December 2015

December 2nd:  On Wednesday night, it was one of the best nights of the year to run due to the warm air and breeze – it was 10 C! – and no rain.  The only drawback was the darkness but we can live with that.  Flora, Larry and Alex were in shorts and Flora had her Santa hat too, and with Cheryl and Libby took advantage of the spring-like conditions to do the Eastlake, Underhill, Forest Grove route back to Cameron Centre.  We did hillwork (or was it hellwork?) by going up and down Underhill three times each.  As Libby says, now that we have shown we can do it, we can aim for more (really?).  Time of run was 1h 22, distance 8.4 km.  Good work and an enjoyable time outdoors.                          

                                                                                                                           

Larrytheyounger (for Bobtoc, whose ”interweb” is on the blink)   

December 5th:  On Saturday morning, we were fortunate that we got our runs done before the heavy rain started.  It was mild and mostly good weather as Rod, Len, René and Larry set out.  Rod and Len did the Forest Grove loop, distance 7 km, time 1h 05.  Larry and René did the complete circle of the Burnaby Lake trails, which are in really good shape at this time, distance 13.5 km, time 1h 30.  (No Santa hats were worn due to the threat of rain : (  but we hope we can wear them soon!)                                                                                                                    Larrytheyounger   

Laurie, Anna, Jordan and Edie participated in the Ugly Sweater Run on an Ugly Weather Day.  The rain came down, & the puddles rose up but no wind blew so the three intrepid Cruisers finished the run and enjoyed coffee and a cookie after our run but no beer.  

We met the Bush Tits there.  

They won beer for their costumes!

December 7th:  On Monday night, it was a bumper crop of Cruisers who turned out!  Cheryl and Alex wore their Santa hats while Rod, Edie, Laura, Eoin and Flora came in their rain gear.  The rain held off in the beginning as the seven set out walking at 6:42 to the bottom of Cameron, except for Eoin who ran ahead.  Once on Eastlake, Alex, Cheryl, Flora and Eoin ran while Rod, Laura and Edie walked.  The seven mixed it up with different Cruisers along the Forest Grove loop,  until they met a Japanese home stay student who was lost on Forest Grove Drive.  She arrived from Japan on Sunday and was lost in the dark on Monday.  We looked up the address on GPS and the seven of us walked her to the door on Ash Grove Drive before continuing on our way back to the centre.  On the way back to the centre, the rain was coming down so Santa hats had to be stored.  One of these times we'll be able to wear hats and lights.  It can't rain every day until Christmas, can it?  Time out was 1h 30 due to our detour and almost 7k.

On Saturday, Alex ran the wettest race of his life at the Gunner Shaw Memorial Run - 5k in 33 minutes, excellent time for running through water and mud, partially on sand and in the pouring rain.  A 17 year old won with a time of about 17 minutes - hard to imagine in those conditions (or any conditions).   Way to go Alex and glad to hear you didn’t drown! 

Thanks to Edie for the report and to the group for their good deed.    

December 9th:  On Wednesday evening, the Cruisers luckily avoided the rain somehow as Rod, Alex, Larry, Libby, and Rachel set out to do our usual dark evening run along Eastlake, Underhill, Forest Grove and ya know the rest of the way back to the Centre.  Rod and Rachel jogged most of the way, doing about 7 km in a time of 1h 15 or so, while Alex, Libby and Larry did hillwork up Underhill, 3 times, and the trio did a bit more than 7 km due to the hills in a time of 1h 25 or thereabouts.  More importantly, due to the absence of rain, 4 of the 5 runners wore their Santa hats.  The message obviously is that if you want to be one of the cool kids, bring your Santa hat.  There is talk of using the evening runs to do Xmas light tours, as ‘tis the season.                                                            Larrytheyounger   

December 12th:  On Saturday morning, it was raining but not too hard (but no Santa hats ‘cause it was wet), as Rod, Larry and Flora turned up and walked the Stoney Creek trail to North Road, up the big effin’ hill to Chapman, then saw some newer houses behind a house on Chapman, so we went behind it and found another street, Nicola, which doesn’t have much of an entrance onto Chapman near Clarke Road, but anyway we walked to Clarke Road at which point Rod returned to the Centre, while Flora and Larry ran along Robinson to Como Lake Ave., from Guiltner to Regan to Porter Elementary, down Cornell Ave., a lap around the Como Lake trail, and back along Smith Ave. to North Road, down Casewell to Willoughby and back to the Centre.  Rod’s distance was around 5 km while Larry and Flora did 12 km in a time of 1h 50.  The two runners saw Barry on his way into the Centre and said hello.   

