I'm finally doing my IMC race report, since I'm so late, I'm also adding my Banff Sprint triathlon report at the end. It may come a surprise to most of you - I don't like writing as much as I do talking! ;-) Anyways, here it goes. A couple firsts came with my third ironman in 3 years - one is I actually rode a 180k bike that wasn't on ironman race day. That was at Angie's ironman camp! Second - I had no niggly injuries/pain such as my knee or ankle as in the previous 2 ironmans. So that was a pretty good feeling. I have to back up first, before going on with the day of IMC. I was having some serious doubts why was I doing this for a third time in 3 years. I have my tattoo, I can call myself an Ironman (or Ironmom by my daughters) and it seems we always had a holiday before I do an ironman. I have such an understanding and wonderful family. Kevin is so supportive and I could never ask to forgo the summer holiday and I can not go because I can't miss out being with the family and our close friends. This is where I had my doubts of WHY am I doing this, so I had a good talk with my self on my last long bike before Ironman and it is because I do love being on my bike, racing, the lifestyle, able to pretty well eat and drink what I want and the incredible friends I have met along this journey.
We arrived in Penticton on Sunday a week before the race. I would have to say it would be the most calm I have ever felt before Ironman. Of course there were little twinges of nerves, but if I didn't have any I would be concerned. I had a fairly good sleep the night before, compared to the previous 2 ironmans and I actually was hungry in the morning. This was a first and I had no trouble eating my breakfast - another first! IMC 2008 I couldn't eat and all I had was a gel before that race. In Arizona (2009), JoZ stood over me the whole time to make sure I ate! I actually was so calm for me that morning that I was actually started worrying why I wasn't why wasn't worrying!;-) No worries though, some anxiety did creep in - but only a little! In transition before the start of the race, the support from fellow TTL athletes was great!
The swim, I always hold back on the start - I think I need to rethink this strategy because then I have to pass the slower swimmers, but if I am closer to the front, I get beat up - so I don't know what is worse. Anyways I had pretty good swim after getting by the slower swimmers. After the 2nd houseboat I found a swimmer who was going at a good pace and I drafted off her. One thing I need to work on is swimming straight, I'm pretty sure it was me that had trouble keeping straight because I was all around her. I did my darndest to stay on her left hip! I was quite happy with my time once I got out of the water.
Transitions - the bain of my existence!! ;-) Here is free time which I seem to always lose. I didn't have anyone help me because I figure it would slow me down. Mantra: smooth is fast and fast is smooth. T1 was relatively fast for me, but more speed is needed. (Plan to actually practice transitions this year.)
The bike, now it can be a good day or not so good day depending on the wind. Since I can't control it - just do your best (another mantra). Had a tail wind out to Osoyoos, knew would have a head wind heading to Penticton. Problem - still go cheesy easy or hammer it to Osoyoos? Chose cheesy easy. Heading up Richter's wasn't too bad - didn't feel the wind quite so much (yet). Probably took Richter's and the rollers too hard, but had a blast coming down! Really noticed the head wind on the rollers and heading to Yellow Lake, I was cold! Thank goodness I missed the rain and hail at Yellow Lake, I couldn't imagine how cold I would have been then. I knew I went too hard on the bike (I was just a couple minutes slower than 2008 which had ideal bike conditions), but I just needed to get off that bike as I was so cold.
T2 - lot slower than I thought I was. I guess I just had trouble moving fast after the bike.
Started off on the run and boy was it ever windy! Sand was blowing in your face as you came towards Lakeshore and before you headed away. John caught up with me about mile 2 and at that time I was trying to hold 12 minute miles and at first we were going too fast and we adjusted accordingly and it worked for a bit and then we weren't and then I just gave up trying to figure it out with pit stops (I needed a few!). So we just kept on going, running and walking (and me talking!). Passed the third way point - I was just so tired, I wasn't sore, no pain, just very very tired. It was great having John there he kept me moving lot faster than if I was on my own. I knew that wind on the bike was going to be hard on me - anytime there is a strong wind I am just knackered and it showed on the run. As we headed back to Penticton we both started feeling better and now we were running more than walking and as we got to the last 2 km - it was incredible! The energy that you get from the crowd - it was great!! I felt so much better at the end than on the whole run! Crossing the finish line with John and seeing Josie and Stephanie catching us was a picture perfect finish (no matter what John says!).
