Art, music and sports
What is the oldest race in America?
Mill Valley's Dipsea Race. A true story near Mill Valley, CA, told for kids 3–6.
The Dipsea Race story, read aloud
We are in Mill Valley, where a very special race begins. It is called the Dipsea! Where do the runners go? All the way to Stinson Beach! That is 7.5 miles.
Whoa, that is a LOT of running! The Dipsea is the oldest trail running race in our whole country. People have raced it almost every year since 1905. A trail is a dirt path, like a bumpy brown ribbon over the hills. Most of us just take the car to the beach. Zoom!
But these runners use their own feet. Let's pretend! Wiggle your feet and run five steps in your seat. Ready? One, two, three, four, five! You made it to the beach!
Quiz the back seat
Where do the Dipsea runners finish?
Show the answer
At the beach. At the beach! They run from Mill Valley all the way to Stinson Beach.
Dipsea Race facts for kids
- The Dipsea Race has been held almost every year since 1905.
- It starts in Mill Valley and finishes at Stinson Beach, about 7.5 miles away.
- It is the oldest trail running race in the United States.
Questions kids ask about Dipsea Race
What is the Dipsea Race?
It is a running race that starts in Mill Valley, goes over Mount Tam, and ends at Stinson Beach.
How old is the Dipsea Race?
Runners have raced it almost every year since 1905, making it the oldest trail race in the country.
How did the Dipsea Race start?
Two friends raced from Mill Valley to the beach to see who was faster, and soon others wanted to race too.
For grown-ups
Written with AI from public sources, then checked claim by claim against the sources below before it was published; stories that don't pass stay off the app and this site. Narration is pre-recorded, and nothing you do on this page is tied to your kids.
Sources
More stories in Mill Valley
Animals The Bird City in the Mud
Here in Mill Valley is a little bay called Pickleweed Inlet. Its water flows out into Richardson Bay.
The first people here Who Lived Here First?
You live in Mill Valley, near the big mountain called Mount Tam. Before all these houses and shops, who lived here?
Trains, ships and planes The Crookedest Railroad in the World
Choo choo! Right here in downtown Mill Valley, where the bookstore and café are, there used to be a train station!
Mountains, trees and weather The Giant Redwoods
Okay, explorers, use your quiet voices. We're coming into Muir Woods, a forest of giant redwood trees.How things work: roads, bridges, oceans →All stories →
Between stories: 25 road trip games for kids · Road trip bingo cards · Road trip trivia · Christmas light scavenger hunt · Christmas trivia
Town and county names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0).