Andre is a boy from San Rafael. He runs with Dipsea Kidz, he plays soccer with his family. And he takes care of his younger brother. He's competitive and really wants a black shirt.
Anthonie lives in Larkspur, CA. He's a Dipsea Kidz runner as well and an inspiration to his brother. They go head to head and either could win depending on the day. He loves running, playing the flute, and hanging with his family.
Daniel is a 13 year old boy who has recently gotten into running, and he’s quickly become one of the hardest working kids I have ever met. He’s known by many local runners and carries himself with a level of maturity that is not commonly seen in kids his age. Daniel is one of the kindest, strongest, and most grounded young people I know. He’s passionate about running, and you can feel that energy the moment you share a few miles with him. At 13 years old, conversations with him feel like you’re talking to a very young adult man thoughtful and curious. He has the work ethic of a grown man while still holding onto the excitement, curiosity, and openness of a child.
What stands out most is his consistency. He shows up, pushes himself, and supports the people around him. Daniel has a bright future ahead of him, not just as an athlete, but as a person who inspires others through his effort, humility, and heart. I’m glad our paths crossed and couldn’t be any happier for what he’s already accomplished.
Karina is our oldest kid who just graduated from Mt. Eden High and is headed to Chico State where she hopes to become a veterinarian. Her dog, Fluffy, is her inspiration. She also started the women's track team at her school and inspired many girls to follow in her footsteps.
The youngest of our kids, Lily lives in Marin City. She's been running with Dipsea Kidz for 3 years and will be running the Dipsea for her third time. She enjoys Star Wars, Legos, flying her drone, building miniatures, and reading comics in her back yard.
Ana has lived in Marin County for more than half her life and is a respected leader in the local fitness and running community. An accomplished ultrarunner, Ana has competed in distances ranging from 50K to 100 miles. She has completed eight 100 mile races, including four finishes at the prestigious Western States Endurance Run.
With decades of experience as a fitness professional and coach, Ana now serves as the head coach of Dipsea Kidz, where she mentors youth athletes with a blend of detailed guidance, enthusiasm, and genuine care. She is known for inspiring young runners to build healthy habits, grow their confidence, and discover the joy of movement.
Ana brings this same dedication into her everyday life. Together with her husband and their two daughters, she understands firsthand the challenge of balancing family, training, and well-being. Her commitment to fitness as a lifelong journey continues to motivate the children she coaches and the broader Marin community.
José is the community run leader of the Gilroy, CA area. He took over the Mt Madonna Challenge race and puts on community beer runs every week. He cares deeply about his community and the people in it. He also happens to be an accomplished runner and musician. José is a friendly face and you'll just want to be his friend. Currently a returning student at SJSU pursuing a Kinesiology degree with a focus in teaching. Also a family man and cross country coach for Gilroy High School.
Schuyler has been core to the trail running community as long as he's been a runner. From his early YouTube escapades with Jamil Coury to live stream commentator at most races. He's also a big runner, a great DJ, a high school track and cross country coach, and USATF official.
Paddy O’Leary is a professional trail runner with The North Face, as well as a filmmaker, scientist, and community leader based in San Francisco’s Richmond District. Born and raised on a dairy farm in Ireland, he discovered trail running shortly after moving to the Bay Area in 2013. After finally making it through the Dipsea lottery in 2019, he fell immediately and deeply in love with this historic race.
Long committed to expanding access to sport, Paddy first conceived the idea for this film early in his Dipsea journey, melding his passion for the race with a focus on who gets to participate. He won the Dipsea Race in 2023, the Runner’s Section in 2019, and earned Black Shirts in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2025.
Nicole is a Mexican-American documentary filmmaker and editor who works on a wide variety of projects, from independent documentaries, to branded short films to docs-series. Her projects have screened in festivals around the world and on various streaming platforms. She is particularly passionate about community driven stories and loves using documentary filmmaking as a platform to help drive change and evoke emotion and believes that filmmakers have the unique privilege of getting to share remarkable stories from out in the world.
As an avid trail runner, she has a deep love for the outdoors and loves using her filmmaking as tool to help tell all the inspiring and unique stories about people trying to make the outdoors space a better and more welcoming place for all.
Tony (aka tonywithasony) is a San Francisco–based photographer and filmmaker specializing in trail and running culture. With a camera in hand and a deep love for the journey, he documents the individuals and communities moving toward something better: connection, growth, and purpose. His work lives at the intersection of human stories and brand narrative, grounded in the belief that running and the stories around it can transform both people and culture.
Ryan is an accomplished filmmaker who's had many films play at festivals around the world. He's a runner himself and loves community and the people within it. He's worked with Paddy on many a project from the Irish mountain running scene to the interplay of urban and natural spaces of the Bay Area. When he’s not running through urban trails, you can find him pulling a fresh loaf of bread out of the oven.
This documentary was made possible by the generous support of our community and partners through our crowdfunding campaign.
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