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Cypress Top Lookout to Deep Cove, 33 Km
Another stellar day for running across the North Shore, & nobody was taking it for granted. One of the largest turnouts of the season saw around 60 trail runners meet at the start of the Skyline trail on Cypress Mountain ready to set foot towards Deep Cove. Heck, there were more trailrunners in the line-up for the outhouses than there are at the start of most ultras!! One of the rituals of this run is the rather brief pre-run talk...courtesy of the only mosquitoes in the Lower Mainland. I thought a lot of people were waving "hello" but it turns out they were fending off the bugs in order to preserve their blood for the running task ahead. So off we went...it wasn't a smooth start as we worked out a few group bugs (pardon the pun). Within the first 20 minutes, a small group (11 or so...again, larger than most ultras start-lines) managed to briefly lose the trail courtesy of a very experienced veteran (NOT yours truly...really), & another runner suffered a sprained ankle. Luckily the sprain wasn't so severe as to be totally disabling, but it did cause the runner to opt for alternative methods to reach Deep Cove. The one major advantage of this trail, is that there are numerous options of getting out, but the possibility of injury really should underscore the importance of running with at least one other person. The weather was perfect...if not somewhat humid...& it was great to see groups of people enjoying themselves as they carried down towards Cleveland Dam. Once there, the real work started with the first real climb up Nancy Geene Way & the Grouse section to St Georges. Somewhere in that section, the clouds dissipated & the sun was out...fluids were consumed & the water fountain at the top of Mountain Highway was a hub of activity. With the trail in perfect condition, runners were having an easier time with footing & I saw some nimble footwork as people made their way through the Lynn Creek area. The section up through the Seymour Grind was made even easier thanks to the work done by various parties ...new bridges, mud removal, rock scaling, & (most recently...courtesy of Heather MacDonald's crew) windfall clearing. The Knee Knacker website states that once you're at the top of the Seymour Grind "..it's all downhill" to the finish in Deep Cove. Well, I'm sure that more than a few runners were wondering who stuck all that uphill stuff in between. If you want those final 2.5km from Indian River Road to Panorama Drive to go by a little easier, count to 9 - that's the number of bridges in that section (don't count the stair sections...what with all the new additions, I've lost count myself). Once over that last bridge, I know it's a short blast down the final trail section & onto those last steps...check both ways before crossing the road...then blast the final few meters to the finish area. Done. A few people were already soaking their legs in the cool ocean water, laying back in the grass, soaking up some sun, or deciding if a doughnut or two was in the immediate future. Personally, I woulda chose a doughnut while soaking in the ocean but my daughter decided that we needed to try the Grouse Grind that afternoon...but that's another story (thunder, lightning, & hail...oh my!). Rest well this week...more fun in store next weekend. If you haven't enjoyed the "new" start, then you are in for a pleasant treat...oh, & there's also the climb up Black Mountain...good times.
Glenn Pacé
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