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Re: Gatineau Park & Ottawa area trail runs - Add yours!

Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 7:54 am
by Strider
I had a great long run on Saturday. Who'd a thought, but ran a 3hour, almost 31km trail run from P6 (across from the Hazeldean Mall) to Bruce Pit, and back. Trails all the way with only a little pathway from Bell Arena over the 416. Easily could have made it a 4 hour run or longer. All on NCC trails in the Greenbelt. Very cool to have this so close to home.

Here is the link to the run in Training Peaks

Re: Gatineau Park & Ottawa area trail runs - Add yours!

Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 3:26 pm
by _Eric_
Strider wrote:I had a great long run on Saturday. Who'd a thought, but ran a 3hour, almost 31km trail run from P6 (across from the Hazeldean Mall) to Bruce Pit, and back. Trails all the way with only a little pathway from Bell Arena over the 416. Easily could have made it a 4 hour run or longer. All on NCC trails in the Greenbelt. Very cool to have this so close to home.

Here is the link to the run in Training Peaks


I've never been in that area before, how are the trails back there?

Re: Gatineau Park & Ottawa area trail runs - Add yours!

Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 3:36 pm
by Strider
_Eric_ wrote:I've never been in that area before, how are the trails back there?


They are pretty flat (not the Gats), but nice and technical in a lot of places. You can tell by my pace that you can run pretty fast but there are some great sections where is gets twisty / rocky /rooty gives you a good workout.

Re: Gatineau Park & Ottawa area trail runs - Add yours!

Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 10:37 am
by mas_runner
Strider wrote:I had a great long run on Saturday. Who'd a thought, but ran a 3hour, almost 31km trail run from P6 (across from the Hazeldean Mall) to Bruce Pit, and back. Trails all the way with only a little pathway from Bell Arena over the 416. Easily could have made it a 4 hour run or longer. All on NCC trails in the Greenbelt. Very cool to have this so close to home.

Here is the link to the run in Training Peaks


That's a nice looking trail run Strider.

Re: Gatineau Park & Ottawa area trail runs - Add yours!

Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 10:39 am
by mas_runner
I ran in Gatineau Park again. This time it was: P7 up #1 to #4, then after a slight detour onto #36 to O'Brien Beach and the bridge over Lac Meech that Carrie mentioned earlier in this thread. I then headed back along #36 to #32 (Lac Fortune) and back up #4 and down #1 to the car. Total mileage 15:42kms.

More details and pictures of this run are in my blog: http://mstocksley.blogspot.com/2010/11/ ... -park.html

Re: Gatineau Park & Ottawa area trail runs - Add yours!

Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 7:26 pm
by kpoire
mas_runner wrote:I ran in Gatineau Park again. This time it was: P7 up #1 to #4, then after a slight detour onto #36 to O'Brien Beach and the bridge over Lac Meech that Carrie mentioned earlier in this thread. I then headed back along #36 to #32 (Lac Fortune) and back up #4 and down #1 to the car. Total mileage 15:42kms.

More details and pictures of this run are in my blog: http://mstocksley.blogspot.com/2010/11/ ... -park.html

What's the snow situation up there now? Thinking of heading up there for a run this weekend.

Re: Gatineau Park & Ottawa area trail runs - Add yours!

Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 7:40 pm
by mas_runner
kpoire wrote:
mas_runner wrote:I ran in Gatineau Park again. This time it was: P7 up #1 to #4, then after a slight detour onto #36 to O'Brien Beach and the bridge over Lac Meech that Carrie mentioned earlier in this thread. I then headed back along #36 to #32 (Lac Fortune) and back up #4 and down #1 to the car. Total mileage 15:42kms.

More details and pictures of this run are in my blog: http://mstocksley.blogspot.com/2010/11/ ... -park.html

What's the snow situation up there now? Thinking of heading up there for a run this weekend.


It's fine, just a dusting really, didn't slow me down at all. My photos should give you a good idea.

Re: Gatineau Park & Ottawa area trail runs - Add yours!

Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 9:03 pm
by kpoire
mas_runner wrote:
kpoire wrote:
mas_runner wrote:I ran in Gatineau Park again. This time it was: P7 up #1 to #4, then after a slight detour onto #36 to O'Brien Beach and the bridge over Lac Meech that Carrie mentioned earlier in this thread. I then headed back along #36 to #32 (Lac Fortune) and back up #4 and down #1 to the car. Total mileage 15:42kms.

More details and pictures of this run are in my blog: http://mstocksley.blogspot.com/2010/11/ ... -park.html

What's the snow situation up there now? Thinking of heading up there for a run this weekend.


It's fine, just a dusting really, didn't slow me down at all. My photos should give you a good idea.


:oops: Yeah, should have looked at the pics. Nice shots by the way.

Re: Gatineau Park & Ottawa area trail runs - Add yours!

Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 1:43 pm
by mas_runner
Hey Kpoire!

How was your run in the Gats this weekend???

Re: Gatineau Park & Ottawa area trail runs - Add yours!

Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 1:53 pm
by Strider
I did 3:20 (32km) on Saturday. Ran from the Visitors Center, looped the Sugar Bush trail to warmup, and then up Trail #1 to # 6, Looped #6 and then back to Trail #1 all the way to the first intersection of Wolf Trail, and back. Snow covered but very runnable.

Picture from the Climb up from the Visitors Center.

Image

Re: Gatineau Park & Ottawa area trail runs - Add yours!

Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 2:27 pm
by mas_runner
Strider wrote:I did 3:20 (32km) on Saturday. Ran from the Visitors Center, looped the Sugar Bush trail to warmup, and then up Trail #1 to # 6, Looped #6 and then back to Trail #1 all the way to the first intersection of Wolf Trail, and back. Snow covered but very runnable.

Picture from the Climb up from the Visitors Center.

Image


That's a nice long run Strider. Looks beautiful up there at the moment. You gotta love #6 though, I might have to head up again next weekend and do a double loop of #6 (clockwise, anti-clockwise) after I missed my fix this weekend...

Re: Gatineau Park & Ottawa area trail runs - Add yours!

Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 2:50 pm
by kpoire
mas_runner wrote:Hey Kpoire!

How was your run in the Gats this weekend???


It was very nice as usual. Short (40 min) but nice. Not as much snow as I was expecting but I suppose was farther "down the hill" (It is hard to tell from the picture, but I would say I encountered a lot less snow than Strider). I parked on Notch where #15 crosses and ran East to #25 and looped around. I usually park on Notch and run West on #15 and do #6 (I think this is my favourite), 8, 17, 22, 19 or a combination there of but didn't get out early enough to do what I wanted to do so went for the short option. Perhaps this weekend... I suspect after last night's snowfall, there will be a bit more up there now...

Re: Gatineau Park & Ottawa area trail runs - Add yours!

Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2011 7:52 am
by Strider
So last Saturday I did a nice 3 hour run from P15 on Trails 70, 71, 72. Trail conditions were perfect for winter trail running and the twists and climbs seem to be perfect training for the Chilly Dog. My RunningAHEAD Log is here you can tab to the Map, and the Graph where you can see the elevation profile. I will likely be heading up there next Sunday Morning.

Re: Gatineau Park & Ottawa area trail runs - Add yours!

Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2011 8:33 am
by orleansrunner1962
Thanks for the update Strider -- I need to get myself up there -- I am off next Friday -- that might be an option -- otherwise it will have to be the weekend after next!

Re: Gatineau Park & Ottawa area trail runs - Add yours!

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 1:43 pm
by MikeM
So I'm about to sign up for my first trail race (10k at Mt Orford) and I'm looking for recommendations for some hilly Ottawa (maybe even west Ottawa trails... paging MrStrider...). I haven't really done much trail running aside from some basic Greenbelt trails between Barrhaven and Kanata, the trail beside Bruce Pit, and Lime Kiln trail, all of which are pretty flat. I don't have trail shoes yet. I'd like to get some practice with some hillier technical terrain. Is there anywhere outside Gatineau Park?

I saw lot of great recommendations here already but will any Gatineau park trail do, or are there some I should start with (or avoid to start until I get trail shoes)?

