OK - let’s swing this thing around. Anyone have a good experience at IMC?
For me, the details of the race aren’t that important, although I love the race reports where people remember mile markers and details. What I remember from this race is Steve King’s ever so cheesy “Attitude of Gratitude". How many of us heard that over several years and groaned? But for some reason, I finally heard it on this Friday night and I actually had to invoke it many times over the day; especially when I saw the wheel chair athletes or the amputees. How amazing were they? Gratitude? I can’t count how many times I pulled it together so as not to “disappoint” a volunteer; they were expecting greatness and I didn’t want to fail them. So I mustered it up for them – as a show of gratitude. Who remembers the little boy at the water station with 10 – 15km’s left on the run, screaming how great we were? How inspiring. Wow – speechless. How about the little kids that remained on task up until the very last runner went past them? Water? Sponge? Watermelon? On task, on duty, supportive, amazing.
I must admit I’m not as dedicated to the training and the discipline required to do well as some of you. I love my family, friends, beer, red wine and good food too much. I also don’t think I have the physiological makeup to excel, but once I arrived in Penticton I was overwhelmed with the fit, type A people roaming the streets. It was such a wonderful environment to be in. Very festive and such intensity. I loved the energy of Ironman week in Penticton – I think that brings me back more than anything. And to think, I “sort of” belong!
So yes, I’m a BOP. I get that. Why do I train all year and compete in a race that I have no chance in excelling at? Where Kona is only a pipe dream? That is a question that defies logic; I can’t look into it too closely just incase insanity or stupidity is the answer. But maybe it’s showing up for work the next day and having a co-worker be so inspired that he went out and ran 3km and will join our relay race next year (15km leg).
Prior to leaving for IMC a co-worker asked me why do I do this? I’m always speechless when someone asks me that question because it’s so personal and so spiritual to me. To answer it means revealing something deep and perhaps something dark within myself that is so difficult to articulate. So I give them my pat answer or as close as I can get “Ironman reassures me that I have “bigness” within me; for the most part it’s lies dormant. But for the briefest of moments, like on August 28, 2011, I am big! I am a lion slayer.
In 2008 my teenage daughter was allowed to cross the finish line with me – it was my first Ironman. The look of pride on her face always brings me to tears. When I showed the picture to a fellow Ironman his comment was “When else do we get to be heroes to our kids?” Ironman gives me so much. Entry fee - $700; experience - priceless.
Excuse my ramblings; it’s Friday night, I’m not training and I had a bit of that lovely Naramata red wine that I brought back. Tomorrow I may run. Perhaps on Sunday.
IMC 2011 was my 1st IM so will always hold a special place in my heart. I was fortunate that I was blissfully unaware of the water shortages etc. Yeah, the medal is t i n y, but this race was still was one of the BEST days of my life! I kept thinking during the whole race how fortunate I was to be doing that race, on that day, in that gorgeous place, with so many great friends cheering me on! And to beat Mt goal time by 20 mins was icing on the cake. Can’t wait for IMC 2012!!
Thanks to The Bike Gallery of Vancouver for providing technical support at Ironman Canada.
Bike Gallery’s master bike technician,** John Prowse, **gave me technical support when he found me standing at the side of the road on the Cawston out & back with front derailleur problems. Up to that point, I had to stop each time to manually move my chain from the inner to outer ring of my crank. I watched him bend, twist and adjust a derailleur that really need to be replaced. In a few short minutes, he got me back on the road with a working front derailleur.
Thanks to Bike Gallery - Vancouver for providing support at IMC with special kudos to John Prowse for his quick & expert roadside repairs.
Lovely post, Wanda…thank you!
I wasn’t there this year…had a really tough race there in 2008, ending up pretty much walking the entire marathon. The volunteers and spectators (locals sitting at the end of the driveway along the run course) were so wonderful…kept saying “you’re amazing! keep going!”…when I was thinking “Amazing, my butt…amazed that I’m still out here walking…” Those people are what will bring me back in 2012, and they very much set the tone for why IMC is so special.
After a 12 hour sweat fest, not a terrible day considering the conditions, the “catchers” said, what size shirt, I happily replied “XL”. At which point, while scurrying to the food barge, these two lovely gals gave me a hat which I immediately carried around and put in my bag while getting my bike to split the scene. I never looked at the shirt. The next day, I drove back the 8 hours to Montana, with no soreness mind you, and I was happy about that. Upon returning home, my oldest son swiped the medal in my bag, which he loves by the way, and my 7 year old took the shirt out of the hat…it was a medium (oh shit!-and no, the wife didn’t want it). In any event, my wife emailed the RD and told her the story, well, yesterday, I received an XL finisher shirt in the mail, which was both a surprise and very cool. Its not that I go gaga over finisher shirts, but given how warm it was in this race, I will wear it with pride. This was IM x 4 for me. Thanks IMC, as you did not have to do that.
