Elements of Erin 337

Florida Marathon Race Report

2009-12-19T12:37:00.000-08:00

The next time someone tells you that Florida is flat and warm, make sure you clarify which area of Florida they are referring to. Let me tell you, Clermont Florida is NOT FLAT and was NOT WARM today for the Florida Marathon. Clermont is not just a hilly area of Florida, it is hilly compared to most places.

Click HERE to see the route and elevation map of the course. The Marathon course was a double loop of the Half Marathon course.

Last night, Tim and Jamieson went to the opening night of the movie Avatar, leaving me to rest and get to bed early. I slept really well and woke up at 5:30am when my alarm went off with no problem. Because Florida is supposed to be warmer than Vancouver (which it is) I packed my Sugoi Brand Champion tri top, running shorts and hot pink Newton Racers for my race. This morning the temperature was around 12C with high winds. We actually had the heat on in the car (something we have never had to do on a trip to Florida before). When we arrived at the race site I did a lap of the track and realized I was going to freeze if I didn't wear a jacket. Luckily, the National Training Center gear shop had a booth at the Start/Finish line and Tim bought me a new pair of Sugoi arm warmers. Later on the run I thought about how ironic it was that I had to purchase a product made in Vancouver in Florida. The arm warmers worked like a charm and were very cute also (black with colourful hearts on them).

My first 21.1kms were GREAT! I felt good, my feet and calves felt good, my hands were cold and the wind was pretty high but I had a smile on my face. I had chosen to wear my Fuel Belt since I was not sure what would be available on the course. Turns out that the course was well stocked (about every 2miles, sometimes closer) with water, Gatorade, GU Gels and GU Chomps.

By the start of the 2nd loop, the sun had come out and it was getting warm. Not hot but warmer than the first loop. I would say it got up to about 17C. I peeled off my arm warmers, took off my Fuel Belt and left them at the track. As I climbed back up to the main road I could feel that I was falling off my pace. I had been comfortably doing 5:45-6:00/km until that point. My stomach started to give me some trouble and within about 8kms I had to make two port-o-potty stops of about 2 minutes each (I will not go into more detail than that, I promise). After that I was feeling better but had really fallen off my pace and my legs were really starting to feel the hills. At about the 35km point I was pretty much done and was looking forward to the finish. The last 1km is all downhill and then 200m around track. The track was like heaven on my feet and legs but the 3% downhill grade to get there took its toll. Who knew it would be so tough to run downhill? Ouch!

I didn't know exactly what my time was until I crossed the finish line. I had forgotten to turn the Auto Pause off on my Garmin so my watch had stopped during the 2 port-o-potty stops. As I rounded the track I was very happy to see the 4:24 time with my final finishing time being 4:24:34. This is a PB for me and I was happy with the time given the course. I had origionally thought a 4:15 would have been possible until we drove the course yesterday. Needless to say, I was suprized how hilly it was.

All in all, I am very happy with how this last even of 2009 went for me. I would recommend this marathon to everyone. It was very well organize and only had about 400 runners total. I would guess there were no more than 100 marathon runners. Most people ran the Half Marathon. I would also recommend wearing an iPod. The first loop of the course was busy but not crowded. The 2nd loop was lonely and I was glad to have my tunes with me to keep me company. Most of the event is run on a paved bike trail so no need to worry about traffic. Volunteers were great and well placed along the course.

Oh, and the best part was that I placed 2nd in my age group and received a plaque! I was initally awared first in my age group (OK, it was because there was no one else running in my age group) but then awarded 2nd when another runner was accidentally placed in the wrong category. Guess it doesn't pay to hand around the race site after you get your award. LOL.

Because we are still in Florida, I haven't yet downloaded any camera photos. Here are two from today's race taken on Tim's phone. Stay tuned for more Disney, Universal Studios and vacation fun in the next few weeks.

Half Way, starting the 2nd 21.1km loop

Feeling strong after the finish. Jamieson's comment "Gee, the medal is really small" LOL.

Happy Training!

Bowen Island Pre Christmas Retreat

2009-12-11T09:50:00.001-08:00

Bowen Island 2009 037
Originally uploaded by erinlesleylee

With Tim away in Las Vegas running the Rock and Roll Las Vegas Marathon, Jamieson and I decided to have a get away of our own.

We booked a 'cabin' on Bowen Island, rented 5 movies, loaded up our iPods, picked up books at the library, bought microwave popcorn and headed to our island retreat.

We stayed at the Bowen Island Waterfront Cottage . I highly recommend it. Full kichen, fireplace, amazing shower (no bath), flat screen TV with cable, DVD player and iPod stero link.

This year has been a busy one for all of us so the opportunity to just do nothing was very well received.

Click HERE to check out our photos.

Bowen Island is a 15 minute ferry ride from West Vancouver but it really feels like a true get away.

We were there for two nights and I didn't run at all when we were there. The rest must have done me good because I had a great run on Monday when we returned home.

Happy Training!

Running in my Hood, Steveston BC

2009-12-03T11:30:00.001-08:00

Ready to Run
Originally uploaded by erinlesleylee

Today was a beautiful day in Steveston BC. The temperature was -1C clear and sunny. Nice change from the dreadful rain we have had for the past 2 months.

