Ironman Canada - TriathlonFull Ironman

I was up near the flag rope start right in the middle. Lots of people behind me that were still on the beach and shallow water. Lots of people to my left and to the right. At the cannon shot, waded out to about waist deep and started to swim, watched people wade for another 50 yards.

Congested water, bumping and flailing arms, always touching somebodys foot in front of me. After about 100-200 yards I saw first orange bouy....and I was close to it? I had a thing going all swim about fading to my right? Really got into congested swimmers and I was not feeling good about my swim.

It's that feeling early in a swim or run, where you are just not getting the breath, no rhythm, plus my wetsuit felt like it was bunching up from water in the arms and chest (what the heck, no bouancy? people flailing across my legs sinking me!!!???) Checked up and floundered some, panic started to rise "I should just f**king quit, this SUCKS! -what happened to that guy out in the NY triathlon this summer that DIED! Now I know how that can happen. Got going again, stroke 123 breath, stroke 123 breath, stay calm.......got some separation, drafted off people, stay calm relax, Passing bouys 2,3,4,5 ect.ect.

Look to my far left and see nothing but arms and splash, must be a huge swim. Started to think about the first turn. Had to shorten arm stretch because of white feet in front of me. Made both turns around houseboats, saw scuba guys on the bottom, waved to them (Maybe I was to relaxed by than).

Final long straight swim to the beach, had some separation, but still faded to the right, always near the bouys. After the panic attack at the start, was able to get into a very good 3 stroke or 4 stroke to breath ration. Tried to sight the beach or the hotel to figure how close I was. Seemed like people started to sprint as we got closer, started to see the lake bed, noticed people wading, kept swimming and passing them. Checked watch. 1:20 (like last year) VERY VERY HAPPY. Glad I didn't quit. The rest would be a piece of cake (well at least a painfull piece of cake)....Found some strippers, wasn't that smooth getting suit off.

I should have got back a little bit and let the first rush/wave of swimmers go and maybe been more to the left for a different angle. Maybe more distance but less congestion?

Need to do a harder warmup to get body up to speed. I know it's some kind of Physiology thingy that happens to the body. Still happy with time and felt tired but ok.

Found a chair right off, dug into bag, got shoes on first, than bike shirt. Had support guy, help roll shirt down wet back. Shirt felt skewed and tight (wetness). Hard to stuff pockets with gels and cookies. (I had planned on taping gels to bike, never got around to it. Mistake )
Helmet on and sunglasses, got bike and shuffled to start.

Tape gels to bike, or use a bottle for gel. Shirts going on wet body are always a problem, thank goodness I didn't put on socks.

Didn't feel like 6 minutes, should be able to take a minute or two off if I got serious about it

After a couple miles down main street, noticed my repair kit bag had slipped the velcro strap and was hanging on the seat stem. Had to stop and reattach it. Than I realized my Flightdeck was not reading speed or distance. Got it going but continued to act up through out the day.

First challenge was the McLean Road climb (remember I had missed the turn during the drive on Friday to check the course). Since it was early in the bike, Lots of riders were still riding in Large groups. It was 3-4 wide going up the short steep climb, people shifting down and spinning and some girl was shouting go go go.. You could pass, but than you could not pull over to the right, it was that crowded. Lucky it was a short climb.
Had a nice downhill section into OK Falls. But since I didn't know the course very well, kept speed in check.
Started to notice that anytime I went to aero postion, felt discomfort in my left testicle area. Shorts to tight, seat not in adjustment, cancer like Lance had??? This went on for the first 50 miles or so till Osoyooss. Couldn't figure it out, so I rode upright for all that nice flat smooth surface, constantly readjusting myself, trying to stretch my shorts out ect.ect. The final climb before Osoyoss, I got up and danced on the pedals and during some of the climb up Richter Pass, noticed that I didn't have the discomfort in my left Teste. YEA!

Richter Pass, swirling side head wind going up hill. Plus other riders that don't pull over to the right. After the first crest, went downhill and couldn't gain any more speed than 13mph (going downhill?). Just kept grinding up the last two climbs on Richter. Than DOOOOWWWNNNHIIILLLL. Got the shimmy wobble at around 40MPH, so started to tap the brakes to get speed under control. Try to shout out to other riders that you are on the LEFT! So much wind noise in the ears.

After Richter came the Rollers. Downhills that went into little grindy uphill climbs. Legs would get cooled down and than have to grind back up the hills, plus wind would gust and push you different directions, so if you stood up to pedal, you would be a sail for the wind to catch.

Finally flattened out for awhile and could cruise in aero before getting to the Keremos Out and Back Special Needs area. Got my pretzels and ZippFizz drink. Took my first leak on the bike course.

Started on the final leg north of Keremeos fighting wind, playing pass and repass with a couple different riders. Always seemed that when their was a clump of riders, the Race Referees would cruise pass, just waited for them to signal me to pull over. But it never happened.

Saw some rider that was down by the road, ambulance and people all around, had a space blanket on him/her. Final climb up to Yellow Lake, had to pee again, passed up a few spots where I could pull over and it got worse. Finally got up to the aid station an hit the restroom building. One of my longest timed pees of all time. Felt so much better. Flat riding now pass the lake, and than the DOWNnnnhill curves. Knowing that the worse is over and it was now time to start preparing mentally for the run. Got to the corner of the Hwy97 and got sandblasted by a gust of wind. Chewed on grit for the next couple of miles.

