hmmmmn....Yoga...

Why is it that something that has the ability to do such good for the body and the mind is one of the first things to be cast aside as things get hectic/stressful? I have been doing yoga since 2002, when my sister introduced me to the beauty of it. In the years since I have kept up with a healthy yoga practice, at times only doing yoga and no swim, bike or run. However, in the last several months yoga completely fell off my radar. I did none with my Ultraman training and through all the stress of the months that are now behind me, I couldn't bring myself to be alone with my yoga mat.... maybe it was the knowledge that my mind wasn't ready to focus on the stillness or maybe it was because the situation was just to volatile to let myself try to find some peace.

The interesting thing about the human body is that it will allow you to ignore it for only so long. It will allow you to pile up physical and mental stress to it's breaking point, protesting politely and when you still don't give it what it needs it makes you pay attention. Luckily, I am getting better at listening to my body and while I did ignore the hamstring/butt pain for awhile I am giving my body what it was wanting. The treatments from Dr. Peggy are working (see her website Shin Splints Solutions, link in my favourite things, for more info) slowly getting back into running and most importantly I got back on the yoga mat.

I can't say that it has been the most pleasant experience getting back to the mat, the body is tight and has forgotten the sweetness that can come from certain poses, but I know I will get back to the point that I can relax and breathe deeply in any pose. I am noticing an improvement in the injured area and that is motivating me to keep my body relaxed and has me coming back to the mat.

I am also feeling a little less blah as I was in my last post. It is amazing how breathing deeply can help you put the past truly behind you and help you focus on the future. My brain is feeling a little less cluttered and unfocused. I have been able to slow down and realize that the past year of my life was a very stressful one but I have survived it and I am happy, I feel like me. I am closer to my family than I have been in years and I have the best parents and sister anyone could ever hope for, my girls are healthy and happy and I do my very best for them and they love me "around the world and back again". I am in a healthy and respectful relationship with a fabulous man, he makes me very happy and I know who my true friends are and love them all dearly for their friendship. When I am on the yoga mat I focus on all these good thoughts and no longer worry that the stress and drama will overwhelm me because I have found my way back to the sweetness and stillness of yoga (and I won't let it be cast aside again)!

Holiday Blahs

So I am feeling the holiday blahs lately, maybe it's the weather, maybe it is the nagging hamstring/butt discomfort but I am struggling with my motivation level this week. Weird how one day I can rock out a solid 2 hour trainer ride and then the next day an hour just about drives me insane.
I think the biggest thing I am struggling with right now is what is next. I have been getting the question lately of what my plans are for 2010...what's my next race? The new ultra athletes that I have become friends with are planning epic 2010 and sending me links and race info and trying to get me to commit to something and as tempting as some of the races sound, nothing is making the butterflies start swimming.
I have a desire to try some new things and SV has planted the bug in my brain for some shorter races and to be honest that kind of excites me because it is something I have never done before and I can't wait to see how I can do(I have done some shorter races in preparation for Ironman training, but the last non-Ironman or longer race I did was in 2005). Short fast stuff will be hard and I will need to learn how to pace myself, how to do a transition and how to suffer for 1-5 hours. I like the challenges and the uncertainty of having to go fast from the start and a little nervous because I know there will be suffering, but at least it will be over quicker. We have talked about a few races and my plan is to commit to one or two of these races before the end of the month, which I know will help with my motivation level.
However, I think what it is that has me a little restless is that along with some of my ultra friends, I too am trying to find that next race. The one that makes the butterflies swarm, the palms start to sweat and the heart to beat a little bit faster. You know that feeling...the one that makes you go "wow this is crazy but I really want to see if I can do it".

Pain in the @ss...

I am sad to report that I am taking a few days off running and biking. Yep it's true, ignoring the pain in my butt didn't make it go away (imagine that). I finally got in to see Dr. Peggy and there is something going on there, she told me to take it easy for the next few days, until she can see me again. As most of you probably understand, being told to not run or bike only makes you want to do it more and frustrates you because you can't head out. However, I am forcing myself to be a good patient because I know that if I don't listen to Dr.Peggy and try to keep training that I will only make it worse and be out for longer. Honestly, the pain has been making itself known for a couple of weeks now, giving me plenty of time to do something about it but instead I figured I would be able to "stretch" it out. So now I am paying the price for not listening and running hard and hilly while it was protesting. So for the remainder of the week I will be in the pool swimming up and down and taking it easy on my butt! (Dr's orders!!)

Base in Paradise

10 days in Laguna Beach, California at the Ritz-Carlton. Seriously what can be better than that? SV and I travelled to LA for a conference for his work. It is the most beautiful area I have ever been to and this was my first vacation that wasn't centered around a race. To be honest I was a little nervous leading up to it because I wasn't sure what I was going to do for 10 days. I am not one of those people that relaxes well, or so I thought...

We arrived to blue skies and warm weather and it only got warmer every day that we were there. Our plan was to attend the functions that SV had to attend but then spend the rest of our time doing as we pleased.

We headed out the first morning for a run after a nice American breakfast at the Ritz, thinking we would do a nice and easy 12km run. What we didn't realize was how hilly the area was.

What started out being a nice easy run turned into 1km hill repeats! Seriously, 1km of climbing to the top of a hill followed by descending and starting the next hill. I got to the 6km point feeling like I was going to be sick. I was huffing and puffing so hard and I didn't know how I was going to make it back to the hotel. At one point Steve made it through the light and I didn't. As I waited I could feel my breakfast making it's way up.... I have never had such a feeling of discomfort during a run. To make each run even sweeter the Ritz is situated at the top of a bluff maybe 300 m in length but steep as anything, and after 12km it was torture (this picture is of the path to the top.... the finish being up at the 4 palm trees--people would actually take a shuttle up to the hotel--wimps!!)

We were able to get out for 4 runs while we were there.... each run was 10km of

hills and 2 km of flat. My body is feeling this unfortunately. I have had a nagging hamstring thing for about a week before we came here and by our last run I was in some pain. I think that I will take a few days to try to work through whatever is going on there, however a massage and the TP ball aren't doing much to help with the pain I am having, so I think it is time that I turn myself over to Dr. Peggy.

SV and I also wanted to swim while we were here. California in November..... we had to swim outdoors. We had looked at the hotel pool and contemplated doing some workouts in there

but we decided it wasn't going to be much of a workout.... so we searched out area pools and were happy to find the Laguna Beach High School and Community Center Pool.

It was a great outdoor pool and we were able to go and swim 3 times while we were there. There is something so wonderful about swimming outdoors that those of us in Canada don't get the opportunity to experience enough. Our swims were great and we both are feeling so strong in the water. It would have been great to do an ocean swim but neither of us brought our wetsuits and swimming in a heated pool just seemed like the better option.

It was a great vacation, we were able to spend time with some great people..... enjoyed some parties, and there was dancing. The food and restaurants that we found while we were there were absolutely yummy.... every meal was to die for. So even though we were doing some intense workouts (at the start of our base training) we balanced it nicely with some indulging in the good life. Ahhhh......

