Free for Club Fat Ass members (check out member benefits and fees here)
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Craig Moore - Your Club Fat Ass Event Host
Results
Fluffy Bunny 2012 - Results
16 June 2012
Report: It was wet and mild today at Buntzen Lake. Three of us showed up to brave the pouring rain and mild temperatures. It was Cindy's first CFA event and Liza hitched a ride out there with me to Fluff the Bunny. We all ran the 15 km Lake View Course together and saw quite a few other runners and hikers ... for a pouring wet day. There were a small number of fishermen out there as well. We all agreed it's a great course to run considering the distance, terrain, and that you can knock yourself out on the hills if you like or take it easy and enjoy the various lake views along the way.
Your CFA Event Host,
Craig Moore
Photos. If you have more photos of this event, please upload them to Flickr, add them to the Club Fat Ass Flickr Group, tag with FluffBunny2012 FluffyBunny ClubFatAssEvents ClubFatAssEvents2012 and they will automatically appear in the slideshow above and in the Members In Action section on the right.
L to R Squatting: Dave, Stenson the dog (sp?), Bill, and myself (Jess)
Report:
A bit of a rushed start as it took forever to get out there from Vancouver! I'm sure we were stopped at every traffic light possible. Made it with a few mins to spare, where everyone waiting under the gazebo for me. Three folks I had never met before were present: Becky, Adam, and Alan. I know for sure that this was Becky and Adam's first event, and I hope they'll return for more.
Heather was missing for the first while, which I thought was strange considering she had instigated wanting to do the long course. Turns out she was the woman I saw running along the road before the entrance to the park. As I also had not met her before, this didn't come to light until she showed up on the trail behind us trying to catch James and his dog to run the long route. Alas, she did not, but still did the long route on her own. It didn't seem that James was too disappointed doing the shorter course given the weather :-p
Speaking of the weather, it was a little cold and wet to start, but as usual, once you got going it was fine. The rain let up as the run progressed and of course had basically come to a halt just as most of us headed for coffee. I still wouldn't have been in the mood for 27 km though! Way to go Heather.
I always forget how many hills Lakeview Trail has, but it's so lush and beautiful, and the hills mean more walk breaks :-)
Really need to scope out the other upper trails on that side to stay off the boring logging road when heading back to the start. Another time!
Thanks to everyone who came out. 9 people is far better than the 4 it originally looked to be. A bonus to it being crappier weather meant there was more room at Gallagher's coffee shop in Newport Village.
Cheers,
Jess
Photos.
If you have more photos of this event, please upload them to Flickr, add them to the Club Fat Ass Flickr Group, tag with FluffBunny2011 FluffyBunny ClubFatAssEvents ClubFatAssEvents2011 and they will automatically appear in the slideshow above and in the Members In Action section on the right.
Fluffy Bunny 2010 results, course GPS info, and photos
1 May 2010 Starter Photo - 10 Starters, 10 Finishers
The sun started to shine just after we finished! But..... the rain held off at the beginning, so we all enjoyed cruising around the Buntzen Lake area.
A new member, John Pickles, came out for his first CFA event, and I must have done alright, as he says he'll be back :-)
Doug and Bill tackled the new "long" course I developed, and my estimate was thankfully correct at 27km. A good challenge they said, especially since this was Doug's longest trail run ever. He shortened it a bit, but still...Congrats Doug! He also won a Trail Runner subscription at the post-event coffee locale so that should keep him going. Thanks Trail Runner mag and other sponsors for prizes.
Dave M., Jackie, and myself ran the 14km Lakeview together (I warned them there were hills!), with Ronald and Dave B. adding some all-to-familiar modifications to this (one shorter, one longer). Des managed to remain on course along with John, as did Imelda, and Derek who did the 9.5km jaunt.
Anyway, everyone remained in one piece and I was happy to hear that those who did Lakeview enjoyed seeing a new trail, and getting to avoid part of the somewhat mundane west side of the lake. It's a really beautiful trail, though you don't see the lake that much! (as Dave M. pointed out).
Reagan White wasn't out today, so I think Des is back in the point series lead as he is the refer-ee of today's new member John :-)
Hope to see more folks out next year!
Cheers from your event host, Jess Dagg
Photos. If you have more photos of this event, please upload them to Flickr, add them to the Club Fat Ass Flickr Group, tag with FluffBunny2010 FluffyBunny ClubFatAssEvents ClubFatAssEvents2010 and they will automatically appear in the slideshow below and in the Members In Action section on the right.
20 June 2009 Starter Photo - 12 Starters, 12 Finishers
Report: It was a perfect day for a run in the mountains. The temperatures hovered in the upper teens, the sun peaked out a few times and the rains held off. The only disappointment from Krys, John and I's, perspective was the lack of view from the top of Dilly Dally and Mt Beautiful. I'm sure it's gorgeous, but alas, all we saw was fog! What did not disappoint was the extensive and tough climb to the top-all of us underestimated it-and the running joke was "I think this is the top" only to discover that we had to keep going up more! Lots of snow still remains up there, and we spent about 15-20 minutes looking for the last section before the top as it was hard to see in the fog and the trail was buried. Very bushy and steep trail at times, but deep down we were all glad for it due to our upcoming 125km Canadian Death Race on the august long weekend. Unfortunatly Bill sprained his ankle last weekend and couldn't join us today. I'm sure he would have loved the punishment as well, considering he's in the Death Race too :)
Lindsay Lake area and the downhill on Halvor Lunden back to Buntzen were a highlight. I think it's a new favourite trail of mine, and the reverse of today isn't so bad either, having done it last October. Going to the Lakes and back it a nice loop as the uphill is steady, but not a grind, the lake area is gorgeous and runnable to keep momentum, and the downhill is fun and flowy!! Lakeview trail at Buntzen Lake is my other favourite. Also very flowy and beautiful foliage.
