La Quinta Indian Wells Ironman 70.3

An inaugural season finishing event for Ironman on Dec 9th, 2018 in the beautiful Cochilla Valley in California.
  We registered back in the spring with the plan to start of a 10 day getaway with the triathlon then head to the coast for some ocean and biking.  I was very excited about this event right from the get go.  I like the distance and we have been to the Palm Springs area quite a few times so we were familiar with the area.
Just prior to the event, my excitement was impacted by the busyness of  life.  I went right from very long days in the field to teaching in the classroom, as I took on a term position and life was very hectic.  My training suffered.  It felt overwhelming to be preparing to be gone from the classroom, pack up my bike and have everything ready for Christmas prior to leaving on Dec 6.  Once we were on the plane though, I was very happy to be going.
We arrived Friday Dec 7 in Palm Springs, got our rental vehicle and found our way to our condo unit.  It was right across the road from the finish area so the location was ideal.  Walked to race check in, bought a shirt and looked around.  There were a few vendors but not a lot.  Bought a couple Co2 cartridges (as you can't fly with them) as well as a new back tire for my bike.
Friday evening was spent putting our bikes together and relaxing.
Saturday we went out for a spin to ensure the bikes were working well.  A coffee/breakfast stop at Starbucks then back to clean up and get our bikes to the manditory bike check in.

The start as well as transition 1 was located at Lake Cahulla.  This lake is a private lake, 1 of very few bodies of water in the area.  There is no practice swimming and our wetsuits needed to come along to bike check in to be submerged in a disinfecting solution.  First time I have needed to do that.
The water is reported to always be cool.  I wasn't too worried about it before hand because being at Ironman Oceanside a couple times in 14-15 C water I knew I might be cold but I would be fine.
A new development though was because of very poor, rainy, cold weather that was in the area the entire week prior, there was talk of shortening or cancelling the swim because of cold water temp.  According to Ironman rules:

 Wetsuits will be compulsory if the water temperature is below 16° C. For Pro’s, wetsuits may be worn in temperatures up to 21.9° C. For Age Groupers, wetsuits may be worn in water with temperatures up to and including 24.5° C. As per WTC rules, the swim will be shortened if the water temperature is between 12.1° and 13.9° C. If the water temperature is below 12° C, the swim will be cancelled. See official "Race Rules."

Originally from: http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/emeal

An email said we would be notified race morning of any changes.

Bike drop off was according to last name.  Our time slot was from 10-2.  There was a lot of people there and parking wasn't easy but as we left, the vehicle line up went for miles.  It felt like a full, busy day getting everything checked in at transition 1 and then taking our run bag to transition 2 (near the finish area) to drop off as well.  Less to worry about in the morning but a busy day.  Pasta for supper and feet up.

Race morning, no email with changes to the swim.  We walked to the finish area to where buses were loading up racers and spectators to take to the lake.  There is no vehicles allowed at the swim area, everyone needed to be bused in and out.

It was still dark for a bit after arriving at the lake.  We pump up the tires and finished a few things in transition before heading to the tent where the wetsuits were hung up.  Transition was closed at 6:30 and though there was a rule of having nothing beside your bike (you needed to grab your bike bag) there were quite a few with their gear under the bike.  I also thought there needed to be a lot more portapotties.  HUGE line ups.  Luckily, with the wave start and our placement around the 40-45 min swim group, we were able to get a turn in the biffy and see the pro start from a nice spot on the beach.  We were treated to an amazing sunrise.  It was so beautiful; the mountains, palm trees, the lake and a glorious sun.

I wasn't really nervous about the swim.  I knew I didn't get the swim training in that I wanted but I also knew based on the times of all my prior 70.3's, if it took a few extra minutes, I was fine with that.

All that changed as I walked into the water.  Nothing could have prepared me for this.  It was very, very cold.  I had been watching for more than an hour so many athletes entering the water and some prepared wearing less than I was.  I had neoprene booties as well as a neoprene cap on under the race cap.  I felt confident I would be fine.  The announcement that morning was that the water temp was 14 C.  I knew without a doubt this could NOT be the case.  I can detect small differences in temperature so easily, I had swam many times in water that was 14-15 degrees and this was in no way that temp.  Regardless, on I went.  I tried so hard to get a rhythm but struggled.  My chest felt like a vice was around it, I wasn't gasping for air but I just couldn't breathe.  But I kept going thinking it would improve.  At the halfway mark, I was still rotating between 15-20 strokes of front crawl to flipping to the backcrawl.  I was experiencing numbness in my left hand and cramps in my legs.  It was a real struggle to get to the halfway mark as so many times I though about quitting.  Once the half way mark is passed, I knew I needed to keep going to the finish.
I was so happy to reach the finish.  I knew I had been slow and I stepped out of the water with no troubles.  But 10 steps in, my body shut down.  I just lost my ability to stand and a volunteer caught me.  Immediately I started shivering; deep, whole body, convulsing shivers.  The volunteer immediately called for help.  2 others came with blankets and they surrounded me with their arms around me.  The gentleman who first helped me was so calm and kept talking to me, assuring me that I would be okay.  He held his arms around me, my head tucked into his neck.  My eyes were closed as the shivering took control for more than 30 min and all I could think about was how good he smelled and how gentle and reassuring his voice was; anything to distract me from how scary this was.  After about 15 min there was talk of taking me to the medic tent.  I assured them I was doing better and would warm up on the bike.  Biking the course was the part I was most looking forward to so I wanted to continue.  They helped me get my wetsuit off and bike clothes on and again surrounded me and brought me 2 cups of warm broth.  One of the volunteers then came forward saying I had passed the cutoff for leaving on the bike and she needed my timing chip.  My race was done.  I said I wanted to still finish and didn't care that it would show as a DNF.  They helped me proceed to my bike only to be stopped by the volunteer manning the bike portion who, after talking to us and finding out about my hypothermia, told me he would not let me go out on a bike as he had too many incidents of racers falling on their bikes in cases like this.  He said it takes time to regulate the body temperature after having hypothermia and he wouldn't take a chance on my safety.  So just like that, I was delegated to the bus.  Bike shoes and gear on, no extra clothes (my shorts and sports bra were still wet) and once again shivering.  So discouraging.
A spectator got on the bus just after me and after seeing me shivering, gave me his long thermal sports coat to wear.  I was so thankful.  Obviously, very disappointed to not be on my bike.  It was the part I had been looking forward to the most.  But I also recognized in myself as I continued to shiver that this was the safe and smart thing to do.
What was a 30 min drive yesterday from the finish area to the lake was now taking us more than an hour on the bus.  With the increase in traffic and road closures from the bike, it took longer.  There was a few spectators on the bus but mostly it was filled with others like me who struggled with the swim.  I have a ton of respect for the many athletes who got through the swim with little issue but the general concencus on the bus among the coaches and athletes was that the water temperature was such that the swim should have been shorted.  Most heard reports of the water temperature being 12C or colder.

