2010 - Year 9 - Capilano Midsummer Night Run

21  August 2010 - 34 participants

Report: My wife and I apparently have quite the reputation in our neighborhood.  This point was made clear recently when a friend got lost trying to find our place and stopped to ask someone for directions.

While running is certainly popular, it's still not uncommon to hear a non-runner refer to anyone who runs as being "crazy."  As a beginning runner, I admit I thought anyone who ran the marathon distance had to be a bit nuts.  As a marathoner, I thought those who ran on trails were a bit odd but nowadays trail running is almost trendy.  That said, even very experienced runners think running in the night is a bit loopy.  

Word of the Capilano Canyon Night Run appears to have spread throughout our quiet, suburban neighborhood faster than the latest funny cat video on YouTube.   We have clearly been pegged as being members of the lunatic fringe.

The 9th anniversary of the Midsummer Nights Dream version of the night run attracted 34 like-minded runners from the fringe of the running community.  Several were new members to the club.  Many had never run in the night before.  Two particularly whacked participants (Terry, Bradley, you know who you are) decided to toe the line of this night run without the benefit of a headlamp or written course directions.

After starting in our driveway, runners soon split off into 12K and 18K distance groups.  Sibylle lead the 12K group,while a pack of fast dudes eying the course record bolted to the lead of the "competitive" group.   Here's a brief summary of the adventures over the next 90 minutes:

• It was a warm summer evening with a hint of humidity.  There was a threat of rain, but none materialized
• losts of rustling in the bushes.  Much talk of bears and cougars.  None were seen by the participants, although neighbor Caroline saw a big, burly black bear on the course at about 10:00.  There were two (2) confirmed skunk sighting and someone almost stepped on a mole.
• a great aid station at the 2/3 point, complete with cookies, chips and gobs of encouragement.  “Thank you!”, Ron and Alaia.
• some clowning around on construction equipment reported on the course.  (‘Thought that bridge was repaired last year?)
• some bushwhackiong and creek crossing in the Mackay Creek canyon.  German visitor swears to never trust the locals again.
• Our garden hose shower proved popular.  Warm water went to those who got there first.
• Hundreds of little and our Christmas lights provided a romantic stage for the party in the garden

As always, the potluck garden party was a big hit.  This years' buffet selection included:  pulled pork sandwiches, veggie gyoza, terriyaki chicken wings, fritatta, cheese platters, cornbread and prawns topped off with so many deserts (garden rhubarb crisp, Tiramisu and Nanaimo bars) we had to find another table to put them all on!

Thanks to Trail Runner magazine, the person with the nastiest-looking wound, the youngest participant, the one who traveled the farthest, the most experienced Cap Canyon Night Runner and the runner with the best story to share all received free subscriptions.

Many thanks to everyone who contributed to this "crazy" celebration of good friends, good food and great fun. Many thanks also to Alaia for checking everybody in and helping at the aidstation and to Ron Adams for sacrificing his run to host Aid Station Adams.

See you in February for the Mardi Gras version!

Sibylle and Ean
Co-Hosts of the Capilano Canyon Night Run

Lost and Found.  Please contact us if you left something behind.  So far we found a red CFA shirt from 2004 (rare specimen and we might auction off ;-) - Craig, you listening?), a shirt and several socks, a glass pie dish, plastic pot, metal laddle, several plastic containers as well as a camping chair.

Photos.  Photos of the evening are posted in the slideshow below:

Please add your's to the CFA Flickr group tagged with CapilanoNightrun2010 CapilanoNightRun ClubFatAssEvents2010 ClubFatassEvents. They will automatically be added to the link above.

Times and Points.  If your time is not correct or if you picked up trash and didn't get credit, please be sure to let me know.

Post Event Survey. Please fill out the brief post event survey here. Your event hosts appreciate your feedback.

Results

* Bonus Point for garbage collection
** Event Host Point
*** Bonus Point for good sportsmanship

**** Club membership needs to be updated!