Riding into Penticton is so cool, there is no more ache or pain of the previous 109 miles. You start to get cocky and want to sprint and pass people, fans are cheering, cowbells ringing. Final corner and than dismount. Didn't feel that bad getting off the bike.

Many thanks to my LTS owner and IMC racer Mo Trainor for taking me on a training ride up to Mt Baker. Mt Baker is tougher than Richter and YellowLake.
So I was basically in decent ride shape. Tape Gels on bike or get a gel bottle holder. Figure out why my testical got messed up.

Very happy though with the ride. No cramps, back was ok. No crash (like last year at CDA) No flats (saw many riders with tire problems) got through the climbs in good shape (slow yes) Went through 66 ounces of Accerade plus water and gatorade plus about 5 e-caps. Nutrition/hydration was good.

Bike was taken and i did the bike shoe trot to the run bag and than into the tent. Shoes off, socks on, running shoes on, grab hat, switch belt to front and stuff more gels and shot bloks into pockets. shuffled out to mats and kept going.

Nothing really. Maybe if I went with a more of in a hurry pace, but I'm not going for any trophies or podium. And I didn't figit around like last year.

I'm happy with it.

I wanted to improve on what I had done last year during IMCDA...Run run run, not walk. Ok I could walk the aid stations and the climbs. So from the start I was determined to run, even if it was slow, it had to be a run. Heard some BTers yell my name at the first corner, turned and waved, had no idea at the time who it was. Got me more fired up. I had been looking at my watch time and was trying to figure out what the finish time would be. Knew it should be in the 14 or 13 hour area. And that kept me focused on moving forward.

I was feeling a little bloaty full feeling in the gut, but not a serious problem. Hit the porta johns about 5 times during the run, so I know I was hydrated and system was flushing ok. Not worried about Hypontremia.
Going out with wind at the back, kept body wet with sponges. On the way back with wind in the face, dried out and just used sponges on the face to stay fresh.
Saw LTS owner Mo around my 12 marker and her 15 marker. Another positive moment. Constant time calculation going on in the head. Started to think I would finish in the 15 hour. But wait, I forgot during my mind math that I had left out 13 and 14....

Didn't have a run special needs bag (overrated). Amazed to watch people waste time sitting down and sorting through stuff in the bag. Walked the climbs and aid stations and ran everything else. Had a few short walks. Than realized that walking made my feet more sorer than the running.

Around mile 24.5 on main street. Got pumped up by the crowds, saw wife and dogs at 25 mile marker. Got a kiss from the dogs and a lick from my wife or was it vice versa? Made the turn on Lakeshore. One mile to go.

I thought it was anticlimatic. My finish last year was more thrilling. The street is dark, the weather had cooled off, it was windy. plus the crowd was held back by the fence. I started to think about the finish and how i hope it didn't get screwed up at the finish photo. Since there were quite a few people on the course with me.

Closer and closer, still no good gap of finishers. Guy in front of me, turned around and went through tape backwards....(doof) and than I went through. Kids didn't have time to put up the tape. (My thought was no Big Deal) I FINISHED.
The other thing I was focused on was trying to hear Mike Reilly and him say Spencer Albin, Bellingham Washington, (think he said I was 29 years old) BUT I DIDN'T HEAR HIM SAY I WAS AN IRONMAN. Maybe I'm being petty.....


I weighed in on friday registration at about 215 (couldn't strip down infront of the elder ladies doing the paperwork.

so I could be a litte better with weight loss. My train up to this race, I slacked on stretching and core exercise, which would have helped.

But I did what I wanted to achieve, less than 6 hours and I ran probably 85% or more of the way.

After the finish line, support crew escorted me around to get medal and timing chip off. I know they mean well, but I just want to move on and not in mood to chit chat (still pissed at finish line and now IRONMAN pronounment by Reilly) saw wife and licked her and kissed dogs. Tried to direct her to food area to meet her. Got photo than stumbled over food area an got a ham and cheese sandwich. Watched medic staff work over somebody in the first aid area....Always amazed at how some people are just wrecks at the finish. After the food tried to find wife, so walked back and forth around Gyro park trying to find her....Getting ticked off. Went over to bike entrance area and there she was with the dogs.
Rule # 2 of life, never get pissedoff at a trivial thing like "where were you?" Got another smootch and petted the doggies (boy were they excited to see me)


Weight, had a cold the previous week. I had some congestion during the run and was still coughing up flem.

I never did many long runs during training, just the stuff on the track. I'm ok though with how it all worked out.


I want to give a big thanks to my better half. Bellinghammaria, walking back and forth from the hotel to the race venue with two dogs, not knowing and not having any way of finding out what is going on with me during the day. Windy and cool weather. But it all worked out. She is so supportive and puts up with all this hobby of mine.

This was the 25th anniversary edition of a great IRONMAN Race. I got to be a part of something very special. I didn't have the same excited shivers/goosebumps down my back feeling like the IMCDA finish of last year. But I am misty about bettering my time by an 1:15 minutes. More than I imagined I could do.

IMC is a must do for any Ironman competitor.