Started with the drive to Penticton to train, volunteer and cheer at Ironman Canada and run the 5km Fun Run. Following the drive back to Vancouver, a week of work and coaching a couple of run session it was back in the Car and off to Sicamous. Following two nights on a houseboat it was time to be dropped of in waist deep water with my road bike near a forestry road for the 130km ride back to my car and back to Vancouver.
Helped support a long run on the Sunday Morning, checked my bike in for the Vancouver Olympic, got my swim and run in and crashed. Raced Vancouver Olympic on Monday, chilled (quite literally) post race then did some planning for the Winter of 2010. This am swam before work and a return to normal life for the next few eeks.
Some Recaps
5km Ironman Canada Fun Run
So it is a fun run, you get a bib but beyond that nothing. No timing, no medal etc. Having said that it was good to have a good TT effort, being Ironman Week a few of the Sherpas come out to run, however this year the fastest ones must have stayed on the sidelines.
After about 1km found myself in front of the field and just kept working my rhythm. Crossed the line first in around 16:02 with a slightly positive split over the two laps. Was a good hit out holding my HR near max for the last 10 minutes, and a new unofficial PR for the distance. Considering the course had 3 180 turns and was not tapered at all gives me good confidence I can run mid 15 at the 5km on a good day.
Good Penticton Training
Around the Fun Run managed to get in a couple swims in the lake and a good chunk of time on the bike laong with some informal hill repeats while getting in position to take photos at Ironman Canada. Is fun to get of the course at IMC and rode both green mountain road and narramata bench during the trip.
Ironman Canada
Woke up about 15 minutes before race start and took photos from the highway near the turnaround. This was a awesome perspective and a lot less crowded than the foreshore madness. After this hopped in the car, did a quick bit of cheering in OK Falls then headed out to 90km on the bike to volunteer and help run aid station 6. After that headed down to Maclean Creek Road to cheer on the run and get some photos before heading into town to see people after they had finished.
Hung around town till after midnight, watched the latecomers come in. During this time one of the most rewarding experiences was doing the last 2kms along lakeside with a guy who finished in 16:58. It was good to see someone just keep on pushing to make that cutoff and achieve their goal.
Was a great day at IMC, so many people achieved their goals and will try and do a “spectator report on IMC later in the week.
Back to Vancouver
After a day of work in Penticton along with lunch with some of those who had raced it was time to drive back to Vancouver. Passing Hope it was kind of daunting I was headed back to the interior in less than 72 hours time. A busy three days ensued with work, training and a couple coaching sessions. Did part of my long run with a friend I am doing the run coaching with and the middle 8km were at his “easy” pace which is a lazy 4 minutes a km. After running on Thursday night it was time to head back out in the car and drive to the interior once more.
Houseboating
Quite a while ago had signed up to go house boating. Had I known my race schedule I may have reconsidered but it turned into fun times. I am in pre race mode so was a coffee and water couple of days but still had fun with jumping of the boat, hot tubs, going to the 2nd biggest party beach in North America, doing a trainer workout on deck and sleeping in a closet!! Was cool to hang out with a group of people who I don’t always get to hang out with heaps. With 8 of the 24 people having done Ironman in the past 3 years it was also a crew who understood the need to bring a bike and bike trainer on vacation.
NewRide – St Ives to Sicamous
So I was due back in Vancouver before the houseboat was due to dock. So it was onto the road bike followed by a wade through waist deep water (To much current to beach the boat) and via a little bit of forestry road to the highway for a 130km ride back to the car. Was a good hilly ride and the section on highway 1 was still quite scenic and makes me understand why people ride across Canada. One day I may ride across BC to Jasper or something but the allure of the prairies is not there yet for me. The ride was rewarded with a 6 hour drive home and knowledge of an early wake up the next day.
Sundays are meant to be relaxing
After a 5am wake up it was time to get ready to support the weekly long run I coach. After doing this in the am, picked up my bike from Speed Theory and checked it in for the Vancouver Olympic Triathlon in Stanley park. Being a no taper race it was then time for a swim and a long run. Is kind of daunting doing workouts with 12 hours of a race start but got them done and then crashed at home for a few zzz’s before an early wake up.
Vancouver Olympic Triathlon
3rd fastest Bike Split, 3rd Fastest Run . 2nd Fastest bike/run combination yet finished 8th. Needless to say the swim cost me a little in this one (quite literally as there was money for the top 3). Having said that was happy with the effort, even spent 30 seconds on the bike to pick up my sunglasses I had dropped on the previous lap (otherwise would have had 2nd fastest bike).
Good news for me being on a long course focus is that;
A. The swim in a Olympic distance race makes up approximately 22% of my time (Bike = 49% and Run 26%). Compare this to Ironman were it equates to around 12% of my time on a good day (Bike = 54% and Run 34%)
B. This was totally non taper race – even a negative taper if you look at the few days of training that proceeded it.
C. Felt like I could have held the paces at all three sports. Even though I tried to smash the swim could have held this pace all day and came out of the water fresh. On the bike I was working but top end but ability to power though the flats was a little down. Felt I I could have held this intensity for a half ironman so that is good to know. On the run ran pretty well but knowing I was a way back of the front was hard to really push. Ran well but didn’t have the “spring in the step” to really lay it down. Felt like I could have kept up the tempo for another 5km or so which is good to know as this was a tough run course to run fast one (Sharp turns, mix of surfaces and a few short sharp hills)
Will do a full race report in the coming days but in the end came in 8th Place with a time of 2:09:32 (Swim 29:02, Bike (Including T1 and T2) 1:03:40, Run 36:51)
2010/2011 Planning
After a cold cold wet wet wait for awards did some planning for 2010 and 2011 with a friend. Will be an exciting year I hope and is fun to start to formulate some long term goals. After dinner with Leslie (who was able to step out of her office to cheer me on at the triathlon as it went right past the aquarium) it was time to go to sleep at the later hour of 7pm.
Back to the Chain Gang
Missing swims is not really an option given my current lack of talent so it was at dolphins with a bandaged foot (couple slight cuts from the rocks at second beach) for a 90 minute set before heading to the office. Routine is good and glad to be back into it as I prepare for Kona
Whats Next
Well its about putting the head down and executing every session before Kona as well as possible. SIMPLE AS THAT. If I manage to do that then I will have a good day. The last 10 days involved some reorganisation due to my travels but happy with the work I got done. If I can have a few solid weeks I will be looking forward to laying down a good effort in 4.5 weeks time.
Have a heap of photos to post so will do a picture post once I sort them. Although I will include one which is me training on a houseboat. Good work on Kate for Photojacking this shot - ended up pretty sweet. Note the water slide in the back of shot - was a pretty sweet boat and my post ride recovery happened about 1 foot to the left I were I was riding.
So what are your plans for 2011 now? :-)
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Joerg