 Measuring water temperature is such a subjective thing to me.  Was the temp 14 C 2 feet from the shore?  Where exactly do they take water temp?  It would make sense to me to do a temp reading beside each buoy that is in the water then average them.  Anyway, my 2 sense.  Of course, this is still probably a bit of bitterness that my race was over and it maybe shouldn't have been. I think with this event being the first, the RD wanted it to happen as planned and that was that.  Hats off to those who finished.

So I ended up in transition 2, no morning clothes bag with our keys or dry clothes to change into.

 Luckily I was able to get into transition to put on my runners and visor.  And fortunately, the morning clothes bags arrived within the hour and I was able to get my phone and track Terry.  I decided to run with him.  I wasn't going to just sit around.
I called his name as he was coming into the dismount line and immediately his face fell.

He asked if I was ok and I told him to go change I would wait at the run out area and was going to run too.

 My chest still felt tight but the run course is a 2 lap loop through a golf course and if I was feeling terrible after 1 lap, I could stop.  Morning air temperature was 8-9 C and now is was a sunny, warm 19-20 C.  I drank some gatorade and water at each aid station.  I hadn't had anything to eat and just a little to drink as all my food was on the bike, I had no money so what was my option?
We chit chatted, each relaying what happened since we entered the water together and the first lap seemed to go by pretty quickly.  Second lap was a bit more difficult.  The course was through a golf course and though it was nice and quiet with no traffic, there were also no spectators and constant rolling hills.  But harder than that was the pebbled path.  My feet felt like ground beef at the beginning of the 2nd lap and they just progressively got more sore. 
After a while conversation halted as we each entered that zone of waves where you have energy then you are tapped, you are tired and hurt and you are fine.  Finally, we were rounding the final corner as we approached the finish area at the Tennis Gardens.  I stepped out and swung around through the spectator area off the run course and headed to the finish area to hear Terry's name announced and see him cross the line.  Happy for him and sad for me.  Oh well.

I took a couple pictures, then we headed to the food area.  Chips, bananas and tacos.

We grabbed a table outside the food tent and enjoyed.

After 15 min , we headed to transition to find our stuff.

 A 10 min walk and we were at the vehicle at the condo.  We checked out that morning so we loaded our stuff up, used some wipes to remove some salt and a bit of stink and changed before taking off.
Picked up burgers then headed on the scenic Pines to Palms highway.

Terry asked if I would be returning to settle the score and without hesitation I replied "no".  There are too many things/events to do.  I don't want to repeat just to settle a score.  Getting a DNF doesn't sit good with me but I am safe and healthy.  What happened scared me a lot.  I don't ever want to feel that way again and I am thankful nothing worse occurred. 
Even after more than a half dozen 1/2 ironman distance triathlons under my belt, there is still learning and growing.  And that is good. 

Oxbow 50 Ultra

I broke most important rule of endurance athletes- DO NOT DO ANYTHING NEW ON RACE DAY and believe me, I paid a high price.  Lesson learned.

 The Oxbow 50 is a 50k trail ultra held on the Trans-Canada, Epinette & Newfoundland Trails of Spruce Woods Provincial Park .

Oxbox Ultra was held May 5, 2018 at Spruce Woods Provincial Park in southern Manitoba.
We drove to Brandon, MB the evening before (Friday night), checked into a hotel and got our race gear laid out.
Saturday morning's alarm went off at 5:45 am with the usual pre-event busy-ness.  Picked up oatmeal and coffee from Tim Horton's and headed to Spruce Woods Provincial Park about 40 min away.  I am not a big morning eater on the day of an event.  Every other day, I eat a lot at breakfast but never on race day.  I picked away at my oatmeal and drank only a few sips of my latte.  (Hmm, if I could just go back and see the problems this was going to cause.  BIG mistake.)
I am NOT a coffee drinker and have only in the past couple years periodically enjoy having a Tim's latte or Starbucks macchiato.  It really helps keep me perky while we are travelling, and I knew I could use a bit of help today.
Check in at 7:30 with the pre race meeting at 8:15.  Lots of energy and laughing.  It seemed everyone knew each other.  I have heard the ultra community is pretty tight and it was obvious.  We ran into a couple people we knew from our winter ultra activities.
The morning was partly cloudy and around 8 C with a bit of wind.  It felt cool to me.  I don't think I have every started an event where I haven't been cold.  It was nice to get running.


The beauty of this event in my opinion is that it was broken into 6- 5 mile sections in an almost completely looped course.  There was an aid station at each of the approximate 5 mile intervals.  The first 5 miles was an out and back but the rest was a big loop.  I like loops a lot, new stuff all the time.  We stayed about in the middle of the pack of the 88 runners.  Advice from a long time ultra runner was to walk the uphills and run the downhills- stay steady.  I was pretty gungho and ran maybe more uphills than I should have and a few times Terry (roaring runner) needed to tell me to slow things down.  I was excited and having fun. 

The first thing to interrupt my fun was the edema that started in my hands.  This happened within the first few miles.  It is so difficult for me to tell if the water retention is from too much/not enough water or too much/not enough electrolytes.  I ate a pickle at the first aid station and hoped it would help.  I used F2C glycodurance in my hydrapack and sipped periodically to keep my fluids and electrolytes up.  I also know that edema can happen with changes in temperature and I was pretty cold when I started and quickly warmed up as the sun came out and the course made me sweat.

The course itself was very deceiving in terms of difficulty.  There were no big hills, no brags of huge elevation gain but was difficult none-the-less with the constant rolling hills.  Flat sections were rare; it was always up or down.  There was various types of vegetation and trees but not many shaded areas.

