Check out the press release for this weekend’s Knee Knacker Trail Race, I am excited!

I completed my last training run on the trail before next Saturday and enjoyed the short 90 minute stroll from Lynn Valley into Deep Cove. I started out easy and gradually built up the intensity as the run went on and think the rest has done me the world of good. Will get in a couple of 8-10km runs through the week and make sure I get plenty of rest and eat well. I plan to keep things as normal as possible and just make sure I have plenty of healthy snacks on hand and my meals planned for the week.

I am spending a lot of time thinking about the race, but know I have trained well and accept that things will arise on the day that are out of my control.

Some of my favourite words of wisdom, “It’s all about the journey and not the destination”, relate well to my Knee Knacker experience. The KK journey has been one of self discovery and realising my potential – whatever happens in the race, I know I have come a long way. I feel blessed to have kicked off my trail running career in the North Shore Mountains and have met an amazing bunch of fellow runners in the process.

Thanks to everyone for their well wishes.

John Atkinson is someone I have been lucky enough to meet and become acquainted with through our affiliation with the Knee Knacker Trail Run. He is a very accomplished road runner who is also trying his hand at trail running. It has provided him with a new set of challenges and I am sure he will be a stronger runner for it. When he starts talking about running under 2hr 50 minute marathons, my jaw drops but I know he has the abiltiy and drive to do it.

John, who is also a journalist, has kindly provided an account of his recent trip to the 112th Boston Marthon, one of the oldest and most prestigious marathons going around. This is a great read and thanks to John for the insight into his Boston experience; The Boston Story – John Atkinson.

Yesterday’s training run saw us cover the 1st half of the Knee Knacker course and other than a few missed turns and the hot weather, it all went without too many mishaps. There were a few people with cuts and bruises to show at Cleveland Dam, luckily for me I was not one of them. As the day got hotter and we go lower down, the heat started to play a toll and I probably didn’t take on enough fluids, another lesson for race day (you never stop learning). There is a good chance it could be a hot one on race day, so it was good to get a feel for the conditions. Having run in Brisbane over the years, it was not that new for me.

I think having run for over 13 hours in my last three trail runs played a big part in me feeling tired and sore at Cleveland Dam (finishing point for run). I didn’t have the spring in my step on the downhills and it is a sign that I need to take it easy in the lead up to the race which is 11 days. I feel confident that I have trained well and have the fitness base to run a good race, so want to make sure I give myself every chance by resting up properly.

I was chatting to Tanya yesterday, as we watched the sunset at Stanley park, about the whole Knee Knacker experience. For a new bloke in town it has been an amazing opportunity to meet a group of motivated and inspiring runners and build long lasting friendships. I have been exposed to the Nth Shore which is world renowned for its challenging trails and awe striking beauty. My confidence and ability of running on the trails has grown by the week and I have found something that I am not too bad at. I am going to really miss my Wednesday and Sunday training runs.

I have posted some more photos, so please check them out in the page section (thank you Mike for your contributuion).

Yesterday was our second to last Wednesday night training run before the race and our longest one of the year. As well as tackling the 18km return run from Cleveland Dam to the Lower Cypress carpark, I was talked into tagging on an extra 1 1/2 hours beforehand (thanks John).

After that initial ‘warm-up’ run, we meet up with the rest of the crew and headed out to the Cypress carpark. Feeling strong, I set a pretty good pace out but having only run this leg on the downhill stretch, I underestimated just how far it was. It was on the way back I really started to struggle and got a taste of the pain that lies ahead in the Knee Knacker. It was the slowest I had ever run what is one my favourite downhill stretches, but with some welcome distraction chat with a fellow runner, I made it home. Then it got interesting. After pulling myself together, quite a few minutes had passed by and I started to get a little worried that John had not arrived back. My stress levels rose even more when the last group of runners came in and still no sign of John, or two other runners. Just before the helicopter was ordered in, he appeared from the trail in good shape (considering he’d been running for over 4 1/2 hours) and 10 minutes later the other two arrived, so all ended well.

I arrived home exhausted and hardly had the energy to eat dinner. It was also a struggle pulling myself out of the bed this morning and anyone looking at me would have thought I’d had a big night out. I think two big runs in the matter of four days, dehydration and not enough food consumed all combined to leave me feeling shattered. More lessons learnt, the hard way!

Only 18 days (and counting) to Knee Knacker and am getting more excited by the day. I am starting to worry though that I am becoming one dimensional and only talk about trail running, sorry Tanya. It has become a passion and I have never been so motivated and inspired by my running.

 Today’s Knee Knacker training run had a bit of everything and was our longest to date. The run covered the 1st 3/4 of the KK course (38km) and included over 1200 metres of climbs, some rock scrambling, lots of snow and some fast downhills (loved it!!). The first part of the run climbs up Black Mountain which is legendary among KK runners. It is where some runners have been known to go out too hard on race day and pay for it later in the race. This is one mistake I don’t want to make. I ended up being on my feet for close to 5 1/2 hours and really enjoyed the run and the company along the way.

