Barbara Robben

BARBARA ROBBEN

by Barry Spitz

After Dipsea racers survive the perilous descent of Steep Ravine, their thoughts turn to the next challenge, climbing Insult. But one racer, Barbara Robben, begins thinking of home. In 1958, Robben’s parents purchased, from the Kent family, the historic White Gate Ranch embracing the last mile of the Dipsea Trail and made it the family residence. Ever since, few runners have had closer ties to the Dipsea than Robben. She has completed 41 Dipseas, the most of any woman. Her father, brother, husband, children and grandchildren have run the race. Robben has won both the Dipsea’s prestigious Jerry Hauke and Jack Kirk trophies. Last year, at age 78, she became the Dipsea’s oldest woman finisher ever, a record she will extend this June. 

            Robben first began running in 1950 but, as was then the norm, her schools offered no team sports for women. She still rues the lack of equality.

“My mother wanted to be a doctor,” says Robben. “When she tried to enroll in a preparatory class in medical German, she was told there was no point as she would never be admitted to medical school. I tried to join the marching band at the University of California but it was closed to women. I wanted to run but there were no races longer than a half-mile for women.”

            Robben never stopped running but turned her energies to open water swimming, where women were not only allowed, but excelled. She did pioneering swims across the Golden Gate, around Alcatraz (she had to keep at least one-half mile clear as there were still prisoners) and across Michigan’s Straits of Mackinac.

            In 1956, Robben’s parents, George and Wilma Leonard, began buying land, ultimately more than 2,000 acres, on the west slope of Mt. Tamalpais. George had been successful in construction. One big job was building the Pan-American Highway across Costa Rica, with young Barbara in tow, during World War II. The Leonard’s built a home (which Barbara now owns, though she lives most of the year in Berkeley) on 10 acres above Stinson Beach and moved there. Over time, George gave some of his land to his alma mater, Macalester College, then sold the rest to Mt. Tamalpais State Park and the newly created Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

             The Leonard family began running the Dipsea Race in the 1960’s. In 1964, Barbara’s brother, Mark Leonard, finished third and her then husband, Franklin Robben, came in 20th. Barbara made her Dipsea debut in 1970, a year before women were officially admitted into the race. Barbara’s father and her son Michael—she has four children and now three grandchildren--also ran in ’70, likely the first three-generation family finish ever. It was the family’s love of the Dipsea that prompted the Leonard’s to donate a permanent easement across their land to Marin County to safeguard the race from any possible future impediments by the GGNRA. This easement strip, once dubbed Leonard’s Lane, is today’s shortcut route off Panoramic Highway late in the race

            Robben has missed only two Dipseas since, both due to injuries. Her highest finish, 184th, came in 1998. Though it now takes her well over two hours to run the course, she has earned a perennial place in the Invitational section.

“I let everyone pass me on the left,” says Robben. “So when I get poison oak, it’s always on my right side.”

“I coached Barbara for a few years,” says Joe King, who won the Dipsea at age 70. “No race was too long or too tough for her, and she enjoyed them all. The same went for her workouts on the track. One Dipsea she was going down the Swoop when she heard something crack in her leg. Sure enough, she had broken a bone in her foot. But she still finished. She certainly has a positive attitude.”

            Beyond the Dipsea, Robben continues to compile a remarkable athletic career. She won a gold medal at the 2010 world aquathon (swim and run) championship, held in Budapest. She has competed in some 2,500 running races, open water swims and triathlons in her lifetime, perhaps the most by any woman anywhere, and still enters nearly 100 races each year. Logs document all results, and she owns a massive collection of trophies and ribbons.

“Barbara Robben shows up at race after race, year after year, friendly and ready

to run,” says Dipsea champion Eve Pell, who competes in Barbara’s age division. “She's very much a part of the 70-plus racing scene, and is a determinedly independent and steady contender.”

            And there remain more pages in Barbara’s logbook.

“I counted up all my races a while back and thought, ‘Can I make it to 3,000?’ I’m sure going to try,” Robben says.