Ironman Canada : Official Thread (Page 4)

Just found this thread. Had a PB on a half ironman race last Sunday (5:35:50) and am pumped!

This will be my second IM (IMC 2010).  Volunteered in the med tent and as a catcher last year.  Very hot and busy in the med tent.  This was quite the contrast from 2010 where it was quite cold.  Tough to train for weather that ranges 11 - 39 C. 

Countdown: 48 days!

Happy training!

Congrats on your PR!

Ever notice how when you are a kid, 49 days is an eternity, but as an adult before an IM, 49 days is way too fast 

Congrats on the PR!  That's awesome!

Anyone else starting on peak training volumes?  I looked at my plan for this week and next and boy am I going to be busy.

The last two Ironmans I did I was super excited to race and then trained the excitement out of my body. Last week was 18.5 hours and I'm still excited. Hopefully that will mean a good result on race day. Recovery week this week, then build to a huge volume week July 22nd. After that it will be doing a little polisihing, then taper. Can't wait! I'm hoping for a low humidity day.

Thanks!  I've added another race, 70.3 Calgary HIM.  Anyone done that one before in training for IMC? 

Training is getting into 19 - 21 hours per week.  Long rides/runs with group getting fun!

Hey. I think more people will be doing it this tyear for training as it is a week earlier. Not alot of people were doing it as 'training' as it was almost too close to IMC.

I did the race a few years ago, and it was raining all swim and bike. Not sure if you are from Calgary ot not, but it is not an easy course. Its alot tougher than GWN. Very nice ride from Ghost Lake coming in, the run gets a little tough around Wealselhead when you dip into the valley.

Enjoy! its a nice race.

Stampede week in Calgary has made it tough to do anything it seems!

Heading out to Penticton next week Thursday for 4 days of S/B/R. looking forward to getting back out there and biking the course. Hope to get in some warm weather training, but forecast look like mid-20's. Would love to train in the 30's.

We just got through one hot week here(low 30's) but other than that having had alot of heat training.

Yep, definitelly getting into the long phases.  Actually kinda hit the preverbial "Burnout" wall last Tuesday and took 3 days off.  Of course woke up Wed morning with a scratchy throat.  Got in an easy OW swim today, and planning on 110miles in the saddle for tomorrow.

Training camp the week of the of the 21st in Tahoe for a change of scenery and altitude, and then one more practice race on the 5th, and then some prep time.

Hard to beleive it's already almost here!

Keep it goin all.  C ya soon!

Hey trevor,

Are you doing the Vitalize camp? If you are i'll see ya there ! Looking forward to training on the whole course!

This weekend I rode my Tri bike for the first time , probably this year.  I have been spending quality time on the road bike.  

I am behind on the run and the swim but The swim should be OK.  i just have to ramp up on my running

back from camp. 16 hrs of s/b/r & 2 hrs of yoga over a 60hr period. Good times.

Bike course was in great shape. No construction this year at yellow Lake to worry about.

Okanagan Lake was still nice and refreshing, and then run course is still hilly.

what is temp in the lake and is it supposed to change by race day ?

Looking forward to my first time in Canada,  thanks

It's getting close!

If anyone has some running motivation for me, let me know! I am having a hard time adjusting to running in the heat, and many of my runs have been super slow and sluggish. Had a meltdown at Buffalo Springs 70.3 and did the run in a pace that would not allow for an IM finish by midnight.  Long run last weekend, would have been flirting with time cutoffs.  But I did have the best century ride I've ever had, albeit on a flat course. So my cycling is going to be ok (plenty of time to allow for the hills at IMC).  Swimming is so-so, as I have a rotator cuff injury (partially torn, though it may have progressed since December), but I don't doubt I can get the 2.4 miles done in a reasonable time.

Last time I did IMC, I ended up walking almost the entire marathon and it was awful.  That just can't happen again. I did better at my last IM...even though I felt shot after the bike, my legs came around...but I am pretty sure I had better run training last year.

thanks... mostly need to vent. And get through a few more long runs.

Not sure what temp was to be honest.  Looks like rain is forecast for most of this week now out there. So that should cool the water down a bit.

