IronMan Canada : My Story

When you were born in 1961, it does not take a mathematician to work out what 2011 is going to bring. Yup, the big  5 0. And I’m not at all sure I subscribe to the “50 is the new 40” BS…that’s just sour grapes. No one really wants to be 50, least of all ME!

Added to which Sean and I had just moved to Calgaryin Alberta, Canada. It was the end of summer 2010 and the kids were gone, back home to temperate Ireland. Winter was already in the air and I knew something momentous was called for. Something huge. Something that would get me away from huddling by the fireside, stop the inevitable slide into couch potato land,  get me moving and out and about. How to cope with a seemingly endless Winter, and yes, believe me, it lasts for a solid 8 months here. It snowed on MY 49^th Birthday at the end of May 2010 and it was already snowing by Sean’s birthday at the end of October.  I had never, in all of the years living all over the world, lived in such a cold climate. Folks here say “But isn’tIreland a cold climate?  Well…no. We don’t see temperatures of -32*C for 6 months of the year. In fact, we don’t see them AT ALL!  (and a good thing too if last Winter and the whole country shutting down was any example!).  So NO!  I don’t know what -32 and below feels like. I don’t really care to know. But living inCalgary, one is surely going to find out. And trust me on this, its not pleasant.

SOOO, lest I digress, I needed something radical and so I signed up for IronMan Canada 2011. I would be 50 horrible years old by then and I wanted something momentous to show that perhaps, just maybe, I was still that 25 year old inside.

My son, Sean, signed up too. Nothing to him; he’s done it all before and then some. With two Ultra Man Triathlons under his belt and numerous IronMan Triathlons, this was just another day at the office for him. For me though, it meant enormous comfort. Someone else would be out there with me, maybe not right beside me but out there on that day. Sean was also a great support in the whole training and build up to the event and even set me up with a great bike for my unplanned but numerous trips toIrelandin the 6 months leading up to the day.

So what is an IronMan Triathlon? Well: brace yourself. It is a 2.4 mile (3.8KM) Swim followed by a 112 mile (180KM) bike ride with a full marathon of 26.2 miles (42KM) to run at the end. There are various time cut offs along the way but basically you have 17 hours to complete the entire distance of 140.6 miles.

Add in the unseasonably warm temperatures of 38.5 *C (101*F) on the day, theRocky Mountainson the bike ride, a hilly run and you have quite the challenge.

Was I up for this? Would my goal of leaving my comfy cozy fireside inCalgarylead me to the exalted status of ‘IronMan’?

Thus began 12 months of training and quite a little bit of fear and anxiety. Had I once and for all finally bitten off more than I could chew this time?

I joined a local gym where they had winter bike training sessions on a trainer. The big advantage: you had to bring your own bike and set it up on the power meter and cadence and all sorts of complicated gadgetry. I humped and hauled my basic road bike in and out of that gym all winter. The first session was almost the end. It was soooo hard. I sweated and puffed and panted. Those indoor training sessions are not to be dismissed. But I slowly began to build up some endurance on the bike. I soon realized I was going to need a ‘better’ bike. I purchased a shiny new Cervelo with all the bells and whistles. This Triathlon business is not an inexpensive venture. I joined a swim team and soon realized that I was the slowest and worst swimmer in the group. O to grow up in a country where everyone learns to swim at the age of 4 and joins swim club and just somehow, everyone here seems to be able to swim so very well. However, I persevered and soon began to get more comfortable with the training. Grant, the coach, was patient but relentless. No dispensation for the elderly whatsoever…Hah!  I had to do the time trials, the drills and the long distances just like everyone else. It was tough.

Running on a treadmill was never something I had enjoyed so I just left that aside for the winter, hoping that I’d get in a few miles somewhere along the way outdoors.

Christmas came and the kids arrived. Snow skiing took over for a while and the usual family festivities. Then in January, the bad news fromIreland. My eighty year old Mother, always in great health, was seriously ill. I rushed home and was there for the diagnosis of a GlioBlastoma Brain tumor. She may have 6 months to live, we were told. I stayed inIrelandfor several weeks and returned again in March/April and yet again in June/July. 

What is there to say? Life gets in the way. Priorities are priorities. Thinking about training and missed sessions and IronMan challenges seems somehow all so selfish at a time like this. But we are human and we make plans and I still dreamed of somehow getting to that starting line and giving IronManCanadaa shot.

