Gerry's 2010 Desery 1/2 IM Race Report

This is Gerry's last race before IMC! Some big improvements over Oliver 1/2 and some great experience out on that Ironman course.

All righty then. To begin with I chose an excellent motel that had a kitchen unit as well as being a large suite. It had a bedroom, bath and a large kitchen, dining area as well as living room. To top it all off it was only about a five minute walk to the beach start area and only a couple more to the transition area.

Perfect come race morning.The weather was gorgeous. I arrive Friday morning after overnighting in Revelstoke and it was already almost 30C by 1030. the weather got up 40C the day before the race and was scheduled to be about 38 with humidity on race day.

The swim began from the lower portion of Osoyoos lake and was a two lap triangle with an exit after the first lap. There was a run for about 200 metres along the beach approach to a tunnel under the road to the transition area where one mounted up for the ride up out of town, up through Richter Pass and then down through the rollers to Cawston and back again. The run left the transition area and headed up a small pair of hills before heading out along the shoreline of the south portion of the lake for an out-and-back two lap 21.1 km trot. That's the brief survey of the course.

Sunday morning dawned bright and clear with only a few clouds and no wind. The temperature at 5:00 am was already 20C and by race time was approximately 22C. The race started at 7:00 am exactly and I positioned myself to the right rear of the swim scrum. I had swam about 48 minutes at the Calgary 70.3 for 1900 metres, almost the same time at Oliver's 2000 metres and hoped to better those time during this race. I struck out at a steady pace that put just enough strain on the arms to know that I was working. I was a bit annoyed by a few swimmers who apparently had never heard of sighting because they were literally cutting across the swim at 45 degrees. I held the same pace for almost the entire race, picking it just a bit for the last few hundred metres. When I checked my watch when I hit the timing mat it said just about 45 minutes! A three minute improvement.
Swim time 45:14

I hit the strippers at the run and had layered on plenty of Glide so the suit zipped right off and I was running for the bike racks. This time I had gone with a tri top instead of cycling shirt and decided to go without socks or riding gloves. Stripped down to the bare minimum I reached the racks, put on the sunglasses, helmet, grabbed a caffeine shot for my pocket and headed out to the mount area at the run. Transition time was less than four minutes,... nearly a six minute improvement over Oliver.
T1 - 3:29

As soon as you hit the road and began pedalling you could see the first hill. At about 200 metres from the start the climb from town to Richter began. It is a long, long climb from 900 ft to 2100 ft and the top of the pass. The ride the back side to the Nighthawk turn went by quickly as one roared down the back side. Sadly the speed was reduced by a slight headwind that prevented building some really good speed but it wasn't too. bad. The climb to the nighthawk turn was not too bad nor was the ride through the seven rollers on the way to Cawston and the Barcelo Road bypass. The wind had shifted to the north down the valley so the entire ride to Cawston was into the teeth of a steady wind that frustrated the attempts to take maximum advantage of the decent down to the turn around. In retrospect this was a bonus as that same wind was to help on the ride back to Osoyoos.Once headed south again on the valley floor the wind helped push one along at a relative easy 35-40 km depending on the rise and fall of the road. Even the first few rollers were not too bad with the assistance of wind helping with the climb. Alas, the wind cannot overcome all gravity and the last two rollers, the nighthawk climb and the return up Richter were gruelling. The temperature was now well over 30C and a good portion of water taken from the aid station was used to soak the head and back. If one has never ridden back up Richter, I recommend one does so. Richter from the front side doesn't look so scary after you have climbed the steeper and long way up the back side. With time ticking by, knees and back feeling the strain I just kept cranking the pedals at a steady 75-77 rpm in my lowest gear and rolled my way back over the pass. Once at the top and realising that it was almost all down hill from their one was almost tempted to call it a day well done,... almost. After that hard a climb it was a true pleasure to gear up and begin to crank some serious power into the pedals as the pass dropped away to Osoyoos. Speed exceeded 70 kph on the decent into town and only breaking for the corners killed the joy of making it through the ride. This was no record breaking time but it was one of the most satisfying rides I've ever done.
90km Ride 3:57:36

Reaching the dismount line one had to run down a small hill to the transition area. The legs were a bit wobbly after that tough a ride but it felt good to be on two feet again,... my butt thought so too. The run to the rack, dumping the riding gear, donning socks runners and a cap I headed for run,... forgetting my solid food chews,... not needed anyway). Got through that one in just over three minutes.
T2 - 3:03

Hitting the asphalt road the first thing one noticed was the heat. It was now approaching noon and the temperature was in access of 35C and climbing. The temps reach 38C in town with heat on the asphalt reaching more than 40C along Hwy 3 through town. Sponges and water were worn as well as swallowed, salt tabs were popped every 15 to 20 minutes and plenty of Gatorade and ice went down well. The run went quite well for the first 17 km with little excitement. Plenty of folks were on hand with water hoses, super-soakers, crushed ice and the like to keep the runners cool and every aid station was well stocked with liquids and some fruit. It was only the last four km when I started to fade. The last climb over the low set of hills was tough as was passing by the finish line for the second time before making the final turn and the last km to the finish. I was surprised to see the number of folks behind me and happy I was not the last over the line. Tough run at 40C,... but the finish line was crossed.
Run time - 2:54.35

Finished 281 out of 309 starters. There were 15 who did not make it to the finish line or dropped out.Probably the most fun I've had at a 1/2 IM and I'd do this one again without hesitation, even with the ride and the heat.

Gerry