When it gets really hard later in the run, don't be your username and keep running. It really is more mental than physical at that point. Keep running past the point when you can no longer run and you will do fine.

For a newbie Ironman swimmer I would probably start near the back. IMC's swim can get a little crowded.

If you are not worried about your time, start on the left side closer to the back, wait 10-15 seconds and then go. You will swim a little further but it should be relatively anxiety free.

Depends on what kind of swimmer you are. the IMC swim is very fast so if you are a good swimmer (like sub hour) get up front and and find some toes to follow, you'll be at the first turn before you know it.

I practiced all summer without a wetsuit and had the fastest swim of my life in a brand new suit so don't worry about that.

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This is your life, and it's ending one minute at a time. - Fight Club
Industry Brat.

Last year, I stood on the beach for about 90 secs - 2 min watching the swimmers churn away - before I got in the water, and I had a great swim. I was feeling a little under-prepared for the swim, and it worked really well. Things do bunch up at the turns, but not that bad. My swim was ~ 1:20, with the 2 min. wait...

Transition tent was a little crowded, but I still found a spot no problem, and it felt really, really good to pass alot of people on the bike!

Good luck, have fun!

I started the swim front-center; figured I'd just roll with the punches (literally and figuratively) as I'd done open-water mass starts before and am an above-avg swimmer, but it was definitely worse than I bargained for. It was just orders of magnitude more crowded than any other race I've done where the scrum would usually thin out pretty fast, but there I only got very brief, isolated pockets of free water and then more pummeling. Not trying to freak you out as I eventually settled down and only swam about ~4mins off what I expected (1:03+ vs sub-60, so not a major loss in the grand scheme), but if I had it to do over again I'd line up way to the outside/left as it seemed to be crammed worse towards the buoy line (right). Once you get around the turns, the ride in is surprisingly fast as the massive string of bodies going in the same direction definitely creates kind of a chute of current.

As for the weather... it's pretty much a high desert climate, so you should be well accustomed. Last year was definitely an aberration; the year before when I did it it was pretty hot (low 90's) and I only recall reading about one other cold/wet year in the past decade or so when I tried to figure out what to expect.

You could start about 100 yards or so left and just swim straight toward the first houseboat. This is what I did as it was my first IM and I was worried that I wouldn't survive. I had clean water the whole way to first houseboat(IMC turn buoys) and basically used the massive pack on my right swimming the buoy line to sight from and get a little side draft from. Once around the first houseboat I stayed probably 25 yards off the line all the way home again with no real scrum anytime at all.

Good luck.

some newbies are fast and comfortable with all the contact and for them closer to the bouys is fine, some newbies are slower and the contact freaks them out and for them farther to the left and waiting a minute before starting is better. You have not said much about your speed or comfort level in the scrum but the faster and more confident you are in contact, the closer to the front and the line of bouys you start. If the contact really bugs you, starting a little late and to the outside is definitely ok. You give up very little time and greatly increase your chances of staying positive throughout the swim.

very important piece of good advice, which serves almost everyone well, find a pair of feet travelling about the right speed and follow them. It is a long swim followed by a long ride and run and any chance to conserve energy is to be taken. If you think the person you are drafting is too slow, wait for faster feet to come along and then jump on them, but always be following, never leading. It often takes a while for the swim to settle down and staying on a pair of feet can be really hard in the first 15 miutes, but after that... find those feet.

drafting in open water can be a hassle, but it is really really worth it.

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Grant

The only thing I'd add is to avoid finishing the swim too far to the left. There are lots of larger stones near the shore that make very uncomfortable footing out that way.

Thanks for posting this. I am in the same position as you with regard to this being my first Ironman. I was hit by a car about 6 weeks ago and my fiancee and parents are a little anxious about all the "combat" during the swim. I sustained a minor concussion and still have slight symptoms so if I can reduce/nullify my chances of getting kicked in the head, it would be preferred. I'm trying to figure out where to start and I'd like to get out around 1:15 or better, which I think is pretty doable even if I stay outside. (Thanks for those who have suggested that).

