The Knee Knackering North Shore Trail Run, also known as the Knee Knacker, was established in 1989 and is a 30-mile ultramarathon

Ultramarathon

An ultramarathon is any sporting event involving running longer than the traditional marathon length of .There are two types of ultramarathon events: those that cover a specified distance, and events that take place during specified time...

 trail run in that takes place in British Columbia

British Columbia

British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...

, in the Greater Vancouver

Vancouver

Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...

 area. Due to its popularity, the field is limited to 200 runners, selected by lottery. The route, comprising about 16,000 feet of vertical climb and descent, follows the Baden-Powell Trail

Baden-Powell Trail

The Baden-Powell Trail is a rugged but well-maintained trail that traverses Greater Vancouver's North Shore region. It was named after Lord Baden-Powell, founder of the world Scouting Movement.- Geography :...

, and traverses the North Shore Mountains from Horseshoe Bay to Deep Cove

Deep Cove, North Vancouver

Deep Cove refers to both the community in the easternmost part of the District of North Vancouver, in British Columbia, Canada, and also the geographic name of the small bay beside the town. It is affectionately referred to as "The Cove" by local residents. Located at the foot of Mount Seymour,...

.

Course

Both ends of the Baden Powell trail course are close to sea level

Sea level

Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...

, with a high point of 4,016 feet (1224 m) at the peak of Black Mountain. The course follows a scenic and very technical trail through a Pacific Northwest

Pacific Northwest

The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...

 rain forest. Most of the trail is within the forest, and there are some spectacular vistas at a number of points along the way, particularly at Eagle Bluff. In addition to the challenging terrain, the race is well-known for its high volunteer-to-runner support ratio and the full banquet held afterward, where all runners receive an award certificate for completing the race.

Records

The course record is held by Aaron Heidt in 2010, who completed the course in 4:39.52 despite very hot weather during the day. This surpasses the record set by Kevin Titus, who posted a mark of 4:42:37 in 2003. The women's record holder is Ellie Greenwood, who clocked 5:06:09 in 2010.

External links

• Kneeknacker.com Knee Knackering North Shore Trail Run (official Web site)