9th Fat Ass 50 Run

Vancouver, BC, CANADA, January 1, 2002

Results courtesy of the Fat Ass 50.

The ninth annual Vancouver Fat Ass will go down in the record books as one of the more weather-challenged events to date. Of the 36-people who pre-registered, half toed the line and half of those completed the full 50K.

At 8:15 when Mark Shorter and I drove across the Lions Gate Bridge, it was about 7 degrees. A spectacular Mount Baker was framed by a pink sunrise. It looked like we would be treated to an epic west coast New Years day.

CTV was on hand with a cameraman who couldn't quite understand why, let alone how, anyone could run 50K. (Several runner interviews made the 6:00 news!) Maureen Fitzgerald took the group photo, which will be posted to http://www.araucana.com/fatass/02_FA.htm as soon as it gets developed.

Meanwhile, Rob MacDonald, put cash in the credit card slot of the parking ticket dispenser at Brocton Oval. In the confusing moments that ensued, he locked his keys in the car. The run started after I mumbled some incorrect directions (my wife was worried that there might be more than 0.08 alcohol remaining in my bloodstream after a New Years wine tasting party!) leaving Rob fretting whether it be better to deal with the keys before or after the run

Some highlights of this years event:

· Rob MacDonald didn't get his keys back until 10:18, but he ran anyway, completed the whole 50K and almost caught the second-last finishers!

· Blair Miller participated as a race walker and completed his longest distance to date. He bailed at Kits Beach on the way back and took the bus toward Stanley Park. The bus route had been changed, however, and he only made it part way so he just about completed 50K anyway. Dho!

· Veteran fat asses Ron Adams and Mike Medland toughed out about an hour of running each despite painful injuries

· Dave Cressman ran from his home in Kits Point to the start, then ran the course back to his home becoming the first to complete the 50K distance. He was late for his 10:30 brunch appointment, just the same

· The flour used to mark the trails ran out in Pacific Spirit Park. Rain washed away what was on the ground, anyway. Several runners got lost. Cold and exhausted, Catherine and Michelle claim to have spent an extra hour of running in Stanley Park right near the finish. Newbie fat ass Mark Shorter helped organizer Jackson find the right trail more than once.

· the weather went from gorgeous to rain to monsoon over the course of the day. On the positive side, it did make for a fun muddy section along SW Marine Drive near the turnaround

· Jackson was the only fat ass to go for a swim. The water was cold and it took 20 minutes in the shower to repair the shrinkage

Imagine getting prizes for a run that didn't cost anything! Vicky Elsom (FA 50 finisher - 2001) couldn't join in due to a death in the family, but she provided very thoughtful identification tags for all 50K finishers. Mike Medland made sure everyone who participated in the run and came to the finishers banquet got a prize. Thanks, Vicky, Mike and adidads... you are setting a precedent that's going to be tough to maintain

Many thanks, as well, to Kevin Thomson, Jane Miller, Mick Maguire, Kelly Young and the cheerleader at Kits Beach. Kevin and Jane set up a huge buffet aid station on their front deck at Bayswater and Point Grey Road so runners could get runner food and drink on the way out and way back. Mick, Kelly and friends had just completed their own resolution run and were having a tailgate party in the rain when Mark and I came across them. (Crackers. Pate. And, ummmm... the Johnnie Walker worked miracles!) And to the unidentified woman in the costume at Kits Beach who had a "Way to go Fat Asses" sign and was jumping up and down cheering as we ran by... all I can say is "Wow!

Ean Jackson

2002 Vancouver Fat-Ass 50 Results

Name	Time	Place
Dave Cressman	4:42:10	1
Mark Shorter	5:15:16	2
Ean Jackson	5:15:16	2
Rob MacDonald	5:33:00	4
Leland Wakelin	5:38:09	5
Sam Robbins	5:59:10	6
Rebecca Marshall	6:05:03	7
Catherine Yoell	6:41:56	8
Michelle Medland	6:41:56	9

Michael Richard	47K - 5:13
Blair Miller	42K
Bill Dagg	32K - 4:00
Paul Quinn	21K - 2:15
Ernest Kroeker	20K - 3:00
Mike Medland	15K - 0:50
Janet Robbins	13K - 1:30
Ruth Grantham	13K - 1:30
Ron Adams	10K - 0:59

Jody Beers		?
Jen Winiarski		?

Total Starters: 18
Total Finishers: 9