Big Rock Runners

Friendship Run

Thu, 10 May 2012 11:45:00 +0000

"Folks, the 10th Annual Friendship Run is only a few days away but need to update you on a few things, here goes........

As always, our volunteers came through and we have more than enough. A very sincere thanks to the following good people:

Peter Bell......................First Aid Station

Bruce Nickle .................Driver

Sandra Mitic ..................Driver

John Mackillop...............Lead Biker

Eric Toombs...................Sweeper (final biker.......when Eric arrives the Run is officially over)

Judy................................(will ask John to pick a location where you can direct oncoming runners)

Joan Giguere..................junction of Burnco Road and Highway # 7

Willemien Brinkhof......... junction of Burnco Road and Highway #7

Ed Hope.........................Assisting runners cross 32nd enroute to the Bridge, then proceed ahead of runners to other critical intersections)

Thanks to Bruce Campbell we have additional volunteers for the High River area, greatly appreciated.

In the event additional volunteers come forward we will utilize them at road juctions, especially crossing over to the Bridge enroute to the Burnco Road. Would also be nice to have another biker or two.

A few things to remember:

1/ VESTS

Sandra, please let me know if you can once again acess vests for all volunteers

2/ TRAFFIC CONTROL

Volunteers are NOT to slow down/stop ongoing traffic whatsoever. Your role is to make eye contact with each runner, make sure they are hearing you as you "coach" them across the highway as they approach dangerous interesections/crossings. For example, the most dangerous location is crossing Highway # 7, this is where Wilemian and Joan must control the runners, NOT the traffic.

3/ BIKERS

All bikers must bike on the left hand side of the road, same as the runners.

4/ DRIVERS

Please keep an eye on all runners, I expect many will be wanting to leap frog the route as we proceed.....yours truly being one of them. Any runner needing assisitance, or a ride, should get the attention of a volunteer who in turn will contact a driver.

5/ 8:30 GATHERING

Please be at the Triplex by 8:30 to stretch, sign the waiver, etc. At 8:45 we will have the picture taking, then last minute safety concerns addressed.....at 9:00 sharp the Run will commence. (P.S.......if there is a photographer in the group please get back to me)

6/ FIRST AID

Peter has advised that the First Aid Station is approximately at the same distance as past years so gauge yourself accordingly.

7/ CARLSON's CAFE.......................RELAX AND ENJOY

Let's try to support Carleson's Cafe, they are putting on a Runner's Special for $10.00 so try to remember to take a bit of money with you. For the early finishers please try to hang in there until the very last participant arrives for a Big Rock cheer

8/ FINAL PUSH

Let's each and every one of us remember to try to all bring at least one non club member......if we all are successful in bringing a new face on Saturday it will be a super successful day.

I want to take the opportunity to sincerely thank John Mackillop as he has done so much to make the 10th Annual come together......even built a bridge for us!!!!! So hope to see you, and friends, come out on Saturday........looks like the weatherman may be on our side. See you soon, run safely."

Norm

(cell) 869-4122

(email) Norm.Brennand@gmail.com

Running in Brandon, Manitoba

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:10:00 +0000

Never Say Never!!

Last weekend, we were in Manitoba celebrating my parents 50th anniversary. On Saturday morning, I did something that I never thought I would do. I went for a run with my sister and two of my nephews. Kathryn signed up to run the Rick Hansen Relay and joined a group of colleagues in a 5km "Learn to Run'. She needed to run on Saturday and we convinced our 14 and 20 year old nephews to come with us. We had a great morning. The boys did not run very far with us because they were much faster but they were always happy when my sister yelled that the running interval was finished!! I even convinced them to run one of the intervals backwards!! Teenage boys are so pliable!! We run around the Ducks Unlimited reservoir and had a really great morning. Bruce, being the great running support person that he is, had coffee and Tim Bits for us when we were done. My sister has completed her leg of the relay and is committed to continuing to run until the 5 km. I am very proud of her!!

My family has always been very supportive of my running but I never thought that I would ever run with any of them.. In the words of the great Canadian song writer, Justin Bieber, "Never Say Never!!"

Ruth

PS If anyone is planning on going to Brandon, Manitoba, make sure you take your running gear!! They have a 20 kilometer bike/running path that goes throughout the city!