This is all such great advice. Thank you very much. I am an average swimmer and want to hit the bike feeling good not all beat up. I enjoy passing lots of people on the bike. I am a climber so this race course should suite me well.
Keep it coming. I am grateful for all your help.

Thanks.

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No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up
Laura

You definately should wait a few mins and watch for frog kickers.

At IM-France there were a few broken noses for sure. The guys who had already done IMC said France was worse but not by much.

I'm fine with the contact (male 37) but I don't actually want to get damaged, or have my garmin kicked (in my swim-cap). So just under 2/100m I'm not sure where I'm going to start yet either.

Keep your eyes out for the "Algae Snakes"

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Lar Dog

If your just looking to finish, stay in the back a bit so you have less of a chance of getting beaten up. I started at the front during IMLP this year and it was a wrestling match for 2.4 miles, not fun...

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I got nothing.

(First of all, CONGRATULATIONS! You picked a great one for your first!)
Get there early, relax, line up for the port a potties (huge lines, long wait). Keep calm, try to soak in the atmosphere of Ironman morning. Hear the comforting voice of Steve King, providing last minute announcements, and reminding athletes how much time until start. Get off your feet, don't expend much engery, do some easy stretching, think about where you are, all the training it took to get here, and pat yourself on the back. Congratulate yourself. In a few minutes you'll be squishng your toes in the sandy shallows of Lake Okanagan, with 2500 of your closest friends, anxiously awaiting the cannon blast announcing the start of IMC 2011.

An epic course awaits you, with some of the highest highs you've ever experienced, and possibly some of the lowest lows. Though we're in this together, you must go it alone. But you'll have an IronArmy of volunteers helping you to the finish line. So keep smiling, you chose to do this, and it's all up to you now. This is the day you dared dream about, and it's all about to happen.... right.....before.....your....eyes!

Funnel through the timing mats, an endless cacophony of beeps announcing "You are here, and you're really going to do this thing". The powerful play continues, and you get to contribute a verse. You're not nervous, just excited, and anxious to start. You see the flashes, and turn to look at the mob pushing up against the fences. Some fans are more nervous than the athletes. This is in contrast to where you are, standing in soft sand, a peaceful calm over the beach. Note also where people are lining up. Have a plan B. If you intended to start far left, but they're packed over there like sardines, look elsewhere. Maybe hang back a bit, soak it in, so you can observe the washing machine that is the Ironman swim start, and pick your own cycle.

But first come the bagpipes, and the Canadian anthem. The sun rising over the hills. The countdown, the choppers, the cheers..... You might have to raise your voice to wish you're neighbor "Good Luck". It's going to be a Beautiful Day! *BOOM*

Walk a ways before you get horizontal. Expect rough spots, getting run into, run over, kicked, and bumped. Relax. Breathe. FInd another line if needed. Just keep swimming. If you're a mid pack swimmer, don't waste alot of energy in the congested start by zig zagging and stopping and starting, or speeding up and slowing down. Try to get into the Zen of long strokes, easy breathing, efficient swimming.

Triangle course, 2 right turns. Turn at the Houseboats. Orange buoys inbetween. Wave to the scuba divers. Coming back in, aim for the Peach, but stay to the right, less rocks over there.
You did it! You just swam 2.4 miles! Go to the wetsuit strippers, grab your gear, and get ready for a great bike ride. Beauty and beast... You hear the call of the Okanagan and Similkameen echoing in the Valley. They're calling your name. Before your date with the finish line, Richter Pass and the rollers would like a word with you. So does the out and back and Yellow Lake. Don't fight them, embrace them, and they'll gladly allow you to pass. Then it's just a jog along a lake!

Best of luck to you. I hope you have a historic day!

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http://noel-ironman.blogspot.com/

IM Canada is a terrific venue for a race. If you are a decent swimmer, position yourself on one of the sides, but near to if not in the front. Be sure to warm up well first. Looks like you are in the mix with your bike/run preparation. I raced there in 1991 and have completed other IM courses. The secret to a good run is not to spend all your energy on the bike. Simple formula. Stay focused, stay strong and race within yourself. You will have a great time out there. Good luck!