Swimming.

I have always been a swimmer, as far back as I can remember I have always swam. I got into swimming because my big sister started on the swim team and I wanted to as well. My parents weren't swimmers but they did enjoy the water. Kim and I spent most of our years swimming (and I was pretty good) but over the past 11 years, I started to lose touch with swimming, it was more something I did just to train for triathlon not because I loved it. I didn't focus on the swim because I wanted to bike and run and my swim compared to other triathletes was pretty good.

It also had a lot to do with swimming alone, it was pretty hard to motivate myself to swim when swimming beside a lady doing sidestroke or head up breaststroke. Through the years I have had a few people that I have been able to swim with occasionally and we would get in some good quality workouts, and even a few times I had Kim coach me when I joined her team for a few swims, but for the most part I would swim on my own and it was easier to do long easy mileage than to push myself to go hard.
Lately I have taken to the water on a regular basis and am realizing how much that I missed it. Maybe it is being around swimmers all the time, with the club team and master swimmers but I find myself wanting to go for a swim over going for a run. It is such a part of me and I am happy to be feeling like a swimmer again.
SV and I have been swimming together and it is nice to have someone who can challenge me in the water, we have been doing some quality sets that I would never have done on my own before and I am starting to feel strong in the pool. I have been swimming more regularly than I did all summer while training for Ultraman, which I find a little entertaining, who knows what my swim time could have been if I actually would have done some swim training, but hey life happens.
It is just nice to be motivated to swim again and to have that love back for the water and I notice as my love for the water comes back that I am able to help my athletes figure out the parts of their strokes that are holding them back, all in all it is a win win situation.
I am enjoying the peaceful sound of being in the water, smelling of chlorine, the dry skin, diving into a cold pool and the insane hunger that comes after a hard swim workout. It's been a long road but it is nice to be back "home" with my oldest friend.

I Run Like A Girl....Try to Keep Up.

I was waiting to do this post so that I could add some of the race pictures to it, but the photographers are taking their time, so I will just add them when they finally become available...I just thought there will be some good photographic evidence of how the race went :)
Going to TO always turns out to be a little bit of a hectic event, especially when you give yourself just enough time and then hit something unexpected, like traffic. Thankfully, it all worked out in the end and Kim and I got to the packet pick up just in time and had little difficulty finding the hotel from there. SV wasn't arriving until later so we found a great little Italian place to have some dinner and then sat around and watched a girlie movie. It was a great pre-race evening and I loved spending time with my sister!

Race morning was an early one but I was able to keep SV on track and we were out front waiting for the cab almost right on schedule :) Kim seemed to be in a good space mentally and she looked ready, I was excited for her.
We got to the race start and went and got in line inside the Starbucks, you know you are at a race when the line up for the bathroom is longer than the line up for coffee (or there is no line for coffee, lol). We headed to the start line and gave Kim big hugs and kisses, I was so excited for her and knew she would be ok (her race started an hour after ours).
SV and I went to get in line at the start and just got right into the front, it was great, not too many people ahead of us, just enough to provide a little warmth. We decided to take the first couple of km nice and easy and just go from there, before I knew it we were off and running. Despite saying we were going to go easy the first couple km,we got swept along in the race, especially when you start at the front. We hit the first km in 4:04, I had to chuckle, nice and easy. Through the first few km we managed to stay side by side and even would yell to each other what songs we were listening to (which I am sure the others around us loved) and I was feeling really good.
I passed by one of my swimmers who was there to watch her mom run the race and she cheered me on really loudly, it was so fun. At 4km, I glanced at the person who was running by me and of all the random things, it was a friend I had swam with for many years in highschool and before. We chatted really quick before he ran by and put in an impressive race.

At certain points in the first 7km SV was pulling ahead of me, especially on the slight downhills, I began to feel like I was holding him back so I told him a few times to run on ahead. Finally by 8km he was ahead of me, I thought to myself that I could try to push and catch back up or I could just run my own race,I decided to just try and keep him in my sights and see how it went. I was still feeling strong but I didn't want to blow up and I knew that I should not try to keep up with SV but run the way I felt comfortable with. By 12km I felt like I had made some time back up on him and focused on trying to close the gap between us. Just after 13km I was at his side and he said he could hear me coming. It was great to run with him again and we were in a pretty nice area of the course. We ran together for the next few kms, I would pull ahead of him and then he would be right beside me again. At the 15km point I said to SV, "we don't even lace our shoes up for 6km" and decided it was time to pick it up. I started to put a little bit of distance into him but I thought he was always right beside me.
The last 4km is an uphill and I tried to push this part, I was ready to be done and my calves were getting tight. I would pick a person in front of me and focus on them until I ran past them, then I would pick someone else. I wasn't sure where SV was but I knew he was close.
The last km is around a loop and I was running out of steam, it is hard to see the finish line and for it to not feel like it was getting any closer. I was still working hard but I was also waiting for SV to come up beside me and out sprint me to the finish line but there was nothing I could do to run faster and then finally I crossed the finish line. It was so great to be done and when I turned around SV was crossing the line. It was great!
I was thrilled with my time, I had stopped looking at the time on my watch at 11km because at that point I thought it might be possible to break the 1:30 mark but I didn't want to psych myself out so I had just stopped looking. When I crossed the line, my watch said 1:28.19 I couldn't believe it, that is over 8 minutes off my best time and although it had hurt I had so much fun.
SV got a pb as well and we were both pumped that we broke the 1:30 mark.
I ended up being 3rd in my age category and was the 11th woman overall. I am very happy with my results.
Kim finished her marathon with an over 20 minute pb, which is awesome and she toughed it out all on her own! I am so proud of her!
My favourite things about this race was going with 2 of my favourite people. I loved running along side SV and the fact that we are able to push each other and both be happy for the others performance. It was great to finish together and make our way through the medals, food and massage together and then rewarding ourselves with a yummy Eggs Benedict breakfast!
Oh and I almost forgot, I loved that I earned bragging rights (at least for a little while) by beating SV by 13 seconds!!

A Race....

It's true, I am registered for a race this weekend! I am pretty excited it will be the first time toeing the line since Ultraman and I am heading to the race with 2 of my most favourite people!

I am signed up to do a half marathon this weekend. I have only done one half marathon before and that was in 2007, so I am heading into this weekend hoping to pull off a better time than I did back then. I have been feeling pretty good with my running and pretty consistent.

I think the best thing that Ultraman gave me is some confidence in my running. I know now what suffering on a run is and I am pretty confident that regardless of how hard I push, I will never feel the same agony and fatigue and helplessness that I did at 72km into Day 3 of Ultraman. After running 84km the thought of doing 21.1km really doesn't seem that bad any longer. I know it is going to hurt and I am planning on running hard and seeing what these legs can pull off. I am going to try to keep SV within my sights but I have a feeling he is going to put the boots to me but I am going to try to hang on, the pain will be temporary and breakfast will be the reward!