In the second section, we met some new runner and visited, which made time pass by.  Aid station 2 was stocked with chips, sugary candies, chocolate bars, pickles, coke, water and NUUN.   I refilled the bladder in my hydrapack with NUUN, grabbed a piece of a kitkat and hit the trail.  I carried Generation UCAN bars with me and I had eaten parts of it along the way so I finished it off.

Issue 2 came not long after departing from the aid station in the form of a complaining right hip.  My pelvis doesn't seem to stay in correct alignment so the fundamentals of my hip/knee/ ankle are all affected.  I get a lot of pain in my hip/butt/lower back area then my knee starts to lock up and become very painful.  I hoped 2 advil would at mitigate the pain. 

Aid station 3 had water only.  We basically just said hi, thanks and kept going.

Issue 3 came very swiftly soon after.  It was like everything was good then bang it wasn't. I was planning to run today; not have the "runs".  Enter morning coffee.  I will spare the details but it was relentless, exhausting and painful.  7 stops I think I counted.   My stomach never settled for the rest of the run and my nutrition/water intake was very minimal.

I was on my own for a big part of the 5 miles between aid station 3 and 4 as when I stopped the first time to find a bush, I told Terry to keep going I would catch up.  I thought it would be finished and done.  Insert witch cackle.

The steepest hill was between aid stations 3 and 4.  A few trickles of water, lots of trees, birds singing.  I tried to focus on the beauty and not on my suffering.  A sign showed the aid station 500 m away and my spirits lifted only to find another sign 500 m later that said "Not even close".  Oh the humour of seasoned running volunteers!

Aid station 4 was a welcomed sight.  2 of the volunteers (Todd and Scott) asked right away how I was doing and what I needed.  I said my stomach was really sick and I immediately had a can of coke in my hand.  I was a bit nervous about this because I am also not a pop drinker and I feared the wrath of the coffee and pop would put me over the edge.  Todd assured me it would be fine, asked if I was sweating and if I was peeing.  My pack was taken off my back and filled with NUUN and I was given stern instructions to try to keep drinking.  It was very comforting to be in the volunteer hands of those with tons of experience.  It was evident they knew how to crew for a runner.  Thanks so much Todd! 

Terry was waiting for me at the aid station so from that point on he stuck with me.  I noticed right after leaving the aid station and having drank the coke, I had more energy and was able to run more.  This seemed to wear off after a mile or two and it was back to the run/walk thing.  It was pretty sunny and warm (+18 C), light wind which was so nice to keep us cool.  A perfect running day.  If only I could have enjoyed it more and been sick less.  I kept trying to drink and did feel really thirsty but my stomach would revolt so it was a real balancing act.  Evidence of my lack of fluid intake came from a immobilizing calf cramp that happened when I stopped to tie my shoe.  The yelling/howling/screaming charlie horse kind of cramp that needs to rubbed out and renders you useless until it is.  Oh the fun just keeps coming.

Aid station 5 I drank a few sips of coke and was given a handful of chips from the volunteers to eat.  I managed to eat a couple.  I was overjoyed to find a real outhouse so I could actually sit and not hold myself up.  If you have never experienced the pleasure of trying to squat numerous times on legs that were very shaky, you haven't lived.  I have heard of the marathoner rule of not stopping to use the bathroom 1-2 miles before the end of a marathon and I know why.  I at least had the foresight to pack a small baggie with a squirt of chamois cream and it literally saved me a whole lot of agony as the chafing from the highly acidic diarrhea was now adding to the day's list.

I have also read about how the final few miles seems like they are twice as long as the first few miles and it does seem true.  It felt like we were in the middle of nowhere still even with 1/2 mile to go.  A winter ultra friend,  Pete, came riding up along side us.  I think he was riding his bike, sweeping the course to check on everyone.  He said I looked as fresh as a daisy.  Flat out lying like that can't be bad right?

I was very thankful to see him as I was starting to wonder if we missed a turn.  The thought of getting lost and needed to go farther than necessary would have sent me into a full out fit.  Thankfully Terry was spared my tears as we were indeed on the right path.  We climbed up a decent hill and all of a sudden there it was; the people cheering, the finish line waiting, the end in sight.  Oh my.  I survived.

Brandon Search and Rescue was at the finish to assist any racer who might need medical assistance.  I have participated in a ton of events and I have to say this is the first time I considered that I may need medical help.  I felt very unwell.  People like me must have "I am in pain" written on our foreheads as they asked me how I was doing immediately when I finished.  And it seemed that at every aid station, the volunteers came to me very quickly to assist.  I guess suffering has a look of its own.
Our vehicle was very close and I wanted to sit down and reassess.  ( a big perk for this event is parking right beside the start/finish)  I said I would return if necessary.  I spread my towel on the ground and attempted to lay down on it.  A video of this event would certainly have made it to the top of the funniest video list.  I may have even become a youtube sensation.  Especially if it included me removing my shoes, socks and calf sleeves while lying down and then getting calf cramps once again in both calves at the same time.  Should have just cut the calf sleeves off.  Clearly had some swelling in my legs as the sleeves were really difficult to remove without pointing my toes.  If it didn't hurt so much it would have been truly funny.

A towel and water to wash my dirty, salty face felt heavenly.  Flip flops on, shirt change, some water and we headed to the food truck Extreme Fries, to receive our complimentary meal.  Hamburger, fries and a drink.  I drank some 7-up but could not eat.  Nor could I eat the ice cream at Dairy Queen we stopped for an hour later.  A few rice crackers given to me by a friend was all.

Interesting enough, my stomach remained unsettled for 2 more days.  Very little eating and still loose stools.  This greatly impacted my recovery process.  I was unbearably sore for 2 days and it still took 2 more days to really get back on my feet.

SO, my first experience in the ultra world was interesting.

1 week post run and my stomach is kinda back on track, my hip/knee is still acting up, I have 2 black toenails, I am somewhat caught up on sleep, my confidence is in the tank.

I have another 50 km in less than 2 weeks and I am not sure yet what is going to happen.

