Training Run – May 23, 2010
Imagine turning on the cold water & standing in your shower for the better part of 3 hours. Add some ice cubes on the shower floor & set your bathroom fan on it’s “turbo” setting. Short of inviting about 45 buddies to join you for this chill-fest, you’ll start to get an idea of what Sundays training run felt like.
In the 9 years that I’ve participated in these training runs, I can easily say that this is at the top of the list of epic training days. (See Karen Chow’s pictures from the day here)
When the group met at the Cleveland Dam parking area, we started out under dark skies, but the precipitation was fairly limited….but it didn’t wait for long. It seemed to start as we crossed the dam & it was relentless. If the Inuit have 200 words for “snow”, I’m sure we have just as many for the rain we saw on Sunday……showers, drizzle, deluge, rain, spit, mist, & sleet!! There were, of course, a few other words….none of which should be repeated here.
The climb up through the British Properties & into the forest kept most people warm. The rainforest canopy did a decent job of keeping the rain away….or at least minimizing it….but as we climbed the Hollyburn Chute, the air got cooler.
At the top of the Chute, it was downright cold & the tree canopy gave way to open skies as we wended onto the cross country ski trails. No sooner were we on this wide pathway that we were on compacted sloppy mashed potato type snow (do the Inuit use “mashed potatoes” in their snow verbage? …that’d be 201 words). The conditions made it feel like a walk at the beach….a beach in the Outer Hebrides, perhaps….but the snow made for some extra work as we climbed towards Hollyburn Peak. I couldn’t help but think back to last year, on this very same run, when sunburn was the biggest concern. Today, we were looking at numb fingers, & cold soaked skin.
Many people opted to turn around early. Some headed back to the warmth of the lower climes, others took an alternate circuit that allowed for some quality training miles on clear trails. I turned around at the base of the Hollyburn Peak headwall….I couldn’t feel my fingers despite my gloves & figured that there wouldn’t be anything more to gain.
On the descent, there were a couple of surprises….sharing an umbrella on the forested singletrack above the British Properties, Karen & Andrew were braving the rain to take some photos of our epic effort. Look for their photos in an upcoming link.
Back at the parking lot, many people had brought a change of clothes & made haste in getting out of their soaked garb & headed home for hot showers or hot food….or both.
Fun times!
Glenn Pace
Important notice!
Next week’s planned run was to cover the last ½ of the Knee Knacker course. Due to a concurrent event, parking in the Deep Cove area will be very limited so we are changing our meeting plans slightly.
Instead of meeting in Deep Cove for the carpool, we will meet at the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge parking lot at 7:30am. The parking lot gate should be open at 7:00am. We will carpool to Cleveland Dam from there.
The training run route will change to accommodate our meeting area.
We will still start the run at Cleveland Dam, but instead of going to Deep Cove, we will turn up the trail above the Varley Trail & head up Lynn Headwaters. At this point we will have a couple of options.
Option 1: run up Lynn Headwaters trail to the Debris Chute, then turn up & run back along the Headwater Loop trail & back to Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge.
Option 2: run up Lynn Headwaters trail passed the Debris Chute to Norvan Falls, then return to Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge (those that feel the need to earn extra-manliness points, can also include the Lynn Loop route above the Debris Chute).
Trail Work Party – Sat. June 5
Hi, everyone!
This year’s Knee Knacker Trail Work Party on Saturday, June 5 will take place on the Baden Powell trail near Hyannis Drive in the Blueridge area (see map below). We’ll be working under the guidance of Graham Knell, North Vancouver District Trail and Habitat Coordinator. You don’t need any special skills to help on Trail Day, just a willingness to improve the trails that we all enjoy!
Meeting Place and Time
- We’ll meet near the BP trail at Hyannis Drive and Berkley Avenue in North Vancouver. (From Mt. Seymour Parkway, turn north onto Berkley Road. Continue to the end of the road and turn left at Hyannis Drive. See also the map below.)
- Arrive between 8:30am-9am to sign in, get a brief orientation, and enjoy some muffins and coffee courtesy of sponsor Delany’s Coffee House.
- If you arrive late and we’re already gone, follow the pink flagging tape that will direct you to the worksite.
Things to Bring/What to Wear
- Wear clothes that you don’t mind getting (potentially) mucky!
- Work gloves and tools will be provided by the District, although you’re welcome to bring your own.
- Water and a light lunch/ snacks are a good idea to keep you going.
