Notes from Dan the Trail Guy #49

Wow, what a great party at Frontrunners last Saturday. Good warm up for the dance. Thanks Norm, Thanks Stefan I had a blast.

Trail Bits for November 19th, 2005
It will be a day of Running, Biking, Voting & Dancing…oh what a day!
Sadly, I am unable to personally report on the weekend run as my vehicle was borrowed by my son, who didn’t manage to return it in time. The reports are that there was a large turnout again with still one or two more new faces in the crowd. I can report that the coffee at Starbucks was well attended as usual and that there was lots of idle nonsensical chatter taking place. If you are new to the group, don’t forget to join us back at Starbucks at around 9:00 after every run. This weekend you will be treated to RUNNING A NEW ROUTE….Read # 7 below for complete details.

Nanaimo Give & Go! – December 1st, 5:00pm – 7:00pm - Mark it on your calendar. We meet at the Daily News building located across the highway from the Nanaimo Golf Course.

Gunner Shaw Cross Country Race – if you are heading down for the race and want to car pool, then meet at the Tim Horton’s in the Southgate Shopping Plaza at 10:45am. The race starts at 1:00pm. We should have you back in Nanaimo by 4:30ish.

Nanaimo Track & Field Harbour Front 5Km – November 20th, starts at 10:00 am in front of the Howard Johnson Hotel. Just like the name says, it is a run of the Harbour Front Walkway. This is a fundraiser for the Track & Field Club which is raising funds to resurface the track at the Rotary Bowl. Contact Brian Foan at befoan@shaw.ca Day of race registration available.

Marathon & Half Marathon and Learn to run Clinics – I forgot to mention that along with John and Stefan's clinic, Gillian, who works at Frontrunners will be running a concurrent clinic for those 'proud back of the packer's' and true beginners looking to challenge the 1/2 and full distance for the first time. See Gillian or the store for more details.

Runners of Compassion Annual General Meeting – will take place on January 14th at 10:00am. Location T.B.A. This will again be an après run, breakfast meeting. We seem to get the largest turn out for a meeting when we combine our meeting with running and food, which doesn’t’ surprise me. If you are interested in standing for a position on the Board of Directors of ROC please forward your name to Kelly McKee, the President of ROC Nanaimo kemckee@shaw.ca . If you would like more information in terms of what is the expected of you as a Director, what the time commitments are, etc please contact either Kelly or myself or any of the other ROC Directors.

Request for Volunteers: ROC has been asked if we will provide volunteers and/or runners to help with the following races. Please support them if you can.
Women Run Wild – November 27th, North Oyster Elementary School. Contact Carol Roy at 753-5844 or via email at mcroy@telus.net Proceeds to Haven House
Frosty Foot Race – December 4th Bowen Park Contact Sherri Wade at WadeS@MALA.BC.CA .Proceeds to youth sports.

New Trail Run – This Saturday there will be a new adventure…., BUT it will be longer than usual adventure. …………This Saturday your quest to again run the unknown will be fulfilled, as Derek Riley will lead the group on a 1 hour and 40 minute run out to Boomerang Lake and back. This run is going to be longer than what you have been running the past 4 -6 weekends and it is going to be somewhat more challenging in terms of some of the climbs in the early sections. A couple of the climbs are steep and a couple of climbs are a bit long in their ascent, but it is all runnable according to my sources….I guess you could assume that coming back will be a breeze. I would strongly recommend that you bring water and some sort of energy replacement snack or gel with you on this run. For those that don’t want to run long - I have endeavored to find another leader that would take out a group for a shorter run but have been unsuccessful. It seems that all of the experienced trail leaders either want to run the long route with Derek or are committed to the Bike Course….sorry. What we have done in the past when we are short a leader is have those folks that don’t want to run the long run meet at Westwood Lake in the parking lot at 7:30 and do a group run around the lake and into Morrell. That would be my suggestion for you this Saturday.
LONG RUN DETAILS:
· 7:30am Start at the Yellow Gate on Duomont Rd, near the Wasteland Motto Cross.
· Directions – From the NORTH End - Take Duomont Rd off of Metral Drive, go past the Black Bear Pub and keep on driving for at least another 5 minutes. You will come to a T Junction in the Road. This is Biggs Rd. Turn Right and head up the hill. Drive until you come to a yellow gate on your right hand side just before the Wastelands Motto Cross. This is just as the road starts to flatten out.
- From the SOUTH End– Turn left at the Jingle Pot/Mostar Exit. Quickly turn right onto Biggs road and head out past the Correctional Institute. Follow this road past the Brannon Lake Campground and head up the hill. Stay on this road all the way up the hill until you come to a yellow gate just before the Wastelands Motto Cross, this is just as the road starts to flatten out.
· Coffee at Starbucks afterwards.
Early Warnings
· NOV 26 Gunner Shaw Cross Country – Saturday November 26th, Thetis Lake Park Victoria, if you consider yourself a trail runner then you must come to this race with us. It is one of the oldest x/c trail races in BC. Draws a great crowd. Amazing course. It can be wet!!!! Put it on your calendar right now, so you don’t double book yourself.
· NOV 27 Women Run Wild – Girls only. Annual fund raiser for Haven House. Details at Frontrunners or via Women’s Pace website.
· DEC 1 Nanaimo Give & Go! – Thursday December 1st is the date of the 3rd Annual Nanaimo Give and Go!
· DEC 10 Stewart Mountain Cross Country – 10 miles on a really classic cross country course.
· DEC 4 Frosty Foot Race - December 4th, 2005, Bowen Park, Nanaimo, 10 am start, registration 9:15, 10km Run, 5km Run or Walk, 1km Tot Trot
· JAN 1st Bastion Running Club’s Run & Dip – New Years Day, Westwood Lake, Time - TBA, one lap or more of the lake, followed by a very quick dip in the lake. Rain or shine, snow or sleet, it doesn’t matter, Darrell and the Bastion crew will be there waiting for you. Great way to start off 2006.