Thursday, August 28, 2008

Ironman Canada 2008

What a day -- or should I say what a swim!! Hahahahaha!! I had a remarkable swim this year. I took off almost 10 minutes off last year's time! Hee-hee! I still can't believe it. My friends and family who were following my journey via the internet couldn't believe it either. Charmaine told me, "I thought they must have made a mistake!" Hahahahah!! Last year, my swim time was 1:21:15. This year, it was 1:11:51. You have no idea how funny I think this is!!

As for the rest of the race, I was not happy with my bike split -- it's actually gotten slower every year, and this year was the slowest. My very first IMC was my fastest bike split, so I don't know what is going on there. My first IM bike time was 6:45:29, this year's was a snail's pace of 7:11:26. THAT is changing next year.

My run was better -- last year was 5:09:45, this year was 4:58:17 -- but I KNOW I can do much better than this too. So, look out next year! :) :) :)

I really suffered during the last half of the marathon. I began to pee at every aid station, and started getting dizzy and woozy. I became really scared -- terrified actually, because I knew how I could end up if I continued on that way. I did not want a repeat of IMC 2006, and almost started crying I was so worried. I stopped drinking water altogether and forced myself to take in Gatorade, chicken soup (at the aid stations which hadn't run out), bananas, and orange slices. My condition grew progressively worse and I was terrified beyond belief.

But, somewhere along the way, I started to feel a teensy bit better. I still was peeing much too much, but not as much as before. By this point, the pain in every single muscle of my legs and the blister on my right foot proved more of a distraction than my wooziness. It was so unbelievably hard to start running again after I would stop to eat and drink. I kept thinking to myself, "Why the hell am I doing this? I really don't need to do this to my body anymore. This is my last year of Ironman. I don't have anything to prove!"

Of course, this feeling lasts only until right before the finish line... HAHAHAHAHAHA!!

So, a new PB for me: 13:28:35 -- 17:42 off last year's time. While I am happy with my race, I am not satisfied with my results and know I can do much better.

Now...onto the REAL highlights of my stay in Penticton:

1. Seeing this before I left home, I knew I was going to have a good race:



2. Swimming with Kelsey in the OTHER lake in Penticton -- the one where no triathletes are fretting about! BLISS! She invented a new stroke -- the "rocking horse." Hahahahaah!! You lie on your stomach, cross your feet at the ankles and then do a kind of breast stroke. It looks hilarious! I laughed so much at trying to emulate her -- she was like Loch Nessie bobbing around the water. Hahahahah!

3. After stepping out of the shower in my motel room, I bent over to pick up my towel, only to feel a fold of the cheap cloth shower curtain get caught between my butt cheeks. NICE. My immediate thought was, "How many other people has this happened too?"

4. Weighing in at IMC 16 lbs heavier than last year... then learning that EVERYONE had experienced the same inflated readings. Still, you have no idea the conversation I had with myself before realizing the scales were wrong!

4. Making deals with my body throughout the run portion -- My inner dialog went like this: "Body, I promise to not run with these legs for a month if you don't cramp up." Or my favourite, "Foot, if you stop that blister from popping, I promise to take very good care of you and put you up on the coffee table so you can watch movies."



Yup. It's the size of a flippin' toonie. And it didn't pop. Heh-heh-heh-heh.

16 comments:

Keith said...

Race report was worth the wait! Must run....

Susi said...

you rocked the course my friend, even if the results weren't quite as you'd hoped! i'm super duper proud of you!!! way to go!

oh, and remind me to tell you of my shower curtain in the butt story when i see you at the bbq!

GREAT JOB!!

runningman said...

As usual Julie you gave me somthing to smile about here at work. Isn't it incredible how hard it is to nail a perfect race? Course if we did that we'd probably quit the sport since we have nothing to work for next year. We had similar races, nailed the swim, not steller bike, and good run(really hard though, but then again who doesn't suffer on the run?). The good thing about Ironman is you can have low points during the race, even VERY LOW POINTs, and still pull through to end off with a good result. Just like Sister Madonna said, "Just keep putting one foot in front of the other" and you'll pull through. Awesome job Julie!!

Shannon Wicks said...

Hey Jule's,

Congratz on another well deserved Ironman finish. It was exciting to watch you throughout the day. I let a big "Way to f@cking rock the swim Julie" when I saw your swim time.

Way to go!

Kelly B. said...

Way to go Julie!!
You did awesome...your overall time was better so that is great!! And the shower curtain story is a gooder!!

Cath said...

You are fab! We tracked you all the way, were ecstatic after the swim, and willing you every pedal and step of the way after that - although have to confess we slept through your run (well it was 1am here!) - but we made sure you got onto the run ok!

You're amazing and you're jsut going to continue to show em my girl - can;'t wait to bike and swim and run and hike and maybe a little ski together - coming near your town soon :) xxxx

Charlie Browne said...

Way to set that new PB!!!! and yes we will see you at IMC next year!! sorry i did not get to meet you this year!

Tina said...

Congratulations on your PB!! Loved reading the race report. Say hi to the pass for me. Hope to see you at the bbq, too.

Bryan said...

Congrats!! Always like to read your blog...

Jenna said...

I was most pleased I got to yell at your ass up Richter and you looked strong - like a fricking machine!! Hot pink and balck suit too :) Way to rock the swim!!! Whoo hoo... and that blister needs a name - it's got a life of its own!!

Iron Greg said...

Sometimes the challenging journeys turn out to be the most rewarding ones!!! :)
New best swim and run and overall time - no complaints about that hey!!! We will continue to work on that biking power with your Computrainer - next year I predict a new best bike split too!!!!
Congrats on IM #4 - YOU ROCK!!!

kelsey said...

That is a pretty frickin awesome day Julie. I was so excited to see you out on the run course that I almost crashed my bike!

That swim was a highlight of mine too!

John Prince said...

"Everyone has a talent, what is rare is the courage to follow the talent to the dark place where it leads."

Jenna said...

ohhh ... i like that quote.....

Julie said...

That is a good one, eh? I actually had a few tears well up when I read that!

Leaha said...

Hey Julie,

Great race report! Loved that comment about never doing this again...until the finish line! :)

It was great meeting you too!

Leaha