I got back to Calgaryand my routine on July 10. I had 6 weeks until August 28 and the BIG DAY. Mom was doing well and confounding all the doctors and their expert diagnoses. (As I write, she is still doing well. Long may it last. Perhaps there are miracles?)  I knew I needed some serious concentrated training. I had not been swimming, either in a pool or in the open water since back in February. Running was the only thing I had managed while inIreland and that was still sketchy and too short. ‘The Bike’ was my biggest fear.

I got started. I rode in the two Gran Fondos taking place locally. The first was 115KM inKelowna, a tough enough day out but a great ride. I did take a hard fall off the bike when my wheels just went out from under me on wet slippy rail tracks 1 KM from the finish line. Cracked my helmet into two pieces…I will NEVER ride without a helmet, ever…and it makes me upset to see others doing so.  The second big ride was Gran Fondo theRockiesand it was a sweltering 170KM hilly mountainous ride. This was a better test to see if I could just go the distance on the bike. I made it home in under 8 hours, even with numerous stops at the aid stations and my confidence increased.

Meantime, I was able to get in some good long open water swims at our local water ski club. This helped the confidence level too as I began to believe I could go the distance in the swim as well. Could I put it all together on the day?

Seanie and Petraarrived from Irelandon August 22, the weekend before IronMan Canada. The excitement began to build. That and nerves. We headed off to Penticton, the small lake side town in Southern British Colombia, where the IronMan has been taking place for the last 28 years. 2011 was the 29^th IronMan Canada and next year is the 30^th Anniversary. We arrived on Wednesday, 4 days before the race. The whole town was alive and bustling with athletes. Our hotel was right on the beach front, about 500m walk from the start line. Its all but impossible to get accommodation in Penticton on race week but I had been on several waiting lists and fortune smiled on us when we got a 2 bed- roomed suite right on the beach. Fortune smiled but…. yes, we also paid out a small fortune for this mediocre and run down hotel. It was packed to the brim with triathletes. The only two para athletes were also staying there and watching them practice their swim from our balcony every morning was inspiring. I decided that I had two good legs and somehow, come what may, I’d make it.

Thursday arrived and we walked up to the athlete’s village to register. While away from our hotel room, my beautiful 50^th birthday gift from my husband, a white gold necklace with a diamond pendant, was stolen from our hotel room. What a pity. I was quite upset when I realized it was gone. However, I had no option but to put it behind me and move on. IronManCanada was a once in a life time experience for me and it was precious. I needed positive energy and with quite some effort and resolve, I had to move past the upset of losing something so special.

Seanie and I had been given our race numbers, our bibs, and our safety pins. We had to buy the little neoprene ankle bands for our chips. There was nothing in the ‘goody’ bags besides our bibs. We received the various transition bags and a small cloth shoulder bag. Certainly no money had been spent on any nice competitors T Shirts or any kind of swag. Was this an omen of what was to come?  Read on.

Over the next two days we got in a short practice swim in the lake, realized that the water temperature was quite balmy and that my sleeveless (for me and my preference anyway) wetsuit was going to be just fine. We dusted off, cleaned and oiled up our bikes and we got on the road for a short cycle. We even drove the route of the marathon run.

Then on Saturday, the day before the race, Sean Sr.  flew into Kelowna (the next big town) from Calgary. Aideen and Tara arrived on the bus from Whistler. The family were gathering and it was getting busy and crowded in our little hotel suite.

Sean Jr and I got all our Transition bags ready, all the lube and body glide and chamois butter, all the nutrition and gels and bike bottles, made sure we had 2 socks and 2 shoes in the run bag, all the usual triathlon trivia. Counted and checked and rechecked and then we set off with our bikes to the transition area where we handed over everything. The transition area was already packed with people, athletes in prime physical condition, the unbelievable bikes and the latest in technical gear. We walked around to get our bearings and to try to get a feel for where our bikes were located and then we left. At this point, we all knew it was going to be an absolute scorcher of a day on Sunday, August 28 with temperatures upwards of 33*C predicted.

Back to the hotel and an early pasta dinner, made in the kitchen of the suite by our support crew. I had little appetite and could barely manage to eat much. We all settled into bed early. I did not sleep at all. Typical for me, it has to be said. I just get myself all excited and I could happily have started the race at1 a.m.;2 a.m.;3 a.m…..you get the picture.

