A marathon and half marathon clinic wouldn’t be complete without a destination long run and New West seems to be the go-to suburb to accommodate both full- and half-marathon long run distances. We’ve always taken round-about ways to get from Vancouver Running Rooms to New West whether it was the traditional route from the old Broadway store or Michael Stockdale’s trail-focused route from the current Cambie location. This time around, the Silver Fox, Greg Burnham, seeks to rule them all by cranking this route up to eleven with a New West run so epic that it starts off in the opposite direction. Don’t ask why. Just go along with it.
Turn-by-Turn Directions
NORTH over Cambie Bridge — take spiral ramp halfway down to continue north on offramp and veer LEFT onto Smithe which doglegs after Burrard to become Haro — RIGHT on Chilco (or RIGHT on Denman to stop at Running Room, then take Alberni to Chilco — follow gravel path along Lost Lagoon and take Georgia St/Causeway underpass and then first path LEFT to Causeway path to Lions Gate Bridge — cross bridge and take first path on far side and follow down to the Spirit Trail which parallels Bridge Rd and then turns left to follow Welch St — continue on 1st St > 2nd St — RIGHT on 3rd St > Cotton Rd > Main St — pass under the Ironworkers Bridge/Hwy 1 off ramp and turn RIGHT to access the EAST path southbound across the bridge — take first path on Vancouver side of the bridge down to Fellowes St — cross the north end of Boundary onto the Trans Canada Trail — RIGHT on Willingdon Ave — LEFT on south side of Lougheed Hwy — veer RIGHT onto Douglas Rd which merges into Canada Way > Eighth St — LEFT on Columbia St — RIGHT on Begbie St — RIGHT on Quayside Dr to the giant tin soldier
Okay, okay, there’s a more direct 19k route for those who just can’t wait for a Paddlewheeler burger at the New West Quay.
South East 2 New West Trek 19k
EAST on 7th Ave — RIGHT on Ontario St — LEFT on 10th Ave — RIGHT on Prince Edward St and quick LEFT back onto 10th — RIGHT on Victoria Dr — LEFT at Victoria Diversion (under the Skytrain) — LEFT on Stainsbury Ave > Vanness Ave — cross Nanaimo St and continue on paved path on the south side of the Skytrain Station — RIGHT on Slocan St — LEFT on 29th Ave — RIGHT on Boundary Rd — LEFT on Moscrop St > Deer Lake Pkwy — RIGHT on Deer Lake Ave — RIGHT on Canada Way > Eighth St — LEFT on Columbia St — RIGHT on Begbie St — RIGHT on Quayside Dr to the giant tin soldier
The route takes the east path through the Stanley Park Causeway and over the east deck of the Lions Gate Bridge in order to give runners a better view of the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge, but if you miss the underpass next to Lost Lagoon, rest assured you can still access the Spirit Trail by taking the path down from the west side of the north end of the bridge.