My conclusions:
-my diet up until the event was good, whole foods, chicken, salmon, stayed away from fiber foods 2 days prior
-stay away from coffee race day
-eating and consuming proteins after an event greatly impact recovery: bring protein shakes next time
-I ran in shorts, tshirt, calf sleeves, arm warmers -arm warmers came off after 2 miles so next time leave behind, calf sleeves felt very tight with swelling legs and I am not sure I liked that much so still on the fence about it for next time
-mix the F2C glycodurance with nuun tablets to get more electrolytes
-carry salt tablets
-always carry minimum 4 advil  as well as tums
-this was without a doubt the worst I have ever felt to date during any endurance event and the worst recovery I have ever had.  My stomach took days to settle and it made me see how very important eating properly after long bouts of exercise HELP recovery soo much.

So just to answer the question you are thinking:  If it was so bad, why didn't I quit?  Answer: during the prerace meeting, the RD explained that any racers who pulled from the event could do so at any aid station but they would need to wait perhaps quite a long time to get picked up or they would return to the finish area when that aid station closed up.  I figured that I was more than 1/2 way when I was feeling really bad so it would be easier to keep going than sit at an aid station for who knows how long also feeling really bad.

My thoughts on the event:
-though I had a crappy run (hahaha) the course was very nice.  I never felt like I knew where I was and with so many turns, I was mixed up about what direction I was going in but the changes made the miles go by.
-Race organizer Joel Toews, did an awesome job with everything.  Good aid stations, shirt and patch at the finish area.  It was an awesome event.
-the weather was pretty much run perfect.  Beginning of May with nice warm temperatures but this area even a month later could be very warm.








 

Actif Epica 200 km

The first checkpoint at Ridgeville was at mile 23.  I was at mile 15, sprawled out on the gravel road after a fall on an icy patch, shaken, bleeding a bit, and in a full-on suffer fest with a mental battle that was threatening to overtake me.  I was in a bad place and was not expecting nor prepared to be at this spot so early in the day.

It was unthinkable to consider quitting but utterly overwhelming to imagine suffering for another 100 miles.

The alarm went off at 3:30 am but I was ready for it.  I saw every hour since crawling into bed at 9:30 pm the night before.  I just couldn't shut my brain off.  The next 45 min were spent mixing up the liquid calories (F2C glycodurance) that was going into my hydrapak, getting myself dressed and putting the final gear into a bag that was coming along with me (garmin, bike lights, extra nutrition, extra mitts).
A 10 min walk to the bus pickup and we encountered... no bus.  There were a bunch of vehicles in the parking lot with participants who were being dropped off, those who were leaving their vehicles there for the day and others like us who had a short walk from a hotel.
Long story short, the race directors were unable to make contact with the transport company to find where the bus was and it was evident that by 5 am, it wasn't coming so they made arrangements to transport us to either St Malo or Emerson (depending on which distance you were doing) by vehicle.

The bus was to leave Winnipeg by 4:45, arrive in Emerson by 6:15 and the event would start at 7:00.  I planned to eat my overnight oats and hopefully catch a few minutes of sleep on the bus.  With 3 of us in the backseat of a vehicle, making small talk about events, bikes, nutrition and gear, sleep was not a possibility.  I did eat a bit though. 

Our arrival at Emerson was then very rushed.  It seemed to me that we were the last to arrive and most of the others were almost ready and anxious to get going.  Rushing is not ideal.  Bathroom, final bike preparations, checked the air pressure, moved nutrition around.  With all the changes, sitting, then rushing, I was feeling a bit harried but was thankful the start was only mildly delayed.

We officially set off at 7:20 after a group photo of the 14 of us taking on the 200 km route. Temperature was around -16 C.  We were instructed to stay close together for the first few miles.

 Soon after, the sun crept over the horizon in breath taking fashion.  Though the distance and the length of this journey was a bit intimidating, I was committed to enjoying every moment and I knew this amazing scene of the shining sun dancing on the stark white landscape would be etched in my memory.  And I was very thankful I could have an adventure like this with my husband right beside me.

 Riding right on the international border between our great country and that of our neighbour was surreal.  It was a 8 mile ride and it was nice to able to ride as the minimal snow combined with the strong winds that Manitoba had experienced for a couple weeks prior to this day made for very hard drift that were ride-able.  Very jarring but no pushing.  In hindsight, I probably should have let some air out of my tires and it may have made the ride smoother and easier.

The first 20 miles were basically riding hard drifts or pushing and it took around 3 1/2 hours.
Ridgeville check point was at a small cafe in the very small town of Ridgeville with very nice people who offered drinks or food and any other assistance.  I was planning only to fill my hydrapak but upon taking off my jacket to get to my pack, I saw my shirt was soaked and decided to grab extra shirt #1 from my bike to change.  I ate part of my cinnamon bun and a banana and 15-20 min after arriving, we left.

The fall I had was like the straw that broke the camel's back.  Everything just added up.  I kept telling myself that I knew I needed to eat and I would only look to getting to the first check point so I could get some food in me.  I was discouraged.  The ride so far seemed much harder than I expected and my legs were sore already.  While the stop didn't fix everything, it helped.  I wasn't great but I was better.
I'm not certain why I hit the bottom so quickly.  A crash and burn is expected but all my experience up until this point,  falling into the hole has happened at a much later point.

15 mile to checkpoint 2 Senkiw.  That was all I was going to think about.  Looking at the cue sheets, it seemed this would be a nice leg and I was very excited to see the swinging bridge.  The cue sheets show only around 4 miles that are not on gravel.  Looking at this even now, I am still stumped because this leg was anything but easy.  I was told by a fellow rider behind me that he thought this was the toughest leg. Though the pushing seemed to go on forever, the scenery was beautiful along the river and the sun was bright and warm. 

We were greeted at the Senkiw checkpoint by a couple cheerful ladies who offered us a hot drink from their tent.  We declined and continued to the bridge.  It was interesting getting my bike up the few steep steps under the guide wire to get on the bridge.  The bridge did indeed swing and it was better than I imagined.

There was another mile of pushing then gravel roads.  A few more clouds now, a beautiful temperature of  -9 C but a strong NW wind that came as a surprise to us.  I was sweated up again from so much pushing and was now getting cold.

Check point 2 Senkiw to St. Malo, checkpoint 3 was 11 miles.  We decided that though we probably had wet gear, we didn't want to stop for anything more than a bathroom break and a hot drink.  The offer of hot chocolate sounded so nice and I asked if it could have a bit of coffee with it.  I am not a coffee drinker but I thought it would help to have some.  I had been drinking water with Nuun energy and it works very well for me.  No big energy surges or crashes and no jitters.