One thing I forgot to say - another reason I do Ironman is to have fun. I did have fun that day. I met some incredible people along the way - on the beach, on the bike and the run. Seeing Team Trilife team mates fulfilling their dream of becoming an Ironman or those overcoming past hurdles to make it that day - it was great to see and be part of it. I may have not have gotten the time I wanted - but nothing is guaranteed with Ironman. I finished my third Ironman in 3 years! I can't believe sometimes that I have done one, let alone 3! I was never considered athletic as a child or teenager and I can't believe how far I have come. This is from incredible coaching from Angie, the support I get from my family and of course the support and encouragement from our TTL family and other triathletes. I always said Triathlon is not really an individual sport, but a team sport. A team sport where friends help out with pumping my tires or adjusting my gears, going longer on the bike ride when I needed an extra 20k, encouragement when things are going a little tough and just having fun together at the workouts and races. Thank you everyone!!
Here is my Banff Race Report. I don't what I was thinking when I signed up for this race knowing it was 2 weeks after Ironman - I guess being the inaugural race had something to do with it;-)! One thing I did do when I got back from Penticton was switched from the Olympic to the Sprint. As well, I wasn't going to "race", I was just doing this for fun. Other than swimming once, I hadn't been on my bike or ran for 2 weeks. Because of how cold the water was, the swim for the sprint was shortened to 300m. I actually was quite comfortable in swim - that is I wasn't cold. But this is what I had on - long johns under my wet suit, borrowed neoprene cap and booties (thanks Ally!) and borrowed large paddling gloves (thanks to my kayak buddy John). So I really wasn't all that concerned with the swim with all this gear - in fact it probably took longer to put on and take off than to do the actual swim! I thought the paddling gloves would act like swim paddles - oops was I wrong! They actually started to fill with water, so it was almost like doing close fist swim drill! Only plus side was my hands weren't cold and the swim was only 300m. Once I got out I had trouble getting the gloves off! Would have better to swim without the gloves, oh well. My main concern was not to be cold on the bike so I planned on doing a total change in the tent. I hadn't counted that it would be raining (forecast was suppose to be dry!! - should have known better) and my plans to be dry and warm after the bike was all for naught. Remember I said I was slow for transitions - well this one will come back to haunt me later (over 13min for T1 - yikes!! but I wasn't racing - didn't matter - right?). Got on the bike, got wet real quick , other than cold feet, wasn't feeling too bad. I started passing a lot a people on the bike, I don't think I was pushing too hard, didn't have my HR monitor hooked up, so I just rode. It was definitely one of the wettest rides I have ever had and it was another time I just wanted off the bike. Got to T2, wasn't too cold - took a little longer than planned. Pulled off my leggings and took off my jacket. No change in socks and put runners and cap on and had a gel before leaving T2. Feet felt ok, warmed up not too badly. I had my Smart Wool socks on and even when wet, your feet don't feel too cold. On the run the sun started to come out and it felt kind of nice. I hooked up my heart rate monitor and HR was ~160+ (I wasn't to concern as it tends to be high after the bike and I just did Ironman 2 weeks ago and I noticed from previous workouts after Ironman that my HR was high with little effort), I felt good, so I just kept on going. Again I was passing people on the run and I just ran my race and finished happy and strong. After the race Ally, John, Jerry and I had fun cheering JoZ and Leslie and doing the "wave" - cheering as triatletes as they came to the finish. Again had another fun day despite the weather. Saw some old friends, made some new friends and had fun with TTL team mates before and after the race. Not long after I got home I got a call from JoZ who asked me if knew that I had placed 5th for my age group!?! No!! I hadn't even thought to look at the race results because I didn't think I would finish that high considering I wasn't "racing". I'll admit I didn't take it easy, but I definitely wasn't pushing it. So here what haunts me, my transitions - if I hadn't dawdled, I would have placed higher without putting more effort. I do not make most of my "free" time (something Angie has told me many times;-) - I truly believed I have learned my lesson on this one) and something I definitely will work on this year! All in all another fun day even though was a bit logistical difficult race (getting set up) and cold lake and wet day!
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