Ironman Canada : Official Thread (Page 2)

I'm a bit late to the party.  I only just found this thread.  My wife and I volunteered 5 days for 2011 and loved it.  Reading all your posts brought back all the incredible energy and excitement.  I'll be in registration, bike lot and an AID station next year and we both can't wait.  Big difference is next year I'll sign up for 2013 if at all possible.

Just for interest - at the bike lot this year I heard there were 1175 first timers and after the race I heard that over 900 of these first timers finished. 

Did a little checking on the 2011 numbers for IMCA. 2600 total people finished, and 234 total people didnt finish. Which to me that 8-9% seems higher than other races. Not sure about weather conditions this year, or if the overall 8-9% is normal for this race.

The statement you heard might have included total registered. I raced IMFL 2 weeks ago and was surprised that there were a couple of hundred that didnt start the race. But I know injuries, etc happen.

This year I know it was HOT HOT HOT and the aid stations ran out of water for the later finishers... NOT good and probably the reason for the higher DNF rate.  Hope we don't see a repeat next year (either of the weather or the poor planning by the race officials!).

There was a water problem for the later part of the cycle portion of the race.  There was no problem for the running part at least at our AID station along Skaha Lake and they were bringing in more ice and water all the time.  It was incredibly hot and we had about 10 runners on the ground behind me and a little 8 yr old girl looking after them - getting water and such for them.  I remember hearing it was 36 deg. Celsius - about 97F to the south of us and we were up against a bluff all along the lake so I'm sure it was hotter along the lake.

A few got up and carried on once they cooled off and rehydrated.  I even saw one of them finish after I was finished later in the evening. 

The heat was incredibly intense and everyone there that day remembers the moment the sun went behind a mountain and it was instantly cooler.  The year before, 2010, it was considerably colder including hail!

The water problems weren't well publicized, but it is true that there were 3 aid stns in a ROW that were out of water. Worse yet, they weren't telling people to hold onto their bottles so they could be filled! The 3 stns were in the later part of the day from before Cawston right to Keremeos...unbelievable considering that entrance is $700.00. NO water!?

The water problems were due to 2 things. One -- the soaring temperatures -- well above 32 C and much hotter in some areas. This meant that alot of athletes needed the water to cool themselves. The second issue was that IMC had switched sport drinks and I noticed ALOT of  sport drink bottles were discarded even though  were  full...it was a drink that was hard to buy, so people had not been able to train with it (unless they ordered it online etc). And on race day I think people tried it and found they couldn't tolerate it  so there was more water being taken(which also will have led to lyte-depletion and heat illness).

There were alot of stomach and heat illness problems...constant ambulances by late afternoon and into the evening. People that had been shorted on water from Cawston to Keremeos paid the price later on and had more trouble than expected on the run course(as noted in above post). Also...since aid stations were completely out of water, the race folks had filled green trash cans with water and were encouraging athletes to have their water bottles filled from these cans. I wondered if some of the water might have been well water, etc...that could have added to athlete's stomach issues, nausea and thus heat illness since they couldn't take in fluids. I am sure the water wasn't the clean filtered water that finicky stomaches working hard in super high temperatures would need.  There were some amazing people along the course who had bottled water in their cars and were handing it out...thank you if anyone reading this was one of those who did that!!

 I carry eload electrolyte powder, so I totally rely on having water available...thanks to the no water issue I experienced my first "bonk" in 20 + years of endurance sports. I did manage to get concentrated lyte powder down despite the severe  dizziness/nausea and that is the only reason I even finished the race.

The run aid stations were super, super well equipped and had lots of everything...total relief

Heading into 2012 IMC I will be:

1. carrying concentrated lyte mixture in a gel flask,

2. putting 3 waters in my bike special needs bag in case they run out of water again

3. make sure to always take 2 waters at the aid stns that have lots. I'd rather carry the extra weight than run the risk of experiencing the dreaded bonk ever again. That was NOT fun.

I don't think it will happen again as the new race director of IMC realizes now what a critical oversight that was. They had alot of very sick people on their hands as a result and I am certain that from now on, they will have ample water. It has never been a problem before, even for people like me (back of the packers).

Happy training

OH....also there were a significant number of athletes "tacked" along the road before descent into OK Falls...there were definitely some DNF's as a result of this as well.