There was a feeling of relief arriving at St Malo.  This is the start of the 125 km distance, which is what we did last year.  There is some comfort in the familiar.

St Malo to checkpoint 4 at St Pierre Jolys was 18 miles; one of the longer legs.  We predicted we would be there around 5:30-6 so it was the perfect time to change, eat a warm meal and get ourselves and bikes ready for the remaining ride in the dark.

This leg has an amazing beginning as you ride across a lake beside the town.  Last year, the ride was rough as the lake surface was deeply rutted from the warm temperatures and lots of traffic.  This year, there were vehicles, snow machines, ice fishing huts and quads all over the lake and the path was smooth like a highway.

There is a mixture of gravel roads, a bit of highway and trails on this leg.  Last year, there was a bit of pushing across a field and along a trail.  To our surprise, we were able to ride pretty much the entire way.  Some slower spots but minimal walking.  We picked up our pace as much as we could- both of us starting to get pretty cold.

I have a love/hate relationship with pushing the bike.  Pushing is much slower, usually tougher going and hard on the back, legs and shoulders.  But, pushing warms up the feet and butt when constant riding will get them colder faster and it is a nice change to sitting.

Arriving at St Pierre Jolys was a welcomed sight.  My feet were cold and I was hungry.  We were treated like royalty by the ladies there.  They were very happy to see us, congratulated us on making it this far and set about to help us with anything we needed.  We plugged our garmins and lights into a wall outlet first, got our boots and socks off, changed into dry clothes, reorganized our bikes getting the wet things packed into the back bags, bringing fresh stuff to easier access.  A couple ladies were getting us split pea soup with homemade bannock, another used a blow dryer to try warming/drying my boots.  (they are supposed to be waterproof but my outer layer of socks were slightly damp so I assumed with all the pushing and walking through the snow, some moisture got through)  We were also approached by the medic who checked how we were doing and she cleaned my hand and knee scrapes and bandaged them up. We didn't rush like crazy but didn't dawdle either.  They told us we were #5 and 6 to check in which was a total surprise for us as we thought we would have been at the back of the pack.

I had a moment of "oh my there is still so far to go" as I knew at this checkpoint we were at mile 67, only half way there, but those thought were quickly extinguished.  I had hit the bottom, slowly crawled out of the hole and could feel myself getting stronger.  My legs no longer hurt, my energy was good and I wasn't the least bit tired.

I sent a quick text to our kids to let them know we were doing fine and out we went 40 min after arriving.

The next checkpoint at Crystal Springs was 10 miles away on almost all gravel.  We arrived to ribs still warm from the barbeque and a friendly welcome.  Used the bathroom and back on the road.

Checkpoint 6 Niverville was 11 miles away but we were very reluctant to assume it would be easy or  fast to get to based on the experience we had last year.  There is a very long stretch of pushing followed by the dreaded Crown Valley Road that consisted of the worst Manitoba mud/clay/goop you can imagine.  It was beyond anything I've every experienced.  I knew it wouldn't be muddy but wasn't confident it would be ride-able.  The field was rough with drifts but we rode the entire way and the Crown Road was just like any other gravel road.  Wow!

The only problem we now had was Terry's garmin stopped working and my light was already needing a charge.  The only navigation we now had was the cue sheets and the blue signs marking the path (if you could see them).  Fortunately, this happened only a couple miles from Niverville and we easily found our way to the arena.  We were not planning a long stop but plans changed.  It was a mistake to only load the maps on 1 garmin.  Next time, both will have them. 

This check in point was manned by men with lots of tools, helpful advice, great stories  (the pictures of Dallas's frostbitten toes being an exception) and perogies.  Garmin and light plugged in.  I removed my boots for a sock change as my feet were getting cold again.  Thanks to a couple gentlemen (Lindsay and Dallas) for fixing my front bag up for me as it was rubbing on the front tire as a strap had come off.  I mixed up my final bag of glycodurance in my camelback water bottle 1/2 full of warm water and drank it all while there.  Also enjoyed a couple perogies (who could resist) as well as a cup of soup.  Terry's garmin wasn't charging, seemed to be a problem with the connection.  A couple more riders came in a bit after us.  They weren't staying long and we decided to ride together to check point 7 at St Adolphe.

There was still some wind and it help with everyone taking turns in the front (except me for some reason) but I was very thankful the wind was much quieter than it had been in the afternoon.  The temperature was around -17C and the 8 miles to St Adolphe went pretty quickly.  A quick in and out stop, grabbing a drink and a GORP bar.  Terry tried again to get some charge in his garmin.  We were ready to leave and the other 2 riders decided to stay for awhile.  We had to decide if we wanted to go by cue sheets or wait.  Within the minute, 2 other riders (Pete and Tom) walked in and they were just checking in and leaving so off we went with them.

There was excitement knowing we were heading to the final checkpoint before the finish but also a sense of dread as it is a long 18 mile ride and the unknown conditions of the floodway could easily extend the time (estimated time 2- 2 1/2 hours in decent conditions) it would take to reach the U of M checkpoint.  Last year, the tough part was from Schapansky Road until the Floodway was crossed, a distance of about 6 miles.  It was a pushing, pole-holing in thigh deep snow experience.

Incredibly, this year, we walked almost nothing. We were met by some volunteers just before this section and then at the top of the Floodway, both offered assistance and hot chocolate.  It was also in this area that we caught up to some of the 100 mile runners. My heart ached and rejoiced with them.  They must have been so very weary.  The 100 mile on foot distance started at 10:00 pm Friday night and it was in the early morning of Sunday so those we were passing had been running for 28-29 hours already.
I had to stop once to change lights as my front light died but the spare was in my pogies so it took very little time and I was rolling again.

The next 7 miles until the U of M checkpoint was now in the outskirts of the city on sidewalks, trails or residential streets. I was truly chilled to the bone and was worried about my right foot.  I made a list of all the things I was thankful for from the last checkpoint until this one.  Was very happy to ride with others and it was great that Pete knew the entire route by heart.

So glad to arrive at the U of M checkpoint.  I took my bike right into the foyer (as did the others) and sat right on the floor to get my boots off.  I put on my insulating jacket to warm up my core and while pulling it out of my front bag, found my half froze cinnamon bun.  Mmm, a delicious snack.

