My IM race is turning into a bit of a crowded few weeks.
The week before IMC I have a wedding to attend. I’m part of the wedding party, and it will be a busy weekend for me. Thankfully it’s in taper, so I’m not too concerned about missed workouts.
The next week is IMC. My girlfriend and I are planning on leaving Whistler the day after the race to drive to the Okanagan (5ish hour drive) for a few days of R&R. On the 31st we are driving back to Vancouver to attend yet another wedding on August 2nd, then finally returning home.
I’m really not sure how I’m going to be feeling after the IM. I’ve never done one, never ran a marathon, so I have no previous experience to go off. I usually feel groggy after a half, but fine. I work as a carpenter and am usually back to work the next day, albeit a bit stiff and tired. I think IMC will be a completely different feeling though =).
Any tips for surviving 5+ hours a driving the day after an IM?
If you have someone to drive for you it is helpful. If not, just take several breaks and stop to walk a bit. Wearing compression or even having an ice pack on your quads while driving can work well too.
If it were me, I’d stay until Tuesday morning. I did IMC last year, the next day woke up, walked to breakfast buying a finisher’s jacket on the way…), spent a few hours at Scandinave Spa, got a massage and hung out in the pools (if you go you can buy passes before hand to make it cheaper, just look on tripadvisor and they talk about it, and ask for the IM discount, there were lots of IM bracelets there that day)…just chilled, had a nice dinner, and then tuesday we drove the Duffy Lake Pass to Kumsheen, so similar timing. We stopped in Pemberton for lunch and a couple other stops as well.
If you have to go the next day, make sure you hydrate and stop a couple times to stretch your legs.
And yes, you will definitely know you didn’t just do a half ironman the day before
I was thinking of staying an extra day, but that would just make the Okanagan trip too short to really be worth it. We love it out there and the girlfriend has family in the area we like to visit, so we wanted to maximize our stay in that area, otherwise I think we would leave Tuesday for sure.
It looks like a few stops to stretch the legs, compression socks and ice packs will be the way to go!
Have your GF drive while you kick your legs up to keep fluid out of your legs and prevent edema (cankles). Stop for several breaks to walk and do as much walking around before, during, and after your drive as possible to keep things loose.
Compression socks (and quad sleeves if you have them). Lots of hydration and stops (kinda go together). If you are driving, use cruise control if possible, and adjust your seat position every 30 min. (I have power seats, and actually have three settings to rotate between).
Like everyone has said stop often and walk around. Blood clots are real risk after long races. Especially if you travel soon after the race, sit to long in one position, if you are dehydrated or have an underlying likely unknown clotting disorder.
The duffy lake road sucks, high alpine pass with lots of twists and steep roads. I’m sure you’ve been on it, really need to pay attention, to be honest that drive felt worse than my IM.
As others have said, get your wife to drive or take a lot of breaks, or leave tuesday.
PM me if you are coming to Kamloops again this summer (I think it was you who asked about rides last year?)
We have lots of weekend stuff going on that you could jump in with if you want.
I’ll pile on. The legs will be stiff the next day regardless, so drink plenty of water and, as others have mentioned, stop during the drive occasionally to stretch. I don’t think you need to be too concerned.
Definitely be careful driving the day after the race. Last year I did part of the drive back home after IMWI the day after the race and really had difficulty focusing on the traffic and not falling asleep behind the wheel. This year I’m returning a day later to get some more rest and sleep.
Never had any issues driving after an IM, I usually drive the next day. Sometimes 6+ hours and sometimes 18+ hours no real issues like others said, compressions socks (I actually prefer flip flops) and just hydrate and stop to walk around a bit.
Definitely be careful driving the day after the race. Last year I did part of the drive back home after IMWI the day after the race and really had difficulty focusing on the traffic and not falling asleep behind the wheel. This year I’m returning a day later to get some more rest and sleep.
It’s funny how anecdote works. I’ve planned on leaving the site 2-3 days post-IM(LP) 6 times and it’s never happened. I’ve always taken off on Monday. I’m stiff and uncomfortable. I don’t sleep well. I’ve always left on Monday after breakfast and ended up eating the rest of my lodging fee (damn you Lake Placid special event lodge cost-gouging/ required minimum stay culture) so I can be stiff and uncomfortable in my own home/ bed.
I stopped when I needed to, ate and drank whatever and whenever I wanted, and am less stressful for it. This year’s IM(MT), I’m actually planning on leaving Monday (bless you year-round price gouging/ no-minimum stay culture)
Like everyone has said stop often and walk around. Blood clots are real risk after long races. Especially if you travel soon after the race, sit to long in one position, if you are dehydrated or have an underlying likely unknown clotting disorder.
I wasn’t going to mention clots, but since Kathy did… This is the real danger and all the advice will help prevent them (having got mine driving home from wildflower)
