Training Run – May 30, 2010

Rod was injured. Gilles was in Quebec enjoying true summer weather. Glenn had the opportunity to run 50K on the Juan de Fuca trail on Vancouver Island, but was going to miss it because he takes his commitments to you seriously. Given that I planned to drop in for my first Knee Knacker training run anyway (assuming the weather cooperated), I volunteered to cover for Glenn and prayed that it wouldn’t rain.

Here’s a brief summary of how things went from a pinch-hitting run leader:

Saturday: Late afternoon briefing by Glenn, complete with written instructions and a bottle of wine. I update Facebook to encourage friends to come out. Call from Glenn as noted by Kelsy, “Departure is 7:30, not 7:00.” Oops. I blame the wine.

Sunday:

6:45 – Looking like rain. Accepted the wine, so have to suck-it-up, buttercup. Sibylle drives me to Capilano Suspension Bridge.

7:15 – Cool, misty with black clouds over Lynn Canyon. Many familiar faces. I share the plan for a 3-5 hour “roll your own” run and how to sync-up car pooling. We decamp for Cleveland Dam at 7:35. Thanks again, Sibylle!

8:00 – About 40 runners assemble. Review that we’re sharing the trail with the Iron Knee race and that even I can’t get lost on the trail to Norvan Falls. Some opt to go to Deep Cove on Baden Powell anyway. I fall in with a friendly group of KneeKnacker newbies out for about 4 hours.

9:00 – We get our pictures taken by KneeKnacker photographers and confirm there’s nobody behind us. Shortly thereafter, we come across a woman in the race who has either broken or sprained her ankle. Two of the faster runners in our group have stopped to help carry her off the trail. Good on you guys! Sorry I didn’t get your names as you deserve a big “Thank you!” for sacrificing your run to help someone in need

9:30 – Carolyn tells me she’s lost a pal somewhere on the BP. Machray chugs down the trail en route to Deep Cove (and back) and takes some of our group with him. About 10 of us head up towards Norvan Falls. A handful keep going to the Haines Valley crossing for the first time. Saw a bunch of logging camp relics and chatted about lost treasures. We find Carolyn’s friend.

12:00 – Bounce a few tourists as we run across the Lynn Canyon suspension bridge. Meet up with faster group in the now-sunny parking lot and score a ride home. Funny how the car-pooling always works out, eh?

All accounted for. No known boo-boos. Some muddy shoes and wet feet. The run was almost exactly 4 hours for our 7-8 hour pace group.

“Rain, No Train” Jackson

P.S. Nice to meet all of you KneeKnacker virgins. You inspired me. Thank you!

P.P.S. Karen Chow has pictures here, Howard Ryujin has pictures here, David McKie has pictures here.