RIP Ed Edmondson, Knee Knacker Volunteer #1

On behalf of the Knee Knacker family, we say goodbye to our original volunteer from the inaugural group run in 1989. Ed Edmondson left us earlier this year on April 3 at the age of 82.

After helping us out for that inaugural run in 1989, Ed continued as captain of the Seymour Road Aid Station for the next 15 years when he passed that role on to Chris Lee. He did everything he could to encourage runners along those last 2.5 miles (4 km) of “downhill” running to the Finish Line in Deep Cove. Ed introduced many innovations, including having a volunteer about 100 metres before the road crossing blowing a whistle whenever runner(s) were approaching the aid station. They would then be greeted by motivational music, volunteers, and his delicious home-baked chocolate chip cookies!

My personal friendship goes back a little further, to the fall of 1984 when I joined the YMCA Marathon Clinic. I had a goal of running the Vancouver Marathon in May 1985. It was going to my first and only marathon race (side note – it wasn’t). I had played a lot of rugby until the early 80s, but not for a couple of years before joining the Y clinic in 1984. I was a pretty soft 210 pounds by then. Ed was my first run leader that year for the first couple of months of the clinic, and kept me motivated (and entertained) on our weekly Sunday morning group runs. He also encouraged us to take part in social gatherings outside of the runs, especially the breakfasts at Denny’s after those Sunday runs. I made many lifelong friends from those get-togethers.

I would continue on with the YMCA Clinic for several more years. Ed even talked me into becoming a run leader for the last couple of years I was there. That was also around the time I moved to North Vancouver and started running the North Shore trails. Ed was quite curious to explore some of those trails with us, but not curious enough to run the first Knee Knacker 30-mile ultramarathon in June 1989. However, his generosity came out as he met us 3 times along the way with cold refreshments and food that day. That gave him the distinction of being Volunteer #1 for the race. When we opened the race to the public the next year, he became the captain of the Mount Seymour Road aid station which he continued for the next 15 years.

Ed’s obituary is at https://vancouversunandprovince.remembering.ca/obituary/edward-edmondson-1092930041

Enzo Federico