Sunshine in September

What?

20km or 26km on beautiful, mostly single track trails just off the ferry terminal in Langdale on the Sunshine Coast
grand old trees and gigantic mushrooms
easy logistics with carpooling, walk on the ferry, run off the ferry and a lovely post run get together with super views on the ferry ride back
as close to a get a way in a day as you can get!

When and Where?

Saturday, 6 September (1nd Saturday in September)
Catch the 7:20am ferry for a 8:15am Start
Ferry Terminal in Langdale, British Columbia, Canada
See agenda for details on how to get there and course description

How Much?

Free for Club Fat Ass members (click here for current membership fee and benefits)
To keep hassles on the morning of the run to a minimum and allow your host to participate as well, we ask to please sign up for both, club membership and the event online and in advance.

Registration - Sunshine in September

Thank you for registering online and in advance.

This is a Club Fat Ass (CFA) event, so we adhere to CFA event management guidelines and privacy policy. Please complete the whole form. Your personal information is required in case I need to contact you... or your next of kin! Also, to make sure I spell your name right in the results. The other information helps me to plan any aid or post-event activities. Please help me to host a safer, better event by registering early and by notifying me if you can't make it. I'm constantly looking for ways to improve, so please share your thoughts or questions with me in the Suggestion Box below. After you click on "Submit" below, your registration details will be confirmed.

Berglind Hafsteinsdottir
Your Club Fat Ass Event Host

Results - Sunshine In September

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2007 Sunshine in September

8 September 2007 - Starter Photo

Running for the ferry on glorious Sunshine...

The Sunshine Coast lived up to its' name as we were greeted with nothing but glorious sunshine for the inaugral running of the Sunshine in September event. Sibylle, Craig and myself headed out on what can only be described as stunning day.

We met at the church on Taylor Way and, after sampling some of Craig's fresh homebaked choc-chip cookies (yum!), loaded into Craig's car for the quick drive to Horseshoe Bay. We were pleasantly suprised to find out that today was Faresaver day on BC Ferries - half price fares for everyone!!! - we paid our mere $5.40 for a return ticket, hopped on, sat back and enjoyed the views on the very short ride across to Langdale.

As expected, the trail was in perfect condition and we ran along enjoying our surroundings. We didn't come across another soul all day and the opportunities to pick up trash were really few and far between.

Reaching the clear-cut at almost 10km offered us the chance to take in the views down to Roberts Creek and across to Vancouver Island. Sibylle turned around at the 10km mark while Craig and I, after some quick calculations, decided we had enough time to complete the extra 6km loop and get down to catch the 12.20pm ferry. The additional distance was great - especially blasting down Red Baron trail - but time was of the essence and thankfully it was practically all downhill. We reached the terminal with less then 10 minutes to spare.

Thanks to Craig and Sibylle for coming out - you know we all set course records today!!!

Please click here for a slideshow of more photos.

Name	Distance	Time	Points
Sibylle	20km	3h 36m	3
Berglind	26km	3h 50m	3
Craig	26km	3h 50m	4
Rhonda	DNS		-1
Cheryl	DNS		-1
Sharon	DNS		-1

Until next year!

Berglind

Thanks - Sunshine In September

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If you'd like to support Sunshine In September and our guests in some way, we'd love to have you onboard. At the very least, we can promise you a place on this Thank You page! Please contact us with your thoughts on how you'd like to participate.

Contact - Sunshine In September

Please fill in the form below if you have:

questions about the event or the participants that are not answered on the event website
corrections to the website
recommendations for the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
comments and criticisms about the event

Looking forward to seeing you at the Sunshine In September

Berglind Hafsteinsdottir - Your CFA Event Host

Agenda - Sunshine in September

Best you print this and the course description off if you don't want to get lost! Go to the bottom of this page and click on "printer-friendly version" for best results

Saturday, 6 September 2008
06:00	Drag your fat ass out of bed. Check the weather. Be sure to print off this agenda and the course description!
06:45	Arrive at the St. David's Church at 1525 Taylor Way, North Vancouver, BC Canada. Check-in with Berglind and arrange carpool groups to Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal (share parking costs, less emissions, do good - feel good).
07:00	Drive into the Village and park in day parking area in front of ticket booth (cost per vehicle is approx. $10 for the day). Meet at the ticket booth (cost for ferry is $10.40 per person return and ticket sales close at 07:10am sharp!!).
07:20	Ferry sails to Langdale terminal.
08:00	Arrive at Langdale ferry terminal. Welcome and final briefing. Photo. Start.
10:30	First Finisher
12:20	Enjoy some goodies at the Wheatberry Cafe before boarding the 12:20pm ferry for Horseshoe Bay (next ferry leaves at 2:30pm).

