2012 - Year 19 - Vancouver New Year's Day Fat Ass 50 Run and Freeze Your Fat Ass Swim - Results

One of the advantages of participating in a run you organize is that you get to meet some great new people and catch up on what's new with your old pals.   I always look forward starting this run dead last.  If I'm in any kind of shape, it allows me to weave my way up through small groups of enthusiastic runners and see the event from their perspective.  I thought it would be fun to take the reporter's question to some of the people I ran with this year.

Here are some of the reasons why folks made the effort to show up in Stanley Park on New Year's Day in 2012:

• For Todd, the answer was simple:  He had to!  His resolution was to run an ultramarathon in each month of this, his 50th year.
• For several of the 2012 starters, it was to kick off the new year with their first ultra.
• Many participants had heard about Club Fat Ass and had resolved to start the new year by checking-out a new tribe with a bit of a reputation.
• For most, however, the simple reason was to celebrate the beginning of a new year with a fun run.

This year saw just short of 100 people sign-up and show up.  While it is considered nobler to show up and run what one can than stay at home in bed, most starters chose to attempt the 50-kilometer distance.  There were no takers for breaking Tim Wiens' record of running the course twice (100K).  Of note, however, was that the husband and wife team of Ran and Gili completed 100K, and David Crerar (the guy in the kilt) completed the last marathon of 2011 a few hours before starting the 50K.

With temperatures in the 6-8C range, partially cloudy skies, no ice and minimal wind, we were blessed with "shorts weather"!  Looking back on the 19 (not 18, as I announced at the start) year history of this event, veterans of the Vancouver NY Day FA50 will agree the weather was about as good as it has ever been.

Here are some of my observations about this year's event:

• First time I can recall where someone showed up with a baby stroller (Congrats Ali, John and Ama)
• First time we had 2 people running in skirts (Alanna in her silver mini and David in his kilt)
• Arthur sporting a big Dr. Seuss hat (What about the wind resistance, Arthur?)
• Despite the threats, the Coquitlam crew did not wear tutus (Something to consider for the 20th anniversary run next year!)
• Kristie and Gary's positive attitudes regarding 2012 in light of a crappy 2011
• Some new years revelers where still staggering home at noon
• The thoughtful, handmade sighs of encouragement on Point Gray Road
• Pete of the Coquitlam crew, who spent his day driving the sag wagon
• There were bald eagles in the trees near Jericho Beach
• The loud noise out near Spanish Banks came from a passing hovercraft
• I had my first birthday balloon sighting of the year (just off Admiralty Trail near Salish)
• I was able to find and share the Model T tire that has a tree growing through it (It is on the course.  Tell you where for a beer!)
• First 50K male finisher, Dario, kissing the fire hydrant in 3:48 and first woman, Allison, for her 4:24.  (Sammy, sorry I missed you break your own record of 20 minutes in the ocean for the swim part of the event. I hope you found the boys this morning!)

If you participated this year, I'd love to hear from you about what you found to be neat and interesting. Also, any particular reasons why you chose to toe the line in this event on new year's morning.  Please share by clicking on "Add new comment" below.

Some final thoughts:

• One day amnesty on logging your 2012 New Year's athletic resolutions.  (Counts for the contest if they are in before Jan 3)  
• Check Global News and CTV news to see yourself on TV!  (Did anyone find a streaming video link?  If so, pls share in a comment.)
• A housekeeping note for you:  Please email me if I missed or screwed-up your time/distance or missed awarding you points for picking up trash.  Please also tell me how I did by completing the Club's Post Event Survey. 
• A housekeeping note for the Club: I need to make sure everyone who participated and was recognized was a bona fide Club member.  If you haven't signed up for your 2012 CFA membership in CFA yet, please join at so you don’t have to wear a patch over one eye and talk pirate talk at the next Club event

A great, big "thank you" to Norco and Kintec for the draw prizes, to Ron Adams for the Cliff bars, to Sibylle for all of her help on the admin side and to the Mosquito Creek Grill for the free beer.