Anyhow, I was happy to have such experienced and familar Club Fat Assers for my first time as an event host. And even a Jackson family member from Toronto! Thanks everyone! We decided against the full 35km today due to lack of time, along with the lack of desire a few days previous :) Perhaps I'll tackle the full Fluffy Bunny next year, but I'll make sure there are clearer skies! I'm not going up there again on a cloudy day ;)
If you have more photos of this event, please upload them to Flickr, add them to the Club Fat Ass Flickr Group, tag with FluffBunny2009 FluffyBunny and ClubFatAssEvents and they will automatically appear in a slideshow linked here and in the Members In Action section on the right.
Report: It was a perfect day for a run in the mountains. The morning dawned clear and fresh and the temperatures soon reached the mid twenties.
This was the first Club Fat Ass hosted orientation run for a 5Peaks race. Response was overwhelming from both run leaders and participants, especially for the short notice runners were given. Thanks to everybody who made this a success.
Quite a few runners switched their shoes to take advantage of the Salomon shoe demo before heading out on either the 11km Sports- or the 15.5km Enduro course. Run leaders soon fell into a pace with their respective charges and enjoyed the vistas. With a leader/runner ratio of 1/3 everybody was well taken care off.
After keeping up with the fast dogs for a few meters I soon fell to my spot at the back of the pack to run sweep on the 11km course following the Bunzten Lake trail. My little group with Claudia, new member Jackie and beginner runner Aida enjoyed the vistas and quite a few times felt compelled to jump into the cool, clear and calm waters of Buntzen Lake. Aida, who ran the 5km 5Peaks race in Whistler the week prior, is a beginner runner, who has only trained on a treadmill. Considering her non existent trail experience, she did an outstanding job negotiating the roots and rocks and ups and downs. She now is motivated to join a clinic to expand her running and learn about pacing ;-)
When we arrived back at the gazebo, fast boy, Tom, and fast girl, Alison, who had whipped around the lake with the faster groups, were already waiting for us. Soon, the 15km runners with their leaders Ward, Duncan, Christine and John started to trickle in. Some were surprised by the challenging terrain, some blown away by the amazing views from the Diez Vistas trail, but all were happy with their accomplishments and ready to tackle the 5Peaks race in 3 weeks.
Photos of the day are posted here. If you have more photos of this event, please upload them to Flickr, add them to the Club Fat Ass Flickr Group, tag with 5PeaksBuntzenLakeWarmUp2009 5PeaksBunztenLakeWrmUp and ClubFatAssEvents and they will automatically appear in the slideshow and in the Members In Action section on the right.
Note: 5Peaks and Club Fat Ass already are planning training runs for the 2010 5Peaks BC series. Details will be posted here once dates are set, so stay tuned.
Results: (please note this was an orientation run with an emphasis on staying together and we did not keep times)
First Name
Last Name
City
Event
Alison
Calder
West Vancouver
Enduro - 15km
brent
davidson
maple ridge
Enduro - 15km
Dave
Fouchard
Maple Ridge
Enduro - 15km
Marianne
Fouchard
Maple Ridge
Enduro - 15km
Bill
Hotzdki
Maple Ridge
Enduro - 15km
Sylvia
Lee
Vancouver
Enduro - 15km
Mark
Magnusson
Port Moody
Enduro - 15km
DarbyKai
Standrick
Mission
Enduro - 15km
Ian
Togerson
Coquitlam
Enduro - 15km
Todd
Ulriksen
Maple Ridge, BC
Enduro - 15km
Colin
W
vancouver
Enduro - 15km
Phil
Waters
Vancouver
Enduro - 15km
Craig
Baber
Chilliwack
Sport - 11km
Anders
Bergman
North Vancouver
Sport - 11km
Trevor
Bowkett
Whiterock
Sport - 11km
Claudia
Bullington
Richmond
Sport - 11km
Shauna
Burns
Port Moody
Sport - 11km
John
Graham
Maple Ridge
Sport - 11km
Phil
Green
New Westminster
Sport - 11km
Emily
Kerr
Vancouver
Sport - 11km
David
Montgomery
Vancouver
Sport - 11km
Jackie
Montgomery
Vancouver
Sport - 11km
Aida
Rodriguez
Maple Ridge
Sport - 11km
Pete
Smith
Abbotsford
Sport - 11km
Fran
Topp
Port Moody
Sport - 11km
Tom
Craik
Vancouver
Run Leader 11km
Alison
Jones
Run Leader 11km
Eric
Lorenz
Vancouver
Run Leader 11km
Sibylle
Tinsel
North Vancouver
Run Leader 11km
Ward
Beemer
Vancouver
Run Leader 15km
Duncan
Coo
Vancouver
Run Leader 15km
John
Jones
Coquitlam
Run Leader 15km
Christine
Rybak
North Vancouver
Run Leader 15km
2008 Fluffy Bunny - Year 4
The fourth running on the Fluffy Bunny is now in the books and once again a good time was had by all. Mild and cloudy weather made for excellent running conditions, but unfortunately the stunning views from the Diez Vista trail were obscured by the clouds. Thanks to all who came out and I hope to see you all next year!