Thanks, cbrave...

repeated my bad run from Saturday in the evening instead of in the morning.  The combination of less humidity and running with the sun going down (instead of getting higher in the sky) made it so much better....averaged almost 1.5 minutes faster per mile over 8 miles!  Still not fast, but reasonable for me for IM pace.   It's not the actual temp (it was hotter with a higher heat index than Saturday), but the humidity and sunshine that are affecting me so much.

Feeling a little better...

Oh no. Okanagan is balmy water.

You could swim in it without a wetsuit if you wanted to. But really why would you??

I'm not training for IMC but I went for my 6th OWS today at Okanagan lake.  The water temp was 71deg F (just under 22deg C).

The weather is supposed to be warm and sunny (but not too hot) over the next week with some likelihood of a thunderstorm for tomorrow (Thursday).  Whatever the temp is here in Penticton you can count on it being hotter in Oliver and Osoyoos.  I'm planning to swim M/W/F at 9am for all of July/August so if you see me don't hesitate to say hi.

I'll be heavily volunteering for IMC.  I'll be in registration on Thurs/Fri and the Bike lot on Sat/part of Sunday and a catcher until midnight so chances are good we'll cross paths.  I'm also doing 2013 registration on Monday.

Good luck to you all.

Thanks.

Keep in mind....if a big wind happens before race day, the lake could "invert."  When I did this race in 2008, the lake temp was in the mid-70s before I got there, then the lake inverted and it was about 67-68 degrees F  on race day.   Not unreasonably cold, of course, but still chilly for those of us from the south.

All this wetsuit talk got me interested in the rules.

From IMC:

Are wetsuits allowed?

Yes, in accordance with USAT wetsuit / water temperature rules.

Wetsuits will only be permitted if water temperatures are below USAT guidelines. Go to http://www.usatriathlon.org for complete rules. An announcement will be made at the mandatory athlete meeting (after the Welcome banquet) to confirm wetsuits will be allowed.

And then the USAT rules:

4 Wetsuits. Each age group participant shall be permitted to wear a wet suit without penalty in any event sanctioned by USA Triathlon up to and including a water temperature of 78 degrees Fahrenheit. When the water temperature is greater than 78 degrees, but less than 84 degrees Fahrenheit, age group participants may wear a wet suit at their own discretion, provided however that participants who wear a wet suit within this temperature range shall not be eligible for prizes or awards. Age group participants shall not wear wet suits in water temperatures equal to or greater than 84 degrees Fahrenheit. The wetsuit policy for elite athletes shall be determined by the USAT Athletes Advisory Council. The AAC has set the wetsuit maximum temperature for elites at 68 degrees for swim distances less than 3,000 meters and 71.6 degrees for distances of 3,000 meters or greater. Effective January 1, 2013, any swimmer wearing a wetsuit with a thickness measured in any part greater than 5 millimeters shall be disqualified.

Triathlon Canada says they are forbidden above 24C( which is 75 F). But then says "The use of wetsuits will always be recommended for age group athletes."

Interesting that are quite diffferent

oh and....

1 month to go!!!

Has Lake Okanogan ever been warm enough to ban wetsuits?  Funny to even think about, as last year we were in a lake 20 degrees colder and talk was about what, in addition to a wetsuit, would keep you warm in CdA

YEAH!  One month!  Who's peaking now?  How many of us are doing a 2 versus 3 week taper?  After camp this weekend I have one big weekend to go with a 125 mile bike/1 hour run brick on tap.  Yikes!

HOLLY CRAP !   i am way behind on my run....  My goal was 5 hr marathon,  I hope I can get close to it.

Hope everyone is having a good block of training.  Hard to beleive there's 1 Month To Go!  I can remember waiting to sign up like it was yesterday.

In process of a camp here in Tahoe.  Actually left the heat of Colorado for cooler temps.  Of course that means swimmin in a beautiful lake that is in the low 60's but I'll take it.  2 more big days with a 20 mile run on the IM Tahoe course, and then back to Denver for a race next weekend, and then time to hunker down.

Anyone interested in doing a semi BT Swim on Thurs or Friday before the race?