Thanks to Paul, I have been able to provide some photos from today’s run. I have included more in the Knee Knacker Photos page on this blog, please check them out.

  I woke on Sunday morning to one of those days that you just can’t help but have that extra spring in your step. After two weeks of unseasonal cold and wet weather, the sun was out in force and hardly a cloud in the sky. It’s days like this that Vancouver lives up to its reputation of being one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

This week’s knee knacker training run went from the Cypress Top lookout to Deep Cove, about a 33km point to point run. After a challenging out and back run to Old Buck last weekend, this weekend’s run didn’t seem so daunting. The trail was in good condition and the tempertaure perfect for running.

One of the highlights of getting involved in the trail running scene in Vancouver has been the amazing people I have meet. You can’t help but be motivated and inspired in this sort of environment. So today being no exception, I ran with a group of very competent runners, all with their own stories. Just to keep up was a victory in itself!

I thoroughly enjoyed the run, especially the downhill stretches where I just can’t help myself. I feel sorry for the people out for a nice Sunday morning stroll being scared out of their wits by this rampaging Kiwi coming pounding up behind them on the trail. We finished off with a soak in Arctic cold waters (well cold compared to back in Queensland) and a coffee and berry bun at a favourite jaunt of trail runners in Deep Cove.

I came away from the run still happy at how I am progressing and feeling confident heading towards July 12th. I don’t think I have ever been so excited about a race.

After Three buses and a taxi later, I finally arrived up at Grouse Mountain ready for the longest and most challenging run to date. It was an overcast wet morning, making the trails all that more interesting with mud, wet tree roots and slippery rocks to contend with.

The run covered the last half of the Knee Knacker course, but we turned around about 5km from the end and came all the way back again, a bit more challenging mentally. I set off with a couple of old hands in regards to trail running and they know all about not going out too hard. We had the option of turning around at the top of the Seymour Grind or going an extra couple of ks to Old Buck (where tradtition has you touch the rock). It was decided to go the whole way and we turned at 2 hr 35. I questioned my choice of clothing as really started to feel the cold at top of the Seymour Grind.

I was determined to run a strong second half, as this is part of the race I have let myself down over the years. So my goal was to run back in the same time I ran out, so with about 11km to go, I picked up the pace a little and ran solo to the end. I was also motivated by the thought of getting dry warm clothes on and a coffee and cinnamon bagel. The homeward leg was challenging, with a combination of hard climbs and technical sections. Wet and tired, I soldiered on and managed to get back in 2hr 35.

On reflection, I am happy at how the run went and confident that I’m on track for the Knee Knacker. I am starting to finally live up to my potential as a runner, but know that I still have a long way to go.

It’s Sunday evening, I’m sitting back with a beer and reflecting on what has been a big weekend of trail running (loved every minute of it).

Got up early on Saturday morning to a beautiful Vancouver day, ready to tackle my first race of the year. The Iron Knee is a 25km trail race from Grouse Mountain down into Deep Cove, a fairly fast course with a few technical sections and climbs thrown in. I went into the race placing no expectations on myself and would see how I felt on the day.

I started off quite conservatively, which kind of backfired as I got stuck behind a bit of traffic once we hit the single trails. After some interesting overtaking moves on the downhill I found my pace and the field started to open up. At about the 15km mark, we hit a 3km climb up Powerline Trail and this is where I felt all the Knee Knacker training paying dividends. I was able to gain a few places en route to the top, then hit the downhill section which covered the remaining 7km or so into Deep Cove. I am beginning to become a bit of a downhill freak and loved this section. I finished strongly at 2hrs 5 mins and still had a bit more in the tank, which would help for Sunday’s run.

Sunday’s training run was from Grouse Mountain to Deep Cove again, except on the Knee Knacker course (Baden Powell Trail) and a more technical run than the previous day’s. The legs were a bit tired but I was happy how well I recovered from Saturday. I got to run the long downhill section into Deep Cove again and kept reminding myself I wasn’t racing today - didn’t help though! A great weekend and the serious training runs start next Sunday with a 5-6 hour run.

It is now under 2 months until my first ultra running event and I am pumped. I was up on the Nth Shore yesterday morning for a 3 hour training run and my confidence is growing with every run. I am becoming more sure on my feet and feeling stronger on the hills. There is still the odd wrong turn made, which usually happens when I am having a chat (people soon learn not to get me started) and not paying attention to the markers. I am not getting carried away, but feel I am on the way.

For those of you that haven’t heard about the trail run I am undertaking, the knee knackering (www.kneeknacker.com) Nth Shore Trail Run is a 30 mile (48km) foot race along the Baden Powell Centennial Trail (http://www.trailpeak.net/index.jsp?cat=def&con=trail&val=265). The Baden Powell is a picturesque and techniqual trail through Pacific Nth West rain forest that includes 8000 feet (2500 metres) of vertical climbs and 8300 feet (2600 metres) of descents. The race is limited to 200 starters and I was lucky enough to get in through a lottery.

I am already dreaming about competing in longer races, such as a 50 mile trail run, but it is probably a good idea to get through this one first!