Re: Gatineau Park & Ottawa area trail runs - Add yours!

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 1:53 pm
by Strider
Sorry Mike, there are no hills in Ottawa. If you want hilly trails you have to head to the Gats. How hilly is Mt Orford. Yeah I know it has Mt in the name, still! For technical trails you can run the Trillium Woods just off Huntmar, and then run hill repeats on the Huntmar Hill. Actually there is a nice little trail climb if you start at the trail entrance at Huntmar and the Railway tracks, a little technical too (repeats on that would work). I could meet you and show you that one evening.

Shoes - Mizuno Ascends, Brooks Cascadia, LaSportiva Crosslites are the top 3 in my books.

Re: Gatineau Park & Ottawa area trail runs - Add yours!

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 2:22 pm
by Strider
Just looked at the Mt Orford profile, damn that is one long Uphill Hike, followed by one fast descent. Best practice for that would be the Camp Fortune 5-peaks course.

You could do hill/hike repeats on the old Carlington Ski hill at Carling/Queensway.

Re: Gatineau Park & Ottawa area trail runs - Add yours!

Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2011 8:40 am
by MikeM
Thanks, Strider. I'll check out the trail off Huntmar. I kind of suspected there wasn't much in the way of hills in this area. I thought about Camp Fortune too. Unfortunately I'm out of town for the race itself but I'm going to try to get some running in there and in the Gats in general. Carlington's a good idea too. I forgot about that.

It'll definitely be a tough climb at Orford. The website says you can expect to double your road 10k time. My goal for this one is just to finish.

Re: Gatineau Park & Ottawa area trail runs - Add yours!

Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 12:59 pm
by MikeM
Bumping this thread up for reference since I'm hoping to get in some more trail running once the snow clears in prep for some of my races this year. Hopefully this'll even be the year that I get to the Gats for a few runs. I'll probably be leaning heavily on the Greenbelt trails between Bruce Pit and Kanata that Strider mentioned above though.

Funny, I never did sign up for the Mt Orford race that I mentioned above, although I ran the Fat Ass Trail Run in Batawa that year instead.

Re: Gatineau Park & Ottawa area trail runs - Add yours!

Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 2:03 pm
by carm
MikeM wrote:Bumping this thread up for reference since I'm hoping to get in some more trail running once the snow clears in prep for some of my races this year. Hopefully this'll even be the year that I get to the Gats for a few runs. I'll probably be leaning heavily on the Greenbelt trails between Bruce Pit and Kanata that Strider mentioned above though.

Funny, I never did sign up for the Mt Orford race that I mentioned above, although I ran the Fat Ass Trail Run in Batawa that year instead.


I'd like to join you this spring. I'm hoping to do a shorter distance in the Health & Adventure series in early summer and maybe even the Wakefield Covered Bridge 1/2 in early May. :)

Re: Gatineau Park & Ottawa area trail runs - Add yours!

Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 2:08 pm
by orleansrunner1962
carm wrote:
MikeM wrote:Bumping this thread up for reference since I'm hoping to get in some more trail running once the snow clears in prep for some of my races this year. Hopefully this'll even be the year that I get to the Gats for a few runs. I'll probably be leaning heavily on the Greenbelt trails between Bruce Pit and Kanata that Strider mentioned above though.

Funny, I never did sign up for the Mt Orford race that I mentioned above, although I ran the Fat Ass Trail Run in Batawa that year instead.


I'd like to join you this spring. I'm hoping to do a shorter distance in the Health & Adventure series in early summer and maybe even the Wakefield Covered Bridge 1/2 in early May. :)


Me too, me too!

Re: Gatineau Park & Ottawa area trail runs - Add yours!

Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 2:09 pm
by MikeM
carm wrote:
MikeM wrote:Bumping this thread up for reference since I'm hoping to get in some more trail running once the snow clears in prep for some of my races this year. Hopefully this'll even be the year that I get to the Gats for a few runs. I'll probably be leaning heavily on the Greenbelt trails between Bruce Pit and Kanata that Strider mentioned above though.

