It was great being back in Penticton last week for Ironman Canada. As always some strong emotions for me personally, but in talking to people and standing back and taking it all in, I realized this is a different Ironman race and it’s a good thing.
A bit of a summary at my Blog:
http://stevefleck.blogspot.com/2010/09/ironman-canada-is-different.html
As usual comments are welcome here or at the blog.
Thanks for reading.
Couldn’t agree with you more.
The history, the location and the challenges of big loops makes for a true race against yourself.
It is about heat and cold, fast flats and long climbs and pushing yourself, but leaving enough for the run. A run that is always harder than the numbers make it out to be.
Most of all it is the people who cheer you on whether you are 9:00 or 17:00. People who go out of there way to make the experience great for all involved.
It is more than a brand, it is not Ironman, it is Ironman Canada and that is something special.
It is more than a brand, it is not Ironman, it is Ironman Canada and that is something special
Well said. That’s what I was getting at in my blog - there are other Ironman races, but this is Ironman Canada!!
Great post and great race. I would take issue with one comment you made, however: not all of the volunteers are locals. Myself and many others came to cheer on fellow team mates and do some volunteering in the process. Some of us, like myself and the other prob 750+ that shared the 2011 priority signup line with me, had plans to also sign up for next year. Others, like a dozen from my team, volunteered simply to give back for all of the support they’ve received when they’ve done the race. We’re not local, we drove a good distance to be there, but did enjoy the great vibe that is IMC.
I second that. My cousin and I drove 12 hours to volunteer last year, raced it this year, and will drive all the way back to volunteer again next year. I plan to go back every year that they continue the race there (5 more years at least) whether I am racing or not because it is such a great weekend to be in such a great town. It is worth the trip to volunteer just to be a part of it.
It is more than a brand, it is not Ironman, it is Ironman Canada and that is something special
Well said. That’s what I was getting at in my blog - there are other Ironman races, but this is Ironman Canada!!
Great blog!
I think I might have seen a sign that the race is getting bigger and bigger, compression socks and high heels on a woman standing in the line to sign up for next year. Maybe I’m weird but it was actually kind of sexy. 
Hey dude, I am the girl behind you in sign-up line! And I drove 10 hours from Boise to volunteer / signup. After volunteering, I will definitely be back in the tents again. It’s a great way to spend the day, way better than sitting on the curb waiting for your athletes to come by. Time goes by infinitely faster, and it’s really thrilling to help so many people along the way. In fact, I was so hooked, I stayed in the T2 tent long past my shift being over because it was so much fun.
I’ve been coming to IMC on and off since 1997, and first time volunteering, and I now “get it” about being Ironcrew.
I can’t wait to volunteer at IMAZ either.
Sue
oh, like THIS really bad fashion victim in the sign up line Monday??? yes, this is so bad, i took a picture as an example for the womens to demonstrate what NOT TO WEAR the day after IM. i don’t even know what to say if you think this is sexy. it’s just baaaaad.
Hey Steve, commented on your blog as well, but it was the 28th running, not 27th. 2012 is the 30th!! WOW!
THAT’S NO WOMAN!
Actually, that’s my teammate Chris. He was airing out his junk with the skirt and the heels were helping with some achilles pain.
Excellent point about Steve King. the man has an amazing memory and really just loves to talk.
This year at Ultraman during day 2 he was sitting just past the top of cemetery hill before Osooyos with his portable mic setup announcing the competitors with no audience. Just talking. He is amazing.
I barely know the guy, have met him once, maybe twice but he always says hello to me by name, asks me about my race schedule, whether I am planning a solo attempt at UMC. It is very comforting and familiar to hear that coice in transition and at the finish.
Thanks for the blog post Steve, very nicely written.
Agreed. This was my first IMC after doing IMWI (x3), IMLP, and IMCDA. This one is different. I love it. I am hooked. I am back for 2011.
We stayed in the Penticton Lakeside Resort. They had the original IMC banner from 1985 hanging behind the font desk. It was really cool!
yeah, but I think she did get a Kona slot.
Great post. Couldn’t agree more. This year was my first IMC and I intend to be back. Hopefully in 2012. The volunteers were simply amazing. I’m considering coming up from Texas next year just to volunteer.
Excellent point about Steve King. the man has an amazing memory and really just loves to talk.
…
It is very comforting and familiar to hear that coice in transition and at the finish.
Somehow, it just doesn’t feel like Race Day until I hear Steve’s voice over the PA… Once I hear him, I know it’s on!
Sue-
Great meeting you in line @ the IMC 2011 signup. Given how long online reg was open, it looks like we could’ve slept in and skipped that line! Anyway, glad to be signed up!
I’m still leaning toward Boise 70.3 next year as one of my halfs-- I’ll be sure to look you up if I pull the trigger on that one!
2011 will be the 20th anniversary of my first IM which was IMC1991. I believe Mike Mccormack won and Cristian Bustos was second. Either PNF or Erin Baker won for the WOMENS. A young Steve Fleck was somewhere in the top 25.
It took a lot of me to NOT sign up for 2011 when it was open online. But in the end, I decided that I can’t go back to IMC unless my swim is down at 55 minutes and I can beat the packs to Osoyoos. I just have too bad a taste in my mouth from be passed by 100 man peleton a few miles from Osoyoos in 2008, that I’m not encouraged to race IMC again.
Maybe it is like an old neighbourhood…sometimes your memories of the place are pristine and you go back and you see the neighbourhood has changed. That’s how I felt in 2008 as the race was around 2.5x larger than in 1991.
Of course we can’t expect things to remain static over time. But I have found that IMLP and IM France are much more “fair courses” in that the impact of drafting is much less…so I’ll stick to those events for now…and hopefully one day IMC will have wave starts and then I’ll be the first guy to head back!
Dev
Somehow, it just doesn’t feel like Race Day until I hear Steve’s voice over the PA… Once I hear him, I know it’s on!
Khai,
The man at work what he love’s doing more than anything else.
Steve King’s view of the final straightaway this year at IMC:
It is more than a brand, it is not Ironman, it is Ironman Canada and that is something special
Well said. That’s what I was getting at in my blog - there are other Ironman races, but this is Ironman Canada!!
Excellent blog, and I fixed the new tag line…
“but this is Ironman Canada EH!!”
Dev it is interesting to hear people’s perspective on drafting vis a vis different races. I got out of the water in 1:12 at both IMLP and IMC this year. I saw way more drafting in LP. Definitely a number of peletons at IMC, but IMLP seemed like a 56 mile long paceline. YMMV.