Flash - Vancouver Christmas Fat Ass 50 K

The Christmas Fat Ass 50K started in cold, rainy weather. The organizers, Gilles (it was his idea) and Karl (only the messenger) got quite a scare when Ellie appeared at the start line. Gilles and Karl both had terrifying flashbacks of the punishment she inflicted on them during the Big Fat Ass 100K last spring. Fortunately she joined the fast boys, Tim and Bill, and was not seen again until that group, now accompanied by Ran, was headed back from the turn around. Penny ran to the start from her home in Edgemont, North Vancouver and turned around at the intersection of the Admiralty and Salish Trails and ran back from there. Chad started at his home near Trimble Street by Spanish Banks and ran to Brocton Oval where he joined Penny and the old, slow fat boys, Ron, John, Gilles and Karl. Ran joined the fast kids somewhere near Jerico and ran the Pacific Spirit Park portion of the course. The rain, while somewhat cold, made for excellent running. Unfortunately, the rain had turned into about an inch of cold, wet slush on the trails through Pacific Spirit Park making it impossible to complete that section without getting freezing water into shoes. Ron, proving that at least he was not slow, by this point had surged ahead of the slower pack. The return portion along Spanish Banks was against a strong headwind, but by this time the rain had mercifully stopped. Chad left the old, slow fat boys at Trimble and returned home, giving him a few bonus kilometers. By unanimous vote he only gets credit for 50K since he set a pace that the old, slow fat boys found somewhat challenging.

Results

Tim Weins	50 km	4:30
Ellie Greenwood	50 km	4:31
Bill Dagg	50 km	4:31
Chad Hyson	50 km	5:27
Ron Adams	50 km	5:27
Gilles Barbeau	50 km	5:44
John Machray	50 km	5:44
Karl Jensen	50 km	5:44
Penny Jakobsen	45 km	4:28
Ran Katzman	22 km	2:10

 

Hi Karl - I sent my time and my guess for distance to this e-mail. You didn't get it? Time was 4:28 and I after checking that it was 19.5 to the trail where I left you, I think it was at least 45k that I did. How was the rest of your run?

Big thank you to John - who stored my stuff in his vehicle and had a spare key so no cold waiting around at the end - really appreciate it especially on such a delightful Vancouver weather day! Karl, Gilles and all - hope your run was good - I was dead by the end so this may have put me off NY run (though running memories never last that long!)

I'll intercept you guys at ~10:15 at Jericho beach (east) and start my run from there.

Planning to do the 22 km out and back portion of the Pacific Spirit.

I'd love to join you, but we will be making our annual trek to Squamish to cut down our Christmas Tree together with the Montgomery Fat Asses.  I will run on the course on Sunday, I believe Craig will join me.

Count me in....

Probably will do less than 50, but was planning on a long run that day, so this will be perfect. See you there, with bells on....

The facilities at the start/finish at Brocton Oval are locked.  You'll surely appreciate them after a long run in the cold. You can get in if you ask someone who is leaving, but otherwise it's a bit of a pain in the you-know-what.

I have a pass key which you are welcome to use as long as you get it back to me before New Years Day.

As you will see, there have been a few changes to the trails in Stanley Park around Prospect Point and on the finish.  The return changes are for the better, Ellie.  Hopefully, you won't get lost anymore!  If anyone in the Christmas FA50 has a GPS, I'd sure appreciate it if you would validate the distances I have down on the course description.

I'd join you, but I plan to do the traditional thing and go back into the woods and cut down a Christmas tree that day.  Don't forget your Santa hats and jingle bells! 

 

I'm up for the 50km - will be a nice warm up for New Years - and who know's maybe I might not get lost for once :)

Craig is talking about a shorter, customized course so I'll come along too

I'm in. This will be a good last long run three weeks before my half and full Disney World marathons.