So I put on my capri tights, short sleeve base layer shirt with a heavier long sleeve over top, my hot pink Newtons and my great new touque from Sugoi and headed out for a nice 6km run.

If you click the photo of me, you will see the great stuff that I get to see when I run in my neighbourhood. Or click HERE for the photo set.

Great place to live and run.

Happy training!

Maybe I Need New Shoes?

2009-12-01T10:15:00.000-08:00

Here are my 3rd pair of Newton Neutral Trainers. Prior to this pair, I had the first generation Yellow Neutral Trainers. I also have a hot pink pair of Neutral Racers which I reserve only for 'racing'.

Now, the past few weeks, my feet, shin and calves have really started to ache. Ok, well not just ache but hurt. Mostly after a run but also in the morning when I take my first steps.

I usually replace my shoes every 6 months and I only got this pair in July so I figured I couldn't need a new pair already.

I love my Newtons but I was starting to think, maybe they aren't the shoe for me. Why am I getting all this pain in my lower legs? Why are my feet so tired all the time?

I even went so far as to try on a few other brands of running shoes when we were shopping for new shoes for my son. Boy, regular running shoes sure feel weird after wearing Newtons for over a year. Could it be the shoes? Maybe I should try the new Sir Isaacs? The thought of changing running shoe brands again after a year was exhausting.

That is when I had the bright idea to see how many kms/miles I had on my current pair of Newtons. Funny thing happened...turns out (thanks to my Garmin 405 data) that I had run 720kms or 600miles on these trusty pair of runners. I ran the data report another time just to make sure it was correct. It was. I then sent a message to all my Tweeps asking after how many miles they change their runners. Turns out, most change between 300-500 miles. A couple of people even changed theirs every 200-300 miles.

After inspecting the bottom of my shoes, I also discovered this split in the lugs. Who knows how long that has been there? I run on a crushed gravel trail most of the time so I guess a rock must have split the sole.

You would think that after all the training I did this year, I would know when to replace my shoes. Well, guess again. I have never really trained or run at the volume I did this year and never needed to change my shoes more than once every 6-8 months.

As most of you know, Newtons are not cheap. Good thing my husband is running the RNR Las Vegas this weekend and Sir Isaac will be there selling at the expo. I can buy them locally or on-line but they are about $20 more expensive that way.

For now, I will train in my hot pink racers that have less than 100kms on them.

At least running shoes are cheaper than race wheels or bike parts.

Happy training!

Three Weeks Until my Last Race of 2009

2009-11-26T13:19:00.000-08:00

With only 3 weeks left until the Florida Marathon I am feeling pretty good physically and mentally. I have to admit that signing up for a December marathon seemed like a better idea back in September when the weather was still good for training. With the constant rain of the past few weeks, getting out for a run has not been so enjoyable. Even though I do OK in the dry heat, I am starting to have some concerns about the potential of humid heat in Clearmont, FL.

My training plan had me run my longest run last weekend (4 weeks from the race). I felt good for 26kms of my 36km run. The last 10kms were tough. I met up with The SAA members at the Sea Island Starbucks after 26kms. I made the mistake of stopping for a 'quick' chat then started my final 10kms. Getting going again in the cold and rain was not so easy. I did slug it out and finished happy and without any injury. I certainly felt the run in my legs but nothing to be concerned about.

I also have to mention that all this running has been hard on my legs and feet. I am used to having sore legs after a run but the sore feet is a new thing. Maybe it is time for a new pair of Newtons? My feet simply feel fatigued all the time.

Of course, if my race is only 3 weeks way, that means that my Florida trip is only 2 weeks away! In addition to my race, there will be plenty of rest, relaxation, shopping and DisneyWorld fun! Not a bad way to spend the holidays I think.

Happy training

What Is On My Race Calendar for 2010?

2009-11-20T10:13:00.000-08:00

If you have followed my blog for a while, you will know that I am a very big advocate of having goals. There is no way that I could have trained a year for Ironman Canada without having milestone goals along the way.

In 2009 I raced 2 sprint triathlons (Delta Tri and North Shore Tri), 2 Half Ironman (Victoria and Vancouver), the big show at IMC 2009, one 5km race (Las Vegas), a Half Marathon (New Balance Fall Classic) and to wrap it all up, a Marathon (Florida Marathon). It has been a fantastic year of training, racing and personal achievements.

Many triathlete and runner blogs I follow are now starting to make public their races and goals for 2010. Which got me thinking about my 2010 goals. At this time last year, I had my race schedule planned and was two months in to my IMC training plan.

So what do I have on my race calendar for 2010? Well....nothing.

2010 in my house is known as "The Year Of Tim". My always accommodating and supportive husband is having a milestone birthday in 2010 and declared it 'his year'. How could I argue with that? After all, he did spend ALL of 2009 working his life around my crazy training schedule and big racing goals. Tim hasn't finalized his goals yet but there is a lot of talk about marathons, paddling and travel. He has signed up for the Ride to Conquer Cancer.

For 2010, I am going to keep swimming, biking and running. Perhaps do a few running races, sprint triathlons and possibly a Half Ironman.

Ultimately, my main goal for 2010 to show Tim the same level of support for his goals that he showed me this year. :-)

Happy Training!