KW is trying her hand at her marathon and I am so excited to be there for her and to see her reach her goal. It is my mission to make sure she has fun and stays positive. I know she will do great and reach her goal.
Overall, I am so excited for this weekend. I really do enjoy going to a race and having some fun, now if only the snow stays away!!

October--Here we go

Once again, I need to apologize for the lack of action on my blog. However, with the leaves on the trees changing, I feel maybe it is time to make some changes and get to setting some new goals.
I have always felt better when I am working towards something, it doesn't have to be something big but it is always good to have something to focus on, something to motivate you when the weather is crummy and you would rather snuggle under a blanket or when life seems so complicated, it is nice to have something that keeps you moving forward.
So how do I follow up Ultraman? Believe me, some of my new ultraman friends have been providing me with suggestions and although some of the races are interesting and eyebrow raising, I am not feeling up to something so epic! I loved every minute of the Ultraman experience, okay maybe not "every" minute but I don't know that trying to go bigger right now is something that I want to tackle. So I am toying with the idea of doing some shorter races, something that I am not very skilled at. It could be fun, but at the same time it makes me nervous. Going shorter means going faster and going faster makes it hurt more....hmmm...what to do!
I am exploring ideas and trying to figure out what it is that sounds like a challenge to me, I will let you know what it is when the bells and whistles start going off!

Until then I have proposed a small challenge...I have a bet with SV. We are giving up the cookies...and not just any cookies, the glorious oatmeal raisin (and the oatmeal chocolate chip) cookies....you know the ones, the soft and chewy and oh so yummy ones......hmmmmmmm
Yep, it's true! The bet began 24 hours ago. Who can go 2 months without the good stuff. So place your bets! Me or SV, who can last longer?? I have been told I make everything a competition, so here we go! We have yet to decide what the winner will take home, but no you can give us some suggestions.

A fresh start.

Sorry for the silence on the blog front. I am doing alright. This has not destroyed me nor will the actions of someone ever destroy me. The body and mind heals and I am healing and if anything this has made me stronger. I no longer feel like I need to give the benefit of the doubt. I have learned a lesson and I will no longer trust the wrong people. I am listening to the advice of those who know better and who have my best interests at heart. I am learning that this type of behaviour is not acceptable and no one has the right to do these things to me(or anyone) nor do I have to make excuses for it or accept it because I do not deserve it.
Things move forward and the girlies are doing well. I hold it together each day for them and the fact that they deserve the best so that is what I will give them.
I am getting back into working out, my brain needs an outlet right now. I always enjoy training and I love training with people that make me happy, so here is to getting back at it.
I got my new wetsuit, thank you BlueSeventy. It looks and feels awesome. I haven't tried it on yet, but hope to get an open water swim in soon, can't wait to try it out!
Big weekend approaching for some of my friends doing their first half ironmans, I can't wait to see them reach their goals. I know it is going to be so good for my heart to be surrounded by such good and positive people!

Now what?

It's hard to believe that UMC has come and gone. I have so many happy memories but at times it doesn't feel like it is possible that I actually did it. The body is feeling pretty good. I have been out swimming, biking and running and I have to admit that I feel better than I thought I would. There isn't a lot of gas in the tank and an 11km run with Steve brought me to the point of wanting to vomit so maybe I am feeling a little tired, lol. When I had thought of the UMC, I imagined that I would be out of commission for awhile and that I would have no desire to get out training again, but I am happy to report that the desire is there and I am forcing myself to take it pretty easy so that I do fully recover but I have not lost my desire to get out there and that is awesome. I have spent the past couple of weeks catching up with some friends and spending time with my family. It has been great and the weather here has finally cooperated and we got a little bit of summer weather. I have 2 new coaching jobs that start soon and I am really looking forward to getting back on the pool deck with swimmers, it is going to be fun!
I have had several people asking me about doing another ultraman and while I loved the entire experience and had an amazing time, I am not sure that I can make that commitment anytime soon. I am not one to say never to something, but I know it isn't in my cards for 2010 (I didn't even open the application form,I didn't want to be tempted, lol) I would like to try a new challenge and push myself in other ways, but at the same time if I feel that I need to go back and do it again, I know that I would toe the line at UMC again, maybe if someone breaks my swim record.....
So what should the new challenge be? Not sure yet, haven't gotten the itch to do anything or found anything interesting enough to have me think "can I do that?" but I think I may hit a shorter race soon just for fun and see what it is like to do a triathlon, something I haven't done in awhile (a short one with at T1 and T2--not a 3 day race) I am looking forward to it and hope it is as fun as UMC was!

A few things...

thought you might enjoy these interesting things about the UMC race:

1.  24 athletes started the race, 19 athletes completed all 3 stages.

2. of those athletes there were 8 women in the race.

3. 4 women finished in the top 10

4. 8 records were broken at UMC this year.

5.  I biked and ran farther than I ever have in my life.

6. I had only 2 blisters on my left foot after running 84km and have lost 0 toe nails.

7. The temperatures reached +35 degrees on all 3 days.

8. I consumed 0 gels for this race

9. I wore 3 different pairs of shoes in the 84km double marathon (changing at 42 and 63km)

10. I had a small chafe point on my neck after the 10km swim

11. The first competitor from India competed and completed in UMC

12. I got to run with and ESPY award winner

13. people (not myself) saw a baby bear on the run course.

14. I hydrated well on all 3 days, proven by the several pit stops I took each day

15. If someone hands you something to drink at 63km into a run and says drink you will, even if it is straight from the can beef broth (yummmmmm)

16.  Girly bits get very "puffy" after sitting on a bike seat for over 9 hours

17. I counted my strokes to 100 seven times for each km for the entire duration of the swim. (it kept my mind occupied)

18. I took an ice bath and wore my compression pants after every day and felt good the next morning, along with stretching and ART by Dr. Peggy

19. less than 450 people in the world have completed an Ultraman and I have the honour to be among them!

20. I could not have started or finished this race without the support and strength that my crew members gave me. Peggy, Susan and Steve are such positive and strong people and they believed in me and kept me going when I was mentally and physically depleted. They never complained and kept us running smoothly. I love them for all that they gave me and the smile they were able to put on my face even while I was crying!  I truly feel I had the best crew out there (and this was confirmed by several other athletes) they are wonderful people and I am so glad that we got to do this together!!

Goals Accomplished.

I want to thank Steve for updating the blog and letting you all know how Ultraman was going and the race from his perspective, it was great to have some help in keeping everyone informed and not having to worry about it myself.  I think he did a great job and I also want to thank everyone for all the emails and messages of encouragement and support.I want to put down my thoughts about how the race went and some little things that happened along the way. 

