Hey Gang,
So I know it's been a week since the race but the first report that I wrote and almost sent last Monday was written under the normal post race fatigue but coupled with a harsh onset of allergies/cold symptoms that started the night of the race and continued to hammer me for then next two days. Anyway that first report was pretty somber to say the least and luckily I saved it rather than sending it.
Ok, so here's a little more chipper report.
First, always make sure you check out the details for yourself on line to make sure your info is correct even if it is your 15th IM. A friend had emailed me my race number that he had looked up so I figured hey I'm in there everything's business as usual. Unfortunately my complacence got the best of me as I arrived in Penticton to find out that the reason I had such a large number this year compared to last year was that I was registered as a female. Hmm Natalie... nice ring to it but gender testing would surely give me away. Thanks to Carl Newton for informing me of this one in the form of an intended joke that went right over my head because I still didn't know at the time.
My favorite time before an IM race is body marking. It's dark with only large lights cutting a path down the street. Athletes show their wrist band, wave and kiss goodbye to family and friends and walk into the first part of the extended morning transition area for athletes only...the body marking area. Each person lines up at a marking station and stands there like a warrior being painted for battle. There's a unique quietness mixed with the hummm of generators powering the lights and a few words spoken here or there that break the silence... "good luck", "have a great day", "your gonna do great"... Then the loud speaker booms. U2 Beautiful Day penetrates the darkness. Shivers run up my spine. I smile and tears start to swell under my eyes (happens every time) but I gather my emotions, grab my transition bag, pump, find my buddy Tom and march on to find our bikes.
Transition set up goes fast (bike is racked with 100+ women, got some looks) and I get to the restroom twice, yes! See Carl Newton, Tom, Even Evensen, Joe M. and Staci.... give hugs and pats on the back... those of us that have done this know and just give each other the look... the rookies get the best advice we can think of at the time... but the veterans know that it comes down to our spirit because no one can predict the future... there are no secrets to success only desire and determination... I have no worries about Joe and Staci, I've seen their spirit and it's solid.
The swim was one of the most crowded starts I've ever had but miraculously I hardly got touched even though it took about 10 seconds to find enough room to lie down and actually swim. Swim felt good and found some good drafts along the way. Spotted some scuba divers at halfway. On the return it was really hard to spot because of the sun being so bright blocking half the visual field.
Hit T1 and went crazy. Volunteer had my bag as I ran down a narrow aisle of bags to get it then turned to the tent jumping over lines of bags, catching my toes on one and almost taking a noise dive. I laugh regain my balance and keep going. Exiting T1 I pass the mount line running with my bike and splitting between three people standing still to mount their bikes. Cyclocross comes in handy as I don't break stride and jump two feet in the air and land on the saddle. I hear the crowd erupt in cheers and can't help but smile.
The bike goes well for the first 40miles with a slight tail wind and relatively flat roads but that's where this course starts to get serious. It starts with Richter Pass followed by 40 miles of hills, head winds and rough roads. Luckily I was able to see my dad and Kara a couple times during the ride which always lifts the spirits. At 80 miles you hit Yellow Lake Pass. If you're tired at 80 then this pass is a monster. If you're still hanging strong it's not bad at all. I was just hanging in trying not to blow up but still finish strong. The last 10 miles are mostly downhill into Penticton and I tried to take advantage by tucking into my best aero position.
T2 goes just as smooth as T1. Just as I had practiced and visualized. Every step was thought through as well as other scenarios that could happen on accident. I come out of the tent with Carl Newton and we head out onto the run together.
I'm worried because I don't know what my calves will do but at the moment I feel great so I run with Carl. We pace each other through the first two miles at low 7min pace. On the way out of town we hit a gradual hill and I slow but Carl doesn't and pulls away. He had been talking a lot and seemed very strong running within himself so I was not surprised to slip back. Luckily at least he is not in my age group. Amanda Levato catches me but at the same time I start feeling a little stronger. I use her to help me move along. We re-catch Carl and he comes along for awhile but then fades. By mile 5 I am running strong and have dropped Amanda plus I have picked up a couple age group spots and figure I am currently in the top 7 of my age group and in a Kona slot. Unfortunately by mile 8 things were changing. The familiar tightness and pain was starting to creep into the left calf. In an effort to hold on longer I started implementing some short walks. It doesn't help and soon I am forced to walk more than I can run. I watch as people stream past me, many in my age group. Kona slips away (not only in my male age group but also my female age group). By half way I calculate my estimated finish time at 11hrs. This could be the first time that I go over 11hrs. Time is relative but for me this was a big deal (it could be 9hrs or 17... just happened to be 11 for me). By this time I was in the hardest part of the run course with some hills. My quads were now also fried from a lack of run training secondary to the calf issues. I could walk the rest finish over 11hrs or I could try and jog and maybe finish under 11hrs and also know I did my best. So I made a deal with myself. As long as I was only feeling tight and not having anymore sharp pains then I would jog the best I could but if I had pains that felt detrimental to the long term health of my calves (ya I know I'm already in an IM... it's all relative) then I would walk. Luckily I held together and was able to jog at 10min pace. Not my usual pace but fast enough to start banking some time and getting me to the finish in 10:36 instead of 11hrs.
At the finish I felt great about how my race ended. I stood at the finish knowing I did my best within a reasonable limit to my long term health. I was and am still disappointed that I did not get a Kona slot but it makes my other IM Hawaii races more valuable to me by knowing that it's not easy to get one of those slots. The competition is fierce and every year there seem to be more and more people that can take your place if you are not on your A game.
So that's my race report... hope you enjoyed it!
Nate