New Balance Fall Classic Half Marathon Race Report

2009-11-17T13:30:00.000-08:00

The New Balance Fall Classic Half Marathon was a great day for me! The weather was cold, windy and rainy but that didn't stop me from getting a PB. My previous PB was the Pacific Roadrunners First Half in 2000 in a time of 2:08:28 (back then I was in the 25-29 Age Group). That was also the first half marathon I ever ran. Since then I was able to run everything from a 2:10 all the way to a 2:20 a couple of years ago but never anything under 2:08:28.

My goals for Sunday were to:

run under 2:08
run 2:00
run under 2:00

The race started out quickly and mostly downhill as you can see by the chart below. Once the first 3kms were done, I settled into a solid sub 2hour pace. The course is 2 loops which can be boring but also helpful when trying to set a consistent pace. I started to slow down around the 16-18km mark but had 'banked' a few minutes with my faster start time so I still felt I could come in under the 2 hour time.

I used the pacing feature with my Garmin 405 which clocked me at 1:57:31 for the 21.1km distance. However, as many races are, this route I suspect was about 100m longer than the 21.1km distance. My net time was 1:58:15 which made me very happy!

Here is a photo from the official photographer's website. Thanks to the Sugoi warehouse sale and my flashy Newton racers, I think I look pretty stylish also. I don't care what anyone says, red and hot pink DO go together.

Now, I don't want to jinx my last race for 2009 but virtually ALL of my races this year have been PBs.

My previous Marathon PB is 4:32:56 from the Vancouver Marathon in 2001. This was also my first Marathon and I have never come close to beating that time since.

Will Florida be lucky for me?

Happy training!

Sugoi Warehouse Sale in Vancouver BC - Amazing Deals!

2009-11-14T13:05:00.000-08:00

Last night we made our way in to Vancouver for the Sugoi Warehouse Sale. I was very happy to see a great selection of Brand Champion gear in ALL sizes and ALL at 50% off the lowest ticketed price. Running tech shirts were $10, Bike jerseys were $20 and I even picked up a cycling vest for $20 (keep an eye out for the vest tomorrow when I run the Fall Classic 1/2 Marathon)

It was a very productive and exhausting shopping experience for all of us.

Yes, we bought ALL of the stuff in this photo.

We even took the security guard home with us. :-)

Incredible Sugoi!

Sugoi Warehouse Sale in Vancouver BC

2009-11-12T17:11:00.000-08:00

Will I see you there on Friday night?

Great 31km Run - Richmond To Vancouver and Back

2009-11-09T11:41:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share a great 31km route with everyone. If you are training for a hilly event, then this is the route for you! Click on the photos below for a more detailed route.

Believe it or not, I have learned that the Florida Marathon is hilly. Hard to believe but true. How hilly? Not exactly sure but it doesn't hurt to train on the hills anyway.

During this run yesterday I was alone with my iPod for about 20kms. I would suggest that this is a busy and safe route to run alone during the day for anyone. There is a bathroom located at the top of Queen Elizabeth Park which was about 1/2 way.
During this run I ate a PowerGel every 45mins and had four 8oz bottles of orange Gatorade. I was very happy to have stashed a peanut butter sandwich in my car for after the run. I was hungry!

All in all a great run and I am feeling prepared for the Fall Classic Half Marathon next weekend and my marathon on December 19th.

Happy Training to all!

Sugoi Brand Champion - Incredible!

2009-11-03T14:13:00.000-08:00

Sugoi means Incredible or WOW in Japanese!

A couple of weeks ago I was selected to participate in the Sugoi Brand Champions program.

As my first 'responsibility' for this position I purchased this beautiful Brand Champion singlet to wear at my upcoming races.

Because I will be running my marathon in Florida I wanted something that would be cool. I am also running the Fall Classic 1/2 Marathon in a few weeks and need something warm. I felt this would work in both races. I can wear it on its own for Florida and with a long sleeve shirt underneath for the Fall Classic.

Stay tuned for actual photos coming as soon as it arrives!

Also, I will let you in on Sugoi Warehouse Sale happening very soon in Vancouver.

Click here for the details.

Thank you Sugoi!

How Not to Pace a 5km Race

2009-10-30T09:26:00.000-07:00

Notice anything interesting about my 5km splits for my Las Vegas 5km run?

Even though the 1st km was all downhill, I knew I was in trouble when I checked my Garmin 405 to see a 4:20 km time. As you can see, the rest of my kms were quite a bit slower.

Any good advice out there for how to properly pace myself for my next 5km?

In Las Vegas with Miss USA 2009 Kristen Dalton

2009-10-28T13:02:00.001-07:00

Miss USA 2009 Kristen Dalton
Originally uploaded by erinlesleylee

Well, we were back in Vegas for another fun filled weekend.

This trip we made our way out to the Summerlin area for a local 5km run to support the Nevada Cancer Institute. The run was hosted by the Las Vegas Four Seasons Hotel and was a first class event.

The weather was warmer than we are used to and the air was super dry but we both managed to place in our age groups. Tim was 2nd and I was 1st!

After the run, we had our photo taken with Kristen Dalton the current Miss USA.

Ironman Lottery

2009-10-14T17:00:00.000-07:00

Last year, when the Kona Ironman Lottery was made available, I said "I would NEVER do an Ironman in Kona. It would be too windy and too hot!" Friends thought I was crazy as they filled out the lottery forms on-line and provided their credit card numbers for the lottery fee. I have watched Kona coverage on-line for many years thought it looked way to tough. I have been to Kona and know first hand how windy The Big Island is. No thank you!