Course

This is an informal, environmentally-friendly event. Be sure to print this agenda and the course description and bring them with you to the event as there are no flags, marshals or other directions. (I recommend you put them in a plastic baggie, as they will otherwise surely turn to mush.) Better yet, train on the course and bring the directions.

Getting to the Start

CARPOOL MEETING PLACE: St David's Church, 1525 Taylor Way, North Vancouver

Drive north (toward the mountains) along Taylor Way. Follow signs for Hwy 1 West. Take the left turn as if to go west on Hwy 1 but instead of going straight, take an immediate right turn onto Westcot Rd. The church is right on the corner. Park and meet to arrange carpools.

HORSESHOE BAY FERRY TERMINAL:

Head west along Hwy 1 as if going to Squamish. Follow signs the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal. Don't get into the ferry line-up! Instead, follow the Village signs down to a set of traffic lights (be in the right lane at the lights). Take the first right after the lights and right again to enter the parking lot. Find a spot. Pay the fee. Meet at the ferry ticket booth.

The start and finish is at the ferry teminal in Langdale, BC Canada.

What to Bring?

bring your own aid (if you don't know what that is, better wait another year)
bring your own official timing system (a watch will do, even if the second hand doesn't work)
bring some change for parking for your carpool driver
there's no cost to enter if you're a member of Club Fat Ass, but bring a few bucks to pay for parking, the ferry and treats at the cafe

Notes

it's not a race, but we do keep track of your times so you have something to compare to next year
we hope everyone will run the same course, but won't disqualify folks for getting lost and running extra distance
this event is not sponsored, sanctioned, permitted or anything else that would qualify it as an official event
it's pay parking at the terminal - approx. $10 per car per day - the machines take credit cards.

Backgrounder - Sunshine in September

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In January '07, I met up with a group of friends to go mountain biking on the Sunshine Coast. I had heard some really good things about the area and was excited to explore new trails. We lucked out with the weather and the trail conditions were perfect.

The trails in this area are some of the best I have ever seen! Not nearly as technical as the North Shore but not 'boring' like Stanley Park trails. It's a perfect mix of smooth undulating singletrack, smooth steep climbs, smooth decents.... it's just smooth!

After the ride, I immediately decided this would be a great place to host my first CFA event. I've since plotted out a 26km course that I hope will showcase some of the best the Sunshine Coast has to offer.

See you in September!

