Q: |
I will be
too hung-over to run, but I'd love to
help. What might I do? |
A: |
If you can
still stand and are functioning at
better than 25% of your potential, we
would greatly appreciate your help on
the event management crew. Follow
the link for some suggested
crew tasks. |
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Q: |
It's New
Years Day. Responsibility or work of any
ilk does not appeal to me any more than
having a root canal would. Is there
any other reason why I would want
to participate in this event? |
A: |
Sure. The
whole objective of the run is to
make it to the potluck party. You can
always start there. |
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Q: |
What kind
of weather can I expect? |
A: |
it has been
as cold as -20C in recent years and as
warm as 5C with no snow on the ground.
Bank on a little snow here and there and
it being within 5C of the freezing
mark. Better still, check the
weather report in the morning |
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Q: |
If I
decide to run, what should I bring? |
A: |
Whatever
you'd normally wear for a long run
given the conditions of the day.
Don't forget to print out the run route
directions, directions to the start and
to bring a cell
phone and cab/bus fare if you bonk. |
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Q: |
Are there
aid stations? Can I have a beer en
route? |
A: |
We recommend
you come prepared to run without
external aid. There may be aid
stations, but only if your family and
friends step forward and offer to
organize them. If you get a drop
bag to us by 07:00 SHARP, we will do our
best to have it waiting for you at the
turnaround (12.5K / 37.5K)
Since this
is an 'unofficial' event and you are a
person who accepts responsibility for
your own actions, there are no rules as
to what you may or may not eat or drink
en route. Best to put 'special
needs' in a plastic bag with your name
on and check in by 7:00 =;-) |
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Q: |
What if I
get caught up in the party spirit and
can't drive home? |
A: |
You will die
a slow and miserable death by frostbite
and exposure in our back alley. |
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Q: |
What can
I win? |
A: |
Nothin.
Fastest man and woman TO FINISH THE
COURSE get bragging rights.
All participants and times go up on the
web for posterity sake. |
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Q: |
I've never
done a 50K run before. Is this a
good place to start? |
A: |
It depends.
Have you run a marathon? Can you
follow directions? If not, you
might want to consider doing the 25K
'sprint' course or rethinking your New
Years resolutions. |
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Q: |
How tough is
the course? |
A: |
Tough
question to answer! How fast are
you running? How far? How
well are you trained? What are you
used to? Feedback from the BC boys
runs something along the lines of, "This
is a course for wimps and whiners.
No mountains to climb. No raging
rivers to ford. No rocky creek
beds to break a leg in." By
southern Ontario standards, it's
somewhere between easy and average in
difficulty. |
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Q: |
Do I really
need to print off the course
instructions and bring them with me? |
A: |
No, but
don't whine to Jenn or me if you get
lost. While on the subject, don't
bother whining if you *do* get lost,
either. If you are the type of
person who gets lost easily, then we
recommend you run the course in
training because it's up there on the
web and it's not going anywhere between
now and event day. We don't want
you to get lost. We want you to be
happy. |
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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. |
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Q: |
Can I wait
until the last minute and join at the
start? |
A: |
Yes, but we
prefer you don't. Last minute
registration makes it very difficult to
organize and coordinate the event.
Also, we only accept the $15 Day of
Event
Club Fat Ass membership on event
day, so you have to pay another $35 if
you want the cool Club Fat Ass t-shirt
and free access to other events. |
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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 so you don't end up
getting lost on event day, you don't
whine and complain to your hosts about
course marking and you put all of your
energy into inventing other kinds of
excuses!
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 potluck... that is, assuming you
can deal with the shame. Furthermore, you
won't be allowed into future events
until you come clean with past
membership dues. |
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Q: |
What
if I get lost? |
A: |
You
shouldn't get lost, but bring a cell
phone and cab/bus fare, just in case.
Don't forget to tell a loved one where
you are going and make sure your will is
current. |
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Q: |
Do I get
credit for any time I spend off-course? |
A: |
Are you
kidding? If you do find an obvious mistake in the
course directions, point it out to
Jenn or me at the
potluck party for a
free beer! |
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Q: |
Couldn't you mark the course like just
about every other running race I've ever
been in? It's a pain to pause and
read instructions. |
A: |
Club Fat Ass
events are different than every other
running event you've ever been in!
They don't want us to put chalk/flour on
the ground, hang surveyor tape in the
trees, paint rocks, put up signs or glow
sticks or do anything that might leave a
trace of the race. Besides, it
slows down the faster runners. |
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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 Ryne or Jenn at the potluck.
There may be a recognition award for the
person who packs out more than they
packed in. |
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Q: |
What
if I have to heed the call of nature. |
A: |
There are
washrooms at the YMCA. |
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Q: |
What should
I bring on run morning? |
A: |
Whatever you
figure you will need given the weather,
your
physical fitness on the day and your
plans for after the run. Some
thoughts are on the event
agenda. |
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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: |
Absolutely!
In fact, it would be nice if your friend
were to help everyone by volunteering as
event crew. Please have your
friends and family members
contact us and we will do all
we can to insure that they have fun, as
well. |
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Q: |
Can I bring
my friends and family to the finisher party
even if they didn't run or volunteer?
Do they have to be Club Fat Ass members? |
A: |
Friends and
family are absolutely welcome and no,
they do not have to be Club Fat Ass
members. (They should consider
joining for the provocative t-shirt,
though, even if they are couch potatoes.) Please be sure to specify
how many guests you will bring with you
on your registration form.
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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. Best you plan to show up at the
party! |
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Q: |
How accurate
is the course marking? |
A: |
There is no
course marking. We've measured the
course twice with a Nike Triax
pedometer, so we feel the distance is
quite accurately measured. |
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Q: |
When will
the 'official' results be available? |
A: |
We hope to
have the results up on the
website within 48 hours of the finisher party.
We will also distribute the results to
major local and national ultrarunning
communities. |
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