Fast forward to today...I entered the Kona Lottery. $90 US and a few bits of information later, I now have 2 ballots in the lottery. There are 50 available lottery spots for International entries. For full Kona Lottery details click here.

After watching the Kona Championships on Universal Sport for most of last Saturday, I was sold. Having now completed an Ironman, I know how tough it is...but I also know how rewarding it is. I still have my plan of Ironman Canada 2011 but thought I would put my ballots in the Kona box. Who knows what will happen? Maybe I just donated $90 to the already rich Ironman brand? Maybe I will win the lottery? I can think of worse places to be in October 2010.

Winners will be announced on April 15, 2010 at noon EST (9am PST). Stay tuned.

Happy Training.

Shopping

2009-10-13T16:22:00.000-07:00

This kid hates shopping. Unless of course you keep yourself occupied by taking funny photos while trying on various hats. :-)

Life Was Easier When I Was Training For Ironman

2009-10-07T18:50:00.000-07:00

I sent this statement out the the Twitter world last week...

"Life was easier when I was training for Ironman"

Most people that replied were surprised although some understood. Here is the explanation for that statement.

When I was training for Ironman I had no time for socializing with friends, I didn't feel guilty about not cleaning up around the house, I didn't feel guilty about not cooking dinner, I didn't need to take Jamieson to soccer, x-country or the orthodontist. The school PAC understood if I missed a meeting or could not commit to taking on a special project. I missed family functions, my nephews birthdays and various other family get togethers. My friends and especially my family understood that my Ironman goal came first. I was selfish in my goal and no one EVER complained about it. They all supported me in this crazy journey and were just as excited as I was about it. All I had to do was work, eat well, sleep well and train.

Fast forward to today. I rushed home from work meeting downtown to pick up Jamieson from school. We quickly drove home and grabbed peanut butter toast for dinner the off to the the track. I am composing this post in a local coffee shop using their free WiFi while Jamieson is at x-country practice. In a few minutes I will leave the coffee shop and go back to the track to get him ready for his soccer practice. The good thing is that they are in the same location. Tim is at the hockey game tonight with a buddy enjoying well deserved fun time.

I am keeping up with my working out (running, going to the gym, and swimming) but sometimes I need to skip a workout or change my schedule for a PAC meeting, Strata meeting or SAA meeting. I have managed to say yes to everyone who has asked me to join a committee or a good cause. My calendar is jam packed with dinners with friends, activities with my family, and long overdue appointments I have been putting off.

I think I was so afraid to get the 'Post Ironman Blues" I have over compensated.

So, that is why my life was easier when I was training for Ironman. :-)

Keep Cup

2009-10-06T17:21:00.000-07:00

Check out my latest very cool find. This cup was featured a few weeks ago on the NotCot blog and I had to have one...OK, I bought two. A grey with pink and a beige with turquoise one.

Here is that what the Keep Cup website has to say about this fun and functional product...

"Disposable paper cups are not recyclable.The paper cup is made from a composite of materials: kraft bleached paper sprayed with a polyethylene coating. Paper cups are often impregnated with toxic dyes which make them difficult to recycle. The plastic lining in disposable paper cups means they are not recyclable."

Yuck! Why would you ever use a paper cup again?

Click on the photo below to check out their website. The best part is that they are from Australia. That means a great price for the product and low shipping fees to Canada!

Tell Us How You REALLY Feel...

2009-10-04T16:00:00.001-07:00

JML x-country 12th place
Originally uploaded by erinlesleylee

Yesterday Jamieson came 12th in his Age Group in a 2.1km Cross Country event at Crescent Park in South Surrey. It was a beautiful day and a wonderful location.

Let's see/hear how Jamieson feels about his race...

Waves Coffee House in Steveston BC

2009-09-29T17:43:00.001-07:00

Waves lava cake
Originally uploaded by erinlesleylee

A few nights ago, we paid a visit to our new favourite coffee house in Steveston BC. Jamieson had his usual London Fog latte. I had a cup of their house blend coffee and we shared the Lava Cake. Very yummy!

Now for those of you who know Steveston, you know there are no less than 9 coffee houses/cafes in about a 1 square mile radius. We love our coffee here in Steveston.

So why is Waves our favourite place? The food, the coffee, the tea and of course the EXCELLENT SERVICE! The manager, Kayvan Rahmati, has taken the time to get to know us as customers and welcome us with a familiar smile and hello when we walk in. Now, I am sure the fact that we are there at least 3 times a week helps him remember us too. Waves also has free wireless access and lots of great sitting space. Everything from a dining room style table that seats 10+ to cozy couches and leather chairs.

So when you are in town to get your Dave's Fish & Chips, take a walk up to Bayview Street for your dessert and after dinner coffee at Waves.

See you there!

Off Strip Las Vegas Experience

2009-09-28T18:15:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Tim and I took a whirlwind trip to Las Vegas. We wanted to get away but also didn't want to break the bank. Both of us needed to get a long run in on the Sunday and we didn't want to stay up all night drinking and gambling. Why go to Vegas then? Because of the weather of course! Fall is starting to set in here in Vancouuver and Vegas is still 40C.

