Love LoLo: Urban Train-ing

This is a beautiful run in the urban, industrial sense. The Lower Lonsdale neighbourhood is the oldest in North Vancouver, B.C.[known as LoLo] and contains an eccentric mix of heritage buildings, funky restaurants, a waterfront market, offices and working shipyards.

Lonsdale Avenue begins at the northern shore of Coal Harbour and goes up hill all the way to the mountains.

Start the run at the corner of Lonsdale and Esplanade, at the new Pier Hotel. Run down toward the water, behind the hotel where the original dock yards have been refurbished and made pedestrian friendly. You will pass by the partial hull of the ship Victory, the yellow yard crane and vintage trucks and rail spurs. Carry on out onto the pier and take in the views of the harbour across to downtown Vancouver.

Turn around and run back along the dock, the Washington group shipyard will be on your right, and follow the Victory Ship Way back up to Esplanade and head east. Esplanade merges to the right to becomes Low Level Road. You can run safely along the bike lane going with the traffic.

Right beside you will be rail cars lining the tracks that service the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool terminals above you.

The train cars are embellished with some incrediblly creative and colourful graffiti, so you can enjoy an al fresco gallery as you run.

What is really cool is when the trains are being shunted and are travelling along the track- you can do your speed work by running with the train and try and keep up.

At the lights at Third Street, turn around and head back on the same bike lane then merge onto Esplanade again until you get to the Pier Hotel.

Run Stats

Distance: 6 kilometres
Elevation: Flat except for slope at start

of Lower Level Road by the trains
Surface: paved road

Apres Run Refreshments

Bean Around the World:

156-123 Carrie Cates Court

Lonsdale Quay

Waves

93 Lonsdale Avenue (at 1st Street)

Copyright 2012 Kelly W all rights reserved

Stanley Park Seawall-The Run to Which All Others are Compared

You have not experienced a beautiful route until you run around Vancouver’s Stanley Park Seawall. This is the run to which I compare all other runs. Ten kilometres of seawall curve luxuriously around the park and along the shore with glorious views at every step. My photos do not do justice to the scenery that will be served up on your run.

I like to start at the Vancouver Rowing Club, the Tudor style building sitting over the water, at the park entrance. Head down to the seawall and go counter clockwise so the Coal Harbour marinas and downtown Vancouver towers are on your right. Around the first curve you will see H.M.C.S. Discovery, a naval reserve, and then the 9 o’clock gun with views up the harbour and over to the two convention centres and the cruise ship docks.

The next curve takes you around the Brockton Oval lighthouse and your views shift to the north shore of Vancouver and the Lions Gate Bridge ahead spanning the First Narrows. The neon yellow mountains in North Vancouver are piles of sulphur waiting for export and rising above them is Grouse Mountain.

The seawall continues passed the “Girl in a Wetsuit” statue perched in the water on the right. Lumberman’s Arch comes up on the left (note: bathrooms here) then the seawall winds under the Lions Gate Bridge. At this point you are on the wilder side of the seawall with wet, vertical rock cliffs beside you and West Vancouver’s Lighthouse Park in the distance.

The basalt stack of Siwash Rock sits just offshore and beyond is an incredible view of English Bay and the silhouettes of the Gulf and Vancouver Islands across the Strait of Georgia. In the fall and winter, when the wind and waves are up, you can be literally showered in spray as you run along this part of the seawall.

Past Siwash Rock is Third Beach with the Teahouse Restaurant above and then Second Beach with its pool jutting out in to English Bay. Hang a left here and pick up the Lost Lagoon trail which takes you back to the Rowing Club.

Or extend your ten kilometres to sixteen by continuing on the seawall past Second Beach and into the West End. You will run along English Bay and Sunset Beach until you turn around at the Burrard Street Bridge.

Run Stats

Distance: Approx. 10 km or 16 km if you go to the Burrard Street Bridge and back.

Elevation: flat

Surface: paved seawall with gravel trail around Lost Lagoon

Dog Situation: On a leash

Fun Race: James Cunningham Seawall Race at the end of October

Après Run

There are endless possibilities along Denman Street between English Bay and Georgia Street and beside the Bayshore Hotel. Fav is the Delany’s at the corner of Robson and Denman.

Copyright Kelly

Trail with a View

The west part of West Vancouver is more like the Gulf Islands. The grid streets give way to winding roads and hidden cul de sacs among trees and hillsides. The ocean is never far away and every other road leads to a beach.

Starting at the Seaview Trail is another scenic 10K run. The Seaview Trail is an old railroad right of way and edges above Fisherman’s Cove with views over the marinas and out across the Strait of Georgia. Starting at the Trail entrance off Cranley Street in the Eagle Harbour (5700 block of Marine Drive) area, you cross a bridge over Nelson Creek, so soak up some ions on the way by. At the top of the hill the trail splits and you follow the branch to the left. The branch on the right goes up under the old highway all the way to Whyte Lake, a great hike in itself.

To digress a moment on running gear (guys, skip this paragraph), I discovered the best pair of running underwear ever. They are based on a Brazilian design, come in bright colours and don’t ride up. Comfortable, but sexy. See below for sourcing.

