I finished the Knee Knacker this past week. My
knees were knackered going into it. They gave also me grief doing it. My time was a PW (personal worst on the course)... but this is my favorite run and the one run that I look most forward to each year. Given that this is the 14th time I've completed the race, I'm feeling a bit nostalgic and thought I'd share why.
The Knee Knackering North Shore Trail run was my second ultramarathon run, my first trail run and my first exposure to running in British Columbia.
After spending a year competing in triathlons around the world, I spent a season teaching skiing in Whistler. As the season came to a close, I bought an old VW camper from a Swiss couple and planned to drive it home to Toronto the long way (via Nicaragua.) However, "Rusty" died near Kits Pool in Vancouver, so I rented a furnished apartment for a month and decided to find a few races. That was in May 1991.
Coming from eastern Canada, the thing that impressed me the most about British Columbia was that it was where the mountains met the ocean. Within days of arriving in Vancouver, my triathlon buddies Greg Crompton and Jim Stewart had taken me on a ride from Kitsilano Beach to the top of Cypress Mountain. What a ride! I was hooked on the north shore mountains.
I can't remember how I first learned of the Knee Knacker? (Back in them days, there was no Internet!) I recall looking at the north shore mountains from Kits Beach and thinking, "My goodness...people actually run 50K over 3 mountains from one end of the horizon to the other?"
A unique feature of this race was that guided trail runs were offered on the course in the weeks leading up to the event. There was no risk to give it a try. That Sunday run hooked me on trail running for life. The co-founders of the race (Enzo Federico and Shane Collins) led the run. I also met Darren Lauscher, Tony Humphries, Neil Wakelin, Jim Swadling and Ron Adams that day...guys who I've since run a lot of miles with.
I was quite an accomplished road runner, but this was like nothing I'd ever experienced. The trail was rocky and steep. There were little wooden bridges over rushing waterfalls. Everything was green. Everything was new, exciting and very challenging.
Back in 1991, you didn't need to enter a lottery to get in to the Knee Knacker. According the the stats, there were 89 finishers, however... a big ultra by anyone's standards. We had a great finisher party in a church basement. Everyone who ran was recognized.
In part, I'd give the race credit for my decision to stay in Vancouver. For several years, the Knee Knacker became my social life. I spent a couple of years on the organizing committee, ran in every trail clinic and participated in every trail work party. It's become a family affair. In 2001, I moved to North Vancouver so I could have the Baden Powell trail in my back yard. My wife has also run the Knee Knacker and she still manages an aid station each year. A couple of years ago, my (then) 6 and 8 year old kids hiked the trail from start to finish. The trail still seems new and interesting and I still very much look forward to running the race.
The neat thing about this race is that it's kept it's heart and soul over the years. Sure, there have been some changes to the trail (is it *really* 30-miles long or is it 50K, Enzo?), but it's still expertly managed, still has the same camaraderie and every participant is still personally recognized on stage at the finisher banquet.
Congrats to all of you who participated this year! I'd like to offer a special high-5, however, to Ron Adams, Tony Davies, Neil Wakelin and Enzo Federico. These are the guys who made me feel welcome on that first training run in the mountains when I came to Vancouver in 1991. They all participated the Knee Knacker this year (Neil and Ron for the 16th time!) and every one of them beat me.
PS I've not figured out how to put comments under the photos, so here they are:
top: This is the group of people who dragged me up Black Mountain and down the other side as we approach the 1/2 way point at Cleveland Dam. Thanks to Laddie Hannam, Lara Taylor, Amber Ringers and Robert Heywood.
bottom: This is me eating a hot, greasy donut at the finish with a bag of ice on my doubly-knackered knees thinking about how the folks who did the Vancouver 100 must have felt only being 1/2 way finished!