Name
Distance
Time
Points
David Jenkins
12.29km
1:31
2
Betty Weins
12.29km
1:31
2
Carrie Graham
11km
1:31
2
Cheryl Johnson
11km
1:35
2
Matt Sessions
15km
1:36
2
Ryan Conroy
15km
1:43
2
Geoffrey Palmer
15km
2:01
3*
Desmond Mott
15km
2:01
3**
Chris Benn
15km
2:01
2
Ryne Melchner
15km
2:01
3**
Monty Watts
15km
2:46
2
* Bonus Event Host Point
** Bonus Garbage Collection Point
2007 Fluffy Bunny - Year 3
4 August 2007 - Starter Photo
Thanks to all who came out. The Fluffy Bunny was as spectacular as ever. Congrats to all who did the 25km... a solid day indeed!
I look forward to seeing you all at next year's run.
More photos are posted here. If you have photos of this event, please upload them to Flickr, add them to the Club Fat Ass Flickr Group, tag with FluffBunny2007 and ClubFatAssEvents and they will automatically appear via this link and in the Members In Action section on the right.
* Bonus Point point for garbage collection
** Event Host Point
2006 Fluffy Bunny - Year 2
Actual comments from participants Re. the Fluffy Bunny Trail Run:
"The view from the top of the mountain was the most spectacular I've seen in BC" Ean Jackson
"I'd have to say that this was without doubt, the toughest trail run I've done. " - Ean Jackson
"Maybe too tough" -Anonymous
Starter Photo - 2006
Run Report
The dust has settled on the 2006 Fluffy Bunny Trail Run with a 100% survival rate. 21 runners ran various distances with 5 brave souls completing the famed Fluffy Bunny.
The day began for some first thing at White Spot. Many apprehensively had large breakfasts hoping they wouldn’t regret it 10 minutes into the run. The largest breakfast award went to Ean Jackson. Jackson, who hadn’t run since Knee Knacker, was hoping that the breakfast would give him the carbs he needed to climb the Dilly Daly Pass.
The run began a little after 8:30. We soon spread out and went our separate ways. Once again the weather was ideal. Not too hot, but clear so that all of the views on both the Diez Vista and the Dilly Daly could be enjoyed. Several of the runners did the monster Dilly Daly climb and enjoyed one of the best 360 degree views the lower mainland has to offer.
Photo left: Sharon is shocked: How far you say it is? Oh no!
Photo right: Amazing view of the Lower Mainland of Vancouver
The story of the day goes to Russ Chore who set the course on fire with a blistering 5:40. The time sets a new course record for the Fluffy Bunny. However, I do have some unconfirmed reports that he is close training partners with Floyd Landis; urine samples are currently being tested.
Close behind Russ was the Father/Daughter tag team of John and Ali Jones. They completed the course in 6 hours 10 minutes.
Photo left: Elke and Sharon
Then there was Carlos and I. After conserving our energy on the Diez Vista trail, we started heading up the Dilly Daly. After just under 2 hours of climbing, we made it to the top and met up with Ean and Doug who were doing the 25km route. Just after we met up with Ean and Doug, they took a
“short cut” back to the car. I use the “” because in 7:03, I don’t think they thought it was much of a “short cut”. Soon after, in what is quickly becoming a Fluffy Bunny tradition, Carlos and I got a little mixed up on the course. The ironic thing was that we never actually left the course. The instructions (which I made myself) state that upon arriving at the lakes, there are many options around the lake, but they all meet up again with the main trail. Carlos and I took the long way around, and within a few minutes of reaching the main trail again, I decided that we must have been off course and we turned around and headed back. Luckily we ran into two very nice hikers who helped us on our way. Thanks to Steve and Tanya!
Three others, Elke, Sharon and Steve attempted the full Fluffy
Steve enjoying the scenery
Bunny but decided to cut the course “short” (the same “short cut” as Ean and Doug) after the monster climb. The trio spent the most time on the course, and arrived back at the parking lot just before we sent out the search party!
Photo left: Steve enjoying the scenery or wondering if he will ever get off this trail... Photo right: Elke figuring that it's going to be a looong way back to the car!
Feel free to add your personal race day stories in the comment section.
Thanks to all who ran the course and special thanks once again to Club Fat Ass for all the help and support with the run. See you all next year.
Geoff and I were trail sweeps for the Diez Vistas add on, that is to say , after crossing the floating bridge, five of us and two hounds set off to check out the vistas!
Our pace was moderate to slow, and this suited us just fine , as we knew what the Bunny had in store for us, once we hit the Dilly Dally trail.
Super Dad and his daughter were long gone, but as we started climbing we noticed more and more discarded cloathing!(I was waiting for the shorts next!)
I mananged to scoop up those items.( If anyone of our intrepid bunch lost a browny-gray ball cap or a chinese red and orange bandanna, I will bring them to the Monty).I snagged some trash too, do I win?
Hahahahaha!
Any how, back to the run report.We saw the sweat on the rocks from the previous runnerd SD & daughter, Doug and Ean had put it all out just before us, around the 3.5 hour mark we started to hear voices, (real voices) and by 4 hours we were all on or past the top. that was about the only time that six of us fat assers were within yelling distance the whole day, at the top of the Dilly Dally @ 1250 metres.
The madness set in shortly after that...
We desended to Lindsay Lake and headed off on a trail that looked vaguely familier, ran that for 20 mins. or so and then had some serious doubts about our progress towards Buntzen Lake and the finish......
We doubled back , we took another trail and ended up on Spahat Ridge! A zip line would have been really handy at this point, as we could almost see Geoff's car from 1000 metres up! To cut a long story a little, we trailed most of that area for about an hour before we bumped into Steve and Tania,( Non Fat Assers.)who had just come back from the lookout at Eagle Rock.
They were going back to the car park so we tagged along with them.Thanks guy you saved us from another session of Bunny madness. We could have been up there all day!
As it was we were out for 8 hours and managed to make an Ultra marathon out of what should have been a 6-7 hour speed hike.
