Monday, August 27, 2012

Ironman Canada Race

This is what my training partner Scott wrote up today....

Ironman Canada

Oh Canada!

Larry had his best IM time ever (if you throw out his IM Florida which was on a much easier IM course) at his race on Sunday. He came in 4th at 10:47:26 (I cannot tell you what a great time that is for a course like this). This is quite incredible given the fact that he keeps getting older and his times keep getting faster. I think they only have two Kona slots but maybe three given the number of people in his AG (110). Canada is known for having a lot of roll-downs (where the people decline the Kona slot and it rolls down – I know, this sounds strange that someone would do this and pass on Kona but it is due to the fact that Kona is only 7 weeks away). He will find out today at the Awards Ceremony in which he will be on the podium.

He nailed his swim at 1:09 (below his goal of 1:10), he had a 5:23 bike which is his best bike EVER and his run was tough coming in at 4:05. I think he had some stomach issues. Detailed results are below in metric (this was in Canada).

Cheers

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Ironman Canada Preview

Back in 1983, Ronald Regan was the President United States of America; Pierre Trudeau was the Prime Minister of Canada. Canada had officially adopted the metric system that year, while in the United States, the price of a stamp was 20-cents and the Compact Disc (CD) was being introduced to the world. That same year, Dave Scott was winning only his second of six IRONMAN world championship titles while Canadian Sylviane Puntouswas winning her first of two. Earlier that year, in Penticton, Mike Wagstaff and Dianne Lynch won the first ever ultra-triathlon in 1983, paving the way for future Ironman Canada champions.
The longevity of IRONMAN Canada has afforded race veterans the ability to utter one or two words that conjure up experiences and descriptions of locations of the race that would take many more words to articulate – the Peach, the Sicamous, Richter Pass, the rollers, the out-and-back, McLean Creek Road, Yellow Lake, Skaha, Ok Falls or simply the beach. And names that have been synonymous with the event over the years like Steve King, Ray Browning, Lori Bowden, JulieAnne White, Peter Reid, Iron Cops for Cancer, Lisa Bentley, Paula Newby Fraser, Tom Price and David Kirk. Nevertheless, for every one of those mention, there are thousands regular folks that have used IRONMAN Canada to accomplish triathlons ultimate dream – complete their IRONMAN.
The course
One would be remiss to talk about IRONMAN Canada without mentioning the majestic racecourse, which starts out with a single-looped 3.8 km swim in clear waters in the southern end of Lake Okanagan.
Next up, the bike is a 180 km single loop course that heads south of Penticton and passes through the towns of Okanagan Falls, Oliver and Osoyoos. Those racing know they are in for some work as they view the mammoth Canadian flag at the Huskey gas station in Osoyoos. The flag is the symbol that competitors are required to make a hard right hand turn and head up the infamous Richter Pass. The pass consists of an 11 km climb that varies from four to eight percent in steepness. After Richter Pass, athletes are greeted to a screaming six to seven km of downhill. In desert-like conditions, a number of good-sized rollers lead you into the town of Keremeos. Competitors are treated with a brain-numbing out and back section that feels like it takes you forever to get out of.
During the last 60 km of the bike, you are served up some false flats as you exit the out and back section, along with a couple more climbs that are short and have a sting to them, which come at just the wrong time. The last 20 km, though, offers a bit of reward for all the hard work - some exciting descents where you can take care of your hydration and fuel needs before entering T2.
Finally, the marathon is a one loop out and back affair with the first and last seven to eight km run through the city of Penticton, where the streets are filled with spectators. It is the middle 28 km’s heading south to the community of Okanagan Falls, and the return trip that is the challenge in the mind as well as the body. You have the beautiful Skaha Lake as your guide with a great deal of the run along its shores. Flat for most of the run, there is a few thigh burners going into and exiting the turn-around village that start at 16 km’s and end at 26km’s.
Retracing the last 8 km’s through town, spectator support builds as racers near the finish on Lakeshore Drive. Athletes are greeted to the comforting voice of Ironman Canada, Steve King, as they run down the chute and break the finish line tape.
Professional men’s field (Tentative)


Originally from: http://ironman.com/events/ironman/canada/ironman-celebrates-30-years-of-racing-in-penticton#ixzz24brVoysX

I am not a Savage!

Well wishes!

My race number is:

1823

Friday, August 24, 2012

Serious heat training pre Canada

Pre race festivities

We have been in Canada for a few days now, and it is an idyllic setting.  We are perched on a beautiful Lake named Shaka, which is both on the bike and run course for this race.  Today was a fun swim in Lake Okanagen, which was super rough, followed by a nice 2 hour bike.  I rode most of the marathon run section today so I could visualize the hills when I do the race on Sunday.

The tenement housing (JOKE)...Kim got us has turned out to be a terrific spot.  It is convenient to everything, and super comfortable.  The only thing missing are my SAVAGE friends from Team KQ!

Ironman Canada is in it's 30th year, and the town really embraces it.  Turn on the radio, and they are taking Ironman.  Everywhere you go, people ask "Eh, you doin the Ironman on Sunday?"

One of the most epic things thus far on this trip, has been star gazing.  There are no street lights, and the sky is truly amazing.  The stars and constellations are some of the best I have ever seen in my life.  


Ironman Canada, BC.























Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Oh Canada

It has been a long stretch since doing a blog...but Ironman #10 demands that I spend some time logging in the experience. I am in Vancouver with Kim waiting for the connecting flight to Kelowna. Kim treated me with the Maple Leag Lounge (Air Canada's VIP retreat). Enjoying a Canadien beer and some salty goodies. We will be in Penticton around 9PM tonight, in our 27 foot motor home that Kimmer got us...sounds like a fun adventure! More musings to follow...