 Many of you know that I have had some struggles the past few months with the ending of my marriage and dealing with my e and not seeing my girls all of the time, but I was determined to do this race.  I know that doing something athletic and competitive does not make me a bad mother and having goals is actually a good thing. There were times that I considered not doing the race but I am so glad that I didn't let anyone take this race away from me. I like doing things that challenge me and I like pushing myself to see what I can do athletically and I think that actually makes me a better person and mom!

 The few days we were in Penticton before the race, we had some team bonding over Buckets O Beer and Jugs of Margaritas, lol, our team had some fun and I wouldn't have changed that for anything. We did our organizing and I knew that the 3 of them were committed to getting me to that finish line (have I mentioned that they are awesome?). 

 I went to bed Friday night feeling pretty good and surprisingly calm and I got a good nights sleep. We awoke at 4:30 am and I had a coffee and a bagel and then we loaded the 4 of us and the bike into the van and headed down to the swim start.  Standing on the beach under the start banner looking out at the mountains surrounding the calm lake was breath taking and I was excited to be about to swim in such a beautiful setting. I was a little nervous as the farthest I had swam open water was 5km and although I have done over 10km in the pool several times in my life I wasn't sure how it was going to go. Steve was comfortable being my paddler and I figured I would have at least one man in front of me.  My goal going into this race was to break the swim record, which was 3:13 and I was confident that I could do this easily.  The start was a little disorganized and before I knew it I was in the lead.  Steve did a great job of staying straight and all I had to do was look at him when I breathed on my right side. I found myself going away from the boat on several occasions and at one point I ran right into the green kayak (I guess I don't swim as straight as I thought I did, lol)  I stopped every 2km to have a sip of Gatorade and Steve would let me know that I was maintaining my lead over the 2nd place swimmer, who was Shanna Armstrong (5 time Hawaii Ultraman Champion).  I could also see him taking photos and texting on his phone. I knew that he was updating my family on how my swim was going, it was comforting knowing that my sister was out there with me. 

 I have to say that the swim was probably the easiest portion of the race for me as I had assumed it would be. It was tiring and my arms were getting tired, but it was beautiful and the sun was shinning which made time fly by and I never felt like I was working hard.  I reached the first buoy (at 8km) and thought that it was time to head into shore, I think I got a little testy with Steve when he told me I had to keep going straight( probably could have used a gel, lol). We reached the 2nd buoy and I headed to the shore. I asked Steve if I was going to break the swim record and all I heard him say was that I was going to smash it. I followed him in and at one point when I took a breath I could see him with his arms raised in the air and I knew I was doing well and done the swim. 

 I reached the beach and saw Peggy and Susan and heard them announcing my name and that I had just broken the swim record, it felt great and then I realized who was making the announcements, it was Steve King (the voice of Ironman Canada) I was so excited and Susan and Peggy had no clue what I was talking about!  They got my wetsuit off, a banana in my mouth and sunscreen on me, tried to explain where I was supposed to ride my bike (but I was still focused on Steve King--yeah more food may have been good, lol) and then I was off and riding.

They start you off up a nice little hill from the beach and after swimming 10km in the lake I realized this wasn't a very friendly thing for them to do. My arms were tired and heavy, I was a little foggy and really unsure of where I was supposed to be going,  I thought there would be some boys to follow. Luckily, I made it and was able to get into my grove. My crew got me a cliff bar and water and I settled into the ride but I was feeling crampy and it was hot.  The first 50km were pretty uneventful and then I hit Richter Pass and that is when I realized how freaking hot it was, there was no wind and I was climbing, my crew had bought these kick ass super soakers and the immediately put them to use. Amber's team was also out on course and offering me aid any time I saw them. I was expecting some of the boys to come flying by but still nothing. I reached the out and back and stopped for a "pit" stop and saw Amber go by. Peggy rubbed my legs a little as I was feeling really crampy. I was staying on top of my salt tabs but I think the swim really made my legs feel that way.  I finally got to see Josef and knew he would be passing me soon but he didn't actually go by until just before the 120km point.  By the time I reached Yellow Lake, I was ready to be done. I was hot, my legs were tired, my arms were heavy and didn't want to help me climb any longer. I think I reached my lowest point, Steve said to just put it in an easier gear and spin up...which is when I informed him I didn't have another gear...he responded with a" ok, good job", lol!  I ended up beside Amber and I told her she was doing great and then we got to the down hill section. I love riding downhill and enjoyed the ride back to the finish line. I crossed the finish line 90 sec behind Josef and earned the name of Superwoman from him and his crew! It was great fun.  I ended up breaking the women's bike record (but Amber broke it minutes later, but I will still count it, lol) and the overall women's day 1 record.  I was very happy with how we did as a team and how I felt. 

 Our team had decided we would celebrate each day at the finish line by doing a shot of tequilawhich was so fun and I loved that we did something so silly!  My quads were pretty cramped at the end of that ride but I think I did pretty good with my fluid intake (water and Gatorade), I had real fruits and a peanut butter and honey wrap and the banana and cliff bar at the start of the ride. We headed back to the hotel where Susan and Peggy generously made me up a ice bath, all Susan added was one 1 ice cube (it just happened to be the biggest ice block I have ever seen), Peggy worked on my body and her and Steve rubbed my legs and we had a yummy pizza dinner.

Sunday had us up at 4 am as the race officials decided to start us at 6am to help us avoid some of the extreme temperatures. I again had a bagel and a coffee and we made our way to Skaha Lake for the start of day 2. In our van we also had a "team song" which got us into our groove at the start of the day, Pitbulls I Know you want me. We had so much fun riding over to this silly song!

At the race start I felt a little nervous. I hadn't done all of the bike training I had planned on doing, life always seemed to get in the way. I hadn't gone farther than 160km in training and my longest ride in my life had only been 205km and that was over 5 years ago. So I think I was a little nervous of what was going to happen as I climbed in mileage and the hard parts were only starting at 100km into the ride.  It was a pretty tame beginning of the ride. I got to chat with Simon from England at the start of the ride and he was highly entertaining. I stopped 55km in to take a "pit stop". The plan today was to take on more salt as the temperatures rose and to try to take in as many calories as I could tolerate to be ready for day 3.  I also wanted to take the ride pretty easy because it was so long and I still had a huge run that was always in the back of my mind. I felt really relaxed the first 100km and it almost seemed easy. The nice thing about Ultraman is that it is a small event and you tended to be around the same people and same crews so you always had some support and encouragement.

At 100km came the first tough section called "the wall" seriously I had heard others talking about it but I don't like to see what lies ahead, just deal with it on the day. Well, man what a climb that was. It was steep and had switchbacks and I didn't think it was ever going to end.  To be honest, it was over in less than 4km I think but it continued to be challenging until the 124km and I couldn't believe how heavy I was breathing at certain points. But it was nice to be done it. At the top, I stopped to change (my crew didn't say anything as I changed my shorts right in front of a golf course---I asked later that night, did I take my pants off in front of golfers, they all shrugged and said no worries, lol!)  Here I also had Peggy rub down the quads and I ate a piece of left over pizza, which was awesome.  

