2004 - Year 11

 

 

The 11th annual Vancouver New Years Day Fat Ass 50 will go down in the record book as ‘the year of the big snow'. While most folks don't consider 10cm (4") of snow a 'dump', it's a lot for Vancouver and its not good news for the palm trees we pass by during the Vancouver Fat Ass 50 run.

The Californians didn't show. The person who registered from Tennessee was also nowhere to be seen. At least one person rolled out of a taxi straight from a New Years eve celebration. Ted from CTV was out with a camera crew to document the freak show for the evening news. More than half of the 64 runners from British Columbia and across Canada who did show up to kick the new year off with a little run and a dip in the Pacific were out for the first time. Gottfried in particular (see photos) hoped to shed a few pounds.

The event became affiliated with Club Fat Ass this year. In keeping with the guidelines for environmental-friendliness, there was no special course marking to assist runners through the tricky trails of Pacific Spirit and Stanley Park. Picture 60-odd people wearing numbers from their favorite race, laughing and falling over one another as they slide around icy corners while consulting written course directions. Most participants agreed to 'run friendly' for the first 20 minutes or so and got to know one another before finding their pace.

As the sun rose in the morning sky, the snowy mountains surrounding the city seemed close enough to touch. Fun run or not, Jim Swadling, Randy Hunter, Dom Repta, Dave Cressman, Andy Nicol, Matt Sessions, John McCrank and Scott Riddell were pushing an aggressive pace by the Burrard Street bridge at 10k. Ann Taylor, Ellie Greenwood and Catherine Yoell led the 21-strong women's field. Meanwhile, Gottfried showed the first signs of chafing.

Apart from the snow, the high point of this years event was the truly opulent buffet Mark Shorter offered at his beachfront aid station around 17k. There must have been a dozen varieties of sport drinks, bars and gels as well as real food ranging from chocolate brownies to bagels to chocolate and gummy bears. Our heartfelt thanks to Mark, a top finisher in 2002, and Keith Nichol of North Shore Athletics, for insuring that any New Years resolutions to loose weight would have to wait until another day.

John McCrank finished first overall and completed his first ultramarathon in 4:42. In keeping with Vancouver Fat Ass 50 tradition he kissed the fire hydrant and cooled off in the ocean. First woman to finish and 6th overall in 5:21 was Ann Taylor. After winning her age group in every distance running and snowshoe series in British Columbia in 2003, Ann was off to a great start to 2004. It was a bit surprising that, in one of the cooler years for the Vancouver Fat Ass 50, most finishers found the courage to jog down to the ocean for a quick dip before hitting the showers.

The post-event get-together at the Cactus Club Cafe went smoothly, despite the fact that we threatened to take over the place. Mark Shorter received a standing ovation for the best aid station in the history of the event. Mark and Cactus Club Manager Jason handed out prizes for the most lost (?...about 2km), the best bonk (2001 winner Randy Hunter who planned to go 25k, but changed his mind half way), the farthest traveled (sorry, Fred, ‘had to be present to win...and John, you're a BC boy even if you do live in London, Ontario), longest in the water (2.5 minutes. How's the shrinkage, ?) Finally, Fat Asses, friends and family in attendance voted hands down that Gottfried Grosser should win the fattest ass recognition for sporting the biggest buns and enduring the most chafing. How's it feel to be a poster boy, Gottfried?

Congrats to all participants and may 2004 bring you good health, happiness and prosperity.

Ean “Dho! Left My Water Bottle in the Truck” Jackson

Time	First Name	Last Name	Event
4:33	Dave	Cressman	Long
4:53	Bill	Dagg	Long
4:55	Tim	Wiens	Long
5:00	Jordan	Back	Long
5:00	Ellie	Greenwood	Long
5:03	Bob	Hermanutz	Long
5:08	Rainy	Kent	Long
5:08	Bill	Russell	Long
5:08	Gavin	Tansley	Long
5:26	Michel	Richard	Long
5:34	Desmond	Mott	Long
5:38	Ann	Taylor	Long
5:39	Carol	Holmes	Long
5:39	Celina	Kleinschroth	Long
5:39	Tom	Robertson	Long
5:40	Ron	Adams	Long
5:40	Gilles	Barbeau	Long
5:52	Sheldon	Boreen	Long
5:58	Rick	Arikado	Long
5:58	Al	Harman	Long
5:58	Glenn	Pace	Long
6:08	Tim	Lepard	Long
6:09	Iain	Edmonds	Long
6:09	Suzanne	Johnson	Long
6:23	Miranda	Alldritt	Long
6:31	Marcus	Nashelsky	Long
6:37	Gary	Robbins	Long
6:41	Sian	Echard	Long
6:41	Barb	Owen	Long
6:41	Cristina	schneiter	Long
6:42	Doug	MacKay	Long
6:42	Brian	Page	Long
6:48	Greg	Skerratt	Long
6:48	Peter	Stace-Smith	Long
6:48	Marie	Wheelhouse	long
6:48	Dan	Daoust	long
6:58	Tony	Gatner	Long
6:58	Dean	Gooch	Long
6:58	Alison	Marchand	Long
	Cheryl	Johnson	Long
3:05	Doug	Keir	25km
3:07	Mike	Perkins	25km
3:07	Sherri	Skerratt	25km
3:07	Ruby	Willis	25km
3:24	Patricia	Barry	25km
3:24	Sibylle	Tinsel	25km
3:31	Stephanie	Tatum	25km
?	Cheryl	Lynch	25km
1:45	Ean	Jackson	custom
1:45	Bob	Taylor	custom
5:31	Rob	MacDonald	custom
5:41	Gottfried	Grosser	custom
?	Valerie	Jenkinson	custom
1:03	Kevin	Harrison	custom - 12
1:15	Natascha	Berntsen	custom - 12
1:03	Catherine	Harrison	custom - 12 km
3:05	Owen	Davis	custom - 25
3:05	Keith	Nichol	custom - 25
	Terry	Lewis	custom - 25
2:30	John	Neels	custom - 30
2:30	Susan	Reynolds	custom - 30
3:05	Sukhbir	Pawa	custom - 33K
3:59	Richard	Vurdela	custom - 35
6:54	Linda	Hilts	custom - 46
6:54	Cheryl	Dumaresq	custom - 46
4:35	Mike	Ruhland	custom - Kits Beach
5:17	Cheryl	Zarecki	custom - to Aquatic Centre
5:30	Lenka	Urbankova	custom -to Aquatic Centre
?	Jeff	Garvin	?
?	Alison	Marchant	?
?	Sean	Rogers	?
	Iona	MacKenzie	DNS
	Rhonda	Schuller	DNS
	Lindsay	Sealey	DNS
	Julian	Allen	DNS