Results - Sunshine In September
Sunshine in September - 2011
Starter Photo: 11 September 2011 - coming soon
Report: coming soon.
Photos: If you have photos of the day, upload them to the Flickr CFA group, tag them with SunshineInSeptember2011 SunshineInSeptember and ClubFatAssEvents. Photos uploaded will be posted in a slideshow on this page.
Feedback: We'd like to hear your feedback about this event. Please respond to this brief Post Event Survey. We appreciate your thoughts. You can also add your own comments or impressions via the comment form below or as a blog post (that will be attached to this page).
Results: coming soon.
Sunshine in September - 2010
Starter Photo: 11 September 2010 - 13 Starters
Report: Contrary to the weather forecast leading up to Saturday, we truly had Sunshine in September on the Sunshine Coast this weekend. On Saturday morning, we arrived at the ferry terminal to find our starters properly caffeinated and ready to go.
After a brief summary and details for those unfamiliar with the trails, everyone was off. Starting off on the short section through the local neighbourhood before getting into the canyon, Jason, Ran, Bill and Des quickly took the lead, followed by Heather, Craig and Helen with Jess, Kelly, Lishe, Ben, Dave and Jackie meandering along until the guilt got to us and we took to our feet as well.
As much as it might be preferred to the old route that followed the highway to the mountain bike park, the first 500m or so (or 500km as Kelly noticied in the course description!) can best be summarized as "miserable". But we soon hit the canyon and started the true climb. This was the first time I have seen mountain bikers, hikers, mushroom pickers and other users on the trail. It was nice to see the trails actually being used!
Thanks to the frontrunners for finding the first flaw in the course description and confirming that taking a left at the second junction is indeed the wrong way to go. Changes will be made! But everyone made it back onto the trail and continued the climb as planned.
As we continued to climb, we first encountered Des on his return trip to the ferry terminal. Wow! We were barely halfway and he was on his way back?!? Des was kind enough to warn us about the mother bear and two cubs shortly ahead of us on the trail, but the head wandered off by the time we got there.
At the 10k/2hr/clearing we decided that it was time to turn back. After an entertaining chat with a group of mountain bikers, and some encouraging words from Ran and Jason on their descent, Jess, Lishe, Kelly and I started back down the hill. Dave decided that he was going to keep on climbing.
Shortly after turning around, Kelly and Lishe very kindly found the wasps' nest and saved Jess and me from also getting stung (thanks!). Kelly seems to be a wasp magnet - this wasn't her first sting while running this summer. Those three went on ahead and I decided to hang back and wait for Dave since he was just a bit behind.
Shortly afterwards, Bill came screaming (not literally) down the hill and was hot on the trails of the girls. A short while later (I couldn't help thinking about this mother and bear and cubs wandering around) Craig, Helen and Heather came running up. Deciding that standing around was not going to get me to the finish in time wasn't the best idea of the day, I decided to follow this group down the hill.
Have to say - other than the second turn, the directions worked well getting up the hill. Coming down was another story... I eventually encountered Jess, Kelly and Lishe again and realizing that there was no way we were going to get to the finish in time for our planned 12noon rendezvous, snacks and prizes, Kelly and Lishe booked it back to the start. Since this was just the beginning of our weekend on the coast and we didn't have to be on the ferry, Jess and I came in at a more sedate pace.
Upon reentering the ferry terminal, we could see a group of runners making their way to the loading area across the parking lot. We had missed the entire post-run social! Oh well - Bill took care of everyone for us and made sure we had finishing times and garbage points recorded. Thanks Bill. We finally caught up with the group as they reached the loading gate. But where was Ben?!? Just as we were starting to worry, Ben can storming up the parking lot and even found the strength to hop the fence to get into the pedestrian area. Good show!
Dave caught up with us back and the car and must have been caught up in the excitement of the event. Not only did he run to the gravel road as planned after we turned back - he ran the entire 26k course! Well done!
That was it for the 2010 Sunshine in September. We started the drive to the cabin for the weekend and the rain started!
Thank you all for coming out! Hope to see you next year. Jackie
Photos: If you have photos of the day, upload them to the Flickr CFA group, tag them with SunshineInSeptember2010 SunshineInSeptember and ClubFatAssEvents. Photos uploaded so far are posted in the slideshow below:
Feedback: We'd like to hear your feedback about this event. Please respond to this brief Post Event Survey. We appreciate your thoughts. You can also add your own comments or impressions via the comment form below or as a blog post (that will be attached to this page).