On returning to our vehicle we noticed to our horror that Bunny Madness had struck the trio with hounds!
They should have been back hours before us as they did a variation of Ean and Doug's custom course.
We decided to give thenm till 19:00 hours before we were to report them as lost in Bunny land.
They too had taken a dip in the pool at Swan Fall and had a little snooze before wending there way back to the cars. What a slice.....
There were some superb performances out there, on guy did the 35K in 5 hours 40 minutes I think and SD and his girl 6:10
Next year you and I will get it right , eh, Geoff?
ILTS!
Savaged by the Fluffy Bunny
I participated in the Fluffy Bunny Trail Run yesterday. Actually, that's not totally accurate, because the "Fluffy Bunny" is the 35K distance and my friend Doug MacKay and I attempted the 25K "Run in the Park" distance of the Fluffy Bunny Trail Run. This was a bunny with teeth!
Our day started off excellently. Doug picked me up at 5:45, we picked up another runner, Lori Moody, at 6:00 en route and we were at the restaurant before the opening time of 6:30. Given that participants last year preferred to go home and sleep rather than attend the finisher party, Event Host Geoff Palmer had the party *before* the run. Great idea! About 10 of us had great greasy breakfasts and, thanks to Geoff's sponsors, everyone who was present received a nice prize of some sort. (I won a prize for the biggest breakfast category...something that I would not regret as the day progressed!)
Doug and I were up for a 2.5 to 3 hours run...maybe a bit more. Would we take it easy and do the 25K or should we suck it up and go 35? I thought about what Geoff had told me earlier in the week, "Nobody has ever done the 25K. You might find the 35K even easier than the 25K." Somehow that math didn't register with me. Doug and I figured we would opt for a leisurely "Run in the Park" distance and bag a course record.
Given the 4 different distance options, we soon split off from the main group of runners and were on our own. Geoff's course description was excellent and the day was perfect for a trail run. Doug and I somehow managed to get off the Dilly Dally Trail and found ourselves at a lookout point, but no matter, the view of Indian Arm was spectacular and it was a 20-minute diversion at most.
The trail went up. And up. And up. It was interesting to note that for the first 90 minutes or so of going up, we ran on asphalt that must have been put down around the turn of the century and was now broken up and had trees growing through it. How in the devil did they get the asphalt way up there? Why?
Anyway, I called my wife about 2.5 hours into our run and mentioned that we might be, ahhh, a bit late getting back given that we were no where near the summit and not even 10K into the course! Meanwhile, Lori had completed the 11K "Extreme Punisher" distance and was patiently waiting for us at the car.
As we neared the summit, Doug, who didn't stuff his face for breakfast, was running out of gas. The father-daughter team of John and Ali Jones leading the 35K event steamrolled past us and Carlos and Geoff, the only veterans of the 35K event, crossed us a few minutes later, so we soaked in the view together.
The view from the top of the mountain was the most spectacular I've seen in BC. As a falcon played in the thermals above our heads, we were treated to a breathtaking 360-degree view of the lower mainland of BC. I swore at myself again for forgetting the camera.
Now feeling guilty that my household chores were at risk of not getting completed, I proposed to Doug that we cut the course short and take the direct route home. Doug was cramping badly and mumbled something about having to up his training miles. Consensus was quickly reached and we veered off at Swan Falls Junction, seeing our hopes of coming home with a course record vanish.
The trail went down. And down. And down. We found a beautiful waterfall and cooled off. (I tried a skinny dip, but it was too cold!) By the time we reached Bunsen Lake and the trail that lead to the car, Doug was totally on empty so I had the opportunity to practice some of my motivational psychology that's been dormant since the last time I paced a friend in a 100-miler. We shuffled into the finish at 7:03. Lori had been waiting 4.5 hours!!
Given that we didn't even do the whole 25K, I'd have to say that this was without doubt, the toughest trail run I've done.
Beware the Fluffy Bunny!
2005 Fluffy Bunny - Year 1
Fluffy Bunny Trail Run 2005 Race Report
Or
How an event host can get lost on his own route!
I don’t throw the title “hard ass” around loosely, but to call Carlos Castillo Sr. a hard ass would be an understatement.8 hours and 19 minutes after starting the Fluffy Bunny Trail Carlos emerged from the trail tired, sweaty and covered in blood.
The day began innocently enough.The warm temperatures and clear skies made for ideal running conditions for the 14 runners of the inaugural Fluffy Bunny Trail Run.Shortly after 8:30 the race began with 2 runners planning on doing the 35 km route, 1 planning on the 25 km route, 9 doing the 15 km loop and 1 doing the 8 km loop.
For most of the runners, the run began on the Diez Vista trail.After a moderate climb, the runners were treated to some spectacular views of Deep Cove and Indian Arm.The trail was particularly tough for trail running beginner Adam Shih.Despite his lack of experience on the trail, he was able to keep a brisk pace and said the views were well worth the climb.
After the Diez Vista Trail most runners headed back while 2 headed for the Dilly Daly trail: myself and Carlos.Ken Hardinge-Rooney was also on the DD trail as part of the 25 km run.