Course - Sunshine in September

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Time	Sunshine In September Course Description Photos available here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/berglindhafsteinsdottir/sets/72157601586283524/	Km
08:15	Reference Point - Langdale Ferry Terminal - Start / Finish
08:30	Start. The yellow fence by the washrooms once you exit off the ferry (left exit). We'll give the cars a few moments to unload from the ferry and exit the terminal area.	0.0
	Run along the pedestrian paths on the left (keep the car line-ups on your right), past the arcade, market stalls, Wheatberry Cafe and washrooms.
	Turn left just after the washrooms, through the fence and right out onto the road.
	Follow the road out to the highway where you'll make a right turn. Head to the traffic lights - please take care when crossing! Cross the lights twice to end up 'kitty-corner' to where you were.
	Follow the highway up-up-up! This is approx. a 3km hill along the highway; it is the only stretch of road on this run and makes a nice warm-up. The shoulder is nice and wide but please take care along this section.
	At approx 3km there's a fork in the highway - take the right fork and run up the short hill to a gravel parking lot. Turn right at the parking lot and about 20m down the road you'll see a trailhead on the left - take this trail.	3.0
	After about 150m there's a junction, turn left following the orange and white trail markers.
	Another 400m up this trail take a left again and continue to follow the orange and white markers.
	There's a trail sign after another 50m - Lower Flume - follow this to the left and take a quick right onto Upper Flume.
	There's another junction after 200m - go right to Upper Trails, SideWinder. Then take a quick left 20m later and follow the blue and white trail markers.
	Go right after another 400m onto Ridge Trail (blue markers) and across the Gibson Creek Falls bridge. You'll cross under 3 trees and over 2 trees, continue straight at the junction and over 1 more tree.
	You'll come across a 'Caution Drop Off' sign - stay right to avoid the drop and continue straight and up the hill.	5.0
	At the top of the climb follow the blue arrow painted on the tree - middle trail option. After 50m go straight following the Highway 102 signs.
	After 150m note the white arrow pointing right follow this across the bridge and up 6 crude stairs.
	Continue along Highway 102 trail (blue markers) for 1.5km. You'll go down a steep, short downhill and at the first junction turn right and continue up along the Highway 102 trail.
	You'll notice a clearcut through the trees on your left but don't be lured by this unless you want to check out some seriously huge mtn bike stunts!! Take the right trail at the clearcut junction - we've almost finished climbing - and you'll come to a gravel road.
	Reference Point - gravel road at approx 9.5km	9.5
	Turn right on the gravel road and continue along for 70m until you reach a small parking area. Take the trail on the left - Highway 103
	Climb easily for some time (approx 700m) and take the left at the first junction - Highway 103. Cross over a large log 5m after the junction and enjoy the nice trail.
	Take another left at the next junction (after about 1km) onto Red Barron trail (note the interesting plane trail marker - up on the tree to the right). Enjoy the steep but super-fun down!!
	The Red Barron spits you back out onto the gravel road. Turn left at this point and head up the road.	12.5
	The clearcut will be on your right so keep following this gravel road until you reach the trailhead for Highway 102 (it will come into view shortly after the clearcut is replaced by trees on your right).
	Head right and down back onto Highway 102 and begin retracing your steps back to the ferry
	Stay left at the clearcut junction and keep heading down the hill.
	Take the left trail at the next junction and go up the steep but short hill - Highway 102
	At the top of the hill, continue right along Highway 102 (blue markers) for about 1.5 km and you'll end up at the 6 crude stairs and bridge. Once across, head left.
	Continue along Highway 102 and take the left trail at the the drop off sign (which you won't see because it's facing the opposite direction)
	Go over 1 tree, continue straight at the junction and cross over 2 trees and under 3 trees. Cross the Gibson Creek Falls bridge and along the Ridge Trail. Go left and down off the Ridge Trail.
	Follow the blue and white markers for 400m, take a right onto Upper Trails / SideWinder, then a quick left onto Upper Flume.
	There's another junction after about 200m, go left then a quick right onto Lower Flume
	Go about 50m and turn right to follow the orange and white trail markers for the next 400m. Turn right again and continue following the orange and white markers.
	After about 150m you'll pop out into the gravel parking lot at the top of the road highway. Go right and left when you reach the paved road.	23.0
	Head down the road til you reach the intersection and make a left to follow the highway down-down-down to the ferry (you'll be travelling on the shoulder and against the flow of traffic).
	Keep heading downhill to the traffic lights - please take care when crossing! Cross the lights twice to end up 'kitty-corner' to where you were.
	Head through the last gate on the right and onto the pedestrian path on the right (keeping the car line-ups on your left).
	Go straight for another 30m until you reach the Wheatberry Cafe - This is the finish!!	26.0
	Meet up with your friends and enjoy some delicious goodies at the Wheatberry Cafe Washrooms available on the right, next door to the cafe. Thanks for coming out and congratulations on completing the inaugral Sunshine in September run!

FAQ - Sunshine In September

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Q:	I've never done a trail run before. Is this a good place to start?
A:	It's a toughie, but if you can run a 1/2 marathon on the road and are comfortable carrying your own food and water, you should be good for this run.

Q:	Do I need to print off course instructions and bring them with me?
A:	Yes. Otherwise, we guarantee you will get lost!

Q:	What if I get lost?
A:	You shouldn't get lost! Follow the route directions. If you do feel you are lost, ask a mountain biker or backtrack to the last place you saw a runner.

Q:	What if I have to heed the call of nature.
A:	There is a public washroom at the start/finish at Langdale Ferry Terminal. If you have to go on the trail, be discreet, do your business at least 10 meters from the trail and bury anything solid at least 10 cm deep.

Q:	What should I bring on the day?
A:	Please check the agenda for thoughts

Q:	I am supposed to be self-sufficient because there is no aid provided. Can I get a friend to come out and give me food and drink along the route?
A:	Absolutely! In fact, it would be nice if your friend were to help everyone. See aid stations and crew for some thoughts on what they might be able to do.

Q:	Where can I park? Where can I change?
A:	I would encourage you to park at the church on Taylor Way and carpool to the ferry or, if you are running late/already have a full vehicle, park at the Ferry parking lot at Horseshoe Bay (see agenda for details). There is a public washroom at Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal, on the ferry, and the Langdale Ferry Terminal. Unfortunately I haven't found anywhere to store a change of clothes in Langdale so we may have to wait until we reach Horseshoe Bay.