We flew out of Bellingham, Washington airport (about 30 mins south of Vancouver) on a 9:30pm flight with Allegiant Air. The border line up on Friday night was about 35mins long. We arrived at the airport about an hour and a half before our flight. There is NO food at the airport at this time so eat on the way down. The flight for the two of us return was around $450US. Parking at the airport is $9US/day.

We arrived in Vegas around midnight and caught a cab to the Renaissance Las Vegas. Tim booked this hotel on Priceline for $65US/night. The hotel is off the strip right beside the Las Vegas Convention Center near the Wynn/Encore properties. Once we checked in we immediately went down the bar (pictured below) for a Bombay and Tonic. Because I hadn't drank for most of 2009, one drink was enough for me making me a cheap date.

We didn't get to enjoy the pool area until after our 21km run on Sunday morning. The pool area was closed on Saturday night for a private party. There were more than enough patio chairs and comfortable couches to lounge on.

Saturday night was a real treat. Strange how things work out sometimes. We had no plans for Saturday night and planned a casual dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe. When we arrived back at our room to freshen up for dinner, we received a tweet from TriBug007.

Coincidentally, her and her husband were in town on vacation with a group of friends too! She had two EXTRA TICKETS to CHER that night and wanted to know if we would like to join them!! I am not a huge Cher fan and had no intention of see the show but I could not pass up the opportunity that was presented. The show was AMAZING and Cher was FABULOUS. That woman can still sing and looks younger than me.

Another great find and benefit of staying off the strip was The Bagel Cafe. This great Jewish bakery and cafe is in the Summerlin area and is MUST DO. I had the Ruben sandwich with potato salad and fries. I would suggest you split this since it is really big enough for two. Of course I ordered one to myself and ate most of it. We loved this place so much we went there on Saturday AND Sunday for lunch.

Our return flight to Bellingham was around 7:30pm. We were at home and in bed by 11:30pm Sunday night. Neither of us took a day off work and we had a great time!

|ronman Canada Race Report - Part 6 (Final Report but just the beginning)

2009-09-19T08:10:00.000-07:00

Run – 42.2kms – 5:11:09

The run was slow and basically went as planned. The first 3kms of the run are in and around the finish line. When I was at about the 2km mark, I could hear Jordon Rapp, the race winner giving his victory interview with Steve King. How crazy is that??!! I have 40kms to go on the run and the winner has finished. As I headed out of town and down Main Street I saw www.twitter.com/kelownagurl and her husband Erik cheering me on. Not more than 50 feet later I saw www.twitter.com/trifunster and her husband.

I was running slowly but had a smile on my face and felt pretty good. I was not really concerned about the distance I had to cover still. I was pretty excited that I had now finished the swim and the bike and was now on the run. It was like being in a dream how quickly the time had passed during the day.

Around 9kms into the run I started to feel the distinct tightness of my right IT Band. I had ITB 10 years ago when I first started to run marathons but this was the first time I had felt it since then. I road was slanted down toward the curb at the end of South Main and I think this contributed to the problem. I was careful to stop and stretch it out a few times throughout the run. It never became too inflamed but it was something that concerned me.

At around the 10km mark I passed by the house we had rented. There was a whole house load of people there cheering me on. The house was at the top of a hill so I it was great to see everyone out there.

After the house, it was down along Lakeshore Drive to OK Falls again. I thought about looking for my bike tools but then realized how silly that was and quickly forgot about them. Funny how crazy ideas make sense when you have been going for over 7 hours straight. I had not actually run the whole route before but I had ridden it on my bike so I knew it was hilly. I stuck to my plan of walking the aid stations. At this point I was into PowerGel overload. I didn’t have any stomach or GI issues, I was just sick of PowerGels. I started getting Gatorade every 2nd aid station alternating with water and PowerGel every other aid station. The run aid stations are amazing. Stocked with PowerBars, PowerGels, Gatorade, fruit, chicken broth, Pepsi, sponges soaked in water and ice. Because I hadn’t trained with anything other then PowerGel, PowerBar and Gatorade, I stuck with that until the last couple of aid stations where I took a few sips of Pepsi.

On my way out to OK Falls I could watch all the faster runners coming back toward town. When I was about 12km into the run I passed www.twitter.com/jeremyhopwood. Then about ½ way out I ran past a fellow SAA member, Marinus. He had a disposable camera with him and I stopped and posed for a photo and continued on. I continued to run out to OK Falls with other random participants who I chatted with and played cat and mouse with as we shuffled out to the turn around. The run special needs bags were located at the turn around. When I was handed my bag, I dumped it out on the side of the road and looked at what I had packed. None of the food items in my bag looked appealing. There was such a great selection of food on the course I had everything I needed. What I did take was my Ziploc bag of band aids, 2 Tylenol, 2 Maalox tablets, and sample size of Body Glide. By this time I was chaffing under my right arm and really needed the Body Glide. I also used it as Chapstick. My lips were really dry and hurting from all the salt on my face. Not the best but it worked. I changed my socks also. I didn’t have any blisters and my feet felt good but I thought it would be a good idea to change them. I looked at my bag of chips and left them behind. A guy who was sitting with me while I changed my socks yelled at me that I had forgotten my chips. I yelled back that he could keep them if he wanted. I didn’t stick around to see if he took them or not.