Swim-wise, if you don't want crowds, start at the very left. The first mark is nearly a mile away. So, a few (100) yards one way or another away from the straight line ends up being a very small distance difference along that leg. By the time you'll get to the mark everything will be clear.

Have fun! That lake is fantastic, and the rest of the course is beautiful too. I loved last year's cold (but then I train around "sunny" Seattle) but it was apparently abnormal.

Also, the key to success is wine tasting before as well as after the event. You heard it here first. Most people only do the after part.

PS: It's "biatch," beeotch!

Epic - good post :)

Brent

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DFRU - Detta Family Racing Unit...the kids like it and we all get out and after it...gotta keep the fam involved!

Ahh, excellent, that's the info I was looking for. This will be my third IMC, and each of the two previous times I've finished with 1+ min of stumbling over large rocks in knee deep water trying to get to shore. I just assumed that they were everywhere. I swam 58:09 last year and thought I really had a chance of sub 57 without the rocks. How far inside should you go to avoid them? I'll definitely go check it out before the race last year. As I said, I never did before because I figured they were everywhere!

-Colin

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Any run that doesn't include pooping in someone's front yard is a win.

Careful here on this! I did IMC and I too am a climber (and thought the same thing), but it didnt work out well for me on this course, beacuse......I climbed strongly up the three climbs, passed lots of people, but wound up shuffling the run affter 6 miles. Passing people was fun on the bike was fun, watching them all go running back by sucked. I now know that I made the classic IM mistake.

It was my first IM and I learned a valuable lesson: If you want to run strongly you cant blast the hills on the bike. Have to keep it smooth and steady (low variability index) on the Bike without huge power or HR spikes. Dont make the same mistake I did!

I also held back for 2 mins at the swim start and had it pretty clear water the whole way!

Good luck and remember to have fun! When they call your name a the finish line you will then really undertstand why IM is sooooo addictive!

TT

Guess it's time to dredge up Hurricane Bob's IMC psych up! Have fun!

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...icane%20bob;#2962950

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My business-eBodyboarding.com

 Ah, IMC my favorite race - excellent choice !

Have done it four times and hope to get in for 2012 again.
I'm a MOP swimmer and started more to the right side ( precisely because everybody seems to tend to the left :-)
and it always worked really well for me.
There were the usual hits and kicks, which is unavoidable in a race with over 2,500 athletes, but nothing
worse.
As written a few postings before, last year I made the mistake to exit the water too far to the left and
almost ruined my pb, as I could hardly walk over all those rocks there. Just watch out for the buoys leaving to the shore and you will be fine.
The bike course is absolutely stunning, so great to just ride one single loop, I'm sure as a climber you will love it.
What I always notice about IMC, is everyone talks about the bike course.
But what about the run ? I think the IMC run course is often underestimated. In fact it is pretty hilly in some parts by the lake.

Anyway, Good luck and enjoy the race !

This is excellent advice. That is probably exactly what I would have done. Just scaled up the mountains but blown up on the run. I will heed your advice and hold back. My coach told me to hold back 80% on the bike and then give it a good go the last 20%, which I think is mostly downhill and flat anyways :)

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate all this good advice. I feel so much better about the swim and will go practice in the area a few days before to check out where the big rocks are. I am glad that this post is helping others too.

I want this to be a positive experience I don't care about my time as I just want to finish and know how far I have come in 4 years. So excited, but a little bit terrified still.

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No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up
Laura

It really is an awesome race, the bike course in particular... The descent from Richter overlooking the Similkameen valley with the Cathedral peaks in the distance and the TdF-style crowds lining both sides at the base of the Yellow Lake climb are 2 of my favorite moments in over 25 years of swimming, biking & running. The gal belting out O, Canada! right before the start was a major case of goosebumps, too.

As for the run, meh... being my weakest discipline of the 3 anyway, it was just a long, hot grind, but I do remember after making it past the turnaround and beginning to feel pretty confident I was going to finish OK, that was deeply satisfying (even more so than the finish itself, by which time I was definitely ready to be done).

In hindsight, I've come to view the actual race as a bit anti-climactic; even though it was and still is a big deal, looking back now I tend to think more about the whole training build-up and the entire process of getting better week after week after week... For me at least, the time & $$$ investment for IMs isn't sustainable to do more than once every few years, so it leaves kind of a vacuum afterwards just going back to shorter/smaller local events and a less ambitious training load.