The trail began with a climb; a LONG climb.Unfortunately about ¾ of the way up a different trail broke off from the main trail.Not having noticed this turn off on any previous trip up the trail I was not looking for it and for whatever reason we headed down the wrong trail.I didn’t know it at the time but Ken had also headed down this wrong trail about 2 hours before we arrived there.We soon arrived at a boulder field.I knew at this point we were on the wrong trail because I didn’t remember this from any of my previous trips on the trail but I figured that because the trail was well marked it was simply an alternate route to the summit of the trail.We decided to continue across the boulder field.At this point Carlos took a bit of a spill and hit his head on one of the sharp granite rocks. It only took a few seconds before his face and arm were covered in blood.Luckily after a sitting for a minute the wound healed enough to continue.This happened about 3 and a half hours into the trail.So we continued on the trail we thought would reach the summit.The trail did hit the summit alright… the WRONG summit.Once at the wrong summit we decided to turn around and retrace our steps.About 2 hours and 8 km after missing the trail we made it back to the split point and this time headed down the correct trail.Ken eventually turned around and made it back to the trail split point over 3 hours after going down the wrong trail.So finally on the correct trail, Carlos and I headed to the summit.At an elevation of 1270 meters the views were amazing in all directions.Along the way we passed several hikers all wondering how a guy whose face was covered in blood could still be running.We eventually hit the upper lakes and soon after began the long run down back to the car.About 5 hours after hitting his head, Carlos was finally able to clean his wound.
I would like to congratulate all those who ran all the distances.I’m sure there were many stories from the run and I invite all those with good stories to post them on the website.I hope to see you all again next year.
Here are the official times:
Fluffy Bunny Trail Run
35K
Time
Points
Carlos
Castillo Sr.
8:19*
2
Geoff
Palmer
8:19*
3
Ken
Hardinge-Rooney
7:35*
2
Whoa Nelly Run
15 km
Desmond
Mott
2:04
2
Guillaume
Zahnd
2:04
1
Adam
Shih
2:30
2
Sarah
Goring
2:36
2
Tuiber-Abramsen**
Myka
2:36
1
Doug
Bodnar
2:45*
1
Patricia
Barry
4:04
3***
Schuller
Rhonda
4:04
2***
Sibylle
Tinsel
4:04
3***
Cheryl
Johnson
4:10
3***
Extreme Punishment Run
8 km
Baldwin
Lee
1:16
* Ran longer than posted distance
** Sorry about the poor spelling of the name!
*** earned 1 point extra for picking garbage off the trail
I took this event over from Geoff Palmer in 2009. I love trail running at Buntzen Lake and hope the 3 different distances will accomodate all types of runners! The "long" course is not as tough as it was previously as I changed the courses in 2010. I added my favourite trail, Lakeview, to the roster as well.
Geoff Palmer, Founding Host of the Fluffy Bunny
First the name. Back in the day when I was training for the Canadian Death Race, the wife of a training buddy didn't much like the sound of "Death Race". So to his wife, the race became known as the Fluffy Bunny Trail Run. While this race doesn't quite match up to the Death Race, it is no walk in the park so I thought this was an appropriate title. Also, I thought that the folk who don't always do the maximum distance don't get enough credit at races. So, for those doing the "Extreme Punishment Run", this will sound much more impressive to coworkers than the "Fluffy Bunny Trail Run"
I have done quite a bit of training on these trails and thought it would be an excellent place for a Club Fat Ass event. For those who choose the Full Fluffy Bunny Run, the trail will be tough but the views at the top will be well worth the effort.
Our hope is to make this event totally self-supporting. In other words, do all of the organization beforehand and also participate. This would be an impossible dream without a lot of behind the scenes help.
If you'd like to support the Fluffy Bunny in some way, we'd love to have you onboard. At the very least, we can promise you a place on this Thank You page! Please contact us with your thoughts on how you'd like to participate.
Many thanks to:
Kintec Footlabs
Thank you Danielle and Graham for the awesome aid station at Spanish Banks and the recognition prizes.
KINeSYS: Thanks for the assortment of body and sun care products to keep all participants protected from the elements.
Club Fat Ass A big thanks goes out to all the people who make Club Fat Ass the great club that it is. Club Fat Ass helps the race with web hosting, online registration and coaches us on how to host a safe, fun, environmentally-friendly event.
Get up. Check the weather. Print off your route instructions and make sure you know how to get to the start (see below)
08:30
Go to the farthest parking lot (west) and park as close to the beach as you can. The gate doesn't open until 8 so don't get there too much before then. Meet at the Gazebo if it's raining.
08:31
Check in with Jess.
08:58
Pictures!
09:00
Start
10:00
First finishers
12:30-13:00
Last finishers
13:00
Ghallagher's Coffee Bar & Cafe
7-232 Newport Drive
Port Moody, BC V3H 5B9
(604) 461-4717
How to get to the start (Buntzen Lake South Beach Parking lot)
Find your way to Port Moody, BC.
From where St. John’s Street meets the Barnet Hwy, take IoCo Road North
IoCo Rd. will turn into Heritage Mountain Blvd. There is a sign to Buntzen Lake here. Continue on Heritage Mountain Road until you hit the traffic circle
Take the first exit out of the traffic circle onto David Street. There is a Buntzen Lake sign here
Go left onto Forrest Park Way. There is a Buntzen Lake sign here.
Take an immediate Left on Aspenwood Dr. (it’s going to look like you are heading into a residential area here…. Your just going to have to trust me… this is the right way)
Aspenwood will turn into East Rd.Follow East Rd. for about 2km then make a right onto Sunnyside Drive.
Sunnyside Drive will take you directly to the Park. Follow the Park Rd. to the South Beach parking lot.
Javascript is required to view this map.
What to Bring?
Come equipped for the distance you are going to run and plan to be self sufficient for food and water
Print out and bring your course description/maps (put them into a ziploc bag so they don't turn into mush)
Cellphone (although most of the park does not have cell service).
