Here are the stats for my Ironman Canada Race.

Swim   3.8 km   1:04:46
Bike     180km   5:45:35
Run      42km     4:13:48

Overal Time 11:11:43 (including transitions)

7 / 116 in my AG 40-44
376 / 2210 Overall

I had a great race. I felt in control the whole time. Here is my race report 
I sent to my friends....


We headed to Penticton. we arrived in Penticton and it was overcast and 
cool.....hmmmm I thought it is always HOT and SUNNY???? I was wearing a long 
sleeve shirt and sweatshirt!!!!

The Tuesday Ed and I drove the course and I biked between Richter Pass and 
Yellow Lake (no out and back because we couldn't figure out where that was). 
I biked in the RAIN!!! On the Wednesday I went for a swim and I don't know 
but it was the COLDEST WATER I have ever felt!! My face and hands went numb. 
I came out all worried and asked the guys parked next to us, who we later 
figured out were the Ausie pros, if they found it cold and they told me that 
they thought it was F*&king cold. They weren't happy!! I went for a run that 
day too. We had dinner with my Aunt and Uncle (dad's sister). On the 
Thursday I told myself I have to get used to that water so I went back in 
and it was better but still cold, and then I went for a bike. My toes were 
numb from cold after the bike....hmmmm what to do on race day if it is like 
this??? Everyone was biking in tights, jackets, a pro had booties on!!!! I 
thought it is suspose to be HOT AND SUNNY???? On the Friday I went in the 
lake again and swam and it was finally a descent temperature....66C but it 
was also 28 C out and SUNNY Finally!! I was a happy camper!!! I was hoping 
that the swim course would be layed out by then but it wasn't, at least we 
had the length of the beach to swim ~2km. Afterwards I went for a bike ride 
and yes I went over glass and cut my tire!!!!!  I wasn't even hot and sweaty 
afterwards. Saturday I didn't train at all as we dropped the bike off in the 
morning and I spent the day with the kids at the kiddie park....Bumber boats 
and mini golf....all the parents with IM wristbands were laughing at each 
other as we were there playing minigolf.  We then drove around to see my 
dad's house he grew up in, and then we had dinner and I was in bed asleep at 
9pm. At midnight I was up and ready to go, my stomache was in knots. Every 
hour on the hour I woke up thinking of the race and going over my race plan, 
and doing a lot of praying!!!!

Race morning woke up at 4 am, had eggs, a bagel and some oatmeal. I was 
ready!! We got to the transition and I got the bike set up. I then waited in 
the line up for 30 minutes to go to the toilet...a time to talk to others 
and keep the nerves at bay.  Then it was time to get into the water. Hmmmmit 
was chilly but tolerable. There was a lot of chattering teeth around me but 
i can withstand the cold. I had a great swim. It was real messy at the start 
but overall it went well. Almost lost my watch three times and had to stop 
and strap it back on, but all in all it was easy and un effortful. I wanted 
to make sure that I was in controll at all times. I pulled long and hard and 
tried to draft as much as possible. I started one person behind the flags at 
the start.

I then went into transition. It was longer than I had hoped. I don't know 
why. I think it was because the volunteer was trying to help me. I would 
have been faster on my own. Oh well I enjoyed the pampering.  I then was off 
on my bike. It was getting really windy and in some areas it was pretty 
hard. It was hot in Osoyoos with the sun blaring but fortunately by Kermeos 
the clouds came in. I wasn't sure how much to expend myself because I didn't 
know the course 100%. I knew what to expect since we drove the course but I 
hadn't rode it on my bike. I was pleased with my bike.  At the out and back 
(!20km) I played cat and mouse with a guy for the remainder of the race. I 
would get him on the hills and he would get me on the downs. It was 
entertaining and it made the rest of the ride fun. We would talk on the 
overtakes and give each other a hard time about being passed. Yellow Lake 
was not hard just long. At this point you are tired. I made it up without 
any difficulties but I was starting to feel some cramping in the legs as I 
was descending into town. I was taking some eload electrolytes but I guess 
maybe not enough so I took more.  I also found that I couldn't just let it 
go because of the unfamiliarity of the roads. There were some hairpin turn 
at fast speeds that I had to slow down on a bit. I probably lost a minute or 
so.  I was pleased with my bike and boy did I have to go pee!!!! Oh Yeah, I 
also got stung by a bee at the half way point!!

On the run I started to cramp a bit but I warded them off with the 
electrolyte pills so I was sitting comfy. I found a johnny on the spot so my 
bladder was HAPPY!! The wind out of town was horrific!! There were whitecaps 
on Skaha Lake and the wind at one point pushed me backwards. I just kept 
slow and steady!! The first 10 km went by fast but the second 10km was real 
slow!!! I was passed by three women in my AG on the run.....argh!! There was 
no way I could get them, they were flying!!! My theory holds true - the 
winners are the runners!!. Anyhow on the way back into town I thought I 
would have the wind at my back....HA!!! NO such luck the wind died down!!!. 
However at this point the rain started a bit. It wasn't bad but it was 
feeling a bit humid. It was perfect running temperature for me!!! I just 
kept on going and them what did I see....one of my AGers walking...haha..I 
will get her. One down.  Anyways at the last 4 mile mark on the gradual 
uphill back into town my claves started to cramp. There was no way I was 
walking!!!!. I walked 5 water stations in total and that was it. I downed 
some electrolytes and ran with my toes pointing upwards so the calves would 
not cramp up on me. It worked. By the time I was in town the crowds were 
cheering and the cramps subsided....weird hey??? I just kept it steady and 
ran it in!!!.  I received my medal, had my picture taken, and found the 
family to go out for dinner. I was on top of the world.

I was so pleased with my time. I was hoping for around 11 hours because I 
knew that I needed that to be close to the top of my AG. IMCAN winners are 
always in the 10 hour range to low 11 hours. My ultimate goal was to podium 
but that wasn't in the cards. I had no intentions on qualifying for Hawaii 
so it didn't bother me that the roll down only went to 6th spot. I checked 
out the girls ahead of me and each one had done IMCAN a number of times and 
have all gone to the Worlds. They were a bunch of tough cookies to beat. If 
I knew the course a bit better I would have been able to maybe attack 
certain sections better. Every aspect of my race was consistent and 
conservative. I felt in total control the whole race through....I loved 
every aspect of the day and it went by quickly!!! The 8th women was 15 
minutes behind me so I was up there with the top! Ok not the 1st place 
winner but between 2nd and 6th place.  I am very pleased with my 
performance. I feel FANTASTIC and I am ready to start training again. I will 
give the running legs a break though!!

Total Time 11:11:43...... 7th in my AG.

We found out at the banquet that the morning of the race 6 miles of the 
course had tack on it and they had to sweep..... I was fortunate, I saw 
about 15 people changing tires. I don;t know why but I was lucky!!!!