I was filled with excitement upon leaving the U of M.  9 miles and we would be done.  Just as we were leaving, 2 runners whom we met Friday night at the pre-race meeting, Andrew and Kelsey, came in.  They came to this event from New Brunswick and I was curious if it was what they expected.  Kelsey said the wind was unbelievable but they were doing good.  I wished them well.

Sidewalks, streets, cross a bridge, more streets and before we knew we were crossing the St Vital Bridge.  I wore my insulating layer under my jacket so I was toasty warm and truly enjoying the quietness of the city and the company of my riding companions.  We rode at a nice steady pace and for once, the miles seemed to fly by.  Upon crossing the St Vital Bridge, we had a steep bank to descend down to the river (I planned to walk but actually slid) then onto the river ice trail.  The river trail was so much longer than I expected it to be.  It was very peaceful.  I was cautious of the bare patches of ice, nothing like falling 10 min before the finish and breaking your arm or something stupid like that.

All of a sudden, there it was.

The Forks

On Friday, before bike check in, we rode down to the river and it was a very busy place.  People everywhere skating, walking and enjoying the outdoors and now here we were- not a soul to be found, lights twinkling, a train heard in the distance, the winter air crisp and my heart so glad.

We were there.  4:33 am, 21 hours after starting but we were there.


This was a big challenge.  It was tough in ways that are hard to describe.  Every big event has its own challenges.  There are the uncontrollable factors that change sometimes hourly in an event and no two years can you exactly predict what you will be facing that day.  It's not a case of if you will need to dig deep, it's a matter of when. 
I massively hit rock bottom very early in the day.  But an amazing thing happened; I forced myself to stay in the moment and not get overwhelmed by looking at the end and in doing that, I slowly emerged from my deep canyon and got stronger and stronger with each passing mile.  I was very happy to reach the end but honestly could have kept going.  I had changed, gotten stronger, learned a lot and emerged from a tough challenge a better version of me.
When you dream big, there is always a chance you could fall.  It is a long way down and then a long climb back up again but taking the chance is always worth it.  Adventure is always worth it. 

Part 2: Gear and Lessons Learned coming soon

Angry Gopher Marathon Recap

April 14, 2017

I was toeing the line at 7 am as a minority in my tank top, arm warmers and shorts.  Most people were wearing long sleeve shirts, pants, capris, jackets in some combination but a few others in shorts.  It was +8 with a cool, strong wind and a possibility of rain.  I know my run performance is hindered by my overdressing so I chose to try and dress appropriately for when I was warmed up running.  Yes that meant I would be rather cold for the first couple miles.

I was a bit concerned about the head cold I was getting and my leg had been acting up for a couple weeks, but I had mapped out a race plan for myself and was trying to think as proactively as possible.  I knew I could hold the paces I wanted.  It would come down to how things played out as the miles progressed.

I waved to my cheering husband as I crossed the start line and was off for the first out and back of 5 miles.  Not even a mile in I realized my hand held bottle of UCAN was still in his jacket pocket.  I was wearing his coat to stay warm until the start and forgot to take it with me.  Obviously, this was gong to mess up my (very professional) race plan but I figured out plan B and went with it.  I didn't need fuel until mile 6 anyway.  

My professional race plan showing directions to race start, morning breakfast, time schedule, nutrition plan and pace plan.  

Relax, stand straight, run, check my pace.  Over and over.  It is hard to get into your groove in the beginning because everyone wants to really giver.  Full and half marathoners started at the same time so a lot of different paces represented in the couple hundred participants.  

Just over 140 half runners, just over 40 full runners.


The Course:
The course started on the north side of Wascana park.  The first out and back was 5 miles in length and returned to the starting point to continue on to the second 8 mile out and back. Repeat. 

 

The Game Plan:
My goal was to keep my pace at 9 min miles for miles 1-3.  I was under my goal pace at each mile but not by a lot so I was happy with that.  The turn around for first out and back was 2.5 miles in.  There was an aid station w water and Gatorade.  I didn't stop. This out and back was toward and around the university of Regina.  Quiet streets, quite a few turns to keep things interesting.

From mile 3-18 I planned to pace at 8:45-8:50 min miles.  This was closer to what I seemed to be running anyway so I just kept it up.  Surprisingly as I turned the corner to run past the start/finish to start the second out and back, I saw Terry.  He ran with me a bit asking how things felt.  I told him I needed the bottle in his pocket and was glad he stuck around.  He brought his bike and was planning to ride around a bit and plan to meet me back at the start/finish when I started the last out and back at mile 18.

I was fueled up ready to tackle the next out and back of 8 miles.  There was a ton of corners in this part, some without volunteers so I tried hard to remember where I was going as I knew this loop included all the half runners so there would always be someone to follow but next loop would be very quiet.

I was feeling good at the turn around, 4 miles into this out and back.  It had been lightly raining since quite soon after starting and though I wasn't cold (though I was asked that numerous times) I was decently damp.  Thank goodness for the blister protect on the feet and body glide on the body.  
Terry then appeared on his bike, offered his encouragement and Nuun water or UCAN.  I finished my hand held bottle of UCAN and gave it to him to carry. 

 I carried on alone on the second lap of first 5 mile out and back with plans still to meet up for the last 8.  I continued to feel pretty good, held pace consistently and generally have no troubles.

And the wheels fell off:
I know any endurance activity will have ups and downs. It is to be expected to be riding waves one moment and sometimes in the next to be dragged down by the undertow.  And so it happened just like that.  Mile 16 was great, 17 was tough.  Just all of a sudden it felt like I couldn't breath, my chest was in a vise being squeezed.  I met up with Terry a mile later and was still really struggling to breath.  We kept going, hoping the rough patch would pass.  Mile 20, I stopped briefly at the bushes thinking I was going to vomit and by mile 22, I was weaving and unsteady.  I downed 2 cups of Gatorade at the mile 22 aid station, still hoping I would snap out of this mean streak.  There was emotion tucked just beneath the surface once I realized I was not going to make my goal time but now a finish was the goal, and I continued to run.