Once out of the special needs area, I was very aware that I was passed the ½ way point of the run and I was on my way back to town. I also knew that the big hill I came down into OK Falls I would now have to climb back up. I think I walked most of it but I really can’t remember. From this point, my memory becomes a bit fuzzy. I ran past Colin just past the turn around and yelled at him to catch up so we could run together. He said no problem but I was about 20 minutes ahead and I never did get to run with him. I saw Fay power walking her way out to OK Falls looking strong and in great spirits. I crested the hill where our rental house was and saw a group of housemates there cheering me on. I had walked up the hill toward the house and since I was at the top, I needed to start running again.

The house marked about 10kms to go. I ran down to South Main Street then crossed over to Main Street. With about 5kms to go, I started to power walk because I was concerned about my calves and quads feeling like they may cramp up. I ran as flat footed as I could to avoid the cramping.

With about 3kms to go I took off the reflective arm bands I was wearing because I knew I was going to finish just around the time it got dark. If you are expecting to finish after dark, you must wear reflective gear to be seen. With 2kms to go, I arrived at the finish line.

The best and worst part of Ironman Canada is the out and back run along Lakeshore Road along the beach at the beginning and end of the run. It is worst because you are SO close to the finish and it is the best because the spectators, cowbell and cheers make the whole event worth the pain. I power walked the out part of Lakeshore because I really wanted to run across the finish and I was thinking I might not be able to run the whole 2kms to the end.

At the 1km to go mark I saw Tim, Brenda and Jamieson. Tim gave me a BIG hug and kiss (we have that on video somewhere). Ron and Christine were there. Stephen and Susan were there. Ben was there. Jeremy was there. Hopefully I mentioned everyone who was there. The moment was such a blur. Jamieson ran with me for about 100m. I can’t remember exactly what he said but he ended with “I love you Mom” and peeled off to watch me finish.

As I came down the finishing shoot, it was lined with people on each side. I gave a few people high 5’s then focused on the breaking the tape. There was no one behind me but there was a guy finishing in front of me. As I came across the finish line I grabbed the tape and tried to hold it over my head to get a good fishing picture. The volunteers who were holding the tape held on to it tight and it came free from my hands which made for a funny picture. Luckily I had my wits me to quickly recover and put both of my hands up and get a good photo.

I was an Ironman! I have no idea what song was playing when I finished and I had no idea what Steve King said when I finished. I was done. My body was done and I was done mentally. As I started to cry, I was caught by Mike and Michelle who are my club mates. I could not believe how lucky I was to have great friends be there at the end.

As I had run by Tim, he said that he would meet me outside the Massage tent. This was great because I was pretty happy to get a massage. Once Mike and Michelle had me settled in the massage line, they said good-bye and went on to catch more people. As I sat in the massage line, I had a few chips and a few sips of Pepsi. I felt pretty good but did’t think I was going to be able to stand up when it was my turn. A few minutes later, I was called and was surprised I could stand and waddle my way over to the bed.

Once I lay down on the massage table though, I was almost 100% sure I would not be able to get up. The volunteer who gave me my massage was very chatty and I loved it. Once she finished, I told her that I was pretty cold and tired and wouldn’t be able to get up. She called over a nurse who assessed me. I was not dehydrated, my pulse was fine and I was able to answer skill testing questions like “What day is it?” and “What is your race number”.

As I slowly sat up then stood up, a wave of nausea hit me and I was looking for a garbage can. Because my stomach had nothing in it except Pepsi and a few chips, that is all the came out. My stomach continued to heave even though there was nothing left. I guess once you puke, you get to go to the Medical tent because that is where I was taken. I was moved to the ‘walking wounded’. Racers who are sick but not sick enough to get a bed. Once there I was feeling better and drank some of the chicken soup they provided. Not more than a few minutes later I threw that up also. I was moved to a bed where I rested and was asked more complicated questions. I was SO TIRED but I was pretty sure I would puke again if I got up. At this point the kind doctor offered me a Gravol shot. Gravol and anti nausea drug (like Dramamine in the US). I gladly lifted my sweatshirt off my arm and took the shot. About 20 minutes later I was feeling good enough to get up and be discharged. I don’t recall the doctor’s name but my nurse’s name was Sheila. She was GREAT! My family and Brenda were waiting outside the tent for me. Marinus was also there (very sweet of him to stay since he finished over an hour ahead of me. It was now 11:30pm. I had been up since 4:30am but I was WIRED. I thought about staying until the last finisher came in but it was a fleeting thought. I wanted to get back to the house.

Final Time – 13:23:56

I AM AN IRONMAN! I could not have done this without the support of my family, friends and my coach. When it comes down to it though, it is a very personal accomplishment that I believe everyone should experience in their lifetime. This race report is not particularly well written and was well over 5000 words but hopefully I have given you a glimpse of the Ironman experience.

If only 1 person reads this and decides to sign up for an Ironman, I would consider this post a success. I also would love to answer any questions that you have that I may not have covered about Ironman Canada. Although I was not tempted to sign up for IMC 2010, I do plan to volunteer at the race to get priority entrance to IMC 2011...my journey continues.

