Day 154 October 7, 2011 Vancouver to West Vancouver 9km (13km to home)

Running home

We met at the cauldron around 11:45am and prepared for the run into Ambleside. Shortly after we arrived, a school bus pulled up and 40 Collinwood students and a few teachers began spilling out. They had come to run with me across the bridge into Ambleside. I was also joined by a number of my friends from high school. All in all there were almost 70 of us when we took off from the Cauldron. It was pretty sweet seeing everyone who had come out to run and I was excited to get started.

We had the same escort as the day before including our mustachioed leader, although much abbreviated today. We left at around 12:15 and were escorted from the Cauldron along Pender St to Georgia St. It was fun listening to the kids get excited about running with an escort and I was enjoying what is likely the last time I’ll ever have one. From Georgia we turned onto the path and ran along the Stanley Park Causeway to the Lions Gate Bridge.  I think this is actually the first time that I had run along the causeway, I normally run through the park, and we got a number of honks from passing motorists.

With the exception of a small portion of my run through Winnipeg, stepping onto the Lions Gate Bridge was the first time that I’ve been on a route that I have regularly run and was very familiar with. As we crested the top of the bridge I looked down to where the finishing point would be and could see a huge crowd had gathered. We stopped at the bottom of the bridge for quick photos with all the runners before we continued on down towards the beach.

The West Vancouver Police Department had kindly blocked off the short stretch from under the bridge along behind Park Royal to the trail and it wasn’t long before we were through the dog park and running along the beach. As I approached I was greeted by almost all of Collingwood School, grades 3-12. I looked around and everyone was cheering and holding signs they had made. It’s hard to describe the feeling but it was fairly overwhelming as I made my way through the path to the Ocean that was lined with students.

Again there was a banner at the end, and just like that I was at the edge of the Pacific Ocean. Rodger Wright, Collingwood’s Headmaster, and the mayor of West Vancouver said a few words and then I got a chance to address the crowd. I felt a little silly standing there surrounded by everyone cheering but I was having a great time!

At many points during my run I had wondered what I would actually do when I got to the beach. I had envisioned hurling myself into the water and splashing around but I hadn’t envisioned having over a thousand people watch me do it. So I slowly waded in and poured out the bottle of Atlantic water that I had collected at Cape Spear and carried with me throughout the run. When that was done I wasn’t sure what to do next so I began walking out of the water, but I didn’t get very far. Derek, Mike and Russ came running in and tackled me back into the ocean. So I got my dunk in the water after all.

I spent the next hour or so talking to students, friends and family and taking lots of photos. I even got a chance to talk with another school that had come out to watch the run finish as well!

As time went on the crowd slowly thinned, the students having been given the rest of the day off, and soon there were only a few of us left. My house is only about 4 km from the beach and so after everyone was gone Derek, Russ and I took off for the final leg home. It took a little while longer than it might have, as we stopped off at the Red Lion Pub for a drink before continuing on home.

It’s hard to put into words the emotions I felt yesterday and today and this blog seems remarkably inadequate. The last 5 months have been the biggest adventure of my life. I’ve met a ton of great people, seen a ton of great things and hopefully, made a difference in the fight against prostate cancer.

Tomorrow I’m going to …

Day 153 October 6, 2011 Burnaby to Vancouver 12km

The finish

I didn’t sleep all that well last night but I was anything but tired when I woke up this morning. David Bell showed up early dressed in a cowboy outfit, at which point I noticed that Russ was similarly dressed. I changed into my running gear in the MCC one last time and we set out to CityTV for Breakfast Television.

On the way there I was mocking Dave about his cowboy outfit and he said it didn’t matter because he wasn’t going to be on TV (little did he know). For the first time this trip I had to have make up put on before going on television. In addition, the make up lady wasn’t thrilled about my cowlick and began attacking it with various products to ensure it stayed down.

BT was a lot of fun and we even got Mike, Dave and Russ on camera quickly as they panned over to look at the two funny looking guys in cowboy outfits. From there we headed over to CBC Radio for the morning show with Rick Cluff. Again a lot of fun, with the security guard commenting on our arrival that we must either be Americans or from Alberta based on how some of us were dressed.

