IM Canada Race Report
So for my FIRST IM....I learned A LOT. I might have put EN to shame with my 15-hr finish time BUT....i finished with a big 
on my face. I carried that glow stick with pride. Which i might add that those sticks people tossed on the ground helped light the path at many locations. Hard to see otherwise! Saw the bear and was thrilled to know I got to return to that spot 3 more times. After the 4th time, i really didn't care. And fortunately they didn't disqualify me due to my "grown" kids running down the chute with me. I had that "newbie" time and look apparently....yeh, they prolly mentioned it was my first. Nutrition was my biggest obstacle and I suffered a bit of GI maladies. I also didn't know I got to change in a tent! That changed things a bit for me and probably added to my long transition times. Plus it felt like more thinking that had to be done.
SWIM: For my first mass swim start, it went well. I got into my rhythm (after suffering multiple goggle leaks at first) and proceeded on. Tho anytime i got out of that and had to kick....I'd immediately start to get foot cramps. This is nothing new. I have just learned to NOT kick or very brief at that. Despite loading up prior on Mg+, etc. Then on my final stretch in i got hit with an arm and had to fix my goggles once again. Argh....But had a good finish time for me 1:29:xx and thought i was on a roll! WRONG. I was so bloody cold...shivering like crazy.....that i couldn't even function. Great. And discovered my gel flask did not get put in my gear bag, nor did my chamois butter. Downhill from there........a 20-minute transition time. Almost comical that's so bad.
BIKE: Early on heading South i started to get a sideache/cramping? Really??? What the heck for? I only got those on my runs sadly enough and haven't figured out why yet. But am going to blame them and all my aches and pains on my dysfunctional/fibroidy uterus. Powered thru that and thought all was going well. Steady pressure on the pedals at all times. No jumping out of the saddle was what went thru my mind constantly as RnP had said. But happened to take 2-3 bathroom breaks in hopes to rid of that stupid ache i had from the beginning. No help. I felt i did well with hydration but still feel i need work on the nutrition. A "Plan". Never got this right in training. I flew down the hills and would pass people but they got me on the ascents.(I did hills in training). I remembered R or P saying "let em". But i believe near the end they kept ahead...all the way to the finish line. That last 20 miles was brutal. But slow and steady I was. My lower back was killing me so took the opportunity to sit upright on the hills when i was moving so slow. Just was painful to know I was on the back end of the riders and seeing so many people out running already gave me a sinking feeling. My time sucked. Slower than norm for me. Had a better transition time of 8 min, but only if you compare it to my earlier 20! Still needs work. Felt like my glutes wanted to cramp so i popped a couple of salt caps and onward ho.
RUN: Was in my zone 1 plus 30" and had no prob sustaining that thanks to the flippin hill early on. I felt i was already hitting the wall and I was so far from mile 18......so FAR from 26.2! But i kept er moving and after the first hour i didn't have it in me to hit MP. I was lucky to keep zone 1! And i really didn't. Went onto zones that didn't exist. I was up to a 15:30 pace near mile 22. And I was only walking up the hills (cuz that was quicker than my run pace) and thru the aid stations. I had officially taken on the Parkinson's shuffle. And I might add that the aid stations and what to eat or drink was also too much thinking involved. I DID NOT feel hungry, nor was i in the mood to eat. Just thirsty. But alternated between water and broth (for the sodium) and water and coke (for the sugar). Knew I needed both sugar and sodium. Was also feeling very bloated and nauseated at times. Which in hindsight, i was hyponatremic and needed to take in more sodium. But perhaps food I needed for a pick me up. I only took in liquids. (water, broth and coke). BUT.....with roughly 4.2 miles to go......I got a second wind and had a negative split time and was back to my zone 1 plus 30" !!. Which is still slow but felt fast in comparison to the prior 18 miles! Chalk that up to getting the misery over with and the fact that it was near the time of night that i did most of my training. Ha! I think I'd do better if the race began at 7pm. When people are winding down, I am revving up!
Will i do another? YES!!! How could i possibly not set a PR?! I'm also feeling the effects of PIDS. But will cheer up once i head to the World Championships in Kona soon to work in the medical tent and cheer on fellow teammate/friend Jay Lakamp. This event was my push/inspiration to get me to do a FULL. Thanks RnP for your help.
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