-On a side note, through my 4 hour marathon, not what I was aiming for either, I was able to follow the actual ice truck from aid station to aid station from miles 3 to the turn around at the half way point. I had no bitches or complaints with water during either the bike or run. Sounds like I was one of the few based on prior threads…
-This was my first IMC and I will be back some other time with wife and boys in tote. I stayed with a lovely 84 year old gal about a 1/2 mile from the start for 75$ a night…I couldn’t of been happier with the nice folks of Canada…
Cheers…
Great idea Wanda! This was my first IM. I am a BOP and loved the challenges that this year brought. I am much tougher than I thought, and I was able to problem solve and as STers say HTFU. I am quite proud of that. The volunteers were wonderful. I was smiling ear to ear in each transition. They dressed me, encouraged me and sent me off. Sort of like what I did with my two children when they were little, it was cute and made me smile. Love the volunteers.
Before the race at bike drop off, one volunteer saw I was a bit terrified and overwhelmed. Even though I trained for the race I was doubting myself. She told me to be my best friend out there. If my buddy was out there struggling what would I say to them, that is what I need to say to myself. It was brilliant advice and I used it.
I saw a sign going up the hill on the run “Hey Julie, my mascara runs faster than you!” that made me laugh.
Finally, it was almost hour 16. I was suffering on run with stomach problems and I was feeling pretty bad. I heard them announce that i needed to keep moving to get in under 15 hours. I didn’t think i had it in me. A spectator jumped out of the crowd, grabbed my shoulders and snapped me out of my pain fog, he told me to start running and to do it now. I didn’t even look at him, but he believed in me and so I started to run, he was screaming " go Laura go". I ran that last half mile in and made it in under 16 hours because of him. I don’t know who it was but I will always be grateful for his encouragement. A perfect stranger that helped me.
I will do another IM thanks to the great experiences and challenges at IMC.
I did not compete, but saw many positive things nonetheless. This was the first Ironman I had ever witnessed. Athletes of all shapes and sizes lining up for this mega event. Single, married, divorced, with or without kids, they were all there. That alone was inspiring. All the fans across the whole course. I saw many many clubs with athletes who were not racing supporting their fellow club members all day.
In our club, we had a newbie who was 3rd in her AG and qualified for Kona as well as a veteran of 11 Ironmans who at age 51 finally got her Kona spot. Having trained with all these athletes in our club, I knew how much many of them had to overcome just to get to the start line, and then deal with in the race itself.
Oh, and of course, for me to see Fernanda Keller in her bathing suit on Yellow Lake
Let’s separate logistical issues from the experience. I am sure that the vast majority of participants would state that this was a fantastic one. I hope to be there in 2013 on the start line
Swimming with lots of nice people and their 5,600 arms and 5,600 feet (assuming 2,800 swimmers).
A bike ride with lots nice people with a warm wind to keep off the chill because I was only wearing a sleeveless shirt and shorts and no soxs.
A run with with lots of nice people, with some hills thrown in for a change of pace coupled with beautiful scenery and the sun keeping things warm because once again I was running in shorts and a sleeveless shirt and no soxs.
The awesome volunteers.
As for the water issue, it shouldn’t have happened but it did. Deal with it.
As for the medal, it shouldn’t be about the size, it should be what it represents. While millions and millions of your fellow humans were sitting on the couch piling through their second bag of Doritos. . . you just pushed your body 140.6 miles on a hot and windy day at one of the most beautiful IM venues in the world.
Thanks for posting this, In a sentence I loved it all, it was my 11th ironman but my first time at Canada. I stayed there a week after the race- the volunters at the the race were so helpfull and everyone in town was so nice. The Bike Barn mechanics helped me out of a tight spot before the race, for me it was all positive
IMC 2011 was my 1st IM so will always hold a special place in my heart. I was fortunate that I was blissfully unaware of the water shortages etc. Yeah, the medal is t i n y, but this race was still was one of the BEST days of my life! I kept thinking during the whole race how fortunate I was to be doing that race, on that day, in that gorgeous place, with so many great friends cheering me on! And to beat Mt goal time by 20 mins was icing on the cake. Can’t wait for IMC 2012!!
I’ve done the race three times. Always had a positive experience. Admittedly, I don’t remember much of my first time. Doing an Ironman on short notice is not the best idea. But I think it was awesome…
Best race in the world (of the one’s I’ve done anyway). I think that people have justifiably high expectations for one of the three oldest Ironmans in existence (Kona & NZ being the others). I think that people hold this race to a higher standard, which is probably fair, but also keep in mind that just like every other race, it’s run by regular people who can/do make mistakes.
The one thing you can be sure of with this race is that any mistakes WILL be corrected.
My favorite race. I had a great time. But my heart does go out to those who did not have the best experience, for whatever reason…
After a tough day on the bike and being behind expectations, ended up pacing a local runner back to town in sub 12 hours. It was his first IM and made my day running with him, otherwise I would have been much slower.
My girlfriend was also having an off day and delt with the water shortage on the bike, when I saw her at mile 23 it was awesome! I knew if she made it off the bike she would finish.
And last but not least, seeing Jordan running home with the big lead was huge! Can’t remember what I yelled but I was hoping to seehim in the lead and was stoked when he was.
