Urban Vancouver

Saturday Morning Runs

By Turtlepace on October 1, 2005 - 12:14pm

I can't remember how many years Pat and I have been running together on Saturday mornings. It probably started with a marathon clinic after my son Erik was born 7 years ago.

The clinic day and time didn't fit our schedules. Pat attends mass Sunday mornings and I would like to have my run done and over with by 10:00am to be able to spend the day with my family. The clinic was Sunday morning at 9:00am... needless to say, after the 18 week clinic and finishing the marathon (Pat's first and my first AC - after children) we started meeting on our own terms, usually Saturday morning, as early as possible, depending on the daylight hours, the distance we were training for and our general energy level.
Locations vary. First we'd alternate between Stanley Park, Pacific Spirit Park, Southland and the beaches. Eventually, my family moved to the North Vancouver and now it seems we almost exclusively run on the rugged trails of the North Shore mountains.

Pat and I are slow runners. We have done a number of marathons and a few ultras, but we are end of the pack slowpokes taking in the scenery, stopping to look at a woodpecker, an owl, wildflowers, the rushing waters below a canyon bridge, helping lost hikers, collecting trash...you get the picture. Our runs are relaxing, no stress, no pressure. If one of us has a bad day, the other sticks with her and adjust the pace. We are however religious in keeping our planned runs. If we plan a run, you can count on us being there. Torrential rains, snow, ice, no sleep - it doesn't matter. We are committed!

Over the years, I invited other slowpokes along. Often, they join us a few times, sometimes folks express the desire to run with us, but in the end other commitments get in the way and it is just Pat and I again.

Today, was an exceptional day. I had invited a new Club Fat Ass member, who felt she hadn't trained enough to come out to our events. I also had mentioned time, distance and start location to my neighbour and another friend. It is always an open invitation to join Pat and me on our slow, peaceful runs and today 5 of us showed up to do the Night Run course. Definitely a record in numbers.

The morning dawned misty and moist, but the forecasted rain never materialized. The trails in Capilano Canyon were magical, fog hanging between the trees, rays of sunlight fighting their way through the canopy of the rain forest, coloured leaves floating down to the
forest floor. The air smelled earthy and fresh.

The Night Run course is my favoured run, both for its distance and terrain. From my house it cuts west through residential neighborhoods and green ways to hook up with Capilano Park. Capilano Canyon always changes. Today, the water from the heavy rain we had a couple of days ago, was rushing over the rocks, making it difficult for the spawning salmon to fight their way up river.
The trails parallels the canyon for a few kilometers, undulating, but steadily loosing altitude and eventually descending to the river bank. Down here the water flows quieter, slower. The river is wide and will empty into Burrard Inlet just a couple of km further south. My route, however, veers eastward, hooks up with another trail system and eventually follows Mosquito Creek north back to my house. A perfect loop for a perfect run and for perfect company on the trails today. I hope Pat, Michelle, Gabi and Louise enjoyed it as much as I did.