From Jennel:  Heather & Jennel met on Thursday morning on a RAINY, no correction on a POURING day!  We ran from our homes and met at “our corner” and ran two laps around Town Centre Park, then back to our homes.  Jennel had to dash under a tree as she was running up Parkway Blvd. as the rain was pounding down so hard!  But as we all say “Suck it up Princess!!”  All & all we both got in a 12-14 km run each.  Good to get back out on the road!!!  Rain or Shine:)                                    

December 14th:  One lonely Cruiser and her NDP (neglected darling puppy) came to Cameron in her dress Santa hat but alas no other Santas were there.   The two went for a short walk before returning home to eat xmas candy.  🎅🐶

Hi Everyone….pass this along to all…….The Rock & Roll Series is on SALE TODAY until midnight or until FULL

From Jennel: I’ve just registered for the Rock & Roll Vancouver Half Marathon October 23rd for $50.  Reg. $75.   Run off that turkey dinner!!! LOL  Hey, Edie, you should come do this one…..there’s FREE BEER at the finish line!!!

PS.  if you register, the tech shirts are awesome, but go a size bigger…they fit snug.  Well, they did last year.  Great Run…..No IPODS/Music needed….there’s a band every km….and a BIG Party / Concert afterwards!!!  Everyone is dressed up in all different kinds of outfits!  It’s a really FUN race!!!  I had to run it again!

Comes to $60.49 with all the taxes etc.

Awesome Bands along the route….it’s a fun RACE!!!

http://runrocknroll.com/vancouver

December 16th:  On Wednesday night, RA Edie with Cruiser canine April, Libby and Larry turned out to enjoy a non-precip but cold walk/trot, all in Santa hats.  Edie and Larry also wore Xmas lights which got quite a few reactions from passing motorists and pedestrians, 99% of which thought it was a great display of the spirit of the season!  (It was Rod’s idea!) Oh yes, we did the Forest Grove route from the Centre to Stoney Creek elementary, through the overpass, over the big effin’ hill then veered over to Shellmont, turned left at Meadowood and saw some of the Xmas lights that were on the houses.  Nice neighbourhood but maybe a few less houses were lit up than other years.  Distance 8.21 km, time 2h 01.      

December 19th:On Saturday nine Cruisers:  RA Edie with canine April, Eoin and  Laura, Flora, Larry, Len, Rene’, Rod and Bobtoc met at the Centre at 8:00  (more or less) on an overcast, +4C temperature, no precip morning, with Len, Larry and Rod in shorts,

hardy souls all.   Eoin, Edie and Bobtoc opted to walk while the others opted for a run.  The nine chose the Stoney Creek trail for their start, to North Road, north to Chapman Avenue continuing to Robinson St, then south, with the runners continuing to Ebert Ave to turn west leading back to the Centre; the three walkers turned west on Foster.  The nine in their separate groups continued into Sullivan Heights and from there to Willoughby Ave to Cameron Street, finishing at the Centre.  Time for the runners, 1:12 and for the walkers 1:30.  But Len was not finished yet.  After having cycled from his home on Kincaid St., after the run he cycled home again. 
 

December 21st: On Monday  Dec 21, eight Cruisers: Alex, RA Edie with canine April,  Eoin and  Laura, Larry,  Rod, Susan and Bobtoc met at the Centre at 6:30 on a cold but no precip, +2C evening.  The group’s destination and goal was to walk to Government Road area to sightsee Christmas lights.  The route was Eastlake, to Production Way to Government Road, then west to Piper Avenue then returning on the south side of Government Road back to Production way, north to Eastlake then east back to the Centre.  The group was underwhelmed by the lights on display; however the spirits of the participants were not dampened.  Time and distance, 1:40 and 7.6 km respectively.  Greetings and best wishes were exchanged for Christmas before departing for home.

In Coquitlam Monday, Jennel did a quick run up and down Parkway Blvd,  5 km.  A special Merry Christmas to Libby, and to all, a Merry Christmas, from Jennel.

December 28th: On Wednesday night it was coldish, about -2 C and curiously noticeably colder at Cameron Centre than it was along Broadway at Underhill, as noted by the attendees Larry, Rod, RA Edie and canine April.  Rod, Edie and April walked along Eastlake, up Underhill, along Forest Grove, cross the Gaglardi overpass and back to the Centre, their time 1h 30ish, distance about 7.5 km, while Larry ran (had to as he was wearing shorts) along Eastlake, Broadway, Arden/golf course to SuperValu and back the same way, distance 9.5 km, time 1h 05. 

From Jennel: On Monday afternoon, Jennel, Tony and daughters Anamaria & Sofia hiked the Coquitlam Crunch starting at Panorama, up to the top, then cut down the trail over to Bramble Lane, walked down, stopped in to see a fellow “Cruiser” (was it Terri-Lee?) to say Merry Christmas, but she was not home!  We then made our way to Panorama, turned down Noons Creek, up Sandstone Crescent then home!  A good hour!  No idea how long…maybe 5km!?!  Good walk!!!   Heather & Jennel will start training for the Full Marathon January 4th…when our kids are back in school!!!