Notes from Dan the Trail Guy #23

Trail Bits

(Really Long report this week, sorry)
Run Report by Ross - A great day for a run of Lantzville, with the weather comfortably cool. Derek led a small group off on a two hour jaunt to Duomont via the left hand road while the main group went right and headed up some very nice single track trail. Mark had some new shoes but there wasn't much mud to break them in. The only complaint I had going up some pretty steep territory is that the leader was going out way too fast. But we kept going up the hills, hills, hills!!! Who knew the Lantzville foothills would be full of hills? Finally we, I kid you not, broke through the cloud base, and into more open logged ground and after even more climbing we began a very rapid descent. Fifty minutes up but it only took us half the time to get down the logging roads, coming out on the left hand trail. I'm sure there will be some sore quads on Sunday…..Great Report Ross, Thanks

The Membership Forum – was a great success with close to 30 people showing up for the breakfast meeting. Lots of good discussion took place concerning where our funding should be directed. The end result was that the ROC Board of Directors was given the task of finding a ‘big’ project that 40% of the funding can be targeted towards. A further 40% will be earmarked for local charitable work and organizations (Runners for Youth, Kids Learn to Run Programs, Nanaimo Literacy, etc) in Nanaimo, 10% towards a scholarship and 10% for what may come up throughout the year. There was also discussion surrounding ROC getting involved with a community project such as planting trees along the E & N Trail Way or something like that. Basically, the meeting endorsed the direction in which the Board has been taking in regards to disbursing our funds. There will be a far more detailed plan of where the monies will go and the process involved once the Board has chance to meet. On behalf of the Board of Directors and ROC I would like to Thank all of you that took time to either attend the meeting or to pass your comments forward via email. It is nice to know we were on the right track.

10k and Half Marathon Learn to Run Programs – As you may or may not know The Nanaimo Daily News Harbour City Half Marathon & 10K Road Race, which is our event, takes place on September 11th. This year there will not only be a Half Marathon Training Clinic but also a Learn to Run 10k Training Clinic. The Half Marathon clinic will again be coached by the dynamic duo of Kim Gagliano and Sherri Wade, while the 10k Learn to Run clinic will be coached by Frontrunners newest staff member, Gillian Goerzen. The Daily News will again be running a weekly column in the paper which will offer a general training schedule, training tips, etc and will again report on the progress of a local male and female as they proceed through the clinics. We have the two featured runners for the 10K Learn to Run Clinic arranged, but are in need of a male and female we can feature as they train for their first half marathon. If you haven’t run a half marathon before and would like to be the “featured” male or female please let either me, Kim or Sherri know. It is a heck of a deal. You get a free entry into the Half Marathon. Full Clinic details will not be available until some time next week….Stay Tuned. The clinics start in the latter part of June. A good opportunity to get a friend or spouse started running or an even better opportunity to take yourself to the next level.

Port Angeles – June 12th is quickly approaching. It is time to start thinking about car pooling, who is traveling down on which date, with who, etc. I am not even going to start to try and organize the travel arrangements for everyone. What I can tell you is that I am traveling down on Friday afternoon with Scott – who is driving - and that we have a few spots left in the van if you want to come down with us. We are driving to Victoria and walking on as foot passengers………….Also, for those of you that want to eat with the group, I have made a group reservation made at Michaels Restaurante, the same cool Italian place we ate at last year. I have booked for 40 people. That is the most they would take. So if you want to be part of the group email me ASAP. I will hold space for the first 39 people to email me. The place has amazing food.

ROC Technical shirts – the short sleeve shirts are going to the printers this week (I think) and should be available for you to purchase well in advance of Port Angeles.

AB Class – If you are interested in taking a further session of either the Monday or Thursday morning ABS Class with Sean please drop him a note at seanlunny@shaw.ca

Membership Dues – Last time I will bug any of you with this. There are only four people that I haven’t heard from. All the rest of you have either renewed or have told me the cheque is in the mail…thanks. Membership now stands at 128 members.

ROC SPONSORED EVENTS;
May 26th at 9:45 am and 1:00 pm at Westwood Lake is when Woodlands and Wellington High Schools are having their wind up runs from their Learn to Run Programs. If you want to volunteer an hour of your time, please show up at the lake at least half an hour prior to the posted time. ROC helps out with the transportation costs involved with putting on this event. It would be great to have some people show up for this.
May 29th is the Nanaimo Hospital Foundations Run for Life. 10:00 am at the Bowen Recreational Centre. Details available at Frontrunners or through the Hospital Foundation. We also help to sponsor this event as does Bastion Running Club. Make it a part of your long run for that weekend. Start or finish with the race. This is the last reminder that the deadline for the early bird draw for the hospital foundation fun run on May 29th, 2005 is this Friday! If you register for the race by that date, your name will go into a draw for a weekend spa & resort package at Tigh-N-Mara worth approximately $1000! You can pick up a brochure at Frontrunners and leave it there with your entry fee for pick up.
July 9th is the Westwood Lake Half Marathon GutBuster – ROC provides course marshals and start/finish line volunteers and receives a per racer commission in return.
September 11th is the Nanaimo Daily News Harbour City Half Marathon & 10K Road Race….what more need I say.

Okay, the run, its all about the run isn’t it. Where are we going? This week it is Humility Abyss – 7:00 am starting on the side of Harewood Mines Road under the power lines. 85 minute run. If you haven’t run here before you are in for a treat. Take the 5th street exit off of the Parkway. Turn right on Wakesiah rd. Turn Right on Nanaimo Lakes Road….follow it for 5 or 6 minutes. Turn LEFT of Harewood Mines road; we will be meeting under the power lines.