The clocks all went off at5 a.m.and the whole family got up. Seanie and I made the last preparations to our bike bottles and nutrition and, donning our swim gear, with wetsuits, goggles and swim caps in hand, we set off for the start line and the beach.

Sean and the girls got a great spot at the swim start and we were able to see them right until the last minute. At 6.45 the Canadian anthem was sung and the Pros took off. The anthem was sung again and before we knew it, it was7 a.m.and Seanie and I were enteringOkanaganLakewith 2,880 Age Group swimmers and setting off for IronMan Canada 2011.

The Swim :

There is simply no point in trying to even remotely ‘seed’ oneself in the swim. It’s just about survival. When 2,880 swimmers enter such a small area at the same time, there is no seeding. It’s just an exercise in battering and being battered. So much for stroke technique and drills and all that practice. It ALL blew right out the window. At very few points did I ever find an open space to just get on with it and swim. It was impossible to get any kind of rhythm going. Many times I had to try to get around batches of swimmers. I was kicked and slapped and poked. At one point, one side of my goggles was kicked so hard that it squeezed right into my eye socket. I had to stop to un-suction the goggle. I was annoyed and when I began swimming again and looked under the water through my goggles, I saw that the person swimming in front of me had only one leg. The second ended in a stump. Once again, that inspired me and I held onto the knowledge that no one really means to hit the other swimmers, it’s not deliberate, it just happens. Eventually the first turn buoy came and we were heading into the second leg of the 3 sided swim triangle.  And then finally the third and last leg. This leg was the longest at 1800 M. While the lake had been beautifully flat calm that early morning, it now seemed like every boat in all ofCanadawas out there watching the start of IMC and there were swells and waves on this last leg. I am glad it was fresh water. I think I would ingest a lot of sea water in a sea swim and that would be nauseating.

I got to the beach and it was a slow exit as there were many stones and rocks on the beach. I saw my family and waved at them as I ran into T1. I wondered where Seanie was but had no idea. I had somehow managed the swim in1:20:56which I was rather pleased and surprised with.

 Wetsuit strippers, bless them, had my suit off and me in the upright position in seconds and my T1 bag in hand, I ran into the tent where I totally changed out of everything and into dry fresh bike gear. Loads of chamois butter, Helmet, glasses, gloves, bike shoes and off. Found my bike and I was mounted and off and away in less than1:30. T1 took a mere8:46which was OK.  I saw the family again as I exited T1 but I still had no idea if Seanie was behind me or ahead.

Now came the hard part. The bike and, drumroll please…The Rocky Mountains. It was 8.30 a.m.and still not too hot. About 10 miles in, a voice from behind said “How in hell did YOU get up here”? It was Seanie. He actually finished the swim before me, by about 1 minute, but he took much longer in T1. Haaa. It was great to see him but he soon left me as we hit the first of the hills onMacLean Creek Rd. There were so many flat tires. It was unbelievable. It was only after it was all over that I found out that local folks had spread a bunch of thumb tacks all over the Road. I guess some people don’t like IronMan and the influx of visitors to the small town. I prayed I would not get a flat and I think, in hindsight, that this was the one and only good thing I can think of to say about that bike ride: I did not get a flat!

After those first few hills, the ride out to Osooyos was not too bad. But at KM 70, we hitRichterPass, the first major climb. By now, it was hot, really really HOT. The sun blazed down from a cloudless sky and there was not a single stretch of shade on that wide open road. I saw people stop and stretch. One guy in front of me barely made it off his bike before he began projectile vomiting all over the road. All things considered, I suppose I was doing OK…I was still cycling at least.  10KM later, we crested that awful mountain and had some relief with a fast descent followed by The Rollers. A series of hills to keep us entertained for another 15 KM before a fairly straight forward 30 KM stretch of heat and head winds before arriving at the last big climb to the dreadedYellowLake. I was now struggling in a serious way. The aid station before Yellow had no water or fluid, they had run out. I still had some and luckily did not throw my half empty bottle before I realized they were all out. At Yellow, athletes were walking up the hill. I was slow, all but in reverse actually but I just could not see how walking was going to help me in any way. I actually analyzed this as I pedaled along. Would there be any benefit? Walking in ones bike shoes and pushing the bike would be almost just as hard, no? And the heat seared and the sun blazed. Finally, finally, finally I made it to the top of Yellow. I was dying of thirst and had no fluids left at all on my bike. The aid station at the top was all out of water and all out of all fluid including their own branded PowerBar IronMan Perform electrolyte drink. They actually gave me a glass bottle filled with the melted ice from the dregs of the coolers. It was full of dirt and sand and grime and…here’s the thing…I actually drank it. Disgusting. The riders were taking any water they could find and the volunteers were even picking up half empty sippy bottles from the road side and handing them out. It was a nightmare and to be honest, physically dangerous. Many were worse off than me as they had had no water since the previous aid station before the big climb. At least I had still had some water at that point.  No matter what apologies IMC send out (and they did send a mass e mail of apology afterwards) with an entry fee of $675, running out of water on such a hot day is truly inexcusable. They knew the weather forecast. We had all been tracking it for days ahead with dread.

