Trail Bits 2006 #13

ROC Trail Bits # 13

Start time of the Trail Runs is now 7:00 am

I haven’t heard how the 7:00 am start time went on Saturday so I can only assume that everything went well. I did drive by the lake on my way to meet up with the group going down for the GutBuster and there seemed to be a fair number of vehicles in the lot. Hopefully you all remembered your toonie and hopefully someone remembered to collect them.

The trip to the Royal Roads GutBuster was lots of fun, the weather was fantastic and the results were great. The total number of racers in the two races was 207; this is up from last year’s total of 144, an amazing increase in numbers. ROC member, Codie Ward was the first female across the finish line in the 5km short course and Suzanne Briggs was the eighth place female in the long course and was first in her age group. All together there were 18 members of ROC Nanaimo that ventured down for the race. Big smiles were all around at the finish line. The next race in the series is April 15th in Maple Bay. You should plan on coming down for a race on a course that has the most amazing 5km of down hill that you will find anywhere.

Good luck to all of you that are heading down to Whidbey Island for the either the Half Marathon or Full Marathon races on Sunday. Have a strong race, let the sun be shinning and may the wind be at your back.

--Mountain Bike Racing – Robin Dutton and Arrowsmith Cycles are holding two mountain bike races in April. One on the 2nd and the 9th. The April 2nd is a cross country time trial of the Humility / Abyss loop. Registration starts at 10:00 and racing commences at 12:00. The April 9th race is a downhill race on the trail named “What’s it’s name” on Duomont, registration is at 10:00 and start time is 12:00
--Mountain Bike Riding Clinic –Sean Lunny is once again offering ROC a Mountain Bike Clinic. Saturday April 29th 8:00 am – 10:00am. This two hour, $ 20.00 clinic will teach you the basic techniques you should know before venturing off into the woods. Proper up hill riding, down hill riding, how to get over those dam logs lying across the trail, what you should take with you when heading out for a ride, etc. 100% of the proceeds from this clinic will go back to Runners of Compassion….Thanks Sean Email Sean at seanlunny@shaw.ca to reserve a spot.
This week’s run – Linley Valley 7:00am – for those of you that are not aware the lower end of Linley Valley that borders on to Linley Road is being developed; therefore I thought it might be nice if we could run the area one more time before some of the trails are removed. We will meet at the end of Burma Road as usual, which runs off of Lost Lake Road. Directions: Take Rutherford Rd to Vanderneuk; Right or left on to Vanderneuk; this turns into Lost Lake Road. Follow Lost Lake for a fair while; Turn right on Burma Rd. We will be at the end. If you start to drive down the really steep hill you have missed the turn. I will be taking out a hiking group for those of you that want to come along with me.


Upcoming Stuff
* indicates trail race
· Sooke River 10km – April 2nd
· Whidbey Island Marathon – April 2nd
· Merville 15km – April 9th
· GutBuster # 2Mt. Tzouhalem – April 15th
· Boston Marathon – April 17th
· Sooke Spring Triathlon – April 23rd
· Vancouver Sun Run – April 23rd
· Times Colonist 10K – April 30th
· Vancouver Marathon – May 7th
· Oceanside 10k – May 7th
· Island Relay – May 27th
· Knee Knacker 25km Trail Race, North Vancouver – May 28th
· Oak Bay Half Marathon – May 28th
· GutBuster # 3 Mt. Douglas, Victoria – June 3rd
· Panoramic Classic Triathlon, Saanich – June 4th
· Edge to Edge Half & Full Marathon, Tofino – June 11th
· New Balance Half Iron, Victoria – June 18th
· Kusim Klimb, Sayward – June 17th
· Scotia Bank Half Marathon, Vancouver – June 25th
· Comfortably Numb 25km Trail Race – June 25th
· GutBuster # 4 – Westwood Lake Half Marathon & 8km – July 16th
· Full (50Km) & Half (25km) Monty Trail Races, Victoria – August 19th
· Log Train Trail Half & Full Marathons, Port Alberni – August 20th