A Dry(er) Trinidad to Clam Beach Run 

After days of rain, Mother Nature cooperated, providing beautiful, warm sunshine for the 58th annual Trinidad to Clam Beach Run Saturday, Feb. 3. A total of 584 runners and walkers showed up at the starting line in Trinidad for the 5.75-mile run/walk.

Given the ongoing rainfall this winter, race organizers were debating pre-race until Friday afternoon as to whether the traditional Little River water crossing would be possible and safe. But they decided the race was a go for Saturday using the traditional route: starting on Scenic Drive, crossing Little River and ending on Clam Beach.

Abe, a race volunteer with the Lost Coast 4x4 support crew, said their initial attempt to place the safety rope across Little River in the usual spot failed as the water was too deep, so they relocated a little farther downstream where the fast-flowing, cold water would only be waist deep for an adult.

By the 11 a.m. race time, with safety swimmers in wetsuits from the Coast Guard and the Westhaven Volunteer Fire Department in place by the safety rope, the water crossing proved to be a challenge only for the smaller participants. However, many emerged chilled after being stuck in the cold river longer than usual due to backups caused by people moving slowly and carefully.

Hosted by the Greater Trinidad Chamber of Commerce, the race organizers offered chilled race finishers a chance to warm up by a bonfire with drinks and snacks, and a hot bowl of chili at the finish line on Clam Beach. The Cal Poly Humboldt Marching Lumberjacks provided live music at the finish line and, after the race ended, did their traditional march into the Pacific Ocean surf line while playing the "Rubber Ducky" song. Abe said he was a former member of the Marching Lumberjacks back in the early 1990s and described how they lost a bass drum in the surf one year. No losses were reported this year.

Bri Tiffany, of Arcata, was the first female runner to reach the Little River and to cross the finish line in 37:42 (10th place overall). Austin Nolan, of McKinleyville, arrived second at the Little River water crossing but finished the race as the overall winner with a time of 33:32. Find all race results at raceday.enmotive.com/#/events/58th-annual-trinidad-to-clam-beach-run-honoring-ford-hess-copy/results.