The entire set of videos from the Memorial Celebration are available for viewing here. That list of videos has the individual videos available as well.
Below reprinted from the Marin IJ, written by Barry Spitz, Nov. 11. 2022
Dipsea Race veterans use the term “Dipsea gods” for the very greatest runners of all in the history of the venerable event, which dates from 1905. Russ Kiernan, who died Nov. 6, is one of those Dipsea gods. Indeed, Kiernan occupies a place near the top, perhaps even atop, that gilded pantheon.
Kiernan, a long-time Mill Valley resident, made his Dipsea debut in 1967. His breakthrough year was 1979, when, at age 41, he battled Don Chaffee back-and-forth the entire way for first place. But late in the race, at a rivulet ever since known as Kiernan’s Crossing, Russ made a fateful course decision which likely cost him the victory. He finished three seconds behind Chaffee.
It seemed second place would be Kiernan’s fate as he was runner-up again the following year, then again in 1983. He gained the nickname “Avis,” after the car rental firm’s then “#2” slogan. Ultimately, Kiernan would finish second a staggering seven times.
But in 1998, in his 27th Dipsea, Kiernan finally won, just holding off another Dipsea giant, Mike McManus. Kiernan won again in 2002, a massive two minutes, 39 seconds ahead of runner up Shirley Matson, a four-time champion. He won again in 2005, nearly a minute ahead of Roy Rivers.
In all, Kiernan would record an astonishing 20 top-five finishes. He earned a record 30 of the coveted black shirts awarded to top-35 finishers. (Two other “gods,” Jack Kirk and Darryl Beardall, have more top-35 finishes, but mostly before the black shirt era, when there were far fewer entrants.) Kiernan also won the DSE Double Dipsea a never-to-be-matched nine times.
One remarkable factor distinguishing Kiernan from others among the immortals, and all other adult Dipsea Race winners in the modern era, is that he was not a nationally top-ranked racer. (He was in the sport of Ride & Tie, which involves two runners and a single horse racing over long cross-country courses.) Kiernan, phenomenal on the Dipsea’s treacherous downhills, was essentially a Dipsea specialist.
Kiernan knew more about the intricacies of the Dipsea course than anyone, some of the insights gained from correspondence (which is preserved) with the late Jack Kirk, the “Dipsea Demon.” Kiernan was happy and eager to widely share that knowledge, with one exception; his secret, infamous shortcuts. Indeed, several may have gone to the grave with him. The Dipsea training videos Tim Amyx filmed of Kiernan remain the race standards.
Social media sites are fast filling with stories of how runners were helped, and touched, by Kiernan over the decades. I’ll add one more anecdote. In 1985, the Tamalpa Runners flew Norman Bright, a charter member of the Dipsea Race Hall of Fame (Kiernan was inducted in 1999), in from Seattle. Bright, then 75 and completely blind, wished to make one last crossing of the Dipsea Trail. Kiernan, ever gracious, offered to lead him. It took five tough hours, but they made it. Bright then stripped and frolicked in the surf at Stinson, a very happy man.
Friends of Kiernan are welcomed to gather in Old Mill Park on Nov. 19 at 9 a.m. to share memories of him, then to walk up the Dipsea steps.
“Old Dipsea runners never die, they just reach the 672nd step.” Farewell, Russ.