Funny, I never did sign up for the Mt Orford race that I mentioned above, although I ran the Fat Ass Trail Run in Batawa that year instead.


I'd like to join you this spring. I'm hoping to do a shorter distance in the Health & Adventure series in early summer and maybe even the Wakefield Covered Bridge 1/2 in early May. :)


Sounds good. I'm not signed up yet but I was planning Wakefield Covered Bridge 1/2 as my spring race for this year.

Re: Gatineau Park & Ottawa area trail runs - Add yours!

Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 2:36 pm
by carm
orleansrunner1962 wrote:
carm wrote:
MikeM wrote:Bumping this thread up for reference since I'm hoping to get in some more trail running once the snow clears in prep for some of my races this year. Hopefully this'll even be the year that I get to the Gats for a few runs. I'll probably be leaning heavily on the Greenbelt trails between Bruce Pit and Kanata that Strider mentioned above though.

Funny, I never did sign up for the Mt Orford race that I mentioned above, although I ran the Fat Ass Trail Run in Batawa that year instead.


I'd like to join you this spring. I'm hoping to do a shorter distance in the Health & Adventure series in early summer and maybe even the Wakefield Covered Bridge 1/2 in early May. :)


Me too, me too!


Sylvie: Did you ever write a RR for your race last year? How was it?

Re: Gatineau Park & Ottawa area trail runs - Add yours!

Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 2:52 pm
by orleansrunner1962
carm wrote:
orleansrunner1962 wrote:
carm wrote:
MikeM wrote:Bumping this thread up for reference since I'm hoping to get in some more trail running once the snow clears in prep for some of my races this year. Hopefully this'll even be the year that I get to the Gats for a few runs. I'll probably be leaning heavily on the Greenbelt trails between Bruce Pit and Kanata that Strider mentioned above though.

Funny, I never did sign up for the Mt Orford race that I mentioned above, although I ran the Fat Ass Trail Run in Batawa that year instead.


I'd like to join you this spring. I'm hoping to do a shorter distance in the Health & Adventure series in early summer and maybe even the Wakefield Covered Bridge 1/2 in early May. :)


Me too, me too!


Sylvie: Did you ever write a RR for your race last year? How was it?


I didn't write an RR - I liked the race a lot .... good organization -- small race..... tough race..... you start off right away with a steep ascent, then some nice trail running, then a paved section for 2 km or so on the paved Gatineau parkway, and then back in the trails..... there are a few pretty decent climbs, so don't expect to PR and at half distance :D I will likely do it again this year if it fits in to the last weeks of my training before Sulphur. I remember that there was some hot chili afterwards as well which was a nice touch. :D

Re: Gatineau Park & Ottawa area trail runs - Add yours!

Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 3:11 pm
by carm
orleansrunner1962 wrote:
carm wrote:
orleansrunner1962 wrote:
carm wrote:
MikeM wrote:Bumping this thread up for reference since I'm hoping to get in some more trail running once the snow clears in prep for some of my races this year. Hopefully this'll even be the year that I get to the Gats for a few runs. I'll probably be leaning heavily on the Greenbelt trails between Bruce Pit and Kanata that Strider mentioned above though.

Funny, I never did sign up for the Mt Orford race that I mentioned above, although I ran the Fat Ass Trail Run in Batawa that year instead.


I'd like to join you this spring. I'm hoping to do a shorter distance in the Health & Adventure series in early summer and maybe even the Wakefield Covered Bridge 1/2 in early May. :)


Me too, me too!


Sylvie: Did you ever write a RR for your race last year? How was it?


I didn't write an RR - I liked the race a lot .... good organization -- small race..... tough race..... you start off right away with a steep ascent, then some nice trail running, then a paved section for 2 km or so on the paved Gatineau parkway, and then back in the trails..... there are a few pretty decent climbs, so don't expect to PR and at half distance :D I will likely do it again this year if it fits in to the last weeks of my training before Sulphur. I remember that there was some hot chili afterwards as well which was a nice touch. :D


Hmm, maybe another year. I'm looking to do something more in the 2 hour range so a road 1/2 or a 12-15K off-road, I suppose. When will you start trail running for your long runs again?