FUN TIMES @ THE IRON KNEE 25KM

(The start at Cleveland Park)

My boyfriend Peter and the North Shore Athletics crew were putting on the Iron Knee 25km (as well as the Tender Knee 12km). I have done this race every year since I started, this one being my 5th year. The first 3 times I did it I came 2nd, the most memorable being a sprint finish against Ellie Greenwood. I think we can all imagine how that played out! The last 2 times I have ran it just for fun.

On saturday, Peter and I marked the 12km course, so I had the chance to re-live powerline hill before the race. It seemed way longer walking and marking it then during the actual event.

Due to the fact that I ran the 50km the week before and felt pretty tired all week, I rounded up my friend Shauna to run with me, "for fun". I just couldnt stay away from this awesome event, tired or not. The course start changed slightly from last year, where it used to start at the base of Grouse, it now started about a km down the road, and by down, I mean, straight down. The beginning of this race was hard enough and now we had an extra km uphill to run. Shauna and I took it pretty casual going up the hill and by the time we got to the rolly stuff up in Grouse, I was feeling pretty damn good. We quickly started to pass poeople on the descent and that inner demond inside of me was starting to show it's face. I think I am usually red-lining by this point and although I am usually moving the same pace, I think in years past it has just felt harder. This day however, it simply felt effortless.


(My aunt who is turning 50 this year!!! She is such a rockstar!!!!!)

Meanwhile Shauna is doing a great job hanging on and at one point she says "Is this your fun pace?". I had to laugh and remember that I had dragged another person to do this with me. Shauna is an awesome runner, I dont even think she knows how strong she truely is and I had no doubt that she would be able to handle a little increase in pace. We cruised all the way over to powerline and worked pretty hard getting up this hill, power hiking of course. I forgot my regular La Sportiva Crisslites and instead grabbed my skylites by accident. I have only wore these shoes once and the one time I did, I ended up with a blister. Needless to say, they have sat on my shelf ever since. So here I was, having a blast, working hard uphill, and I started getting a blister. It was pretty painful but I just ignored it knowing that I would be going downhill soon and the pressure on my heel wouldn't be so bad.


(Such an amazing setting for a race: Deep Cove Panorama Park)

I kind of lost Shauna up powerline for a bit and just before we started up powerline she told me to go and do my thing if I felt good. I got to the top, no Shauna in sight, and started to head downhill solo. Realizing that this wasn't as fun and that I had set out that day to start and finish with one of my best friends, I waited for about 20 seconds and down she came. We continued to laugh and run hard all the way to the finish. We crossed the line, holding hands (shauna's request) and heel kicking as high as we could. However, what we didnt notice was that there were 2 blow-up arches, with the second being the true finish line. After our skip heel kick finish, we realized/were yelled at, that we weren't actually at the finish and had to re-do it all over again!


(The finish line arch)
We ended up coming in 4th, 1st in the couples division! Ok, we were the only one's in the couples division, and I may have made up that category, but still! It was such a fabulous day, great weather, and it was so awesome to hang out by the ocean in panorama park. Thanks to everyone who helped put on this race and to all the awesome volunteers. Can't wait for next year!!!!

Whats up next? COMFORTABLY NUMB 25KM!!!! This is such a gem, you do not want to miss out!