Tuesday, December 15, 2015

A Year of Bells and Buses and Buns

2015 has been an amazing year for the Paradise Running Club! There has been sadness and joy and change as there is every year. However, for me this year has had some recurring themes...


Bells: From the jingle bells on Madeline's runners during the Christmas season to the cheerful clang-clang of Ed Long's bicycle bell to the bells of Christmas at the Santa Shuffle and other holiday events it appears that bells were everywhere. They are a joyous sound to many and the sound can certainly motivate runners during a long practice run.


Buses: From the yellow school bus of the Holyrood Chilly (or chili) Dash to the fleet of Metrobuses wrangling Tely Ten and Cape to Cabot runners, buses were our eco-friendly transportation to race start lines everywhere. We even managed to hire Paradise's own Cy's Taxi minibus for a Cape to Cabot practice run. Oh the fun we had ... just like kids again!


Buns: Not what you are thinking perhaps? The buns of PRC are those which reward our members at the end of a gruelling bun run! The now classic route through Paradise and Conception Bay South has become a high energy run to get to the tailgate party at the finish. It has become so popular we had to move the party away from the Woodstock so patrons could park there for Sunday brunch!


PRC members made some serious strides into Newfoundland running history this year as well. Our group continues to grow with two Learn to Run clinics supplying an opportunity for newbies to try us out. Many have stayed! We now have had 80 or more Tely Ten finishers, 30 to 40 Cape to Cabot conquerors and 25+ marathoners among our members. And the yellow and black has been well represented at other races and community events in many locations in Newfoundland and Labrador and other Canadian, American and European cities. I can't wait to see what the New Year will bring!!