Towel and change of clothes. Don't expect a shower, but you might want to consider a post run swim in Buntzen Lake
Post-Event celebration
Ghallagher's Coffee Bar & Cafe: 7-232 Newport Drive, Port Moody, BC V3H 5B9 - (604) 461-4717
There are three different routes and distance options, as noted below. The Buntzen Lake trail system is generally well marked, but it is your responsibility to print out the instructions familiarize yourself with the course you choose to run.
Be sure to be prepared for your distance keeping in mind there will not be access to water along the way.
There may be full color maps at the parking lot. Best to grab one before you head out.
Course - Buntzen Lake - 9.5km
Fast
Time
Be prepared for up to 2 hours of running without access to water
km
08:30
Reference Point - BuntzenLakeBeach – Start / Finish. Go to the farthest parking lot and park as close as you can to the beach. There's lots of free parking and washrooms are on the beach. Run distances measured from the beach end of the parking lot.
09:00
Start. At the beach, north end of parking lot.
0.0
1. Buntzen Lake Trail (#4) - East Side. This section takes you around the east side of BuntzenLake and finishes at a suspension bridge.
-Head towards the far east washrooms. Behind them there is a small wooden bridge. Cross and turn left, and stay left. There will be an access to the dog park around there. You are now on the east side of Buntzen Lake.
- Run north on the Buntzen Lake Trail (rolling terrain) keeping the lake on your left until you pop up onto a gravel road. Stay left along the fence, and over the small incline in the road. There will be a another trail that drops down on your left after the fence. Don't follow the gravel road down unless the trail along the water below is closed.
-At the bottom you'll see a water outlet (often raging). Trail heads west. You'll come out to the North Beach. Continue west. You will find the suspension just before another access to the road (run down the gravel road to here if the trail along the water is closed). It's hiding behind a signboard. Cross.
-You are now on the west side of Buntzen Lake.
2. Buntzen Lake Trail (#4) - West Side. This section takes you back to the start along the west side of BuntzenLake.
- Very shortly (heading southwest now), you will reach a fork in the trail. Stay left (straight is for Lakeview Trail and it goes up up up). Keep the water on your left hand side. Terrain is up and down.
- The trail will end with a dirt road, called Pumphouse Rd. Continue south (straight) along this road until you see the "floating bridge" on your left hand side. Cross. If the "floating bridge" is closed, continue along the dirt road until you see a yellow gate. Just before the gate, take a left on a asphalt path. This path will take you to the entrance road of the park. Directly accross is a dirt trail called Academy. Continue on this, you'll cross another small road. Stay straight. Do not take any forks in the trail. Shortly after you pass the Equestrian lot, you will come to a a bend in the trail and a wooden bridge on the left. Cross the bridge and take the trail until you hit a gravel road. Take a right and follow until a bend in the road. There's a short rocky trail that ends where you almost started at the beginning. Run along the grass back to the beach. You're done!
- Go left, then take every left (you'll end up on the 'Energy Trail') you come to until you reach the south beach again! You're done!
Course - Lakeview - 14km
Fast
Time
Be prepared for up to 2.5 hours of running without access to water
km
08:30
Reference Point - BuntzenLakeBeach – Start / Finish. Go to the farthest parking lot and park as close as you can to the beach. There's lots of free parking and washrooms are on the beach. Run distances measured from the beach end of the parking lot.
09:00
Start. At the beach, north end of parking lot.
0.0
1. Buntzen Lake Trail (#4) - East Side. This section takes you around the east side of BuntzenLake and finishes at a suspension bridge.
-Head towards the far east washrooms. Behind them there is a small wooden bridge. Cross and turn left, and stay left. There will be an access to the dog park around there. You are now on the east side of Buntzen Lake.
- Run north on the Buntzen Lake Trail (rolling terrain) keeping the lake on your left until you pop up onto a gravel road. Stay left along the fence, and over the small incline in the road. There will be a another trail that drops down on your left after the fence. Don't follow the gravel road down.
-At the bottom you'll see a water outlet (often raging). Trail heads west. You'll come out to the North Beach. Continue west. You will find the suspension just before access to the road. It's hiding behind a sign board. Cross.
-You are now on the west side of Buntzen Lake.
2. Lakeview Trail (#4) - West Side. This section takes you back to the start along the west side of BuntzenLake, but on a slightly higher trail.
- Very shortly (heading southwest now), you will reach a fork in the trail. Stay right/straight and up for a few minutes. Next intersection go left (straight is Old Buntzen Lake Trail). There is a weathered 4x4 nailed to a tree engraved with "Lakeview Trail". Go up! There are a few good climbs, and it goes up and down alot. At one point it parallels the Buntzen Lake trail and you'll beable to see it on your left, but then you climb back up again! One nice viewpoint at the powerlines.
- The trail will end with a gravel road, called Pumphouse Rd. Continue south (right) along this road, past the "floating bridge" on your left hand side. Do not cross! Continue to the end of the gravel road where it almost meets the main road to Buntzen Lake. There's a paved pathway on the left before the yellow gate. Take that, which shortly crosses the entrance roadway to the trail on the other side. You are now on the Academy Trail.
3. Academy Trail (#9) Parallells the roadway into the park. Shortly after crossing the road, you'll cross another backroad. Continue straight, and it heads uphill slightly. Don't deviate from the trail, and you'll head down again. Pass by the Equestrian parking lot (not through). You'll reach an obvious fork/t-intersection. Take the left over the wooden bridge.
- Continue on this trail until it hits a gravel road. This is part of the Powerhouse road. Go right. At a right-turn bend in the road, stay straight down a rocky trail. Come out from behind the washrooms and you're done!!
Course - Diez Vista - 27km
Fast
Time
Be prepared for up to 5 hours of running without access to water
km
08:30
Reference Point - Buntzen Lake Beach – Start / Finish. Go to the farthest parking lot and park as close as you can to the beach. There's lots of free parking and washrooms are on the beach. Run distances measured from the parking lot.