RSVP
Please RSVP via the <feedback form/contact trail day co-ordinator email> by noon, Friday, June 4. Although you’re very welcome to come and help at the last minute, a RSVP will help me plan the goodies and organize the amount of work we can do on the trail.
Special Note to Chainsaw Operators
Do you have a chainsaw? If so, let me know as we could use your help. (Graham said it would be useful to have one chainsaw operator onsite.) For safety and liability reasons, you must have wear proper safety gear (face shield, etc).
Hope to see you there, and thank you for volunteering!
Andrew Wong,
Knee Knacker 2010 Trail Work Party Co-ordinator
Training Run – May 2, 2010
It’s hard to believe that we are already underway for another season of Knee Knacker training runs, but here we are!
30 people met in the Grouse Mountain parking lot & for the first time since our 2008 training season, we had rain!! It didn’t seem to slow anyone down, but several people were shaking off the cobwebs of the winter season & reintroducing their legs (& shoes) to mud, rocks, roots, & hills.
Some experienced & familiar faces were in the pack, as well as a whole slew of first time Knee Knacker-ers.
While our training runs are geared to get everyone up to running the distance & knowing the course, it is also a venue to share knowledge.
One of the things that makes trail runners such an amicable group is the willingness of everyone to share their expertise….even among rivals….a few of the more experienced runners were saying how much they look forward to sharing their knowledge with newcomers & the newcomers were eager to absorb any number of tips….technical, nutritional, or physiological….even gastro-intestinal….ugh!
This week’s training run should see a few more new faces as we typically get a larger turnout the week after the Vancouver Marathon, & hopefully some better weather.
See you at the Grouse parking lot on Sunday morning.
Glenn Pacé
P.S. Karen Chow has pictures here, and David McKie has another gallery here.
Get ready to train!
It’s 2010. The race is on July 10. And there are exactly ten training runs before the big day. So are you and your shoes ready? Nah, didn’t think so. All the more reason to join this year’s first training run on Sunday, May 2nd. Rod, Glenn, and Gilles will be this year’s training run coordinators, so listen up when they speak! Details about all of the training runs are here.
Any Volunteers Out There?
Well it’s been a few weeks since the excitement of the lottery announcement and we’re settling into our post-Olympic routines again. Congrats to all who were successfull with the lottery this year! For the other hundred or so entrants who haven’t secured a spot in this year’s race, we would like you to consider a position as part of the volunteer team!!! 
What makes the Knee Knacker such an outstanding race is the 1:1 ratio of volunteers to racers!! For every racer out on course, you have a counterpart volunteer helping you along the 30 mi/50 km (almost) route! Not only have you got one counterpart, you’ve actually got 200 volunteers cheering you on!!! That’s amazing!! So if you’re already running, we encourage you to ask your family and friends to join an aid station, timing or marshalling crew to make this the best experience for everyone. If this is the year you give back, please visit our volunteer page and sign up. I’m looking forward to hearing from you.
Bonnie Walmsley
Knee Knackering North Shore Trail Running
2010 Volunteer Coordinator
2010 Lottery Results Are In
A record number of 375 lottery registrants were received by the February 28th, 2010 deadline. 262 of these were selected to participate as runners in the 2010 race. This allows us to field approximately 200 starters on race day, after accounting for a typical attrition rate of approximately 24% over the next few months.
Results are now posted on the following 2 pages:
Who’s Not In (refund cheques will be issued within the next week)
Lottery Night at NSA – Thursday March 11
Be the first to find out the lottery results! This year Runners Night and Lottery is Thursday, March 11th, 2010 from 6:00pm – 8:30pm – we’re fortunate again to have North Shore Athletics as Knee Knacker Sponsor & host of the event. Everyone is welcome – participants, friends, family & volunteers. We’ll have prizes & pizza too, so come & mingle with fellow Knee Knackerers & kickoff what we like to think of as “Knee Knacker Season”. Schedule of activities is at http://www.kneeknacker.com/lottery/lottery-deadline/ .
The list of entrants who entered online is at http://www.eventsonline.ca/events/kknstr/confirm.htm . This does not include the snail mail entries, who are listed here.
Looking forward to seeing as many of the 375 of you Thursday night at NSA. Arrive early to shop as NSA will be giving special in-store discounts to all entrants!
Knee Knacker 2010 Entries Closed
Entries are closed as of February 28, 2010 for this year’s Knee Knackering North Shore Trail Run. A lottery will be held on Thursday, March 11 to determine the 200 lucky runners for this year’s race. Results of the lottery will be posted at this site by March 12, 2010. If you want to be one of the first to know who got in, please join us for our lottery night at North Shore Athletics on March 11 – doors open at 6pm, lottery results at 7pm.