By the time we got back to Trev Deeley’s Motorcycle shop people had begun to arrive. First my family, then my friends, and then 8 motorcycle cops! I had a mic on for the whole run and so Global could hear everything that was being said all around me for most of the day. My sister had managed to get 100 blue shirts made with our logo and slogan on it and we had them all passed out to all who were running. By the time we started running there were quite a few of us, and the crowd would only grow as the morning wore on.

Our first stop was the mayor’s office. On the steps of city hall Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson made a proclamation that October 6, 2011 would be known was “Dr Riley Senft’s Step Into Action Prostate Cancer Awareness Day”!

Our second stop was the Vancouver Prostate Centre where over 100 health care workers and researchers from the centre met us, most in their white coats with blue gloves on. It was the first time today that I felt a little emotional and was at a loss for what to say. Thankfully though my father stepped in and gave an impromptu speech thanking everyone for their commitment. I also had the opportunity to meet Dr Larry Goldenberg, the urologist who performed my father’s surgery.

Our third stop was the new Terry Fox memorial at BC Place Stadium. We had a quick stop there and looked around the memorial. I really like the four statues of Terry, it gives a great representation of his gait. It was another opportunity to stop and talk with some of the people that had joined our growing group of runners. We actually should have stayed longer because we were slightly ahead of schedule but the excitement at finishing got the better of us and we set off a little early.

The police escort through Vancouver was so much fun, the motorcycles blocking traffic on all sides and the confused looks from people on the side of the street. And there were lots of people on the side of the street because it was 12:30pm on a Thursday afternoon on the main streets of downtown so it was great exposure. As we turned onto Burrard St and I could see the ocean I started to get really excited. Everyone who had run with me continued on to the Olympic Cauldron and I stayed back in front of the Vancouver convention centre to give them time to set up. I hung out in the MCC with Dave, trying to stall so that I didn’t arrive too early. When Dave gave me the go ahead to get running again I stepped out and ran up to our police escort and he put his siren on as I approached the cauldron. When I turned up and saw everyone cheering, the cauldron lit and Derek and Lauren holding a big banner at the end, I thought it was as perfect an ending as I could have ever dreamed of.

After saying hi to as many people as I could Mike got up at the podium in front of the cauldron and said a couple of words. Ron DuMouchelles, the CEO of the Vancouver Prostate Centre and Dr Colin Collins a researcher at the centre then spoke. Finally it was my turn and standing up there, looking at all the family and friends that had come out to support me was overwhelming, and I had a hard time keeping my voice from breaking.

I spent the rest of the time talking to everyone I could get my hands on and really enjoying the moment. I was finally dragged away from the cauldron as the crowd dwindled and disappeared although I could have easily stayed for hours. I can’t describe how awesome and worthwhile I think this campaign has been and I just want to take an opportunity to thank everyone for their support. I really couldn’t have done this on my own and the number of people working behind the scenes while I was running is staggering.

We had a big dinner that night to celebrate the end of the run.

Tomorrow I will run across the bridge, joined by my former high school, to the North Shore and finally into the Pacific Ocean!

Day 152 October 5, 2011 Maple Ridge to Burnaby 46km

I made it

It was cold and wet this morning and I was sure I had only just gone to sleep when my alarm started going off, but as I got up there was a hint of the fun to take place today.

The 6km run to Maple Ridge was wet but our pace was swift in anticipation of what was to come. As we turned the corner and came down a hill we saw a police car waiting for us with a reporter and the mayor of Maple Ridge. After introductions and some discussion about the run we started off, our RCMP escort out in front with lights flashing.

Mike and I continued on along the Lougheed Hwy listening to the mostly friendly honks from the morning traffic. After about 10km we stopped for some water and another reporter showed up for an interview and to take some photos. At one point she wanted to take pictures of Mike and I stretching, and Mike got a panicked look on his face as he tried to decide what stretch to do.