I'm envious you're still on the way up... good luck!

As others have said, it all depends on how much contact you are comfortable with. I am a lousy swimmer, but I have no problem with the bumping and thumping (even though I am pretty small), so I started front and center. The draft effect of everyone swimming past me really helped pull me along. I swam 1:37, which may not sound like much, but it was 20 minutes faster than I expected to swim. I credit that largely to the draft from starting at the front. If I had started at the back I would have been swimming alone in short order and not gotten nearly the benefit. With the bottleneck at the swim start at Canada, you will be waiting a bit to start if you want to start at the back.

Incidentally, you picked a hell of a race for your first one. Penticton is the best course/town/crowd/start/finish I could even imagine. I love that race and look forward to going back again. You will have a blast.

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The plural of anecdote is not data. :-)
- Andrew Coggan

If you read a hundred ironman race reports, you will probably have over ninety of them say something like - "I was happy with my bike split but could not hold it together on the run."

What you will almost never read is "I wish I had gone harder on the bike". If you go easy enough on the bike that you can honestly say "I wish I had gone harder on the bike", your race report will really stand out.

Most of the people who write those reports knew that they had to pace the bike conservatively and thought they were.

It seems to be nearly impossible for most people to go as slow as they should on the bike in order to have a good run.

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Grant

Sorry if I mislead you. I've only done the event twice myself and since I usually swim wide of the crowds, and hit the rocks, I just assumed there must be better footing nearer the beach side of the finish. It should be worth a try anyway. I'm sure someone on here could comment. Good Luck!

I've done this race the last few years and lined up front and center in the swim both times. I don't think there was any more or less contact than Coeur d'Alene, Arizona or Florida. That said, based on the photo below from last year's start, I'd probably line up on the far right if I was going back this year. They don't care which side of the outbound buoys you are on as long as you make the turn around the houseboat at the end.



Good luck and have fun!

Craig

I did IMC last year for the first time and swam to the right of all the people standing up at the end. I ended up swimming almost until I was parallel to the exit banner, then stood up and quickly made my way onto the mat. I don't remember very many rocks in that section at all. It definitely saved time to swim more and walk less. Stay to the right (into the the lake) as you come up on the finish. That should help.

Great picture! I've heard from multiple friends that sticking to the inside of the buoys is the best to avoid the crowds....

We could always scout it a couple days before ; ) you never know what you can find down there. I think I'll be starting left though, I think I could walk the first 200m, and you know about my swim times...

Brent

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DFRU - Detta Family Racing Unit...the kids like it and we all get out and after it...gotta keep the fam involved!

My first IMC as well.

So I did a few calculations. If you line up 200m to the left, your 1500m swim to the first buoy will be 1513m (a2+b2=c2). If you line up to the right you better be fast.
If you have a natural tendency to fade left or right, start the opposite way and if you breath one side, make sure you can see everyone.

I fade right, breath right, and I can't see the buoy till I hit it.
So guess I'll be over in left field.

The rest I leave to the gods!

good luck

ps, don't drink the water anywhere near the start :)

You don't want to give me any more of an advantage at the start than I already have...

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Any run that doesn't include pooping in someone's front yard is a win.

Haha I know. Dang swimmers - this is why my 8 yo daughter is doing swim team...

Inspired to go train up there this weekend. Three days on the course in heat. Enjoy our 71* days ; )

Brent

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DFRU - Detta Family Racing Unit...the kids like it and we all get out and after it...gotta keep the fam involved!

Well, if you like me are a slow enough swimmer (1:16 on that day), then you can pass ~1,000 slower bikers on the bike and still not shuffle the run. Not that I was running fast on my first marathon, and a big unknown after two stress fractures training.

So remember: the key is to swim slow so you can reel in more bikers ;)

Is it a deep water or beach start?

wiiiiide, shallow beach

It is a wide beach as OneGoodLeg said, waist deep right at the start rope in the middle, shallower on the flanks. Here are a couple pictures taken shortly after the cannon went off.






