Knee Knacker 2008

The 20th annual Knee Knackering North Shore Trail Run was yesterday. What a nice day for a run. What a great event!

I think my 16th Knee Knacker was a PW (personal worst) time on the course, but to say I am elated to have finished is an understatement.

I've been plagued with a muscle tear in my calf since January. Six times I tried to get back running. Six times the thing tore again. Each step I took yesterday might have been my last, so before setting off at 6:00 am yesterday, I promised myself I would enjoy every single step. I am pleased to say I achieved that goal.

Here are some of the highlights of an awesome day:

• meeting Doug at 5:00 am and walking over to Anne's place as the first traces of day lit the sky
• the full van of runners Bob kindly shuttled to the start. (Thanks, Bob!)
• pressing the flesh and exchanging best wishes for a great run with many friends, most of whom I'd not seen for at least 6 months since getting injured
• Kelsey Trigg, Race Director, standing in front of the assembled starters making last minute announcements
• yakking with Brian vanOene for at least 2 hours about all manner of stuff before getting separated at Cypress Bowl. I guess we were loud enough to be overheard as a woman asked us to keep the talk about puking while on the run down a bit
• meeting Gina and Stephanie and running with them to Cleveland Dam. While we were supposed to run to the finish together, they found my yakking for 20 minutes at the aid station was too long for them, so they dropped me
• getting a big slug of ice cold beer from Doug Keir
• stopping at a garage sale on Nancy Greene way. I picked up a boogie board for my kids
• feeling a bit awkward when I saw the woman Brian and I had met earlier puking by the trail. Was it my fault for putting the thought in her mind?
• being caught by Enzo not yakking. I think it was the only 30 second pause I had all day!
• running with Katherine and Sue for a while, then finding Angus... one of the 2 people I was supposed to be running with all day who dropped me at the start
• drinking another of Doug's cool ones at Hyanis Drive and again at Seymour Parkway
• running with Kyla almost all of the way to the finish
• hearing the finish line as I made my way down Indian Arm Road. Only 7 bridges to go!
• crossing the finish line and getting a big hug from Kelsey
• eating my first greasy donut
• getting an awesome massage
• getting another cool one from Doug, but giving it to Baldwin who got stung in the eye by a bee... I figured he needed it more.
• having someone step on my toe while I was helping Baldwin. Almost took the thing off. Lost about a liter of blood. Ended up having to get it sewn back on at Lions Gate Hospital
• late for the party. Food all gone. Stomach growling. Andrew Wong worked a miracle and found me a steaming plate of chow. Thank you, Andrew!
• wore all of my 16 finisher medals. Figure they cost me about $1600, but wouldn't sell them for anything
• showing off my stitches, but getting DQ'd for injuries suffered during the race by my buddies because my toe was sliced after the race =;-)

This was a particularly special finisher banquet because it celebrated not only the accomplishments of all of the runners of the day, but all of the efforts of the volunteers and race committee over the past 20 years.

It was nice to see all of those Club Fat Ass t-shirts out there yesterday. I'm sure there will be some good shots for the travelling t-shirt contest thanks to Lucinda. Congrats to the many Fat Asses who either ran or volunteered for the Knee Knacker and thank you, Kelsey and all of the volunteers, who helped make the 20th an extra-special Knee Knacker!