Bay Area 100 Announces Dapper Don Award As a Tribute to Teachers

April 30, 2026

OAKLAND, CA (April 30, 2026) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ — Bay Area 100, the point-to-point 100-mile trailrunning ultramarathon in the San Francisco Bay Area, is proud to announce the Dapper Don Award, a program created to honor and support unsung “first responders” of our community: teachers. Through this program, which is a tribute to the late teacher and trail ultramarathoner Don James, select educators each year will receive complimentary entry into the Bay Area 100, along with other race-related support.

“Don believed in the power of persistence, whether in solving a math problem or running 100 miles — and he knew how to turn hard things into a lot of fun. We can think of no better way to honor his legacy,” says Race Founder Adam Ray. “These exceptional people who choose to teach — they thrive when faced with challenges, so we’re happy to provide the additional challenge of running 100 miles of mountainous trails.”

Don James was a beloved Bay Area ultrarunner and Math/Algebra teacher who spent nearly 20 years at Piedmont Middle School in Piedmont, CA, and also a decade prior in the Oakland School District. Known for his signature buzz cut and a presence that intimidated students in September before revealing what a softy he was by December, Don was a fixture in both the learning and running communities. He completed the famed Western States 100 in 2002 with a sub-24-hour finish. James passed away in 2022.

The Inaugural Class

This year’s inaugural Bay Area 100 recognizes three teachers/runners. These individuals embody the dedication required to reach Mile 74, home to “Dapper’s Rest”—a memorial bench located near Redwood Peak and Redwood Bowl along the course—and to take it all the way to the finish on the track at Skyline High School.

The 2026 Dapper Don Runners are:

• Amy Chinn, currently in the Oakland Unified School District, is the department lead and teacher of special education at Montera Middle School. When she’s not playing music with the Oakland Community Women’s Orchestra or the Classical Brass Quintet, you can find her out on the trails. Amy is an experienced ultrarunner attempting her first 100.
• Sam Cooper, currently in the Oakland Unified School District, is Dean of Students at Montera Middle School and has been the cross-country and track coach for 5 years. A native of San Leandro, Sam is a frequent and experienced racer and the clown prince of local trailrunning. Sam has run multiple 100-mile races, as well as the Cocodona 250.
• Hannah Swernoff, a 5th-grade teacher in Piedmont, California, and a coach with RBO, Runners for a Better Oakland, an organization aimed at empowering school-age children by providing access to meaningful running programs. Hannah is an experienced ultrarunner, attempting her first 100.

A Legacy of Community

To ensure the program remains rooted in the teaching community, the Bay Area 100 has established a peer-based selection process. Each year, previous Dapper Don Award Runners will serve as members of the selection committee for the following year’s recipients. This ensures that the award continues to be granted to those who best embody the grit and heart that Don James brought to both his classroom and his sport.

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About the Bay Area 100

The Bay Area 100 is an inaugural 100-mile ultramarathon through the East Bay Regional Parks. Traversing Bay View, Las Trampas, Lake Chabot, and Redwood territories, the race offers a world-class test of grit and spirit, finishing in Oakland, California.

Media Contact:

Garett Graubins
Race Communications Director
graubins@gmail.com
Tel: 303-728-4387