Where:
Burnaby Mountain
When: March 7th; 6:30pm.
Start Location: Deli/coffee tables at Nester's at SFU.
Conditions: According to the SFU road/traffic conditions website: "... 5°C on campus with partly cloudy skies. Roadways, parking lots, and walkways are dry. Driving conditions and visibility are good. ...possible black ice...."
Leading up to the run/Participants: After a gorgeously sunny cool weekend, Monday's weather was not disappointing. Beautiful crisp air and clear skies promised for a lovely refreshing evening run. Arriving a few minutes before 6:30pm, no other runners were there. Kay O. arrived shortly after 6:30. Only having heard more than tentative 'maybe's regarding being at the BMDUR 1103, I didn't expect anyone else. We waited until 6:35, and decided it was time to start the run.
Route for May 7th: Kay O. and I ended up running from Nester's, East on University High Street, turned left to head North/NorthWest on University Drive East. We took a peek down Cardiac Hill but decided it was too icy/snowy to broach. We continued along University Drive West, then at the Vistor's parking lot (old Shell gas station) just North of the 'underpass' bus transit stops we turned down to the TransCanada Trail and headed west on an 'undulating' section of the TCT. We continued west until it met some trail junctions and stayed right following the trail (is that Pandora's now?) along the edge of the fence to the Horizon's restaurant (which happens to be open on Mondays now!!!). We made a visit to the park 'facilities' undeneath Horizon's Restaurant which were also open, heated, with running water, soap, and paper towels! We ran part way down the road towards the Burnaby Mountain Highway; we didn't go all the way down to the highway, but turned right onto the TranCanadaTrail (down the hill) till it met up with the Burnaby Mountain Highway at the base at Burnaby Mountain. (5km completed)... Ok now the continuous uphill begins: back up Burnaby Mountain Highway towards SFU, left on the road toward Horizon's restaurant, up that wonderful hill straight to the 'cairn' by the fence overlooking the cliff, right along the trail following the fence, stay 'straight' along the trail (not turning right, not turning left...just going straight) until reaching the road (University Drive West). We continued easat on University Drive West until we reached the Diamond Alumni Centre, after which we took the right fork in the road up towards Visitor's Parking Lot (VC), along the road on the North Edge of Blusson Hall, then to the main NEW bus transit exchange by the Cornerstone Buildings, back to Nester's. According to Garmin: Total distance 9.5km, Min Elevation=116m, Max Elevation=357m, Elevation Change=241m; additional undulations yielding "according to Garmin" a total of 307m gain and 307m loss.
On the run: Ah yes -- pleasure of running on amazingly mild night, glistening lights, running on incline that didn't force walking!
OOO! Forgot to swing by to see if we could see any 'stars' on the film site for 'underworld 4'... On the 'road section' of the run at the very top of Burnaby Mountain on the SFU campus, we were dodging lots of crew/equipment trucks for the filming that has been going on for almost a week. They are filming all night tonight near Convocation Mall and the Rotunda. Filming continues through the next couple of days too.
Overall: the run was superbly enjoyable -- took it very easy!
Post-run: After the BMDUR, Kay went off to finish a paper due tomorrow...and I picked up some un-necessary (but tasty) grocery items! Thanks to Kay O. for joining me in BMDUR 1103 ;)
Tune in next time for BMDUR 1104! Let's see who remembers to show up ;)
Comments
So cool, love your reports,
So cool, love your reports, Rachel. These night runs are a lot of fun. Sorry, I don't see having time coming out for yours, but maybe one Monday when I don't ride to work, I can make it.