The last 1/2 mile stretch before the finish was a welcomed sight but the disappointment so strong, I could taste it.
Line crossed 4:07.
  Lap 1 time 1:55
  Lap 2 time 2:12.
Goal time under 3:55.
18 great miles pace 8:40-9:00 min mile
8 tough miles pace 9:00-11:00 min mile

A medal placed around my neck and we headed in to grab a drink.  I drank 3 glasses of Gatorade and 2 water immediately then had 2 cups of chicken noodle soup.  We sat for about 10 min then headed to the vehicle as I was now getting cold and I certainly didn't want to get chilled.  I changed shirts in the car, put on the seat heater and covered with a blanket.

Back at the apartment, I slept off and on for the next hour before showering and going out with the kids.

So what went wrong?  I have had a few days to consider this and my conclusion is 2 things.

1.  My cold was worse than I thought.  I have suffered the past couple days with a very tight chest, constant running nose, congestion, sneezing and a horrible cough.  My hope it doesn't get worse.  Running 26 miles didn't  help but considering NOTHING got me out of the rough patch leads me to believe it was something I could not control.  I wasn't mental, it was physical.

2.  From the little I have peed throughout Friday- Sunday, it appears I was dehydrated.  I thought I was well-hydrated going into it but the evidence points shows otherwise.


My husband asked what would have happened if he wasn't there for the final 8 miles?  I think he thinks I fell apart a bit because he was there and maybe if he wasn't I would have done better.  

I don't know.  

 I know my mental tenacity can improve but I also know I was very confident I could accomplish this goal and though I don't usually count seconds and minutes in my endurance events, I had a plan and was very determined. I was expecting to dig deep and I knew how I was going to handle it.  I was expecting a sore leg, blister, etc. not this kind is head swimming, chest squeezing stuff.

So all in all, I am proud of myself.  This wasn't my race to meet my goal but I did my best and being a person of faith means I know when the time is right, it will happen.  It feels to me like the things that caused the bus to lose its wheels were kinda out of my control.  Everything is a learning experience.  I yearn for adventure and I had one that morning.  

For the final few miles my husband kept repeating that the day couldn't be any better for him; a great run in a beautiful city with nice people with his woman on Good Friday.

We don't always reach our goals in our first attempt and I will be considering if I have the time, venue and physical capability to try again.  My first thoughts are to try in September (got venue and it's a good time) but I will see how the next few months go with my other events.  

I Did It and I Didn't

Happy Monday!

Marathon done!😊


But the time goal I wanted not done😞  I did my best but it wasn't in the cards.

Best wishes for those running Boston Marathon today.  Wish I could say that was going to be me next year but not yet.  Still thinking about whether I want to try again to qualify in the next few months or not.  Race recap coming tomorrow.

Have a seriously awesome day!!

Superseal Triathlon Race Report

Superseal Triathlon, Coronado California

Sunday, March 19, 2017

We flew into San Diego on Friday, March 17, picked up our vehicle and got settled in our rented condo in Oceanside late afternoon.  Terry and I unpacked our bikes that evening and got a decent ride in the next morning to ensure things were working well.  Mine needed a couple adjustments to the derailer.  Getting a bit better at this packing and unpacking business. 

We drove back to San Diego over the bridge to Coronado for athlete check in.  It would have been very nice if we could have checked in the next morning before the event but unfortunately we couldn’t.  The drive was really nice and it was great to see where the event swim/bike/run was going to be. 

The really early morning and busy day prior just had us wishing we could have had a quieter day today.  All was good though.  We only spent maybe ½ hour at the check in as there was no expo with booths just the check in. 

Another early alarm for Sunday; up at 4 am with plans to be on the road by 4:45.  It was closer to 5 when we left;  not from disorganization as we had set our stuff out the night before, I think we were just tired.  Hard to get up.  Just over 1 hour of driving and we parked and rode our stuff to transition.  It was still dark and pretty warm +14 with little wind. 

Transition became more of a rush than anticipated as closing time was now moved to 6:30 instead of 6:45.  Our waves were 6:55 (Terry) and 7:05 (mine).  So a quick set up, tires pumped and off to find the water start.  The transition area was in a parking lot on the west side of the highway by the ocean and we needed to cross the highway by way of an underpass to get to the east side of the highway  by the harbour where the swim was.

The swim was a 1500 m swim in the Silver Strand State Beach Bay which had amazing views of downtown San Diego.  It was calm and pretty warm.  They announced water temperature was 63 degrees F (or 17 C) on race morning. With the wetsuit, it was the perfect swimming temperature in my books.

The course was very well marked with red buoys showing a turn and yellow/orange buoys to use when sighting.  It was a clockwise swim.  There was no warm up swim so going in cold was a bit of a concern but at no time that morning was I cold or chilled so I knew that would be to my benefit.  

The wave I was in was the last wave of the Olympic distance which I liked knowing there was no pressure that I would be cramped by upcoming swimmers.  Still, all it took was a couple mouth/nose full of water and I was sputtering and gasping.  After having a couple swim starts (in the past) with bits of an anxiety attack, I was fighting hard to not get caught up in one.  Telling yourself to calm down a million times does work eventually.  Anything new with a swim and I get in a fluster and this time the salt water did it to me.  Within minutes I was fighting a revolting stomach that didn't apparently like the inclusion of the salt water to race day nutrition.

But the 1 thing that up until this day has never failed me is the reminder that nothing feels good for the first 20 min.  I just needed to concentrate on getting through that and it seems my body finds its rhythm and stops freaking out.

So my rhythm was found and it became very enjoyable.  I hated to be finished if truth be told.  You might have though I was crazy before but that confirmed it didn't it. Swim 38:38.  

I was a bit of a run to get to transition (as it was on the other side of the road).  I didn't dawdle but I did make sure I did everything the way I wanted to.  Wetsuit off, a quick dry off, sat on my towel to dry my feet and put socks and bike shoes on, helmet and sunglasses on and off I went.  T1 6:33

The bike is a glorious 2 loop course along Silver Strand Blvd.(highway 75) that offered amazing views of the ocean, downtown San Diego, the harbour and Coronado.  It was a flat course.  I enjoyed every moment.  There was so much to look at.  I passed hubby as I was 1/2 was through the first loop and he was just starting his second.  Didn't expect him to see me and he didn't. He is a heads down, game on, focused to the max rider.  We always compare experiences and the things I see that he didn't is unreal.  His time is always way better than mine though.  

