Vancouver running advice (Read 1540 times)

I recommend adopting a Canadian running stride.

Other than that, I got nuthin.

The city is very "runable".  I feel safe everywhere in the daylight.  The Downtown East Side is really the only are you should avoid.

All of the perimeter of the water has great running trails- from UBC, over the Burrard St. Bridge and as the previous poster mentioned, False Creek and Stanley Park.  You will get the use of restrooms and water fountains enroute, too.

Another place worth checking out are the Endowment Lands which are miles of trails out at UBC.  You should have someone else run with you here. 

You might want to Google the Running Room.  Each location has two organized runs per week.  The location at Denman and Davie goes through Stanley Park and will get you on some trails you probably would not find on your own.  

Enjoy!

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I'll be checking any available tracks you have posted (esp. h2bubbles, since you invited me ;-) ),

@ workn2bfaster- that is a great idea.

bhearn- thanks for the map!

Looking forward to my visit already.

p.s. Amores, WTH is a canadian running stride? <Lynx scratches head>

 

p.s. Amores, WTH is a canadian running stride? <Lynx scratches head>

It is a reserved, insecure, outwardly courteous but inwardly passive-aggressive version of the US stride.  Canadians are prone to exaggerating the differences.  To most outsiders it is indistinguishable from the US stride, but Canadians insist (against the evidence) that the differences are there and are profound.

Here is some travel writing to acclimate you:

"After the North American Beer Festival, all the brewery presidents decided to go out for a beer.

The guy from Corona sits down and says, 'Hey Senor, I would like the world's best beer, a Corona .' The bartender dusts off a bottle from the shelf and gives it to him.  The guy from Budweiser says, 'I'd like the best beer in the world, give me 'The King Of Beers', a Budweiser.' The bartender gives him one.  The guy from Coors says, 'I'd like the only beer made with Rocky Mountain spring water, give me a Coors.' He gets it.

 The guy from Labatts sits down and says, 'Give me a Coke.' The bartender is a little taken aback, but gives him what he ordered.

 The other brewery presidents look over at him and ask, 'Why aren't you drinking a Labatt's?'

The Labatts president replies, 'Well, I figured if you guys aren't drinking beer, neither would I.'"

And:

"An American, a Scot and a Canadian were in a terrible car accident. They were all brought to the same emergency room, but all three of them died before they arrived. Just as they were about to put the toe tag on the American, he stirred and opened his eyes. Astonished, the doctors and nurses present asked him what happened.

'Well,' said the American, 'I remember the crash, and then there was a beautiful light, and then the Canadian and the Scot and I were standing at the gates of heaven. St.Peter approached us and said that we were all too young to die, and said that for a donation of $50, we could return to earth. So of course I pulled out my wallet and gave him the $50, and the next thing I knew I was back here.'

'That's amazing!' said the one of the doctors, 'But what happened to the other two?'

'Last I saw them,' replied the American, 'the Scot was haggling over the price and the Canadian was waiting for the government to pay his.' "

We leave for Vancouver in one week.  We are staying just outside of Stanley Park.

We can't wait!!!!!

A lot has changed in 2 years.  Grizzly bears have taken over Stanley Park, the UBC campus grounds are now used to raise banana slugs and the Granville Market has been converted to low income housing.

I think Vancouver is an exceptionally safe running city. That said, people have been attacked and seriously injured or even killed running in some popular running spots (Stanley Park and Pacific Spirit Park, namely). I used to run regularly in Pacific Spirit when I was a student at UBC, however, I would always run with a friend. The Sea Wall is very public and open, which I highly recommend. If you want to run the trails in Stanley Park, maybe take a friend or else be sure to run day light hours and no head phones. There are some weirdos in the bushes. And some vicious racoons.

If you can swing it, I recommend checking out the trails in North Vancouver. You can get to Lynn Canyon Park easily by Sea Bus and bus from downtown. One of my favorites is Lynn Loop in Lynn Headwaters Regional Park. Lynn Canyon suspension bridge leads over to some super nice running trails with a few butt kicker hills, too.

Aaaaand... I just wrote all this and realized the OP is from over two years ago. Well, something good for the database I guess! Happy Vancouver running

I know that this is an old thread but I ran at Stanley Park 2 weeks ago. It was the best place that I have ever run!! Ocean, and a mountain view plus a great running path. We rented bikes there also. It gets crowded during the afternoon in the beech spots.