dipsea Race will be Sunday, June 8, 2025 starting at 8:00am, in downtown Mill Valley.

Everyone wishing to apply for the Dipsea Race must log in or create an account and print their application. Applications must be signed, include a check for the entry fee and mailed to the Dipsea Race prior to the April 1st application deadline. For all applicants, please visit https://signup.dipsea.org/ to log in or create a new account.

For those that never applied to the Dipsea Race before you will need to go to https://signup.dipsea.org/ and create a new account to begin the application process.

Once signed in to the application site choose Register from the menu to pre-register. Then, on March 14th log back on to the site and select Application from the menu to view and print your application.

Once you have downloaded and printed your application, sign it, attach an entry fee check, and mail it to: Dipsea Race, P.O. Box 30, Mill Valley, CA 94942. The application entry fee for Adults is $115, and for Youths (7 to 16 years old), the application fee is $60. Checks should be made out to The Dipsea Race. Any donation amount may be added to the fee check. Please send one check for each application.

The Dipsea Race is one of the more challenging athletic events in the Bay Area. Because of the potential environmental impact that would result from uncontrolled use and the risk of injury from crowding on the steep and narrow trails, the number of runners has for several years been restricted to no more than 1,500. Double this amount apply for the race making it very hard to get in. So, an elaborate system has been developed to fairly apportion the scarce racing slots.

The surest way to get a racing number is to do well in the previous Dipsea. The first four hundred and fifty Invitational runners who finished in the 2024 race are automatically eligible for the Invitational section of the 2025 race. All they need do is get their application completed and mailed in by the deadline of April 1, 2025. Please note: The application must be in our PO Box by April 1st. Mail early! Applications received after April 1st will be declined. Also eligible for the 2025 Invitational are those from the Runner section who were among the first 750 overall finishers to cross the finish line in 2024. Note: if there is a * next to your name on the 2024 results, it means you automatically qualified for Invitational. For everyone else, it's a little trickier, because of the fact that the Race receives far more applications as we are allowed by permitting agencies to allow in the race.

Once the pre-qualified runners are assigned their numbers, the remaining 900 slots are apportioned according to the following system:

There are actually two more ways to get into the race. One is to send a convincing sob story that will persuade the race committee to make room for the applicant. They're reasonable, but they've heard just about everything, although serving previously as a volunteer in the race may help, but not necessarily. Finally, on the Friday before the race, there's the Annual Dipsea Race Foundation banquet where one Invitational race number is auctioned to the highest bidder, starting at a bid of $500. Again, the auction money goes to the Dipsea Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that awards scholarships, sponsors the Dipsea Kidz program, and maintains the trail.

In our endeavor to contain race operating costs and entry fees applications for entering the Dipsea Race are accessible on line. Simply go to: https://signup.dipsea.org/ and log on. Click on “Registration” and complete the required information. Next you simply need to print your application. You will not be able to print out your application until March 14, 2025 at 12:01am. To print your application click on “Application” from the menu. This will open a copy of your application. Print this completed application. Once you have printed your application, sign it, attach an entry fee check, and mail it to: Dipsea Race, P.O. Box 30, Mill Valley, CA 94942. Any donation amount may be added to the fee check. Please send one check for each application.

Please note: Acceptance into the race is based on criteria as set forth on page 1 of “The 2025 Application Process”.

Applicants who are not successful in getting into the 2025 race will be mailed a refund check less a $10.00 processing fee on April 14, 2025. The fee is intended to cover some of the costs of processing the application and postage and does not subsidize the race. We impose the fee by cashing your entry check and returning the refunds by separate check with your notice. REMEMBER: REMEMBER: Cancellation of your check DOES NOT mean you have been accepted in the 2025 Dipsea Race.

FAMILY and CLUB Teams Registration:

Awards definitions:

Any questions or comments not related to Invitational applications can be asked via our Contact page.