Results:
| First Name | Last Name | City | Age | Event | Time | Reg. Pts | Garbage | Total Pts. | Prize? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackie | Montgomery | Vancouver | 40-49 | 19k | 3:53 | 2+2 | 1 | 5 | |
| Desmond | Mott | north vancouver | 50-59 | 26km | 2:53 | 2 | 2 | Yes | |
| Jason | Eads | Kirkwood | 30-39 | 26km | 3:02 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Ran | Katzman | Vancouver | 40-49 | 26km | 3:02 | 2 | 1 | 3 | Yes |
| Bill | Dagg | Vancouver | 40-49 | 26km | 3:19 | 2 | 1 | 3 | Yes |
| Craig | Moore | North Vancouver | 40-49 | 26km | 3:35 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Helen | Tilley | White Rock | 40-49 | 26km | 3:38 | 2 | 2 | ||
| Heather | Urquhart | North Vancouver | 30-39 | 26km | 3:38 | 1 | 1 | Yes | |
| Kelly | Corday | Vancouver | 20-29 | 26km | 3:46 | 2 | 1 | 3 | Yes |
| Lishe | O'Kiely | Vancouver | 50-59 | 26km | 3:46 | 2 | 2 | Yes | |
| Jess | Dagg | Vancouver | 20-29 | 26km | 3:53 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Ben | Harapat | North Vancouver | 50-59 | 26km | ?? | 2 | 2 | ||
| David | Montgomery | Vancouver | 40-49 | 26km | 4:23? | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Claudia | Bullington | Richmond | 40-49 | DNS | -1 | -1 |
Sunshine in September 2010 - Run, Ran, RUN!
For those of us NOT from BC or another coastal area, ferry rides are a rarity. I really didn't know what to expect in terms of what this "boat" would look like. It was a pleasant surprise because BC ferries are PLUSH! First of all, the things are HUGE and can hold more than 100 cars - WOW! Plus, they have full service restaurants, multiple levels and even a sun-deck upon which you can sit outside and take in the cool & fresh Howe Sound air on the way between Horeshoe Bay and Langdale.
Craig hadn't had his coffee yet, which explains this glazed over look on his face, but he perked up one he scored some Starbucks from the barista on the ferry.
Generally speaking, it was pretty overcast as we made our way over to the sunshine coast, but sure enough, about the time we were arriving there was a very bright spot of sun right over Langdale - as if to say: "Yep, this is the Sunshine Coast allright!". Once we were all off of the ferry and settled in Langdale it was apparent that the weather would actually continue to improve. Improve it did, and Sunshine In September certainly lived up to it's moniker. A very nice trail run.
The run
Early in the run is a short bit of road, then you hit the trails and continue to climbing up, and up, and up. There are a few rolling hills that give you a brief reprieve from the constant climbing, but it's a bit taxing for the entire 1st half of the 26km option for this run.
Making our way out of Langdale, I settled in with Ran Katzman (YES, that's his real, given name!) - a great runner that most of you know. Can you say 5:47 at the 2010 Kneeknacker?!? Suffice to say, deciding to run with Ran probably wouldn't be the best decision I would make this day - or would it??? The thing about Ran is Ran RUNS. He doesn't walk hills, he doesn't "power hike" hills. He RUNS hills. I'm mean, c'mon, the guys name isn't "Walked", right???
Although Ran pulled me harder than he knows up the 7.5 mile slap in the face that the 1st half of the run climbs, it's the back half that was pretty rewarding. I tried to talk to Ran as much as I could, but I didn't have the oxygen to hold a lot of conversation. Fortunately, Ran was simply cruising around effortlessly and navigating - so he was chatty, which was good. He also had printed directions of the route, so once I committed to running with him I was in whole hog or risk getting lost.
Once we FINALLY made our way to the high point of our run (and the turn around to back from whence we came) we encountered a cool little airplane sculpture that marked the beginning of a very technical and super fast downhill. I knew Ran would be 10x faster than me down this, so I asked him to go ahead - hey, if I get lost, I get lost. No big deal. Instead, Ran insisted that I lead - so I did, for about 200 meters. Then I hear Ran the Freight Train coming down the tracks! I step aside and watch Ran dice this technical downhill up like a pizza. He was kind enough to wait for me at the bottom and we made our way back up the fire access road to get to the single track that would take us home. Thanks for waiting, Ran!