If you have entered electronically, your name should appear on the online confirmation page at http://www.eventsonline.ca/events/kknstr/confirm.htm. A complete list of entrants, including those entered via snail mail will be posted in the next few days.
If you are interested in entries for the Year 2011 edition of the race, please return to this site after July 10, 2010.
Knee Knacker 2010 Lottery Deadline is TODAY!
Hello fellow trail runners!
WOW!!! Olympic inspiration all around. If our amazing Canadian (and World) athletes have inspired you to sign up for Knee Knacker this year, remember LOTTERY DEADLINE IS TODAY, February 28th. For those of you who have already signed up (all 316 of you !!!), welcome to Knee Knacker 2010. Check out the confirmation and registration pages for all the info.
This year, we are pleased to announce that North Shore Athletics will again be hosting our lottery night on March 11th – doors open at 6pm, lottery results at 7pm.
As always, we appreciate your comments and suggestions… please feel free to post directly on our site, or send me a mail at rd@kneeknacker.com.
I look forward to seeing you on the trails,
Kelsy Trigg
KKNSTR 2010 Race Director
604-787-8097.
Three weeks to get your entry in
The countdown is on to Knee Knacker 2010 lottery deadline! Just 3 weeks to go now… with 166 entrants so far, we are ahead of last year’s pace of 152 at this time. Check out http://www.kneeknacker.com/registration/ for instructions on how to register, and http://www.eventsonline.ca/events/kknstr/confirm.htm for confirmed entries (online only at this time)!
Early Call for Volunteers
Holy cow! It’s only January and some volunteer areas are filled up already! Last year’s organized and hyper-efficient Banquet team is back again. And Karen Chow, taking on the race’s newest volunteer position of Photography Captain, has already snared a crew worthy of Sports Illustrated’s best (no pressure!). If you’re interested in helping, check the Volunteer page to see what’s open and email our Volunteer Coordinator Bonnie (using our contact form).
Andrew Wong
Follow us on Twitter!
Happy New Year, fellow Knee Knackerers!
It’s also the start of a new decade, and time for the Knee Knacker race to join the mad rush to Twitter that started last decade. You’ll notice the new “Follow Us” button in the right sidebar of every page, which will take you to http://twitter.com/kneeknacker. Initially, we’ll use this to send out quick reminders for things like entry deadline, lottery night, training runs, and trail maintenance. Thanks to Sean Lavin for the idea.
Welcome to Knee Knacker 2010 and Happy Holidays!
Hello fellow trail runners! Happy Holidays to all. Planning is already underway for the 22nd Knee Knackering North Shore Trail Run, and we’ll start more regular communications in the New Year. It will be an exciting couple of months with the 2010 Winter Olympics in our back yard!
A big thank you to our 2009 Committee members who are moving on this year and have been integral to our committee and the success of the race – Craig Moore, Jurgen Watts, and Ethelyn David. Thank you ! A special mention also goes to Bill Dagg who has managed the website for a number of years. read more…
Susan Giuffre – Rest In Peace
It is with sadness that we recognize the passing of Susan Giuffre on Tuesday, September 15. Susan was a part of the Knee Knacker community, having completed the run 6 times – most recently in 2008 . Our thoughts go to Susan’s husband Joseph, her family and friends.
Finish Line Photos
Knackering the Baden Powell
Here is another set of photos from Karen Chow, showing our Knee Knackerers running the knarly sections of the Baden Powell (West of Skyline Aid Station). Use the “Slideshow” button in Flickr for best viewing.
2009 Knee Knacker Volunteers Photos
Photos of some of the 250 KneeKnacker Volunteers (supporting the Knee Knacker runners) and the 2009 Race Committee Members are here, taken by any one of our wonderful race day photographers:
Ted Marchant (Start Line, Cypress and Cleveland Dam)
Beverley O’Neil (Start Line)
Martin Blecckett (Cleveland Dam)
Karen Chow (Black Mtn, Skyline and Banquet)
More Race Photos from Karen Chow
Another set from Karen Chow, this time from Eagle Bluff (about 4 miles into the race).
How does she get around to all these places for pictures (and still have time to help set up and work the banquet)!!!
Race Photos from Martin Becckett
Check out Martin Becckett’s photos from Cleveland Dam (halfway point of the race).
Race photos from Beverley O’Neil
Check out Beverley O’Neil’s photos from the Start Line, and another set from Black Mountain.