09:00
Start. Beach (north) end of parking lot.
0.0
1. Buntzen Lake Trail (#4) - East Side. This section takes you around the east side of BuntzenLake and finishes at a suspension bridge.
-Head towards the far east washrooms. Behind them there is a small wooden bridge. Cross and turn left, and stay left. There will be an access to the dog park around there. You are now on the east side of Buntzen Lake.
- Run north on the Buntzen Lake Trail (rolling terrain) keeping the lake on your left until you pop up onto a gravel road. Stay left along the fence, and over the small incline in the road. There will be a another trail that drops down on your left after the fence. Don't follow the gravel road down.
-At the bottom you'll see a water outlet (often raging). Trail heads west. You'll come out to the North Beach. Continue west. You will find the suspension just before another access to the road. It's hiding behind a signboard. Cross. -You are now on the west side of Buntzen Lake.
2. Lakeview Trail (#4) - West Side. This section takes you back to the start along the west side of BuntzenLake, but on a slightly higher trail.
- Very shortly (heading southwest now), you will reach a fork in the trail. Stay right/straight and up for a few minutes. Next intersection go left (straight is Old Buntzen Lake Trail). There is a weathered 4x4 nailed to a tree engraved with "Lakeview Trail". Go up! There are a few good climbs, and it goes up and down alot. At one point it parallels the Buntzen Lake trail and you'll beable to see it on your left, but then you climb back up again! A nice viewpoint at the powerlines.
- The trail will end with a gravel road, called Pumphouse Rd. Continue south (straight) along this road until you see the "floating bridge" on your left hand side. TURN RIGHT UP DIEZ VISTA TRAIL.
3. Diez Vista Trail (#6). This section takes you straight up and down the famous Diez Vista (10 views in Spanish) Trail and finishes at the north end of BuntzenLake.
- Go right and uphill on the Diez Vista Trail. After about 2K, you will come to intersection with Horseshoe Trail. Continue straight.
- At the 3-way "saddle" to SasamatLake (which is left), go straight and under power lines
- after about 1K, you will reach a junction. Go left. (Right will take you to same place, but steeper climb)
- at junction near top, go right towards Punta del Este. Stop at Punta Aprecio and check out view of SasamatLake and SFU.
- in about 250M, you will come to Punta del Este (550m). If the clouds allow, look down on Buntzen Lake South Beach where you started.
- stay right and uphill. Pass Cima Amanecer (570m). There is a bit of up and down in this section. Vista #1 looks out over Deep Cove.
- Vista #2 is in about 500m. #3 looks out over Second Narrows bridge. Other vistas follow (#4 is of Mt Seymour, #6 is of a remote cabin on Indian Arm.)
- you will eventually begin a steep downhill section, followed by about 100m of flat with a "T" intersection. Go left.
- you will intersect a dirt road. Go right, and follow the road under the power lines
- turn right onto the OldBuntzenLake trail at the clearing. Stay straight at any intersections until you get down to the lake again. You have been here before! Go Right.
4. Buntzen Lake Trail (#4) - West Side. This section takes you back to the start along the west side of BuntzenLake.
- The trail will end with a gravel road, called Pumphouse Rd. Continue south (right) along this road, past the "floating bridge" again on your left hand side. Do not cross yet again! Continue to the end of the gravel road where it almost meets the main road to Buntzen Lake. There's a paved pathway on the left before the yellow gate. Take that, which shortly crosses the entrance roadway to the trail on the other side. You are now on the Academy Trail.
5. Academy Trail (#9) Parallells the roadway into the park. Shortly after crossing the road, you'll cross another backroad. Continue straight, and it heads uphill slightly. Don't deviate from the trail (ie. there's a sharp right up to Eagle Ridge-no!), and you'll head down again. Pass by the Equestrian parking lot (not through). You'll reach a fork. Take the left over the wooden bridge.
- Continue on this trail until it hits a gravel road. This is part of the Powerhouse road. Go right. At a right-turn bend in the road, stay straight down a rocky trail. Come out from behind the washrooms and you're done!!
I've never done a trail run before. Is this a good place to start?
A:
Yes and depends. The Buntzen Lake loop is a great place for a first trail run as it is only 11km and relatively flat. The Diez Vista and Dilly Daly Trails should only be attempted by experienced trail runners… but hey… who am I to tell you what you can and can’t do?
Q:
Can I run less than 11K or more than 35K?
A:
Heck yes you can! If you want to run more than 35K, you will get special recognition as a certified glutton for punishment. We strongly recommend you have a pacer for any distance over 50K and that you carry a cell phone so you can call someone to pick you up when you expire.
Q:
How tough is the course?
A:
The Extreme Punisher is “relatively” flat and is not tough for someone who has run trails. The other courses are very tough with technical trails and a lot of elevation gain/loss. Only the tough will survive the dreaded Fluffy Bunny Trail Run. Expect to take at least 6-7 hours on the full 35km route.
Q:
Do I really need to print off the course instructions and bring them with me?
A:
Yes. Without the detailed instructions or an intimate familiarity with the route, you will get lost.
Q:
What if I get lost?
A:
You shouldn't get lost if you refer to the course instructions where you are faced with a choice of direction. If you do feel you are lost, ask someone. If you always get lost, bring a cell phone just to be sure. If your cell phone doesn't work, go back the way you came until you know where you are. If that doesn't work, sit on a rock and wait for the bears... I mean SAR.
Q:
Do I get credit for any time I spend off-course?