Croom Zoom - January 15, 2012 by Wayne Gaudet

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:25:00 +0000

What a surprise it was to determine on the eve of the Croom Zoom that the first purchase we would have to make in Florida would be mittens. The early morning temperatures were predicted below freezing. So off we went to Wal-Mart on an emergency glove hunt. We were pretty happy to find not only gloves but what a deal two pairs for $1.40.

Saturday mornings six o’clock start didn’t disappoint us either as we had to scrape ice off the windshield. At race start the temperature gauge read 28F, I was very grateful to have brought a wind shirt as I had not planned on cold weather & didn’t even have a long sleeve shirt to start in. I was a little cool at the beginning but very happy with my new mittens. The race is run much like the Blackfoot Ultra (25k, 50k, and 100k) with out all of those pesky hills. The first stage of the race was a 2.2ish mile loop followed by six slightly under 10 mile loops to bring the total distance in at 100k. I started out with a group of six before we had finished the first little bit two young guys pulled away leaving me with three young gals. The girls were happy to follow me for about 10 more miles in the dark but at sunrise we were passed by another couple which didn’t sit so well with my early morning companions so they to passed me & gradually pulled away for the duration of the first loop.

On the second loop I caught up with one of my earlier girls, Krystle Martinez a perky 26 year old chiropractic student from Miami. She was running pretty well & I assumed she was in the 50k but I soon learned she was the reigning female winner in the 100k. She stayed with me for about 5 miles but fell off the paced as I don’t think she liked the cool morning air. At that point in my mind I had the two guys in the 100k in the lead, next was the couple that passed us fairly early then the two girls that I knew were in the 50k. So I put myself in third place in my mind finishing lap two.

I had stripped down to just a shirt for lap two as the weather had started to warm up with the morning sun. The next two laps went pretty much as planned. I was not passed by anybody but was occasionally passing other runners in the 25k, 50k & 100k races. Lap five was a little more problematic as what started out as flat terrain was now beginning to have hills the size of small mountains. The ground is also fairly sandy which makes it a little disconcerting for a prairie boy like me to run on. I had thought I could run a possible PB with the terrain & it being at sea level but that illusion was crushed on leg five & six as I started to realize even ten hours may not be in reach.

As I left for my final lap the time keeper told me that there were only two in front of me. From the very early on up until that point in the race I hadn’t been passed by anybody so I decided in my mind to run the last lap as though I was winning the race & I ran determined not to be reeled in by anybody that was behind me. I was pretty happy with my lap & again was not passed or lapped from behind. I crossed the finish line at just over 10 hours (10:00:30) felling pretty good about my last lap & my third place finish. The organizers came up & congratulated my on the race & gave me a trophy. I thought it was for the first old geezer but it read 1^st overall. Thinking that I was in third I tried giving it back for the guys in front of me, but much to my surprise I was told that there was nobody in front of me & I had actually won the darn race. I must have looked pretty much stunned but I will say I had a great laugh at my earlier miscalculation as the two guys I had pegged in front must have been in the 50k race. The time keeper had a good laugh as well as he had been pulling my leg about the two guys. The next runner, David House came in at 10:29:52 & I was really happy to see my young chiropractic student Krystle come in at 10:56:03 to reclaim first prize for the women.

All in all it is a very well organized race on a beautiful single track course. I would highly recommend it to anybody that likes a smaller race in what I would describe as near perfect running conditions. I will probably not be able to go back next year, I would be really pleased if another Albertan or at least a Canadian went down to bring the hardware home again.

Wayne Gaudet

For pictures click here.

Wayne Gaudet has ACU record!

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 02:35:00 +0000

Bill McLeod announced on January 10, 2012 that the following result has been verified as a new Association of Canadian Ultramarathonners (ACU) record:

On September 23/24, 2011 Wayne Gaudet (55) from Alberta has run in Llandudno, United Kingdom a total distance of 206.230 km rl (128m 767y), with this record he is replacing the old record (since September 2010) of 202.114 km Ti (125m 1034y) on name of Bruce Barteaux, 55,from Ontario.

Number and awesome shirt pick-up

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 22:55:00 +0000

Gord’s Running Store, Friday, Sept. 2, 2011 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Classic Source for Sports, #321, 201 Southridge Drive, Okotoks, Saturday, September 3, 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Race Day, Monday, Sept. 5 2011 6:30 am to NO LATER than 8:00 am

Sheep River Road Race

Sat, 14 May 2011 16:45:00 +0000

The registration form for the Sheep River Road Race 2011 will be online soon!

