Trinidad to Clam Beach Run 

Congratulations! You survived the 10 darkest weeks of the year, and now it's time for the 58th annual Trinidad to Clam Beach Run. Running or walking the 5.75 miles from Trinidad to the finish line at Clam Beach is a great opportunity to have a little fun, experience some of the best of our Humboldt environment and maybe catch a little endorphin high for your effort.

The course is beautiful but not easy. The first 3.3 miles are along the stunning Scenic Drive, a road perched at the edge of the ocean that Mother Nature constantly wants to crumble down to the beach. Like most years, the road is pretty beat up and at least a mile is gravel, dirt and mud. It's a little hilly, too, with my Garmin recording about 250-feet of elevation gain along the way. But the hills aren't too bad; you usually get another stunning view of the ocean and can look forward to a downhill cruise to lower your heart rate. While the road is closed to thru traffic at Luffenholz Beach, there are vehicles on the road. Beware as there might be someone oblivious to (and annoyed by) pedestrians on the road.

After 5 kilometers of the course, you then plunge down the access road to Moonstone Beach and get ready to cross Little River. (This year it's not little.) Here, everyone faces the question: shoes off or on? There is no way to get from the beach at Moonstone to Clam Beach without getting your feet wet. My first year, I took my shoes off and, once on the other side, I put them back on. Won't do that again. It's too time-consuming and you still get lots of sand in your shoes. Now, I just keep my shoes on and continue the run with wet feet, which isn't so bad. Just wear lightweight, low-cut socks to minimize the extra water you'll carry. That said, many people like to discard their shoes on a tarp and complete the run barefoot. The shoes are transported en mass to the finish line area, where you can put your cold, sand-encrusted feet back into them.

The river's depth and width can vary depending on recent rainfall. It has been anywhere from mid-calf to chest deep. It looks wider this year but don't let the river crossing dissuade you. There is a crew of Coast Guard rescue swimmers on hand who'll be holding up thick rope to help you across without getting swept away to Crescent City.

Once you complete the river crossing, you've got about 2.5 miles to go. There will be plenty of beach because the tide will be out. If you run barefoot, beware: The beach sand is deceptively hard and if your running stride makes you a heel striker (not landing on the balls of your feet), you may experience some bruising unless you run like a barefoot kid in a grassy park.

At some point, the inflatable finish-line arch becomes visible and you can hear the Marching Lumberjack band. Almost there, you think. But depending on your fitness and competitive nature, it can seem to take forever to reach it. Once you finally pass under the arch, you can celebrate your accomplishment with family, friends and fellow runners, enjoying the exuberance one feels after doing a hard thing.

Because this is a point-to-point race, you are allowed to send ahead a drop bag with extra gear to the finish line area. I like to have a hoodie, some sweatpants, maybe dry socks and my own personal snack (not everyone is ready for chili right away). There are shuttles back to Trinidad if you parked up there, or you can figure out a ride share or otherwise transport yourself.

Should you do it? I say hell yes. First of all, you don't have to run all the way. You can start off slow and walk when you're tired. You can alternate running and walking the entire way, or just walk the up hills and run downhill. Repeat until you are done. This year I am wearing a lightweight pair of trail running shoes that served me well on a recent trail marathon with a lot of variable terrain, but any decent running shoes could work for you. Or treat yourself to some new kicks. It'll be fun.

Mishka Straka (he/him) is an Arcata-based runner training to become an integrated nutrition and health coach.