I mounted up and headed on. ‘Forward momentum at all costs’ was my mantra. After a short mile I saw a sight that saved me on that day and allowed me to finish IronManCanadaultimately. Sean and the 3 girls were parked by the road side with the Irish Flag flying in the wind.Tarawas blowing that vuvuzela with all her might,Petrahad that bloody cowbell going (I never want to hear a cowbell again) and Aideen was taking photos like I was some Olympic Champion.  Never have I seen such a welcome sight. They gave me water and, almost more importantly, they gave me comfort and joy. Seanie had passed them about 30 mins ahead of me. Apparently, he was not looking too good and swore he would never do this again. It was comforting to know he was having a hard time on the bike too.  I spent a while with them and then pushed off on my bike again, anxious now to get this done and get off this bloody bike. It was a 20KM descent from there intoPentictonbut it was hard going with the strong head winds and I had to push the whole way. Dear God, when I got off that bike at T2, I was a shadow of myself. I was totally drained and absolutely exhausted. The bike ride had taken me7: 50:48  and it had taken everything I had.

I stumbled with my T2 bag into the tent and sat down. After a bit, I began to change and get out of my bike gear and into my running gear to go back out into that blinding sun and try somehow to make my way around 26.2 miles. At that moment I did not see how I could even walk this distance never mind run. But Forward Momentum…that was the key. T2 took me a long slow19:19

I got started and somehow managed to get a gel into my wilting body with some ice on my head and some water. My Garmin 310 XT died as soon as I put it on. What a disaster. I guess I must have left it switched on overnight in the T2 bag. I was annoyed with myself. Not that I cared about the pace and after all, the miles were well marked on the course. I just had no idea of the time of day. I knew I had untilmidnightand I knew it was about 4.30 when I exited T2.

I walked on. Then I jogged a little. I began to count the steps. I decided I could run for 100 strides and then stop. Gradually I built up to 200 strides at a time. I walked up the hills and I jogged down the other side.  I stopped at each aid station and got some oranges and some ice and tried to drink the PowerBar Perform. I began to feel a bit better. The run course was an out and back so the whole way, I was meeting other runners who were homeward bound. Eventually at around mile 11, I met Seanie on his return leg. He told me the family was all the turnaround waiting for me. He was looking good, I thought, better than some who were cramping up and had had to stop on the road side and wait for medical assistance. I jogged along. Hallelujah: mile 13.1  Sean and the kids were there with the flag and I got some hugs and encouragement and I held the flag and it was just indescribable to see them there. They were heading to the finish line to see Seanie come in and to wait for me there. I swapped Garmins with Sean, his simply set to tell the time of day which was all I needed.  And off I set; homeward bound. By now, it was around7.30 pmand the sun was beginning to drop a little. I began to run a little better and I felt much stronger on this leg. As it got darker, I went from strength to strength. After all, dark miles are free, Yes? The miles ticked slowly by and eventually and oh so slowly, I drew ever closer toPenticton. We had a long run through the town and the hardest part of all is… that at the very end, the course takes you right to the finish line and the bleachers but the runners have to make a left turn right there and make a 2KM out and back along the beach front. Its really quite cruel and an awfully long 2 KM. The girls were there and ran alongside the sidewalk as I ran. It was great. Now I was finally really running and I finished strong.

Total time :15:39:48

I was an IronMan. I AM AN IRONMAN.

I felt OK when I stopped. Someone gave me a bottle of water and slung a tiny medal around my neck. It says IronMan but no distances or anything. Its so small one can barely read the letters. Again, IronManCanadasent out a letter of apology for the ‘mistake’ on the medal. It has a plain red ribbon. They shoved a finisher T Shirt and a cap into my hand and took my photos. The finisher T shirt is a pink/purple color, it’s a ‘mans cut’ and the print is lopsided.  The cap is red. How I would have liked a shirt in the colors of IMC, the red and white and black that they use in all their marketing and signage and slogans. As someone suggested, was this a batch of T shirts in an odd left over color that came cheap? It fits badly and I will probably never wear it.  Anyway, why give us a ‘nice’ shirt when we can go to the merchandise tent tomorrow and buy one for $110?