What is the best running stride

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 17:45:00 +0000

Vic noticed this interesting article in the Globe and Mail, please click here.

Friendship run

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 12:02:00 +0000

Hi Folks,

Well, here's an update regarding next week's second attempt at our 9th Annual Friendship Run....there are NUMEROUS changes to the format and will attempt to explain why......we are basically using yesterday's canceled run as an opportunity to experiment next week then seek your feedback later whether we did the right move or not, so here goes:

ROUTE---will run the entire course in Okotoks, if successful next year we run the entire course in High River (no guarantee that we can acquire the necessary Provincial Road Permit in such short time if we run on the provincial highway next week and, without the Permit, our insurance is invalid))

Distance---10 KM in hope of attracting more runners.....despite telling people they can run whatever distance the Okotoks-High River loop intimidates some potential participants. We may even have two five KM loops to encourage those who want to get in only 5KM

Nil Fee/Nil times/Nil Registration/Nil Placings/Nil Pressure------that will always remain the same

Start Time-----10:00.......with a shorter route we simply get to sleep in, plus it makes it easier for our friends from Cochrane/Calgary

Start Point----the Okotoks Triplex ( We need washroom facilities)

End Point -----the Crystalridge Beach House (fortunately it is available Saturday morning but the next function is reserved for 1:00 so we have to be out of there by that time)

Not yet sure of the actual 10KM route, we will work that out over the next few days.....but it is still the Friendship Run which means, don't worry about it..... if you get lost for a bit we will find you....so simply follow the lead runner....if the lead runner runs too, too fast All Club Members simply won't talk to him/her for a month.

Free pizza will be served at noon sharp.

So we will still need a few volunteers but it will be much easier this time around, plus we will remove the "over 14" restriction so hopefully that will draw in a few more families.

There you have it, we'll talk later after the Run....a big factor will be the input we receive from our non-club members and if High River runners like the concept because next year we would be running throughout High River.

Please distribute these emails throughout....Kevin please spread the word throughout Cochrane for us...love to see you guys here. Bruce, do likewise in High River....thanks.

So I'll rebook the Beach House this morning, potential volunteers please get back to me because I know the new date may make some of you unavailable or perhaps with the shorter distance you may choose to run it.

Hope the many changes does not upset many of you but there were some other factors that needed to be taken into consideration......see you at the Tri-plex next Saturday for a 10:00 o'clock start.....much thanks for your support and understanding.

Last, but not least, PLEASE FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO A FRIEND.....WE ONLY HAVE 6 DAYS TO PROMOTE!!!!!!

Norm (cell 403-819-9967)

Friendship run cancelled April 2 2011

Sat, 02 Apr 2011 14:27:00 +0000

Due to weather conditions the friendship run had to be cancelled. The road condition were too dangerous for the runners and volunteers. The run will be postponed to next weekend. Further details will follow.

Jim and Patricia's big adventure.

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 20:41:00 +0000

This is a short story on the adventures of your roving president and his beautiful wife.

It all started innocently enough with the idea that we would go for a nice short run out in the desert of Arizona. We started out in a state park called usary park that had what appeared to be a great 7.5mi. loop around Pass mountain, we started with great enthusiasm and gusto, for the day was bright and sunny but not to hot. The path was well worn and wide (to start) and looked like it would be a great run. As we started the path continued to shrink in width and become more rocky, which was fine we weren't in a hurry just out enjoying the run on a beautiful day, as we continued the path started to climb and become even more rocky and uneven, but being Big Rock Runners it didn't seem to be to much of a challenge so on we went climbing higher, jumping over rocks and boulders, dropping quickly into wash's and then back up to great veiws and vistas of the Sonoran desert and the Goldfield mountains. This fun short little run continued on this way for the whole run with one climb and descent of 500 ft.over the pass. The continual concentration and up down of this run ended up being quite exhausting and in the end this short 7.5 mile loop took us 2hrs to complete, but it was one of the best and most fun runs that we have done.

Happy running everyone

Jim and Patricia

p.s I don't think this run will be in Runner's World as a rave run.