The next section of the ride involved some great down hill, but then we made a turn and it was into a head wind.  Months earlier Darwin had warned us of this section that always has a head wind and as Steve tried to remind me that we knew about this and to just keep the watts under 200, I could feel myself getting discouraged.  But then I realized all I had to do was keep spinning and everyone was dealing with the same wind.  I was having some pain in my left foot, I tend to get this pain often when I ride but it wasn't going away and the longer the ride went on the worst it felt. I complained to the team that it felt like my feet were bleeding, I knew they weren't but it was uncomfortable. 

At the 200km mark, Simon mentioned that his foot was really sore and I told him mine was feeling the same way, he said he was pouring his water on it and it seemed to help a little, so I tried it out and it did feel a little better.  The last section of the ride is an out and back of about 60km, you ride right past the finish line and there are some good climbs. All along everyone said that once you hit the turn around that it was all down hill to the finish. As I headed out, I couldn't get over the fact that there was a lot of ups and downs and it seemed like a lot of climbing to be done on the way back. I asked my team if this was the same road I would finish on, when they said yes, I commented that there was a lot of climbing to be done on the way back and it was supposed to be all down hill and that they were wrong. They told me it would be more downhill than up and I made them promise (I found out later, they were worried about it too b/c it did seem like a lot of climbing)  

When I hit the turn around I asked if I was going to break the 12 hour mark. Steve seemed surprised and as they drove by he told me that I was at 9:02. I was surprised, I felt like I had been biking forever.  Well, my team was right, it was a net down hill and I had a tail wind. I don't know what got into me, but I wanted to get that ride done and done fast. I picked up the pace and felt like I was flying. I caught up to Wolfgang, who had been 6 minutes ahead of me at the turn around and I cruised into the finish line in 9:49. I felt great, no cramping and was so happy to not have to bike the next day.  I ended up riding as the 2nd place woman all day behind Amber, we both broke the previous day 2 record, Amber just broke it by more :) I believe I finished 7th overall for the day and once again my team celebrated with shot of tequila and I had an ice bath.  Peggy did some work on my feet which were tender and on my back and neck which were sore from the 2 days, we ate Quiznos for dinner and turned in.

Day 3 was our final 4am wake up.  I had 2 wraps, one with peanut butter and honey and the other with peanut butter and banana.  There was a group breakfast but I knew that I wouldn't want to eat anything there, but the crew had some.  We headed to the start line and for the first time since we landed it was cool. I actually started the run with a jacket on.  My goal for the day was to walk every 5km and to break 10 hours. I had never run farther than 45km and knew that at some points that I would be walking.

Fell into a rhythm running beside Wolfgang, who just happens to be from Kitchener. It was nice to run with him, as the miles went on we connected with Jason Lester (a link to his site is in my favourite things) He won an Espy earlier this summer. As we were running, his pacer, Gary asked my name, then said Jason, this is Barbi, you wanted to meet her! I was so flattered, I mean Jason Lester is so inspiring and he wanted to meet me. We ended up running together alot through the first marathon.  

Steve started running with me at the 19km point and stayed with me for 10km, then Peggy got out and ran with me. For Steve's second run with me, he had rigged up the IPOD speakers and IPOD so that we could have some tunes. It was awesome and it made the time fly by. We went through the marathon at 4:20 and I stopped and had a wrap with peanut butter and changed my shoes and socks. I had stopped taking Gatorade and shot blocks at the 25km mark because my stomach was feeling a little sad. So I was really only taking my salt tabs, oatmeal raisin cookies, pretzels and grapes. I just couldn't drink or eat anything sweet.  

A good portion of the run, from the 35km to 72km were on a gravel road, which I am not a fan of but I do realize it was probably better on the body, I just found it more challenging and took more brain function. The temperature also started to rise in the second marathon, but my team was great about getting me ice cold sponges and lots of cold water.  Susan would act as my carrot, she would hop out of the van, yell "come and get me" and start running until I caught her, it was such a great thing to focus on and it gave me a goal.  I was having a lot of achilles pain in my right leg which Peggy had worked on from about the 18km point.  Peggy and I did a little celebration at the 46km mark as I ran farther than I ever had before. She was so great out there, it seemed every time that it was her turn to run with me that she got some big uphill, she would say to me "I'm just going to get in the van for a second", it was great and I loved having them run beside me.  

Once we were into the second marathon, all the athletes had pretty much spread out and it was me alone with my crew. There was always one of them out there running with me (all 3 of them ran so much, Steve ran 34km, 14km farther than he had ever run in his life and had giant blisters on his toes, but never complained. Peggy ran over 22km, mostly uphill, while she hadn't ran more than 5 times in the last year and Susan ran 10km at a sprint pace trying to keep me from catching her, they are so awesome--have I mentioned that?) and the van was either right in front, beside or behind us.  At the 61km mark Peggy and Susan warned us about a big uphill, which I had to walk up, I was hurting and the hill seemed so big. However, then came the downhill, seriously it was such a steep down hill and it was a switchback, I said to Steve that I wanted to roll down it, it hurt everything going down that hill, my quads, my knees, my feet and my toes were all screaming, the only silver lining was that was the last big climb, or so we thought.  A few minutes later the van pulled up and Peggy said quietly to Steve, "just so you know, in about a km you are going to get to that last big climb, that other one was just a little blip before the big blip"  I almost cried right then and there, I couldn't believe it, but Steve said "we walk it if we have to".  We got to the climb and it was a killer. We started walking and I grabbed Steve's hand and tried to tell myself that we were just going for a walk in town holding hands, not 63km into a 84km run.  At the top, I stopped and had my shoes changed again and the team tried to get some sugar into me. I think at this point they gave me beef broth and told me to drink, which I did obediently, it was disgusting but I didn't mind it at that point.  I was getting emotional and really sore, I was hot but the crew was great. We had discussed our mantra for the day, it was "Keep moving forward, the finish line is worth it" this was repeated to me several times over that last half marathon. At 72km I hit my lowest point, I was hurting everywhere and I kind of had a breakdown. I cried and couldn't do much but focus on how much everything hurt. My team was awesome. Peggy worked on my legs and gave me a pep talk and repeated my mantra, Susan was getting pieces of cookie into my mouth and making me drink more broth and Steve was getting me salt tabs and cooling me down with sponges.  I regrouped and got myself under control and we were back to running. I managed to keep moving forward but some of the down hills were insane. At the 80km mark we reached one of the final down hills and it was a 9% grade, I started crying, I couldn't believe how hard it was to run down this long winding hill and how much it hurt every single part of my body. I was holding onto Peggy to help get me down but I could not make myself run any longer.  Peggy and Susan were out there walking with me and keeping my spirits high, they were so amazing. We climbed that last hill and Steve did the final 2km with me. I apologized for walking and he told me I was nuts and that he was so proud of me and that I was doing well.  Peggy and Susan had gone ahead to park the van and finally Steve pointed out the stop sign that meant we were almost done, I started running, I had to get it done with, we turned the corner and Susan and Peggy were there jumping up and down, I was so happy to see them and then there was a row of flags and I could see the finish line, we all ran in together and they were announcing all of our team and they said my daughters names, we were all crying. I crossed the line and can't tell you how amazing it felt. I was so glad to be done and loved my team so much for getting me there. We were all hugging and crying, it was awesome!  

