Has anyone heard of any talk regarding course changes or anything with regards to the Forest Fires in BC?
Just read a new article today that the amount of fires burning in BC has now more than doubled since July 22. They are up to something like 739 separate Forest Fires right now. The ones burning in the Kelowna area particularly sound pretty huge.
There are (currently) no fires on the course. Everything is North of Penticton in Kelowna. And Penticton is basically the Northernmost point on the course. We had some ash on our car this morning, but that’s the first evidence in town that there are any fires anywhere, other than being able to see the smoke. So far, there are no plans to make any changes. The only issue, even if the race were to happen right now, would be getting from Kelowna to Penticton due to road closures. The air is (currently) just fine. Fires are a very regular occurence around here. It’s hard to separate out the drama for the news with what is actually abnormal.
I heard if the fires get *really *bad, they’ll just keep everyone in the lake and do the swim 3x…
Don’t they have those aerial tankers that dip into the lake to fill their water tanks and then drop the water on the fire??? … hope they don’t scoop up too many IM swimmers 
Dave
Yeah, water bombers. Just another reason not to be a BOP swimmer!
Where’s the like button for this. 
One more reason for me not to skip my swim workout tonight.
nothing unusual here in penticton…just another summer and normal usual fires! life goes on as normal…
I hope they can minimize the fire damage, especially to homes and property. In the grand scheme of things, this race you’ve trained a year for, is pretty insignificant compared to the devastation of fire. In '02 or '03, IMC was nearly cancelled. It was saved by lots of hard work, and some good luck.
The only disappointment for me that year, was the change to the run course. To keep runners near by, we ran 3 loops in town.
One of many special things about IMC is the out and back run course. By mile 5, you’re out of town, away from the crowds, little or no shade, with a glimpse of OK Falls in the distance…for me, that is where Ironman slaps you in the face. You have lots of time to think, as the layers are peeled away, exposing your soul. Now it’s just you and the course, one step at a time, with miles to go the finish line. It’s here where you realize it’s been a very long day.
It’s also here that you realize Ironman’s are hard! The swim is a distant memory. You vaguely recall how good you felt early on the bike. You look forward to the oasis of the aid stations. You see the next mile marker, but can’t believe what your watch says your pace is.
Sure there are distractions, like the runners coming toward you, heading back to town. Or you look out across Lake Skaha, the sun’s rays sparkling on the surface. Way across the lake you see where you biked down from Yellow Lake, and you wonder how many bikers are still out there. You strike up conversations with other runners and shufflers. Afterall, misery loves company, and no one should suffer alone. You struggle, you’re experiencing the lowest of the lows… And then come the hills.
Ah, but if you can persevere, block out the pain, and keep moving forward… If you can will yourself to run just 10 steps more, and then another 10… to get to that tree, or the telephone pole, and now the big crack in the road. Next the walker up ahead. Before you know it, you’ve reached the top of the hill. It’s a big deal!, but your only reward is to keep on keepin’ on. You elate in these little victories, until you’re able to make it to the turnaround. Now, you tell yourself, with every step, I’m getting that much closer to the finish!
Yes, you are talking to yourself. You’re hearing voices, maybe even foaming at the mouth. Who cares. This is Ironman baby! And the voice you hear is that of your Ironwill.
This Ironman has beaten you up, but it hasn’t beaten you.
This Ironman might leave you broke, but it hasn’t broken you.
You’re in Penticton British Columbia, and you’re doing Ironman Canada, and you WILL finish what you started. So stop feeling sorry for yourself, and haul ass to the finish line.
Finally you’re on the outskirts of town, back from the abyss, back to familiar territory. Back to civilization, back to the belief that you’re going to make it. The pain of each step is now masked in the joy of what’s to come. Groups of spectators are cheering for you, as you reach the cobbles of downtown. Wall to wall people now, you feel energized, renewed, reborn. You hear someone say “Congratulations”, and you burst into tears. Yes, it got ugly out there, real ugly, but here you are, just a couple miles from the finish, and you will be an Ironman!
You hear Steve King in the distance, and that’s where you want to be. You turn on Winnipeg, the atmosphere is electric. You don’t even see the 25 mile marker, it’s blocked by the exuberant throng. You know enough to turn left, away from the finish line, away from the crowd, the noise, the excitement. . . back into the dark. . . abyss. . . NO! This is just a reminder that great rewards are earned. You run to the Siccamous, and make the turn in virtual obscurity. But soon, in a moment you’ll remember forever, you’ll be running on the carpet, between the bleachers, amid the flashes of cameras, with all your senses on overload…
You cross the line, arms in the air, for you the thousands cheer. You feel just fine, and don’t you dare, wipe away your tears.
I hope you all can go the length, whether novice or elite. You’ve heard the call, you have the strength, you’re an Ironman triathlete.
I apologize for the rant, but Ironman Canada burns a passion in me that conjers up a soliloquy that is hard to stop. Or maybe it’s the taper…
For someone that lives in the area, what does Summerland look like now? I booked my room on the lake in Summerland, and I am getting worried about either not having a room or not being able to get to Penticton.
Basically looks like the surface of the moon, except more forest-fire-ey.
Summerland is fine. It’s well south of Westbank, which is where Terrace Mtn is. I mean, it’s as smokey as anywhere else, but it’s not on fire (currently).
yes, because you guys favorite thing to do is getting worried about everything leading up to a ironman!!! I m the same!
Anyway, THERE IS NO FIRE IN THE PENTICTON SUMMERLAND REGION… fire are relatively far away but strong winds make it that all the smoke comes here…But life is…as usual other than the poor asthmatic people have a bit of a hard time!
hope to get some rain one day…that would help because with the wind…those fire will jsut keep growing… but should not make it all the way here!
but I hear the Lake is really warm and wetsuits probably won’t be allowed this year…
effectively, it was confirm last week that wetsuit wont be allowed as the lake is crazy hot. There is also a possibility of a aid station half way on the swim as water dehydratation as been a concern with the unusual warm water. Let see what they decide about this.
So … the fire has burned down to the lake shore and heated the lake from the fires … we all knew it would happen. Has the lake caught fire yet??
Dave
effectively, it was confirm last week that wetsuit wont be allowed as the lake is crazy hot. There is also a possibility of a aid station half way on the swim as water dehydratation as been a concern with the unusual warm water. Let see what they decide about this.
That’s neat. Sorta like those bars attached to resort pools where you can swim up and order a drink.
we are getting pounded by Tstorms in the PNW right now. heavy rain. is it hitting you guys and helping with the fires?
S
but I hear the Lake is really warm and wetsuits probably won’t be allowed this year…
Would that be a possibility? What’s the temp for that? Skaha was 26c (78f) the other day. Cut offs for Oly distance races in these parts is 23c, it must be slightly higher for IM, no? It’s looking like the Apple will be no suits again this year.