Last Notes from Dan the Trail Guy for 2005 (#53)

I hope that everyone had a great holiday break and that you are all rested up and ready to start 2006.

It seemed like everyone had a great run on Christmas Eve. Good turn out in terms of numbers. The rain even managed to stay away for the better part of the day. The ROC Mountain Biking was well attended on the 27th, with close to a dozen people showing up for the ride. A good mix of guys and gals.

Don’t forget that Sunday is the…….NEW YEARS DAY RUN & DIP – 11:00 am – 6 km – Cinnamon Buns – Hot Chocolate. This year there are expected to be over 100 runners and a fair number of dippers as well. It all starts at Westwood Lake. 11:00 Am. One lap of the lake…6km, then an optional dip in the lake. Prizes are awarded on a draw basis….No time is kept…….a fun run in the true sense of a fun run. Let’s have lots of ROC & Bastion members show up. The details for this Saturdays trail run are at the bottom of the page

Couple of new things to bring to your attention, most of it is physical in nature…..sorry!
1. Water Running – Denise Miller recently went down to a "Water Running" clinic in Sooke and is pretty excited about having classes out of NAC. Maurya Tatler (Aquatic Programmer) and Denise are starting classes on Sunday, January 8th at 10:30 a.m. The class will be 45 minutes long. It's geared to ALL levels of fitness. Tri-Athletes are welcome too as some of the moves in the class will be sport specific. Denise would like to invite any ROC members to the pool during this time slot. She will permit a maximum of 30 people in each class - so first come - first serve. Her hope is that runners in particular, will start incorporating the "Water Running" and "Tri-It! Water Running" classes into their weekly workouts. As a lifeguard/fitness instructor Denise sees many individuals that she knows from running clubs and Tri-Athletes who show up at the pool to do water running. Most of these individuals are there because of an injury. She would like to promote injury prevention and she believes working out in the water with proper form and technique will help with some of those injuries incurred in training.

2. January 14th – ROC AGM – 10:00 am, ABC Country Restaurant – Breakfast Buffet available. Proceeded by a run of the Lantzville Foothills. Please attend.

3. AB Classes – Thursday Nights 6:30PM Starting January 12 and Monday Mornings 6:30AM Starting January 16 - The cost is $20 for five sessions, and the classes run in five week blocks and are one hour long. To register people can Sean at seanlunny@shaw.ca

4. Island Race Series – race # 1.
Central Saanich Pioneer 8K Host: Prairie Inn Harriers
Sunday, January 15, 200611:00 a.m.
Race Brochure

Saanich Fairgrounds, 1528 Stelly's X Road, Saanichton

$15 early registration fee, students $10, $18 for everyone after January 10, $20 day of race

Optional New Balance Long-sleeve Technical Tempo Top for $24

Race Director: Sylvan Smyth
email: pioneer@vira.bc.ca
phone: 250-480-7869

5. Malaspina 10km – If you are not racing in the Island race Series and want a local race, here is one for you. It starts at 10 am from the Malaspina Gymnasium (Bld. 190) and runs around Colliery Dam and then heads along Wakesiah to 3rd street. Then it goes around the back side of the track along the Parkway and back to the gym. It is free and will have some great prizes and coffee from Jumpin' Java.

This weeks trail run…..December 31st, NY Eve – Duomont Trails – 8:00 am – a little bit later start in order to allow the sun a few extra minutes to get up in the sky. If you want to ride, drop me a note and I will hook you up with the guys that will probably be riding that day. We will meet as usual at the yellow gate. 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.