All this time, I'm telling Ran how impressed I am that he can take these hills (both up and down) the way he does. He's a modest guy, and says "spend a year or two on the North Shore and you'll get better at it too". Yeah, right. He also gave me some B.S. about what Ran calls "the leader effect". Now, I don't dismiss this theory, but I can tell you there's not a snowball's chance in hell that I was motivating Ran very much. In fact, I'm pretty sure I was slowing him down and he must have slowed for me to catch him a million times.
The leader effect goes something like this: You get a little extra push of energy because you are leading someone else down the trail (presumably, knowing where you're headed) and the follower is guessing on your next move because they aren't necessarily focused on much besides following. I SUPPOSE, Ran, I suppose. 
Anyhow, we enjoyed eachothers company on what resulted in a 3hr 2min dash about near Langdale. We both managed a garbage point, and Ran's hydration strategy was a BIG surprise to me. How he sneaked in a Pabst Blue Ribbon while mowing down all those hills is a mystery to me, and he even crushes the cans on his BARE FOREHEAD! What a BEAST of a lad!
We arrived back and the Langdale ferry terminal to find Des Mott chilling near the car. Des had practically worked himself to death all week and decided a custom distance for SIS 2010 was the better option for him this day. Ran, Des and I wandered over to Wheatberries coffee stand and Ran treated me to a big chocolate milk and a sports drink. Good stuff! Made me feel better almost instantly!
Jackie hosts an awesome run and since she IS the QUEEN of homemade energy bars, you'd be crazy not to take her up on this one next year! This run was a ton of fun because you get to hang out and share war stories on the ferry ride back to Horeshoe Bay. Heather even scored a battle wound! That may actually be my favorite part of the whole deal. Thanks, fellow Fat Asses - it was an awesome day!
Sunshine in September - 2009
Starter Photo: 5 September 2009 - 13 Starters
Report: Thank you to everyone who braved the early start and fall weather for the third Sunshine in September. 12 starters (and finishers!) made the trip over to Langdale. After introductions and a bit of a wet start, it was off to the trails. Well, they went to the trails. I stayed behind drinking coffee while waiting.
Had a chance to see almost everyone pass through the 3k mark, although Sibylle, Steve and Monty appear to have found a better route for future years. By the time folks came past, the weather had changed two or three times but was enthusiastically raining again, although the jackets had been stowed by this point. But you'll be glad to know that the car was toasty warm and dry.
After my temporary panic wondering if I'd sent everyone off to never be seen again at 2h 45m, it was great to see a crowd of runners come around the bend on the Port Mellon Highway. The remaining runners came along soon after and although it was a bit rushed before the ferry sailed back to Horseshoe Bay, we did have time to eat some treats and award prizes.
I'm looking forward to a springtime running of the course with Sibylle to fine turn the directions and the 2010 Sunshine in September!
(Thank you to everyone for your help and patience as I sorted out Event Hosting details!). Jackie
Despite Jackie being worried about her flock getting lost on the vast trail system beyond Langdale, we all made it back in one piece. A few of us did add a few creative kms to the course and Steve and Sibylle got stung by aggressive wasps, but the trails were beautiful and the weather much better than what we prepared for.
Photos: If you have photos of the day, upload them to the Flickr CFA group, tag them with SunshineInSeptember2009 SunshineInSeptember and ClubFatAssEvents. Photos uploaded so far are posted here.
Feedback: We'd like to hear your feedback about this event. Please respond to this brief Post Event Survey. We appreciate your thoughts. You can also add your own comments or impressions via the comment form below or as a blog post (that will be attached to this page).
Results
| First Name | Last Name | Event | Points | Time |
| Ellie | Greenwood | 26km | 2+1* | 3:10 |
| Ran | Katzman | 26km | 1 | 3:10 |
| john | mcgrath | 26km | 2+1* | 3:10 |
| Jackie | Muir | 26km | 1+1* | 3:10 |
| John | Neels | 26km | 2 | 3:10 |
| Larry | Nightengale | 26km | 1 | 3:10 |
| desmond | mott | 26km (added detour) | 2+1* | 3:22 |
| Heather | Urquhart | 20km | 1 +1* | 3:10 |
| Craig | Moore | 20km | 2 + 1* | 3:24 |
| Dave | Montgomery | 20km | 1 + 1* | 3:30 |
| Monty | Watts | Custom - 21km | 2 | 3:25 |
| Sibylle | Tinsel | Custom - 20km (added detour) | 2 +1 * | 3:25 |
| Steve | Deller | Custom - 20km (added detour) | 1 | 3:45 |
| Jackie | Montgomery | Event Host | 4** |
* Garbage Point
** EH Points
Sunshine in September - 2008
For only it's second year as a CFA event, Sunshine in September for 2008 was a huge success! The weather was perfect, the trails were dry, the ferry was on time, and the number of participants was up... alot!!