I finished the day as the second woman of the day in a time of 9:38 (which broke the women's run record, however Amber ran faster and broke the record first,lol!) and I was 7th overall. I was sore and tired but it was such a party at the finish line that I really didn't notice all the pain when I was done. We had a BBQ burger and sat with Amber (who had done the run in just over 9 hours--she is awesome!) and Conrad and Graham (her team) and we enjoyed our finish line shot of tequila.  It was awesome to watch the other athletes run into the finish line and just enjoy not having to do anything the next morning. 

We headed out for Mexican once again and had more Buckets O Beer and Jugs of Margaritas and then headed to bed and slept in. I woke up Tuesday feeling sore but no where near where I thought I would be. My body was tired and I had only 2 blisters but I didn't feel like I couldn't move, I thought I would be out of commission for a few days but surprisingly I felt pretty good, I even joked that I was ready to go again, but I was joking!   I have to thank my team for taking such good care of me nutritionally and physically, without them working so hard to make sure I had everything I needed I probably would have been in bad shape.  We enjoyed a day of nothing, we headed to the beach and then to the awards dinner. At the dinner we enjoyed a final shot of tequila with Amber and her boys and we had so many laughs. Each athlete got up and talked about their experience over this journey and I was moved to tears several times that night.  It was really the best awards dinner I have ever been to and I am so honoured to be amoung those who have finished an ultraman. 

My final time for the event was 27:16 minutes, which broke the previous women's overall record. I placed second woman overall behind Amber who smashed the women's overall record, and I loved that we got along so well and supported each other through this distance. I look forward to doing more races with her in the future.  

I won a new wetsuit from BlueSeventy for breaking the swim record and I made so many new friends.  I pushed myself to do something that was a huge challenge mentally and physically. I listened to my crew members and trusted them to do an amazing job, which they certainly did. I had set several goals along the way and I am happy to report that I reached every goal that I set for myself and was able to do so with a smile on my face.  

Finally I am happy to report that our team mantra was right, the finish line truly was worth it!

Day 3 Photos

Ultrarun defined....

84.4k of running....Solid weekly volume by most standards...even excessive to some....but as a single run?!  After the 2 previous days cumulative fatigue firmly entrenched in every muscle of the body?.....this is just crazy. But this is Ultraman Day 3...and that's whats on the itinerary...a double marathon.

The day started early again with alarms going off at 4am. A quick morning organizational routine and we were off to the group breakfast at a local Princeton restaurant. Quick breakfast, a couple cups of coffee to try and shake off the cobwebs and then the 15 minute drive to the run start. 

The morning was cool for a change as some donned light jackets for the first time during the event and enjoyed the 10c air temperature...even though we knew it wouldn't last, as the forecast was for more heat as the day went on. 

We spoke about how great it would be that the first marathon would be done before the heat hit for the second marathon, and at 6am the competitors were off and running. 

everyone settled into their respective paces and tended to run the first sections of the rolling, traffic free course with another competitor who happened to be running the same pace. This race also allowed for 'pacers' on the run....which meant that members of an athletes crew could run with the athlete for any or all of the race to help them mentally keep pace and make it through the ridiculous distance. We had decided that Barbi would run the first 20k on her own when things would be 'easy'...and then one of Susan, Peggy or myself would try and be with her running for the rest of the way.

As we had hoped, the first marathon went by fairly uneventfully...the air stayed cool, nutrition was going well, Barbi's mental state was great and she only needed to stop once for some chiropractic work on the achilles and glutes. We had also rigged up an ipod in some mini speakers with some tape so when I ran with Barbi we could listen to music since earphones were not allowed in this race similar to other triathlons. She came through the first marathon at 4:20:00 which was right in the ballpark of the planned pace for the day..and in second place behind Amber Monforte.

The second marathon was where things got significantly more challenging...not just for Barbi but for every competitor we came upon. The cumulative fatigue was starting to take its toll, the route became very hilly and it was now hot so keeping core temperature down and electrolyte levels up became crucial. Barbi's stomach wasn't able to handle anything sweet any longer ...so nutrition became things like pretzels, banana, beef broth (given to us by Conrad and Graham..thanks!), little pieces of cookie, grapes and water. Several chiro stops were being made as everything was now screaming with pain (knees, glutes, quads, achilles, shins etc..) Dr.Peggy was also offering treatment help to other competitors who we came upon that were suffering badly as well. By this point it wasn't clear what was worse...the nasty uphill portions or the screaming pain in the quads as she ran downhill that brought on tears.

Kilometer 63 to 71.4 was a particularly nasty hot climb with switchbacks and from this point to the end was to be pure survival. There were many mental and physical lows....we could see that Barbi was suffering likely more than she ever had in her life. Each time there was a breakdown she eventually fought it of and kept running ...or even walking occasionally....the mantra for the day was 'just keep moving forward, the finish line is worth it.'...and she did.

The descent into Summerland was a particularly cruel 9% grade ....many competitors spoke about the physical pain in shredded quads on this descent...and many were reduced to tears.

Finally we turned a corner into Summerland with 3.5k to go and we knew that the end was in sight. Even these last km's were a huge struggle...there was just nothing left to give...but we just kept moving forward.  As instructed, the crew van drove ahead and Barbi and I ran through the last km together to finally meet Peggy and Susan with 100m to go and we all ran through the finish line together. The emotion was overwhelming. The voice of Ironman Steve King welcomed Barbi across the line and the challenge was done. 

I can honestly say that I have never been witness to an athletic event that I feel required participants to dig as deep as what I saw over the last 3 days...and especially this last day. I have the utmost respect for every person who attempts this event and the amount of pride that Peggy, Susan and myself  feel for Barbi's accomplishments here is indescribable. She is a shining example to everyone and especially her two girls Brea and Kayla that anything is possible with hard work and determination....there are no limits you can achieve.

Barbi's double marathon time in the end was 9:38:08 for second female and 7th overall in the run. She broke the previous female run course record by a long shot as did the female winner Amber Montforte.

So...to sum up....over the last 3 days of Ultraman Barbi:

-set a new female swim record by over half an hour!!

-set a new day 1 female swim/bike record...and was only 90 seconds behind the male race leader

-broke the day 2 (274.3km) female bike record (as did Amber)

-broke the day 3 (84.4km) female run record (as did Amber)

-broke the cumulative 3 day female course record (as did Amber)

-finished 2nd female and 7th place overall!!

--travelled 512.6km in three days with a time of 27:16:00....and the majority of it with a smile on her face.

The customary tequila shot our team shared with Barbi at the end of each day tasted particularly sweet on this day. What a great event.