^^^ Thanks for the excellent post, adp. Yes, the water shortage on the bike has been well-documented here and on ST. I was there volunteering so I was aware of the problem as athletes coming across complained about it. I was finish line catching, so may have even caught you

But I agree with what you said--this will probably never happen again at this race. They'll probably over-compensate, so I'm not worried about it for next year. But like you I'll probably put a couple of bottles in special needs, just in case, and may do that at every IM in the future. Water's cheap.

Well, on a lighter side.

Hope everyone's base training is going well. 

 I've been doing some of the IMC Computrainer Real Course Video in sections and just finished Richter.  Needless to say, good times on a computrainer for 7k. 

Can only imagine that in 98deg. (Sorry---not good at the euro metric, but I'm learnin!)

Have a great week of training.  If you're in the US...Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Hi everyone!  I just signed up for IMC 2012.  This will be my ninth IM overall, and my third time at IM Canada.

I look back on my first IMC back in 2008 as educational.  I had a very tough race, mostly self-inflicted. Sometimes one's purpose in life is to serve as a lesson to others, so feel free to read my race report and find out how I raced my slowest IM at 14:09.  It's still my slowest IM. http://brucemorgan.blogs.com/afc/2009/05/race-report---ironman-canada-2008-ten-months-later.html

My second race in Canada was the following year, 2009.  I had GI issues late on the bike that slowed me somewhat but overall I had a great time coming in at 12:59:46.  That was a miracle finish under 13 hours - I thought I'd missed it.  Race report here: http://brucemorgan.blogs.com/afc/2009/09/ironman-canada-2009-race-report.html

For 2012 I'm really looking forward to solid training, good execution, a good time, and most importantly good times training and racing.

Yesterday was my "official" start to IM training!  Yippee!!!!!

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

As for DNF rates, don't stress over it.  Race day tends to throw something new at you....just always believe that you WILL FINISH.  Positive mind-set

Hey everyone!

INCA will be my second, did IMCdA 2011... can't wait for Penticton!   I am looking for lodging?  I am thinking that may be more challenging than the race!

IronNemo

Yea...closest I got was summerland which is about 10 miles north.   Everything was also very expensive or sold out

good luck

We stayed in Summeland for IMC 2011 and it was great. The spouse and young kids saw me off in the morninig and then had a great day at the resort while I enjoyed a little swim, bike ride and run. They picked me up in the evening.

Hey all.  Hope training is going well.

226 Days and counting!

spudone - 2012-02-01 12:33 PM I might be joining you guys... making the final decision tonight.  A couple of my friends are already signed up

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TrevorC - 2012-02-01 6:40 PM

spudone - 2012-02-01 12:33 PM I might be joining you guys... making the final decision tonight.  A couple of my friends are already signed up

 

It might be a sign.... 69 Spots left...

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spudone - 2012-02-02 11:34 AM

TrevorC - 2012-02-01 6:40 PM

spudone - 2012-02-01 12:33 PM I might be joining you guys... making the final decision tonight.  A couple of my friends are already signed up

 

It might be a sign.... 69 Spots left...

Now 68

 

Couldn't resist, could ya?

How is training going for everyone?  I've been working pretty hard lately, definitely harder than I was before my last IM.  Hoping this early season work pays dividends come race day.

mango6383 - 2012-02-02 11:51 AM

spudone - 2012-02-02 11:34 AM

TrevorC - 2012-02-01 6:40 PM

spudone - 2012-02-01 12:33 PM I might be joining you guys... making the final decision tonight.  A couple of my friends are already signed up

 

It might be a sign.... 69 Spots left...

Now 68

 

Couldn't resist, could ya?

 

How is training going for everyone?  I've been working pretty hard lately, definitely harder than I was before my last IM.  Hoping this early season work pays dividends come race day.

Power is back up on the bike, finally.  It took me a long time to bounce back from a very hot day in Western Australia.

Hey everyone, hope training is going well. Does anyone have any opinions on decent "warm-up" races leading up to IMC. I'm thinking about either the Desert Half (July 8) or the Oliver Half (June 3). The Desert appears to have the more challenging bike course...which I suppose is a good thing If anyone has any experience with either of these races or any other early-to-mid season races I appreciate your thoughts.

Cheers,

I will be racing with this awesome helmet!!!  It matches my green bike!!

geoffs - 2012-03-19 7:13 PM I'm also doing Ironman Canada, this will be my second, my first was IMLP and blew up on the run. I guess I better start training Good luck to everyone, get ready for a hot race! Geoff

NOOOOOOOO. Last year was wayyyyyy too hot along Skaha for the run. I nearly melted.

Let's say "get ready for a warmish race."