I had no appetite and did not go near the food. (It was just cold pizza anyway). I did not need the medical tent although I saw many people in there and some who were loaded onto stretchers and taken away in ambulances. I had a lot of trouble finding the family although I knew they had to be somewhere near. The whole area is closed off so tightly that it is hard to work your way back out of the finisher’s area.

I finally found the family and we all eventually found Seanie too.

I was stiffening up at this stage and it took a good effort to get my wet running gear off in the hotel room and get into the shower. Seanie got a space blanket at the finish line but I guess they ran out of those too as I did not get one and one does start to get cold.

I slept badly and next day was up early, determined to go and buy a nice shirt (even though I had spent $500 already on IronMan merchandise prior to the big day).  We queued up by8 a.m.but it was already too late and most stuff was sold out. I felt strangely nauseous and had a really sore throat. I could not help but wonder if I had picked up something from the dirty germ laden water that I drank atYellowLake. Sean took the others for a slap up breakfast but I went back to bed. When I got up later, aroundnoon, I began to feel much better.

We all attended the banquet that evening. It was a basic pasta dinner. Competitors got in free and others had to buy a ticket for $35 each. We watched the prize winners and were all in awe of their finish times. These people are amazing athletes. There were some inspiring stories of the human will to overcome great obstacles.

On Tuesday, Aideen got the bus back to Whistler and we (well, Sean and the rest) loaded up the car and we drove the 8 hour journey back toCalgary. I was already coming down the stairs backwards at this point but after that car journey, I was truly stiff.

It was an almighty experience. I’m rather proud that I am an IronMan and know that if I had not had the breaks in training and the mind games in Ireland, I could maybe have done better. I need to do so much work on the bike. I actually have improved dramatically on the bike since arriving inCanada but there is still much to do. And I’d need to do a lot more running too.

Yes, I WILL do it again but I am not sure I’d have any loyalty whatsoever to MDot. They let the athletes down badly on Aug 28 and it was unforgivable. After all, I am not ever realistically going to qualify for Kona so for me, it’s about the training, keeping fit, improving my times and going the distance.

So my plan is to take part in theCalgary70.3 in 2102 (yes, an MDot…but outside my doorstep right here so it’s easy) and then The Great Floridian inClermont,Florida; Oct 2012. We have our holiday home there, again next door, so it’s easy and it’s cheap.

Pentictonwas very expensive. The accommodation was a ridiculous price, ($3,000 Plus Taxes for 1 week and there is a minimum 7 night stay, we were there for 6 nights)  so hard to book and then the theft too on top of that. Two athletes beside us had both theirUSpassports stolen that week too.

Some funny stories of the week:

One guy came out of the swim and found his bike was ‘gone’. It had been stolen. He was running around frantically and the race director was called to this emergency. He had his own bike in his car and it was a good bike too apparently. He offered to lend it to the athlete but when the guy went to get his bike shoes, there was only ONE bike shoe in the bag. He knew then what had happened. Apparently, he was going through an ugly divorce and his ‘soon to be ex’ wife had taken his bike and one bike shoe. Imagine!!!

We met Sister Madonna Buder, the 83 year old Roman Catholic nun fromSeattle. She is a great lady and an inspiration but she missed the bike cut off by 3 minutes and was DNF’d.

Only one of our paraplegic friends from the hotel made it to the finish. The other, a young man fromCalgary, missed the bike cut off. They have to bike using a hand crank wheelchair. I can’t imagine the hills for them. He was very disappointed. They are lobbying the WTC to keep the same total time of 17 hrs but to allow them more time on the bike portion and less on the run.

IMC 2011 had the highest no. of DNF’s of any IMC in its 29 year history.  The heat perhaps? Many blamed the water situation on the bike portion and there is much bitterness about that issue to be seen and read on the forums.

2,880 age groupers taking to the water was a record also. There is no maximum no. of participants and IMC 2012 is still open as I write this on Sept. 12.

The entry fee for IMC 2012, the 30^th anniversary; is a mere (staggering?) US$702.