A:
Are you kidding? Getting lost is a rite of passage for Club Fat Ass. Most of the time, you can blame yourself for not paying attention. If you do find an obvious mistake in the course directions, point it out to the Event Host and she will give you a free muffin or a donut!
Q:
Couldn't you mark the course like just about every other race I've ever been in? It's a pain to pause and read instructions.
A:
Club Fat Ass events are supposed to be different than every other run you've ever been on. As an Event Host, we have to commit to not putting chalk/flour on the ground, hanging surveyor tape in the trees, painting rocks with arrows, putting up signs or doing anything that might leave a trace of the event. Besides, having to read written course directions tends to slow down the faster runners.
Q:
How accurate are the course distances?
A:
Take the distances with a grain of salt. The distances are taken from the trailhead pamphlet.
Q:
This event is free, but for Club Fat Ass members only. How do I get into the club?
A:
There is no hazing ceremony like the Hash House Harriers! Runners, walkers, hikers, triathletes, adventure racers, mountain bikers and anyone else interested in having fun in the great outdoors is welcome and can register online for a nominal fee. You have the option of signing up for the annual membership (includes a funky tech shirt) or a single-day membership (note: please sign-up online and in advance of the event for either membership)
Q:
Can I wait until the last minute and join at the start?
A:
Yes, but we prefer you don't. You will not be allowed to take out an annual Club Fat Ass membership on the day-of-event, so you won't get a cool t-shirt. Last minute registration makes it very difficult to organize and coordinate the event. Remember, if you are not yet a Club Fat Ass member, you will need to sign up for a membership first and then register for the free event.
Q:
It's a free world. What's to stop me from just running the course.
A:
Nothing...in fact, we encourage you to run the course often in training! We prefer that you do not 'bandit' the course on event day, however. If you insist, please don't take any of the aid intended for members. You will not get recognition in the results or be eligible for any draw prizes and you'll have to wear a black patch over one eye at the party. Furthermore, you won't be allowed into future events until you come clean with past membership dues.
Q:
What is the 'Rule of the Trail'?
A:
If you pack it in, you can pack it out. (That means don't you dare litter!) Leave nothing but your footprints on the course. We strongly encourage you to pick up any trash you find along the trail and to present it to the Event Host for bonus points. There may be a recognition award for the person who packs out more than they packed in. The punishment for littering is death….. or a disappointed head shake… whatever the situation warrents.
Q:
What if I have to heed the call of nature?
There are washrooms at the Start/Finish point of the race. If you need to heed the call of nature while on the trail, try to go 10 feet of the trail and at least 100 meters from a water source. Also try to bury it if you can.
Q:
What should I bring on race day?
A:
Whatever you figure you will need given the weather, the distance you propose to run, your physical fitness on the day and your plans for after the run. Some thoughts are on the event agenda.
Distance. Since you are an experienced endurance sports athlete, you should know what you need. Water and food is an issue, so we recommend you carry at least 2 large bottles of fluid and plenty of trail chow.
Fitness. Since you are an experienced endurance sports athlete, you should know what you are capable of. If in doubt, take it easy and go a shorter distance.
Après run. Bring a change of clothes. You may not get a chance to shower… don’t worry about it… we will all stink!
Q:
I am supposed to be self-sufficient because there is no aid provided. Can I get a friend to come out and give me food and drink along the route?
A:
Yes but once you start on the trail accessing it from other places can be tough. Best you be ready to be self sufficient.
Q:
Can I bring my friends and family to the finisher party even if they didn't run or volunteer?
A:
Absolutely!
Q:
Are there any trophies, prizes or other hardware or freebies?
A:
If you assume there's no aid, no course marking, no t-shirt, no enthusiastic spectators and no prizes or freebies of any sort, you might be pleasantly surprised.
Q:
When will the 'official' results be available?
A:
We hope to have the results up on within 24 hours. We will also distribute the results to major local and national ultrarunning communities.
Confirmation Page - Fluffy Bunny
The following people are registered for this event:
1) Tracey Taylor (9.5km) 2) cindy ethier (15km) 3) Craig Moore (15km) 4) Liza Flemming (15km) 5) cindy ethier (15km)
I welcome your comments, criticisms, feedback and questions.
Please be sure to read the the Agenda and FAQ section of this website first, as this is where I've tried to answer the most frequently asked questions.
Jess Dagg - Your CFA Event Host
Post Event Survey - 5 Peaks Buntzen Lake
Please take a moment to share your thoughts about the Club Fat Ass event you recently participated in. Your feedback will help your Event Host to refine their event next year.
This is an anonymous, confidential survey (as long as you are not logged in to the website) so please feel free to offer constructive criticism about any aspect of the event in the comment box.
Post Event Survey - Fluffy Bunny
Please take a moment to share your thoughts about the Club Fat Ass event you recently participated in. Your feedback will help your Event Host to refine their event next year.
This is an anonymous, confidential survey (as long as you are not logged in to the website) so please feel free to offer constructive criticism about any aspect of the event in the comment box.
Quite a few runners switched their shoes to take advantage of the Salomon shoe demo before heading out on either the 11km Sports- or the 15.5km Enduro course. Run leaders soon fell into a pace with their respective charges and enjoyed the vistas. With a leader/runner ratio of 1/3 everybody was well taken care off.
When we arrived back at the gazebo, fast boy, Tom, and fast girl, Alison, who had whipped around the lake with the faster groups, were already waiting for us. Soon, the 15km runners with their leaders Ward, Duncan, Christine and John started to trickle in. Some were surprised by the challenging terrain, some blown away by the amazing views from the Diez Vistas trail, but all were happy with their accomplishments and ready to tackle the 5Peaks race in 3 weeks.
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