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2006 Results - Vancouver World Run


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Event Report

Thank you to everyone that participated in the Vancouver World Run on Sunday March 26. And also thanks very much to everyone that was able to come out to the lecture with Jesper Olsen on Friday March 24, 2006. These are events without equal as we were fortunate to have Jesper's World Run Project recounted personally and for the first time in English. I know that we have some amazing runners in Club Fat Ass and Vancouver but arguably none have accomplished anything close to what Jesper did over 662 days, 22 months, almost 2 years and 26,232 km.

The most amazing story I heard of Jesper's entire World Run was his 6 day race at Colac, Australia. After running more than 14,000 km, the very next day he competed in an event with world-class runners. This race challenges participants to run around a 400m track for 6 days. The one that goes the farthest wins a large money prize and incredible admiration. Jesper had the energy and strength to strategize a cunning victory by completing 756.2 km in 6 days, 50km longer than the second place person. This allowed him to fund the balance of his trip across Australia and take a flight to North America. Of course, the day after the race, Jesper continued on his epic adventure and completed a pleasant 31 km run on his way to running across the Great Victoria Desert on his way to Perth. He wrote at the time in his diary, “As much as I appreciated the friendships and intense duels on the track - just as much I began to long for the open roads ahead of me.

Vancouver World Run - View from the back of the pack

The day dawned blustery and grey and I knew it would be my turn to run. My other half just does not like to be out in the rain.

Being my meticulous Germanic self, I showed up at the deserted Centennial Theatre parking lot about 30min before the official start. A small group of enthusiastic runners slowly assembled and huddled around Craig's car. Where was the guest of honour, Jesper, and his host Karl? Luckily Jesper had mentioned Friday night at the presentation that he was not a morning person. A quick phone call threw him out of bed. He looked slightly hung over when he finally hopped out of the car. Where did you take him, Karl?

After a few starter photos we set off and the group spread out very quickly. The eager ultras taking the lead, the steady 25km runners coming next and the cautious 10km runners , consisting of newbies and injured folks forming the back of the pack. I had planned to do approximately five kilometers, by running to the bottom of Mosquito Creek at 16th and Fell and then saying bye to the group and heading home along Mosquito Creek. Maybe it was because the first 3km were downhill, maybe I just had given that Achilles injury enough time to heal, or maybe I just didn't want to leave the Seattle folks to get lost, but I felt good and decided to keep going to the 10km turn around at the end of Bowser. Heidi, from Seattle, and I had never met, and our chat made the km just fly by.

I eventually send Heidi back up that nasty hill along Larson and turned north up the trail system back to my house. As I huffed up along the creek, I felt very happy that the weather was cooperating and my Achilles tendon wasn't giving me any grief. The way things were looking I am seriously contemplating the Burnaby Mountain Run next Saturday. See you on the trails!

World Run Report

"Vancouver saw a truly unique & world class ultrarunner show up for a slide show & a little running this week.

Jesper Olsen, the Dane who (last October) became the first (& so far, only) person to ever run around the world, payed us a visit & presented his amazing tale at the Centennial Theater on Friday night. To say it was amazing & inspirational is an understatement.

Our club sort of adopted him as he ran through Vancouver last year on the cross Canada/US leg of his world run. At that time, it was a simple pot-luck with about 20 people. If you want to read more about him, here's his website. http://www.worldrun.org/index.shtml

Since he was here for a few days, our local Club Fat Ass put on an event that would allow Jesper to see our city & meet a few runners in our ultra community. The idea was to run 50 km...since that was Jesper's average daily run for almost 2 years. Club FA also included a 10km & 25km event so that those that were not yet ready for a pavement pounding ultra could still get a chance to run & hang with Jesper.

It was cooler than expected (by Vancouver standards) at 46 degrees, but it wasn't raining so we were pretty pleased with that. After the group photo in front of the theater (the site of Friday's presentation), about 20 people headed down the road & towards Lions Gate Bridge. The course included some scenic (but flat) trails through North Vancouver, & Stanley Park (relatively flat by Vancouver standards, but apparently not so flat by Danish standards), as well as some gorgeous oceanfront pathways (the seawall), bridges, & even a little bit of beach running (ugh!).

By the time we got over Lions Gate Bridge & through the park, several people had turned around (10km & 25km) & we discovered that there were just 5 of us doing the full 50km. It was a great opportunity to talk with Jesper about his trip, his return home, his life outside of running, etc...I think we asked him a bazzillion questions. Jesper was extremely accomodating & answered everything with enthusiasm & great detail. He was very humble about his achievement, & had some very honest answers about why he had done it & what he had gained from it...as well as his troubles & concerns.
It was either the inspiration or the distraction of great conversation, but Tim, Jesper, & I overshot the turnaround point by about 500 meters...still, our watches showed 1:55:30. I was shocked at the pace. Tim & Jesper seemed to be less shocked (Tim is training for Boston, & Jesper...well, you know). I ran a 45km race last week, so I wasn't sure if I'd feel decent for this one, but I didn't want to miss the opportunity & I was glad to feel in good shape.
Anyway, we turned around at Locarno Beach & retraced our route. As we ran back along the Seawall, we caught up to Karl & Ludo. They had turned around at the appropriate spot & assumed we were ahead (somehow evading them through the bathroom hallways at the sailing club). We told them that, in fact we'd been ahead but distracted.

The group of us stuck together through Stanley Park & back over Lions Gate. Karl & I hung back from the other three (it's a shared sidewalk with cyclists & every marathon clinic on the coast!) & they pulled ahead about 50 meters by the bottom.

For some reason, they took a right turn at the end of the bridge....Karl & I kept straight. Both Ludo & Jesper are unfamiliar with the area, but Karl & I assumed that Tim was still with them & showing them a more scenic way back to the theater (the beauty of Fat A$$ events, is that you can "customize" the course to a certain degree).

Karl & I got back to the finish in 4:01:02...not a negative split, but pretty good considering the last 3km was a steady climb.

What surprised us was that Tim was already at the finish. Not so much that he was ahead of us, as the fact that he was alone. Where was Jesper & Ludo!? Just as we were deciding to send out a search car, we could see their distinctive colored jackets in the distance (one red, one yellow)...They made it back...what happened? Tim had gotten slightly ahead of them on the bridge, & decided to fire his turbo...you know..to see how his Boston legs were holding up (apparently "quite fine, thank you very much"). Ludo & Jesper assumed he had zigged when he had zagged. Luckily, Jesper was pretty used to getting lost during his World Run & figured it out all too easily.

It was a great run with some great folks. If Jesper comes to your city to do his presentation, I would highly encourage you to go see him. He was very entertaining, & his anecdotes & statistics will make your jaw drop (like an active heart rate that went from 130 at the beginning of his world run, down to 65!!!!!! within 4 months). Impressive...& a really nice guy to boot.
Thanks Jesper."
Thanks Craig & Club Fat Ass for a very memorable weekend.