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!