The trail section of this run is 2.5 kilometres of flat and crushed gravel and dirt all the way to the Gleneagles Community Centre. After that you are on the sidewalk along Marine Drive which turns left at Gleneagles School. Carry on straight through the round- about and Marine Drive slopes down gently for 2.5 kilometres. As you near the park at the curve there is an incredible view of the Strait and Passage Island. Circle around the park road and head back the same way you came.

Product Note for Women

As I mentioned above, the only underwear I have found that are comfortable for running are the Brazilian designed/Canadian made Vivvos brand. They are available from fellow West Vancouverite Kathy Pettigrew: Kathy@vivvos.com or check out her website: www.vivvos.com.

Run Stats

Distance: Seaview Trail Leg only-5 km; Seaview Trail to Whytcliff Park and return-10 km
Elevation: flat on Trail then slope down and up on Marine Drive to Whytecliff Park
Surface: packed dirt trail, paved sidewalk and road
Dog Situation: Off leash permitted on the Seaview Trail.

Après Run

Horseshoe Bay, the last community in West Van, is fun to walk around and watch the ferries with the dramatic Howe Sound as the backdrop. There are many cafes in the Bay:

Mo’s,6406 Bruce Street [for baked goodies too]
Starbucks, 6390 Bay Street
Blenz,6334 Bay Street

Copyright 2010 Kelly W. all rights reserved

At World's Edge

The real Pacific Ocean is on the edge of the west coast of Vancouver Island. The waves here are big and loud. They were generated on the other side of the Pacific and don’t stop until they pound into the shore. Standing on Cox Bay, my favourite beach along this coast, and looking west, you can actually see the curve of the Earth. The next stop is Japan. The tides here ebb way out leaving flat, compressed sand perfect for running.

It is worth the 2.5 to 3 hour drive on the No. 4 highway from the Nanaimo ferry to get to this coast. There are many trails, roads and beaches to run between Ucluelet and Tofino with Pacific Rim National Park in between. I think the best, no- brainer, beach run has to be along Cox Bay, five kilometres south of Tofino and next door to Chesterman Beach which usually draws more attention. But Cox Bay’s smaller, seamless crescent shape and more magnificent wave action makes for a stunning route.

The best time for the run is at low tide so the sand is damp and solid and the beach is big and flat. Start from outside the Pacific Sands Resort (my long time favourite accommodation) and run south to the end of the beach. The distance is deceptive and like a bad dream, the end never seems to come as you keep running. If you are lucky you will come across an intact sand dollar as a souvenir. Once at the end of the curve check out the multi-coloured starfish and anemones clustered under the rocks. Then do your turn around and go past the resort and behind the townhouses to the trail for Sunset Point. This trail is only for Pacific Sands guests, so another reason to stay there. There is a boardwalk through the trees then a rock and grass path along the rocky shore to the point. Climb up the trail and you are at point. To the right is Chesterman Beach and Frank Island, farther out the Lennard Island Lighthouse and everywhere else endless waves. Back to the room for a hot tub. Oh, my goodness!

Run Stats
Distance: Approx. 4.5 km
Elevation: flat with a short climb if you go up to Sunset Point
Surface: sand, boardwalk, trail
Dog Situation: Let them run wild. Doggie heaven.

Après Run

The best place for an après run coffee is in Tofino, where there are numerous venues, my favourite being:
Common Loaf Bakery: 180 1st Street, Tofino [the laid back place for baking and caffeine]
Sobo: 311 Neill Street, Tofino [I still miss their trailer location, but they kept the fish tacos]

Copyright 2010 Kelly L

Ocean to the Left of Us, Mountains to the Right

Welcome to the first posting for Beautiful Running Routes in Canada (and Beyond). This blog will showcase running routes that are special for their stunning views, amazing locales and just because they are a great run. Runs will be nominated and tested for their awesomeness by yours truly and my running soul mates across the country. Run statistics and apres run refreshment recommendations follow each posting.

The first route will naturally be from my home town, West Vancouver, British Columbia. West Vancouver is just across the Lions Gate Bridge on the north shore of greater Vancouver.

For an east to west run on this route, park behind the Park Royal shopping centre off Marine Drive in West Van. The asphalt trail starts along the Capilano River and curves through the woods, under the train bridge and along the doggie walk section of the seawall of Ambleside Beach. On the left is English Bay, the Lions Gate Bridge and across the water, Stanley Park.

After passing the beach, the seawall turns into a pedestrian friendly one-way road for a kilometre and then goes back on a trail and seawall at John Lawson Park. Here, the Dundarave seawall gives you a drop dead view out to the Gulf Islands interrupted only by the anchored freighters in the Bay. The west side of Vancouver and the University of B.C. will now be on the left and the north shore mountains and Lighthouse Park are on the right.

The seawall ends at the Dundarave Pier so run out to the end and this will be your turn around to head back to Ambleside Beach. The way back has incredible views of the Bridge and into Vancouver Harbour.

Run Stats

Distance: 10 km

Elevation: Negligible, in other words pretty flat

Surface: Paved seawall and part trail

Apres Run Refreshments

East End: Cafe Artigiano, 5J-925 Main St., Park Royal South, West Van. [for the fanciest lattes]

West End: The Bakehouse, 2500 Marine Drive, West Van. [try the Health Nut]

Copyright 2010 Kelly W. all rights reserved