Craig

Thanks for the pics, very helpful!

Is it just me or does the bottom picture look like the left is more crowded than the right?

might be somewhat, but I think it's also exaggerated by the fact that the start wave kinda forms an arc so you're looking 'through' the near end but 'across' the far end.

I did it 4 times, this is my preference:
1. You can sight off the hills in the background (a house or tower) not the houseboat...much easier
2. Start slightly left, wait until you are comfortable (15sec-1:30 depending on you) then go!
-although waiting will kill you cause of the energy and desire to go, the time wasted will pay back dividends with a stress free swim...energy later on!!

Good luck on your race!

I did IMC last year. It was my one and only Ironman I've done. Here are some of my tips and things I wish I had done:

• Swim on the outside or the front to avoid the 2:00/100m crowd. It is very hard to pass or move once you are caught in this group.
• On the bike, the one section I wished I pushed harder was after the McLean Creek Road area to Osoyoos before the Richter climb. It's very flat here and I held back more than I wished, in retrospect.
• Do not stop at the port-o-johns at the base of Richter. I waited 5 minutes to pee here when I should have just climbed Richter and pee'd off the side of the road somewhere further ahead. Wait nevermind, I see you're a female. I guess pee on the bike to save time if you don't want to wait at port-o-johns.
• Somehow the Cawston out-and-back is where they cram 160kms of the bike leg. Seriously, it's not that long, but it felt like I was in there forever and started to lose focus during that time. Stay focused here and keep the pace up.
• Bring flat repair for a potential 2 flats or more. That's what I had that day.
• Make sure the rest of your bike is in perfect condition! This is the portion of the race where you could DNF because of equipment so make sure your gear doesn't fail you. I had an unknown damaged freehub body that cost me dearly, but thankfully, I only lost time and did not have to DNF.
• My run was executed perfect: I paced the entire first 27k, keeping my HR in high Z2-low Z3. Then, with 15k to go, I stopped looking at my HR watch and just ran. I managed a 3:45 run this way with a negative split.
• The last few kms of the race were the most painful thing I've ever experienced in my legs. Jens Voight quote 'Shut up Legs' was my mantra and I said it often. Know that your mind and heart is stronger than your legs. Keep mentally strong and after your legs have expired you run on heart.

Any risk peeing on the side of the road or ducking off into the bushes as long as you come back at the same point? Don't want to risk DQ...

Hmmm. Just say you stepped aside to avoid the drafting packs. That should do it.

Been there about 10X to IMC. Great race and truly a quality event! Be prepared to stand in line (the 4th event)....you will probably be standing in line for EVERYTHING from registration to the pre-race dinner to the post-race dinner to signup for next year...you get the picture. Try to stay off your feet before the race and get to dinners, etc. early. Love the one loop swim course, bike course (with out-back though) and run course. So much better than the loop courses!!!

Yes, that was going to be my advice. You can swim along the inside of the buoys as long as you go to the outside at the corners. Hardly anyone swimming there, it was perfect.

The pictures posted give a pretty good idea of what the start looks like. IMC was my first Ironman last year - I am an average swimmer (1:10) and the mass start scared the heck out of me. I opted for starting on the mid-right, fairly close to the front. It was a good choice on the day - the start was busy and congested, but there was a fairly clear line inside the buoys out to the first turn. With nearly 3,000 athletes in the water, you will notice a distinct drafting effect.

The beach area is very shallow and a bit rocky - I'd highly recommend that you go in for a practice swim before the race to see what I mean. When you are finishing, swim as far in as you can before you stand - you are faster swimming than you are walking! Try to head straight for the swim exit and not left or right to avoid having to walk in the rocks.

The sun will be directly in your face on the return to the shore. Unless it is overcast, wear tinted goggles and pick something big to sight off of (the Lakeside hotel or the condo buildings work well).

Have fun, good luck!

Thanks again everyone. I feel so much better about this race. I just finished my last century ride Sunday and I am starting my taper. I swim out at Lake Mead every Saturday with a big group for about 1.5 hours. With all your advice and that swim practice, I think I will be okay. I will let you know how it goes in a few weeks.

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No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up
Laura