History
History of Dirty30
It’s all in the name: Dirty 30
So where did it come from?
I played basketball at Boulder High School. The only way you could get me to run was to put a basketball in my hand. I thought cross-country runners were crazy! Why would you just run to run?? Anyway, the first 30 minutes of practice was called the “Dirty 30.” It was 30 minutes of intensity and focus as we worked on fundamentals: agility, passing, shooting, ball-handling, and a pair of suicides completed in under 30 seconds. We had to show up sharp, engaged, and ready to give 110% effort. If we didn’t… well the rest of practice was hell! It has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?
I don’t really consider myself a runner, per se — I consider myself a mountain adventurer. I love to tread mountain trails — hiking, running and exploring. I love to connect trails and find new ones. I get bored easily so I don’t like out and backs where you see the same thing twice and I hate dirt roads where you are running with cars, motor cycles and ATV’s. That really spoils the feeling of being lost in the woods. In addition to being a huge adventurer, I am very social and love a good party . . . put the two together and you have the Golden Gate Dirty 30! An adventure that finishes at a party with 500 of your best friends.
When I decided to organize the Dirty 30 in 2009 I was pretty new to the Ultra Running world. I had run the Trans Rockies 6 day stage race from Buena Vista to Beaver Creek in August of 2008 and then Goblin Valley 50K in October 2008. That is it. I had no idea what I was doing when I started organizing this race, but I knew what I wanted it to look like. I knew I wanted an amazing single track, single loop course in a beautiful mountain setting. I knew I wanted women’s shirts and a cool shirt design. I knew I wanted well manned and stocked aid stations. I knew I wanted everyone to stick around and share stories about how grueling the course was and how they couldn’t believe they had to climb 1,100 ft. at mile 26 in the race. I poured myself into this race and labored over every detail. It is my brain child, it is my passion, it truly is a labor of love that I have stumbled upon.
Although I threaten each year that will be my last, when the dust settles and the stress diminishes I am glad I embarked on this incredibly challenging and rewarding journey. I hope this race continues to receive the generous support of it’s sponsors and volunteers for years to come. Without them this race would not be nearly as fun!
I hope you love this course as much as I do, and I hope you stick around to enjoy the party!!!!
It’s a good life!