2006 - Year 3 - Forbidden Forest Run

 

It seems the word is out on the Forbidden Forest Run!  There was no recruitment drive per se, yet over 30 people completed an application to join the Capilano Commandos in 2006.

 

Rumors on the street were that the course was a hair short of the posted 45K distance, so we moved the start.  An equal opportunity unit, the Capilano Commandos welcomed their first woman and a handful of Hashers this year.  It would prove to be a memorable evening!

 

After a short golf course tour, the trail heads steeply upwards.  The elite Capilano Commando unit almost sprinted up the hill.  The main pack followed at a more leisurely pace followed by the 2 cyclists who were to act as scouts when we entered the Forbidden Forest.

 

It was the perfect summer evening and spirits were high.  The main pack of runners reached the Forbidden Forest at roughly 90 minutes into the mission.  Two GPS confirmed that the revised distance to this point was 10K.

 

The "lead" bikers caught up to the last runners as night fell.  With 8 runners and 2 bikers in front, the main group of commandos paid little heed to the danger of this mission and began to spot satellites and chat about favorite runs.  Before we knew it, we'd run 35K.

 

As we approached the edge of the Forbidden Forest, a darkly clad figure came out of the bushes.  An LED light flashed from behind a stump.  A cry went out, "Look out... they're coming back!"  We recuperated the survivors of the elite group and quickly left the main trail.

 

We bushwhacked without the benefit of our headlamps.  The story of the ambush circulated in hushed tones.  It seemed as though the fastest of the elite unit was captured first.  A returning enemy patrol then captured 5 more of the elite squad.  Within striking distance of the perimeter of the Forbidden Forest, the bikers also rode directly into an ambush.  As the surviving members of the Capilano Commandos inched through the Forest to relative safety, a white wolf appeared only a meter away.

 

Once back on familiar trails, we mourned for our fallen comrades and picked up the pace to make sure we didn't miss last call.  Three keeners, insistent on making this run count as an "ultra", tacked on a few kilometers for good measure before regrouping at the Mosquito Creek.  Last man arrived in 5:30 running time and 30 minutes to last call.

 

Mission accomplished.  18 starters.  5 taken prisoner or missing in action.