It was easy to see here at Ultraman the positive effect Barbi's infectious smile and bubbly personality had on all competitors. She has come away from this event with the greatest prize of all....a great number of life long friends from around the world.

Blog by Steve

 

Day 2 Photos

Ultra Day 2 ---EPIC

273.4 km. Hard to wrap my head around riding that far in one ride. Even in a group ride the distance seems pretty ominous.....especially when you take away the group and make it a 'race'. 

The alarm went off at 4am for the second day in a row.....and it was quickly into prep mode with a quick breakfast, packing of gear into the support van and then it was off to the race start at the park by Skaha Lake where the swim had started yesterday. 

Barbi was definately feeling the nerves a bit today....we figured it was generally just a fear of the unknown since this was about 70k further than any ride she has ever done...and over hilly and potentially windy terrain.

The race director decided (at the request of the athletes) to start both Day 2 and 3 an hour early at 6am in order to get an extra hour of racing done in the morning before the temperatures reach oppressive levels. 

The plan for the day was to ride conservatively today to try and limit fatigue levels for day 3.

The race went off at 6am as planned and the athletes quickly settled into their respective paces and made their way up the side of Skaha Lake towards OK Falls. The relatively cool morning temps meant everyone seemed in good spirits and on task. This quick progress would continue until we approached the 100k mark and a place called 'The Wall'. By then the temps had risen and this climb was nasty. We broke out the super soakers again and used them often (filled with ice water), as well as ice water sponges to keep Barbi's core temperature down....and to spray all riders we came across in Barbi's vicinity....including many of the other crews ;).

There were several lows during this ride (which is to be expected) but each time Barbi found herself in a rough patch Barbi.....or Barbi and the support crew decided on a plan to try and help turn things around, whether that be an adjustment and rub down by Dr. Peggy, nutrition, focusing only on wattage and cadence during a particularly nasty 30k section with very strong headwinds, changing bike shorts, or squirting water into the bike shoes to try and relieve feet that seemed to be 'bleeding'...even though they weren't.

Barbi spent a lot of the day riding in the vicinity of Simon from England today and the two helped each other through some rough patches and made the experience enjoyable.

The entire day was spent riding as the 2nd female. As far as overall standing went she spent the whole day in the top ten.

The ride ended with a 60 km out and back section from Princeton (where we will spend the night) towards Merritt. On the way out we could see Barbi was struggling mentally and physically...but she continued to push on. When she came to the turnaround and headed into the home stretch she shocked us when she asked if she was going to break 12 hours. We didn't know whether she was bonking so bad that she was confused or that she really hadn't looked at her computer to see what her ride time was. I let her know that it looked like she was going to finish at just over 10 hours....we figured around 10:05. 

A secret goal of Barbi's for this day of the race was to finish in less than 10 hours. Well I think knowing that she was that close to 10 hours lit some sort of fire under her because she instantly ratcheted up the pace and off she went. In the final 2k she even caught and passed Wolfgang from Kitchener who had gapped her significantly during the later stages of the race.

She came blazing through the finish at 9 hours and 49 minutes!! ....finishing second female and 7th overall!!

Amber Monforte (Conrad Stoltz's girlfriend and excellent cyclist) holds the first place female position going into tomorrow's run with about a 30 minute lead over Barbi....who has about an hour lead over Andi (USA) in third, followed closely by Shanna Armstrong (Hawaii Ultra world champion).

Barbi's cumulative two day time we believe also has her in 4th place overall, and Amber and Barbi both have a realistic chance at breaking the 3 day female course record for this race.

It was a long day today....the ice bath, massage and refueling have all been completed and we as a team are so proud of the way Barbi has performed and pushed her limits to get to this point. Tomorrow she is bringing it home!....we appreciate all your positive thoughts thrown her way as she starts on the run tomorrow at 6am.

Thats it for now. For the tech geeks...we had a Powertap on her bike today and here is the basic data for the ride:

Watts avg. 148

Watts max. 424

Avg speed 28.6km/hr

Max speed 72.6km/hr

actual ride time 9:32:19

cadence avg.82

Total ride distance-273.4km!!

Blogged by Steve.

Day 1 Photos

Day 1 (whohoo!!)

The 'race' has started. After months of prep work and planning.....life drama....moments of doubt, and excitement....yes, many highs and lows...the start of Ultraman Canada 2009 has finally arrived.  The day started fairly early with the alarm going off at 4:30am. After some breakfast and a bit of last minute prep the athlete and team were off to the swim start at Lake Skaha. It was 22c  when we arrived at the swim start area for 6am. Racers and crews were all organizing boats and gear and there was excitement in the air....although a noticeable difference from Ironman races....somewhat calmer....maybe because of the small group of participants. I like it! 

After a brief opening ceremony where everyone (athletes and crews) held hands in a circle...and some bagpipes...it was time for the swim start. Barbi secretly had set a goal (one of a few secret goals for this race) to try and break the women's swim record for the 10 k open water swim. I had the privilege of being the swim escort ...in a kayak....each athlete has one. Barbi and I had joked the evening before that sighting across the LONG lake wouldn't be a problem since she wouldn't be first so we could just follow the kayak(s) in front of us.  Well, 150m into the swim she was up in front with nothing but 10k of water in front of us. Geez! Luckily we had cycled the length of the lake the previous day so I had a taken note of land points that were important...and the visibility was amazing...and the water very calm.

At 2k Barbi had a lead of about approx 100m on the second overall swimmer...who was also female (Shanna Armstrong...multiple and current Ultraman Hawaii World Champion), and an even larger gap over everyone else. Very quick stops for sips of fluid every 2 k (and one pee break) kept us on task. The gap back to Shanna remained the same until about 6k and both women were tearing the swim up. 

Finally, between 6 and 8 k as Barbi remained strong, Shanna began to slow and the gap began to widen. When we finally arrived at the FIRST marker at 8k (visually it felt like we would never get there) Barbi was ahead by a fairly comfortable margin of about 300m-400m. The last 2 k were tough mentally and physically but Barbi powered through and arrived first overall to the swim finish....2hours 41minutes....beating the women's swim record by over half an hour!! The crowd (including the voice of Ironman Steve King) were buzzing that this Ultra rookie had exited first overall. Another interesting and amazing fact is that all of the top three athletes out of the water were women. Barbi first, Shanna second....and Amber (from Reno and girlfriend of X-terra star Conrad Stoltz) third.

Quick transition (blazing really) and it was onto the bike. First overall! WOW. 

The first stages of the bike went very well...some arm and back soreness from the long swim but Dr. Peggy helped with chiro and the rest of the team kept the nutrition coming and the sponges and super soakers to keep the core temp down as the air temperature rose to 35c. Things got very uncomfortable temperature wise during the climb up Richter pass..extra ice sponges and ice water sprays were needed.

Barbi remained in first place overall until 92k into the bike ride when Amber finally took over the lead....but still no men in sight...and Shanna seemed to be dropping back some from 5 minutes back to over 20.

