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Vancouver ultra to celebrate 28 years with New Year’s Day 50K

What could be better than running 50K and hopping into the Pacific Ocean to kick off the new year?

Best Running Spot in Canada Photo by: Stirl and Rae

On New Year’s Day, around 100 runners are expected to take part in a 50K run around Vancouver called the Fat Ass 50, followed by a quick swim in the Pacific Ocean. The event will be the 28th running of the iconic race, which is organized by a local run crew called Club Fat Ass, and the 50K ultramarathon course passes by some of Vancouver’s most popular running spots. Anyone who isn’t up for an ultra to start 2021 can start running at any point on the course, whether that’s 1K, 5K or 42K from the finish. The run starts at 9 a.m. PT, and it is free to Club Fat Ass members (or $25 to anyone who wants to join).

Members of Club Fat Ass pose for a photo in 2020. Photo: Facebook/Ean Jackson

The Fat Ass 50 has run for 28 years in Vancouver, but there are other events of the same name in cities around the world. Californian ultrarunner Joe Oakes created the event, then a 50-miler, in 1978, and it has since grown to become an annual event “to partake in a good run with friends and drink a few beers together afterward.”

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Now a 50K event in Vancouver, some runners will tackle the route twice for a nice 100K to start the year. The “roll your own” distance option was added to the Fat Ass 50 in its second year of running in Vancouver, as many people expressed interest in participating but said they couldn’t run an ultra.

Stanley Park

The race starts in Stanley Park, although this year, because of COVID-19, there will be no official start or finish lines. The runners will follow the seawall to Vancouver’s west end, eventually turning around and heading back to Stanley Park. There, they are invited to jump into the Burrard Inlet for a post-run dip (although this is not mandatory).

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There are no aid stations on the course, so runners will have to bring their own water and anything else they need. There are also no signs or volunteers on the course to point runners in the right direction. Participants can download and print the course map here, or they can use the RunGo navigation app, which will tell them exactly where and when to turn on the course. Anyone interested in running this event can head over to the Fat Ass 50 Facebook page, or you can check out the Club Fat Ass website here.

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