Only 15 days, 16 hours, and 37 minutes until the start of my fourth attempt at conquering the infamous Knee Knackering North Shore Trail Run (www.kneeknacker.com).
2001 - I had never run trails and didn't think 50km with 8,000 feet of climbing would be any problem at all. Halfway up Nancy Greene Way my cockiness was replaced by the stark reality of what I was facing - a broken spirit and another 25km of punishment. Let's just say that I gained a healthy respect for the trails after that race.
2002 - I decided that I was going to get serious about my training, focus on becoming a monster climber, and set my sight on taking down local legend Colin Dignum at the Knacker. When I accidentally won that April's Diez Vista 50km by a considerable margin, I started to believe I had a legitimate shot at achieving that goal. The night before the big race I was so excited and wound up that I didn't sleep a single second. Needless to say, the adrenaline was pumping by the start of the race. My game plan was to run steady, but not to quick for the first half and not focus on what place I was in until the last half. However, within minutes of the start, there I was throwing caution to the wind and chasing after Colin Dignum and Kevin Titus, the 46 year old (50 now) monster of the trails. By the quarter mark, my race was over. My legs were so heavy from chasing them up Black Mountain that I had nothing left for the last 40km! Kevin managed to set a course record and finish 48min of me. Humble pie indeed.
2003 - My hope was that I had learned from my first two experiences and that I would finally be able to conquer the course. By conquer I mean beating the course, running strongly over the last half. Training was going well until I signed up for the Vancouver Marathon at the last moment ($110! what a rip off...). I ran wonderfully...until 18miles. I was in 6th or 7th place at the point. I managed to get to the 20mile mark in just under 2 hours, but I took nearly an hour to run (well, actually it was a shuffle / hobble at that point) the last 10km. Although it was tough going during the last 10km, it was the month after that I spent injured that hurt the most. So instead of being well prepared for my 3rd attempt at the knacker, I started the race with only one run longer than 3 hours in the bank. I figured, incorrectly, that the best strategy would be for me to get through the course as fast as possible since my body hadn't had a chance to adapt to 4 - 5 hours of pounding. For the 3rd year in a row I was 3rd at the Dam, but the last half ended up being the worst of the three. My splits are good indicator of how things turned out: First 1/4 - 3rd; Second 1/4 - 8th; Third 1/4 - 19th; Fourth 1/4 - 97th! The wheels came off just before the top of the Seymour Grind and I ended up sitting on a stump contemplating my existence while at least 10 runners passed me, some silently, some supportively, and one who apparently was quite happy to be passing me! My Opa (Grandfather) was on the BP that day and walked with me for a while. When we hit Mount Seymour Road, he asked me if I wanted anything. I said "beer," he said "ok" and got into his truck and drove away. About 1km to the finish, with Enzo Federico's voice carrying over the water, my Opa came up the trail towards me with a brown paper bag containing two cans of Kokanee! To be honest, the beer definitely wasn't what I needed or wanted, but I drank one can as I didn't want to disappoint him.
That 3rd knacker was my worst, in terms of time and placement, but it ended up being one of the best days of my life as I met my future wife at the awards banquet that night.
Now, four years later, I'm going to be able to show off Rhys, our five month old "Knee Knacker Baby."
I know what I have to do to get through the race in one piece and I know what I have to do to perform my best. But, knowing me, I'll probably throw caution to the wind yet again and run hard until I blow up.
See you at the start line.
Eric