Ironman Canada Race Report - Part 5

2009-09-17T17:00:00.000-07:00

T2 – 7:08

As I dismounted my bike and started to run it into transition, a volunteer grabbed my bike to rack it for me. This is a wonderful feature of IM. I think all triathlons should have volunteers to rack your bike. Once my hands were free, I was off looking for my bike transition bag. A volunteer handed me my bag and I was off to the change tent.

In T2 I did a full costume change. I obviously have never been a model because this change too me a while. The change tent was less crowded for T2 than T1 but I didn’t have a personal volunteer helping me out. I dumped out my clothes, stripped out of my bike stuff and put on a new bra top, running shorts, SAA visor, new socks and a tri top for the run. Stuffed all my clothes in my T2 bag and went off to get lathered with sunscreen again. This time I was careful to make sure I covered my face (even though I had already gone over 7 hours with no sunscreen on my face).

As I was leaving the transition area I ran into www.twitter.com/diehardskier and www.twitter.com/toddhouston. Again, what a treat to see people I follow on Twitter but have never met cheering me on. They were volunteering as catchers later in the evening. After some very quick hellos and thank yous, I was off and running…slowly but yes, I was running!

Ironman Canada Race Report - Part 4

2009-09-17T12:00:00.000-07:00

Bike – 180kms – 6:53:48

As I left transition on my bike and rode down Main Street, I was very focused on starting my nutrition plan immediately. I had been swimming for over an hour and I was HUNGRY! My bike nutrition plan was one 16oz bottle of Gatorade, one PowerBar or ½ PowerBar and a PowerGel per hour.

Main Street was packed with spectators and people were cheering like crazy! It is awesome part of the ride and a great way to start out. It is difficult to recognize people you know here though. I didn’t see Tim, Jamieson and Brenda here but I was not sure if I just missed them or if they had moved on (turns out they had moved on to try and catch me at OK Falls).

The first 60kms of the bike are relatively flat with exception of McLean Creek Road. This is a steep incline where you need to get out of the saddle to climb. I was surprised by the traffic jam of bikes in this area. Some people seemed unaware that there was going to be a hill and were in the wrong gear.

I managed to make my way around people or tried to stay to the right as much as possible. At this point I realized that I forgot to put sunscreen on my face! I wasn’t too concerned because I had sunscreen in my tool kit. I had planned to stop and put it on in OK Falls. Once up McLean Creek it is a quick and curvy ride down into Okanagan Falls (OK Falls). It was on this descent where the guy in front of me decided to lift his butt off this bike seat and urinate most of the way down. It took me a few seconds to realize what he was doing and managed to break in order to get a little bit further behind him. I ended up laughing to myself and thinking “that was a true Ironman moment”.

At the bottom of the hill, there is a left turn through OK Falls and down to Oliver and onto Osoyoos. It was at the left turn that I saw Brenda and Tim cheering me on. Jamieson had fallen asleep in the car and had just missed me. I was about 45 minutes into my ride and was way ahead of my usual pace. Around 47mins into the ride, I hit a pretty big bump when going over the McLean Creek Bridge before Tickleberries. The bump launched my bike tools (2 tubes, 2 tire irons, 1 CO2 cartridge and a mini bottle of sunscreen) out of my back water bottle carrier and onto the road. I reached back to check if they were really gone and they were. A guy behind me said “they are gone, but don’t worry, you won’t need them” trying to be positive. At this point, I had to decide whether to stop and go back and look for it or just move on. I decided to move and hoped that I would not get a flat.

There was a great tailwind going from OK Falls to Osoyoos which helped me out. This is pretty typical of this part of the route. Heading into Osoyoos I was preparing myself for the climb up Richter Pass. After rounding the corner at the Husky station, I dropped my bike down into the granny gear and started spinning up Richter Pass. I was amazed at the number of spectators on Richter. This was so helpful in such a tough part of the course. Slow and steady up Richter I went. Once at the top, there is a huge descent where some racers will get up to 80kms/hour. For me, I topped out at 56kms which was faster than I had gone in training. There was a cross wind but it was nothing I hadn’t expected. I was really happy to have ridden the course three times before race day and knew what to expect.

After the fast descent on the back side of Richter, it was on to the seven “rollers”. The rollers are a series of 7 hills that went by pretty quickly and without any incident. Again, I knew what to expect since I had ridden the course more than a few times already. By the time I completed the rollers and was on to Cawston Flats, I was still feeling great. I was surprised to find myself passing people at this point. I kept thinking something must be wrong because I don’t pass people on the bike, they pass me. Maybe I was going too fast, was I going to be able to run after this? Many questions went though my head. Then I saw Tim, Brenda and Jamieson cheering me on. They had driven to the Out and Back section of the route. This got me out of my head and back in the race.

When all of a sudden…I got a front flat! Wow, I had no tools and a flat. My worst case scenario had just happened. OK, into survival mode. Luckily it was close to an Aid Station. I got off my bike and started to run toward the Aid Station telling a volunteer (maybe talking in an assertive voice…or maybe yelling…I am not sure) I had a flat and no tools. The volunteer said the Bike Barn was just up ahead. I kept running with my bike and yelling to racers “Anyone got a spare tube?” After a few times of yelling this, a wonderful angel of a man stopped and gave me a tube and a CO2 cartridge. I thanked him and he was on his way. I didn’t get his race number but I would love to be able to thank him for the kindness. I still had a problem though. I had everything I needed to change the flat except a tire iron. I kept running ahead to make it to the Bike Barn vehicle. As I continued to run the length of the Aid Station, I could see the Bike Barn vehicle pull away and drive down the course away from me! They would have had no idea I was behind them needing assistance. I was a good 50 feet from the vehicle. I could see how bad the volunteers and spectators felt when they saw this. All I could do was wait. Not more than 10minutes later another Bike Barn vehicle was pulling up the road behind me and volunteers and spectators were able to flag them down for me. I later heard stories of racers waiting 45minutes for bike support so this was like a miracle for them to be there in 10mins. 5 minutes later my flat was fixed and I was on my way.