I had 1 bottle of UCAN with 2 scoops of powder on the bike as well as my front xlab hydration bottle with water and NUUN.  I refilled water once at an aid station.  I also ate 1 payday snack size bar.  1:25 bike done

The out and back run was  along a paved path beside the highway.  The first quarter of a mile was along a dirt path with some sand but the rest was on pavement.  

There was an aid station at the mile 3 turn around point where I drank some gatorade.  My goal was to really push it.  I wanted to hold around an 8 min mile.  It was sunny and warm but nothing crazy.  I felt like I was passing everyone that I came up to.  So many stronger swimmers and bikers and with being in the last wave, there was more people in front of me than behind me.  I was happy with my effort with the run.  51:18 

Superseal website showed just under 900 registrants so it is a really nice early season triathlon without an overwhelming number of athletes.  It offers both Sprint and Olympic distances, has amazing views, a great swim, fast bike and nice run course.
Truth is, I would never have gone in this triathon had it not been partnered with Oceanside 70.3 and though it was a bit tight arriving in San Diego on Friday and having the triathlon on Sunday and I was a bit tired, it was totally worth it and a lot of fun.  A great warm up for Oceanside.

The most inspirational part of this event however, was the fact that it is held at the birthplace of the Navy Seals and throughout transition, there were huge banners of fallen seals that were being honoured.

A lot of times I think "oh ya I will totally do ______ again" and don't take the immediate experience and appreciate every moment of it.  I think I will have more and more chances, opportunities etc.  But the timing of things doesn't always work and I am trying to enjoy every moment and not take anything for granted.  I certainly appreciated and enjoyed this event.  It was breathtaking and a lot of fun.  I encourage you to try it out if you are in the area.

The Fairness in Me Needs to Speak

I have participated in quite a lot of event/races:  ultras, running, cycling, skiing and triathlons to name a few. These races require money and a whole lot of time in training.  I need to budget the costs of these events just like everyone else and we all have the same 24 hours in a day.
My point is not to deliberate the fees vs the "what you get" or analyse what company puts on a better event.  For triathlon in particular, I have participate in both Challenge Family  and Ironman branded events.  Both have different things about each other.  Again, not the point of this post.
If you missed my post on my 2017 training schedule here, you will see that one of my main events this year is Ironman Canada at Whistler, British Columbia.  This will be my 3rd time there, 1st time as a participant.  I have biked the roads, swam in Alto Lake, ran the course.  I long to see the beautiful scenery, challenging hills and picturesque lakes.  I can't wait to be there myself as a competitor.   I have been looking forward to it.

Until now.

There was a massive controversy surrounding the 2015 Ironman Canada event.  We were there for the event for the first time and my husband was the only one who had even been to Whistler so the rest of us were doing our best to take it all in.  It was a really hot day- temperatures in the 30's C and of course it goes without saying that an Ironman (swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, run 26.2 miles) presents a host of challenges.
The controversy surrounded a local lady who finished first in her age group 40-44 but was without her timing chip.  She insisted she lost her timing chip.  And for any of you who don't know what a first in your age group at a full ironman event means- it's a well-earned, coveted ticket to participate at the World Championship in Kona.
As the next couple weeks unfolded, it was discovered that this wasn't the first times she lost her timing chip and won an event.  Add to that the forensic detective work of others utilizing various pictures and videos taken which shows the people, details, place and the time of the day, it became obvious that she did NOT cover the full run distance.
You can read more about this story here, here and here.

Cheating is nothing new.  Ben Johnson, Lance Armstrong, Marion Jones to name a few.

The definition of cheating:

cheat

CHēt/

verb

gerund or present participle: cheating

1. 1.

   act dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain an advantage, especially in a game or examination.

   
   

   "she always cheats at cards"

This was announced last week by Ironman.

IRONMAN Canada to Feature Bonus Kona Slots



• 
• ✉

Calling all Japanese athletes: Race in Whistler this summer to increase your chances at toeing the line in Hawai'i.

Live in Japan and still undecided on your A-race for 2017? Keep it simple and with a solid training plan and a 10-hour direct flight from Japan to Whistler, British Columbia.

This year, IRONMAN is offering an additional 20 qualifying slots to the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona, Hawai'i, for Japanese nationals racing IRONMAN Canada. These slots will be allocated based on the athlete's Age-Group Ranking upon conclusion of the race.

If the promise of competing with the world's best triathletes on the wild and beautiful island of Kona isn't enough to inspire you to sign up, check out everything the region has to offer visiting athletes—with personal recommendations from local athletes: The ABC's of IRONMAN Canada.

Learn more about Subaru IRONMAN Canada here. 

Originally from: http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/news/articles/2017/03/japan-to-whistler-to-kona.aspx#ixzz4aqZYj7Fv



I am not expecting to qualify for Kona when I toe the line at Ironman Canada.  It takes amazing perseverance, time, dedication and determination and those who are that committed to training and improving their times DESERVE the opportunity to go to Kona; they have worked for it and earned it.

I feel  Ironman has made a mockery what qualifying for Kona means.  Now, apparently, you don't need years of hard work and dedication, you just need a 10 hour flight, show up and finish.

If Ironman wants to offer more slots, then be fair and offer them across the board to everyone.

And let me clarify that I am not prejudice against anyone or any country, any organization or event.

 But this isn't fair.  How can such a big deal be made only a couple years ago with an individual who gained an unfair advantage for herself to win, to get that Kona slot: the outrage from the other athletes trying to qualify, seeking for themselves the opportunity to go to World's and the intolerance from the organizers.

Only to come to this place where the organizers themselves are putting athletes on uneven playing grounds.

So why didn't aren't the extra Kona spots open to everyone at Ironman Canada?
A good question.
Perhaps to involve more athletes from a certain ethnicity, country or area.
Perhaps because it is all about the money.

Maybe and maybe.

The idea of an Ironman Triathlon was born in 1977 with the question between the runners and swimmers as to who was more fit.  15 self supporting men started this quest to see who was the fittest on Feb 18, 1978.  The popularity of this event skyrocketed in 1982 due to an emotional, tear jerking finish from Julie Moss.  The Ironman mantra "Ironman athletes prove anything is possible"  seemed to be found.
Dare you to watch the video and not be inspired, encouraged and amazed.

That is what I though Ironman was about.

It is sad when the rose colored glasses are gone.


Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ironman_Triathlon
http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/history.aspx#axzz4aqZUFNP1