As we started up again a 2nd RCMP officer, this time from Coquitlum joined us. Our Ridge Meadows escort peeled off as we entered Port Coquitlum and were joined by yet another RCMP car and a fire truck. At the same time Don Konantz arrived with 7 wonderful ladies from West Van who had come out to run. The 9 of us continued across the Pitt Meadows Bridge and as we approached the border to Coquitlum Rob Snowden pulled up with William Morse, a friend of mine from high school who joined in the run. Literally around the next corner we were met by three more fire trucks along with 10 or so fire fighters in their running gear. Now we had almost 20 people running and a huge escort as we continued along the highway. The ladies from West Van were delighted to now be surrounded by fire fighters!

Shortly thereafter my friend Wendy appeared by the side of the road with her son Cameron and the two of them joined in for a short jog alongside the growing group of runners. We continued in this fashion, with the Coquitlum fire fighters running until Burnaby and trading off with the Burnaby Fire Department, with some of their fire fighters running. As soon as we crossed into Burnaby I finally started to recognize my surroundings and the fact that I was nearing Vancouver really started to sink in a bit more. Just before cresting our last real hill before finishing we passed Rob Snowden again, this time cheering with some of his coworkers from Paladin Security by the side of the road.

As we turned on to Boundary Road and into the Trev Deeley Motorcycle dealership I was pretty excited.

The rest of the day was spent enjoying a beer over lunch at Earls, touring the motorcycle museum at the dealership, and thanks to the short day finally catching up on my blog.

Tonight is my last night in the MCC and it’s a little bittersweet. I’m pretty sure I won’t miss RV living, early mornings, blisters or the five H’s but I will miss spending my day meeting interesting people, seeing incredible scenery, and having no task to focus on other than putting one foot in front of the other. It’s been an incredible experience and if we’ve convinced even a few men to get checked, a totally worthwhile endeavor.

Tomorrow I will enter Vancouver

Day 151 October 4, 2011 Chilliwack to Maple Ridge 64km

I can smell the ocean

I started off running through the nice Chilliwack countryside and soon I was on the Lougheed highway. It was a much quieter rode than the Trans-Canada but the shoulder was also much smaller. Both Russ and Zimmerman started the morning running with me and while the forecast called for rain there was a strange combination of fog and sun.

After running only about five or six km we came upon what turned out to be the steepest ascent of my trip. Here I am in the Fraser Valley, enjoying the flat roads and having mentally checked out of running steep hills, when out of nowhere, on a road I wasn’t initially planning to run on, a 2.5km 11% grade hill appears. 11%! I’m still not entirely clear on the meaning of the % grades, but I do know that the steepest I’ve seen so far this trip is between 7 and 8. So 11% was an unwelcome discovery.

With Zimmerman now back in the RV, Russ and I scaled up this beast, and although we only gained about 250m in elevation I swear it was much colder at the top. We continued along the narrow highway, the MCC at our rear blocking traffic until we were greeted by our 11% grade descent. So barely into my morning and my legs were already tiring.

By the end of the day my legs were weak and wobbly and I couldn’t make it to the 70km I had hoped for, having to tap out at 64km. Russ handed me some chocolate milk and as I was drinking it I thought it tasted a little off. The thing about chocolate milk is that it tastes so good that it’s kind of hard to tell if the milk portion has gone bad. So I drank a lot of it before I decided it had gone bad. I hope that isn’t a problem.

While stretching a truck pulled up and out jumped a man in jeans and a green t-shirt. He walked over to where Mike and I were stretching and introduced himself as Fred Fox, Terry Fox’s brother. SO AWESOME! He had been driving along the Lougheed Hwy and saw us stretching and stopped. So I guess I have the ministry of transportation to thank for that (I still haven’t forgiven them for the 11% hill though). We chatted for a while and then he had to take off but it was definitely a highlight for me.

I only have 46km left to run tomorrow until I get to Boundary Rd, the border between Burnaby and Vancouver and I’m starting to get really excited!

Day 150 October 3, 2011 Hope to Chilliwack 62km

Permits and problems

Today began like every other day on the trip but it ended much differently. Again I was up early and running by 8am. The morning was almost exclusively downhill, a treat compared to the previous days. Unfortunately what I gained in speed by the gentle downhill would be erased later in the day.