I don’t know for sure how long it took but I would estimate the whole thing took about 15mins and I was on my way. I was on my way and riding again. The rest did me good and I was quickly catching up to many of the racers who passed me. I was even able to pass some of them. Again, I started to think I was going to fast and wondered how I was going to run after the bike. Coming up to the Out and Back section I knew that Tim, Brenda and Jamieson would be at the turn around along with my Special Needs bag. I was thankful I had packed extra tubes in my bag but wished that I had thought to pack a tire iron also. If I got another flat, I would be in the same position as before.

At my Special Needs bag I grabbed the extra tube and put it in my back jersey pocket, the 3 PowerGels and my previously frozen bottle of Gatorade. It was still cold but not frozen (surprising given the 35C heat). I looked at the chips but wasn’t interested in them. Tim was right beside the bags so I chucked what was left in my Special Needs bag at him and was off. I still had 60km left in the ride including Yellow Lake which is the hottest and toughest part of the ride. I don’t exactly remember when but sometime between The Bear and Yellow Lake I was addressed by a gentleman behind me saying “hey, are you erin337?” I laughed and said “I sure am!” It was www.twitter.com/chipmarks I asked him when his wife was going to do her first IM (something we had tweeted about earlier in the month). It was so cool to meet him in person!

At the bottom of Yellow Lake I knew I had a tough road ahead but again, I dropped down in to granny gear and spun my way up slow and steady. I spectators and volunteers and Yellow Lake were AMAZING! I felt like a rider in the Tour de France. People lined both sides of the route yelling and cheering and SO MUCH COWBELL! At the Yellow Lake rest stop I knew I was on the home stretch. One more big hill and then down, down, down into Penticton. I was already mentally preparing for the run. How am I going to run after all this was still going through my mind. The cross wind down into Penticton was pretty strong but nothing I hadn’t felt before.

Before I knew it, I was riding down Main Street toward transition. I was taken by how many people were already out on the run course. I saw a few familiar faces and cheered them on. When I arrived at the dismount line of the bike, I could NOT believe I was finished the bike and about to start the run.

Ironman Canada Race Report - Part 3

2009-09-17T09:39:00.001-07:00

Swim – 3.8kms – 1:06:53

My swim could not have gone any better. I was really pleased with my placement and my final time for the 3.8kms. It did get pretty crowded around the sailboat (1st turn) and houseboat (2nd turn) but not as bad as I was anticipating. My only incident was a ‘blue cap’ grabbing my ankle and using me as leverage to get a head of me. Although I was slightly ticked off, I actually felt sorry for a guy who had to resort to pulling people back to get ahead. By the time I was around the houseboat, I realized I could site between the 2 condo towers on the beach quite easily and kept close to the buoys. In general, I would say my swim was quite uneventful and very well executed. I don’t think I could have or should have swum any faster and my position was good. As I was nearing the end of the swim (with about 500m to go) I could not believe it was almost over. I had been swimming for about an hour at that point and still felt really good. I swam as close to the beach as I could, not wanting to waste energy running in the water. Once standing on the beach I quickly took off the top of my wetsuit but kept my cap and goggles on my head until I was in the change tent. I didn’t do this for any other reason except not wanting to lose another pair of my crazy expensive goggles. It also, as I later found out, served the purpose of being able to identify my self in photos since my race number was on the front of my cap.

T1 – 5:00

Once up the beach and into transition, I pointed to a volunteer to let her know I had specially selected her to strip my wetsuit. I pulled the suit down a little further on my hips and then assumed the position for her to remove it. They did a great job. Very quick and my timing chip remained on my ankle (something that I was concerned about losing when my wetsuit came off). They then helped me up, passed me my wetsuit and I was on my way to grab my gear bag. Another volunteer was there ready with my bag as I ran up and directed me to the women’s change tent. Once in the change tent another volunteer offered to help me with my gear. After I dumped the contents of the bag on to the ground, she put my wetsuit in the bag and then helped me with organizing my bike stuff. I was wearing my bike shorts and bra top under my wetsuit so all I needed to put on was my sleeveless bike jersey, socks, shoes, helmet, gloves and glasses. The volunteer packed everything that was left on the grass into my bag for me and I was off to get lathered in sunscreen. Then it was off to grab my bike and go. I had remembered that my bike was in row#48 so it was easy to find..

Triathlete.FM

2009-09-16T11:04:00.000-07:00

Last week I was invited to talk about my Ironman Canada experience by the hosts of Triathlete.FM This is a new radio show that will be broadcast live and available in a podcast. You can listen to their first show tonight at 5pm PST (8pm EST) by clicking here Hope you enjoy it and add it to your podcast library.

Happy training.