13 folks toed the line at Langdale ferry terminal and put all their trust in my course directions. After the (unfortunately!) mandatory 3km section of highway everyone was able to enjoy the excellent, non-technical single-track trails of the Sunshine Coast.
Though I was unable to run it this year, I did manage to tag along behind on my mountain bike and get some photos of the runners as they headed back after the turnaround point.
Bill, Des, Tim and JP got distracted picking up garbage and overshot the Red Baron trail junction which added a couple of extra kilometres to their run.
Ean, JoJo and EJ came cruising down the trail hootin' and hollerin' and generally sounding like they were having the times of their lives!
We all met up at the Wheatberries Cafe back at the terminal for some well deserved drinks and delectable treats before catching the 12:20pm ferry back to Horseshoe Bay.
Some memorable comments that made me really proud of the course were 'some of the best trails I've run on', 'nice change from the technical North Shore', 'amazing area and perfect weather', 'so glad I came out to do this run!' ... these are my reward as an event host!
Thanks everyone for coming out this year. Hope to see you for the 3rd installment of Sunshine In September in 2009!!
Please add your own comments or impressions via the comment form below or as a blog post (that will be attached to this page). If you have photos of the day, upload them to the Flickr CFA group, tag them with SunshineInSeptember2008 SunshineInSeptember and ClubFatAssEvents. Photos uploaded so far are posted here.
Results
| First Name | Last Name | Event | Points | Time |
| Bill | Dagg | 29km (unplanned detour) | 2 + 1 * | 3:13 |
| Tim | Wiens | 29km (unplanned detour) | 2 | 3:13 |
| JP | Obbagy | 29km (unplanned detour) | 2 + 1 * | 3:13 |
| christine | rybak | 26km | 1 | 3:13 |
| Jackie | Muir | 26km | 2 | 3:13 |
| Killaine | Sharman | 26km | 2 | 3:19 |
| Pamela | Keck | 26km | 1 | 3:19 |
| desmond | mott | 22km (start at parking lot + unplanned detour) | 2 + 1 * | 2:35 |
| Kim | Taylor | 21km | 2 | 3:32 |
| Pat | Matthieu | 21km | 2 | 3:32 |
| Sibylle | Tinsel | 18km | 2 | 3:22 |
| Patricia | Barry | 18km | 2 | 3:22 |
| Ean | Jackson | 11km | 2 | |
| JoJo | 11km | 2 | ||
| EJ | 11km | 2 | ||
| Berglind | Hafsteinsdottir | bike | 3** | |
|
|
* garbage bonus point ** EH point |
2007 Sunshine in September
8 September 2007 - Starter Photo
Running for the ferry on glorious Sunshine...
The Sunshine Coast lived up to its' name as we were greeted with nothing but glorious sunshine for the inaugral running of the Sunshine in September event. Sibylle, Craig and myself headed out on what can only be described as stunning day.
We met at the church on Taylor Way and, after sampling some of Craig's fresh homebaked choc-chip cookies (yum!), loaded into Craig's car for the quick drive to Horseshoe Bay. We were pleasantly suprised to find out that today was Faresaver day on BC Ferries - half price fares for everyone!!! - we paid our mere $5.40 for a return ticket, hopped on, sat back and enjoyed the views on the very short ride across to Langdale.
As expected, the trail was in perfect condition and we ran along enjoying our surroundings. We didn't come across another soul all day and the opportunities to pick up trash were really few and far between.
Reaching the clear-cut at almost 10km offered us the chance to take in the views down to Roberts Creek and across to Vancouver Island. Sibylle turned around at the 10km mark while Craig and I, after some quick calculations, decided we had enough time to complete the extra 6km loop and get down to catch the 12.20pm ferry. The additional distance was great - especially blasting down Red Baron trail - but time was of the essence and thankfully it was practically all downhill. We reached the terminal with less then 10 minutes to spare.
Thanks to Craig and Sibylle for coming out - you know we all set course records today!!!
Please click here for a slideshow of more photos.
| Name |
Distance |
Time |
Points |
| Sibylle | 20km | 3h 36m | 3 |
| Berglind | 26km | 3h 50m | 3 |
| Craig | 26km | 3h 50m | 4 |
| Rhonda | DNS | -1 | |
| Cheryl | DNS | -1 | |
| Sharon | DNS | -1 |
Until next year!
Berglind