As I entered Hope Ian and Fred, two firefighters from Fire Hall No. 2, came out to escort us through. It was pouring rain for the majority of the day and I had to change a number of times to stay warm and shed the heavy rain soaked clothes. I managed to use only two pairs of shoes though, something I’m happy about as they take forever to dry.

Our escort left us at Peter’s Road and I stopped to get some water when Mike told me about the conversations he had been having with traffic services. Apparently they had gotten wind of the fact that I was running along the Trans-Canada and called to inform me that it was illegal for me to be on that road because I didn’t have a permit. According to traffic services I have needed a permit since I entered BC, a statement that seems a little ridiculous given that not only have I had numerous police escorts along the highway, but there are actually places along the Trans-Canada where people have houses and so they would be unable to leave their houses except by car. Also, she said they have never issued a permit to a pedestrian. We tried negotiating but the ministry of transport was adamant that I not run on the highway and insisted that I drive back to Hope and start running from there along the Lougheed Hwy.

That would have meant at least a 15km backtrack and about a 20km or more addition to my day. I decided that I would instead try and run along a gravel path adjacent to the road to see if I could get to a residential road about 10km away. The road led about 100m down to the train tracks and then continued parallel a bit before cutting back up into the bushes. I continued to run along it and it soon turned into a double lane paved road, albeit poorly kept. My optimism was soon shattered as the paved road came to an abrupt end blocked by forest. I backtracked to the train tracks and continued along them in the hopes that another road would open up but instead the terrain on either side of the tracks became impassable and had a train come I would have had no where to step off to. So I again backtracked. I decided to run along the highway until I could find another of these side roads to try again, but after three more dead ends I gave up, crossed over, and continued along the highway. During the short 7km it took to get to the residential area I was passed by two RCMP vehicles, the occupants of each giving me a friendly wave as they passed.

I ended my run just over the bridge into Agassiz, having blocked all traffic for the length of the bridge over the Fraser River thanks to a lack of a pedestrian crossing option. A quick drive to Chilliwack saw us meeting the mayor and local prostate cancer support group. It also served as the meeting spot to reunite with Russ, who is back for the remainder of the run, and our friend Mark Zimmerman, an Abbotsford native who was hosting us for the night.

Tomorrow I should make it to Maple Ridge.

Day 149 October 2, 2011 Merritt to Hope 71km

Big reunion

We were a little slower getting started this morning. Part of it had to do with the fact that my legs were sore from the past few days of hills and part of it had to do with the fact our battery died again. As happened to us in Dryden, nothing worked, included the starter for the generator, which usually solves the dead battery situation. We mulled over our possibilities and I even call a few of the boys to see if they had jumper cables but none of them would answer their phones at that early hour. Finally a Hail Mary attempt combining the auxiliary battery and the generator start worked, despite never working before, and we were on our way.

I managed to get 17km before the boys showed up. The first few kms were on a steep downhill, which immediately fed into a very steep uphill that continued for 3.5km. This time though I didn’t have Snowy to keep me company on the hill, so I slowly trudged up it listening to the same music I’ve been listening to for months.

Unlike yesterday where everybody seemed to run as much as they could all at once, today they took turns in cycles of about 3km each. This definitely seemed to work better and I could actually talk to people as we ran. A little before lunch my mum, dad and Sarah showed up, having driven in from Vancouver for the day. It was awesome having them there and they joined in the running rotation, although Sarah didn’t really rotate out, she just kept running.

The guys stayed until lunch, taking me past the Coquihalla Pass at 1278 or so metres. We said our goodbyes and then Sarah, Mike, Mum, Dad and I sat down for some lunch. The descent after lunch was hellish. It was about as steep as anything I’ve seen yet this trip and it lasted the rest of the run, all 26km of it. Ordinarily I don’t mind the downhill, but the pitch of this was really steep and my hips and knees started to ache and my quads started to burn. I had been scheduled to do 84.4km today but the terrain was too hard on my legs so I had to tap out at 71km. The two days after my descent from the BC border into Golden were the sorest my legs had been all trip and I hope my legs don’t hurt too much from this tomorrow.

I’m only a few km from Hope after which the hills disappear for good!