Finally, at about 110k the first male  (Josef from Spain) passed by. Things stayed the same until the climb to Yellow lake....that is where things became tough for everyone. Barbi, who had been complaining of quad and hamstring cramping really started to suffer mentally and physically in the heat. Nutrition had been good...and we increased the frequency of ice sponges and spraying to try and reduce core temperature. Although there was a lot of suffering...it seemed everyone was starting to struggle. It was here...at the same time that Barbi was at her lowest mentally and physically that she started to gain ground back on Amber...and even Joseph as she climbed to Yellow Lake. 

Almost at the top of the 5k climb to Yellow Lake Barbi passed Amber again and rode in second place overall all the way down the decent to the finish at OK Falls ....finishing just 90 seconds behind the male leader of the race....and setting a new female overall course record for Day 1 of this event! Team Ultra Barbi couldn't be more excited or proud.

Quite a day....

Back to the hotel for an ice bath, food, massage, chiro and sleep. Bring on Day 2! 

275k ride tomorrow. 

Blog by Steve

Let's Go!

It is 5:30am and it is almost time to head to Skaha Lake.  I actually slept pretty well and was feeling calm when I woke up. I do have a few butterflies swimming around in the belly but that is to be expected.  I feel as ready as I can and I am looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead.

Steve is going to be paddling beside me for the 10km swim. Peggy and Susan will be waiting in T1 to help me get out on the bike and then we will spend the remainder of the day leap frogging each other out on the course.  It is so nice to know that I will see them often out there.  I am looking forward to biking the Ironman Canada course again, it is a beautiful ride with some great downhills (yes the uphills are pretty kick ass too!).  I look forward to the Day 1 finish line and cooling down in the lake afterwards. 

 Ready or Not here we go!

Ready, Set....

Just about to crawl into bed to get some sleep before the big day tomorrow.  Really tomorrow isn't the "big" day, which will be either day 2 or 3 (I am undecided at this point which one deserves the credit as the "big" day) but tomorrow is the start of what I have been thinking about and working towards for the last 11 months. It is amazing when something that starts out as a what if kind of thing is finally upon you. It has been an amazing journey and tomorrow is just the start of the celebration of everything that has led up to these next few days.

Had our pre-race breakfast this morning and our team made an immediate impression, lining up for the food before the race director gave us the go ahead (but seriously, hungry triathletes and yummy food--would you be able to resist??) The breakfast was great to meet some of the other athletes and crew members, but I was starting to get overwhelmed as we approached the 3 hour mark, but luckily it wrapped up and we were able to tackle some of the errands we needed to get done. Darwin surprised me with a very nice Makaki that will protect me and my crew while we are out there, I am so touched by his thoughtfulness and the kindness that everyone is showing, it is just such an amazing feeling being here.  Thank you Darwin!  John C also said some amazing things to me and I was so touched, it has been so nice to have another newbie to talk to over the months and I am so excited for him, I know it will be great to be supporting each other out there. He has had a few hiccups in the first few days here but I think it is good to get it all out of the way before the race begins!

Headed to Skaha Lake to do a final swim and again I was amazed by how clear the water is here. It is going to be such a great swim, clear water, surrounded by mountains and only 30 of us in the water, another nice difference from Ironman!

We did a bike ride to check out some of the route and I have to admit, I got a little down on myself, the temperature said 39 degrees and I couldn't believe how hot it was, I put very little effort into the ride but was still sweating buckets. I started to second guess myself and was feeling pretty low, but was able to turn it around. I got some very encouraging words from my crew and my sister and I realized that this is all part of it and all I can do is stick to my plan, listen to my crew, let them do what they are here for and we will be fine.  They are here to make sure I get what I need and help me reach the goal of crossing the finish line. I have to trust them and do as they say because they will know what I need. They have been so terrific and I am so thankful to have them. You guys Rock!  

So it is off to bed, I had a good dinner and some good laughs. The bike is ready to go, the van is ready to go, the coolers are packed, the bento box is full and I am feeling pretty calm. 

I started this journey with some big dreams and over the past 11 months my life has changed dramatically and I have looked at this race more as a journey to getting back to being me. I am excited for the challenges that lie ahead and all that matters is crossing that finish line on day 3 with 3 of the greatest people in my life. (it would only be better if my 2 girls, parents and sister could be here, but I know it will happen one day!)

So thanks for your encouragement and well wishes, I am glad you are here reading and sending me positive vibes. For the next few days if you could think about cold things, like ice cream and air conditioning, maybe I won't melt in the 36+ temps they are calling for!! 

More tomorrow from Day#1!

2 Days

We are here and I have picked up my race kit for UMC, so it is official, I am doing this thing!  The last few days have been filled with getting things together, getting packed and catching planes. I am happy to report that everything went smoothly and we had no issues travelling with the bike and all of our luggage arrived safely.  

We stepped out of the airport to some beautiful summer weather, it was 35 degrees and humid, such a change from the cool rainy temperatures we have been getting in SW Ontario. I was a little stressed but then realized it is all good, I have my Endurolytes and my crew will be on top of hydrating me and keeping me cool.  We got to the hotel and we ended up getting a great little place that is pretty cozy at the Days Inn.  We made the important trip to get beer, seriously, do you think any other ultraman athletes are going to be consuming any beverages while out here? After getting our drinks we went out for a little run, the temperature was 34 degrees and it was 6:30pm but in all honesty it wasn't to bad. I don't mind humidity, it just requires a little more attention to what you are doing and how you are pacing.  We went out to dinner and actually got to meet a few of the other UMC athletes, it is interesting b/c there is so few of us and there are pictures on the website, so we are recognizing each other. We had a dinner and were struggling to keep our eyes open as we waited for our food because of the time change.  

Woke up this morning to another hot and sunny day. Peggy arrived and we headed out for a nice breakfast overlooking the lake and mountains. We went and checked out the bike and running store and did a little shopping and Steve got my bike and bike gear ready to rock and roll. 

Today was registration day and I went and got my kit and met some of the other athletes. Everyone involved with the race has been so friendly and very helpful. I got to finally meet Darwin who has been keeping email contact with me over the past few months, he was so friendly and encouraging, it was great to finally meet him and also John who is here doing his first Ultraman as well.  It is such a great vibe from the other athletes and volunteers you can tell that this is going to be so different than an Ironman, it is just a whole different ball game, but I like it. Some of the athletes seem pretty intense and hard core, which I find enjoyable but it isn't that overwhelming intensity that can occur at Ironman. I love the fact that I have a crew that is super fun and low key but highly motivated to help me get things done. I have been having so much fun with my crew, we went through the course binder as we enjoyed a cold Corona I realized that I have the best people here with me supporting me and I know that even through the hard and challenging sections that they will be good at pulling me out of the rough patches, here are a few pictures of Steve and Peggy today as we were going over some of the race plan. (Susan landed this afternoon and is on her way here now!)