Baden Powell - all armoured and root-balled?

I've been running more than biking lately, and wanted to head into the woods for a trail run.

I decided the BP would be a good trail. I aimed for the Lynn Canyon to Skyline Drive section.

It was all rock armoured and root-balled, and wasn't much fun to run.

Are other sections less technical? I was hoping for something like the Flank Trail in Whistler, where you can get a pace for the most part, and run and run and run. I was surprised how gnarly the BP was.

Would other sections suit a trail run a bit better? I live in Kits and rarely find myself over the bridge unfortunately, so I'm not familiar with the local trails.

Welcome to the shore.

Fishermans might be what you're looking for. Washed out gravel up the riverside.

The Seymour Valley Trailway is phenomenal - winding closed road with some great viewpoints, but paved ashphalt.

http://www.metrovancouver.org/about/maps/Maps/LSCRTrailMap.pdf

Richard Juryn trail and a few others in the area are also nice crushed gravel trail, but not the distance you might be expecting.

http://www.richardjuryntrails.com/about-the-trail/

last, but not least, those damned mountain bikers have been dumbing down the Bridal Path and surrounding loops. Probably too gnarly for a runner, but give it a go if the above are too smooth.

http://www.trailpeak.com/trail-Mt-Seymour-Bridle-Path-near-Vancouver-BC-401

Thanks heckler. I like the look of Fisherman's, I'll check that one out first.

if you want hill climbs, start in the LSCR at the top of Lillooet Road and go down to Fishermans. if not, start at the top of Riverside drive.

This group seems to love that chundered stuff!! Run it 99 more times and you'll learn to love it….just like on a bike!

Ha ha welcome to the shore as they say. When i first started running here is blew my mind, mountain highway to skyline drive is fairly tame except for the bit around mosquito creek. Some other less knarly options are. Lynn Headwaters to Norvan falls (not much elevation and good running) the newly dumbed down trails from Hyannis and BP in that area. There is nothing quite like the flank trail in Whistler. Also what shoes are you using get something with better grips (think Minion's for your feet) and hit up the loamier mountain bike trails. Let me know if you want any other tips but you will need to get used to climbing and descending on rough terrain.

Thanks for the tips.

I'm running in Mizuno Elixir 8,
which are good for speedwork and racing, so not the best trail shoe.

I've got a race coming up in a month, and have been bored of the long runs I've been doing, and thought trails would be a good distraction.

I see. you want something like this

These will be pretty good year round, I've previously used these

Inov-8 mudclaw the soles are soft but they grip grip grip

Also by race in a month I assume you mean Victoria Marathon for trail running concentrate on time on the trail rather than distance covered you will be working about as hard as you do on the road. Some of the club fat ass events provide good routes around the Shore try this one http://www.clubfatass.com/events/SeymourSuperFun it took me just under three hours for the 27km course, I am somewhere around a 3.20 marathoner and tried fairly hard

You've been …. CHUNDERSTRUCK!