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Jan's IMC 2007 Race Report
Posted September 15, 2007 08:41 PM
The following race report was written by Jan Frith
IMC 2007 - Staying Focused
This was my third Ironman Canada. A few demons were left over from my last IMC that I was determined to overcome. My goal was to finish in under 13 hours.
For the last 2 years (since my last IMC) I believed I had a sub-13 hour race in me. Although I wasn't any fitter than previous years, I know that I was mentally stronger. Now granted that was mixed in with self-doubt, nagging back pain, several colds and not being able to answer myself on many long training rides when I asked "why am I doing this again?"
Before race day, I had gone over the race many times in my head. I new what I needed to focus on at each stage of the race. What I needed to do was simple...stay focused and keep going. Sound simple? Well it sure did before the race started!
My day started with a 3.8km swim with over 2500 athletes...crazy you say...well I can't disagree with you. I've raced many times in large swim starts and this was the toughest. Whoever said that triathlon isn't a contact sport has never done an Ironman!
Kicked, punched and grabbed...so many times in the first 500 meters I was close to panicking. Just stay focused...be aggressive...don't hesitate. Oops, I hesitated and wham...another punch. I was kicked so hard near the first houseboat that my left bicep went into a charley horse. Just stay focused...swim harder...you're almost there.
I was so happy to get out of the water that my swim exit picture that Ken took looks like I've just won the lottery. Okay, that's over...shake it off...stay focused...now to the bike.
My T1 was pretty good with the help of the wetsuit strippers that pulled so hard I almost came off the ground and I was off on the bike. Suntan lotion, sunglasses, helmet, socks, bike shoes...let's go...stay focused.
It felt good to get my cycling legs warmed up, get down in aero and head for Osoyoos. The tail wind through Oliver to Osoyoos felt great and definitely contributed to my higher than normal average speed...but this could only mean one thing...as I turned the corner to head up Richter's Pass, the headwinds began. I have to say that I truly thanked all those windy long training rides I've had in Victoria this year...experience didn't let the wind psyche me out. Stay focused.
After Richters, it became apparent the headwind was here to stay...through the rollers, Cawston to Keremeos, and the out and back...relentless. That's okay, focus. Stay in aero...full pedal stroke. Stay fuelled and drink, drink, drink.
Not stopping at all, keeping my pace, focusing on position, stretching my back, and fuelling every time my watch beeped at me...I was racing my plan. The wind was slowing me down a bit but my perceived effort was where I expected it to be. I finished the ride feeling okay. My bike shoes were off before I got off the bike and my T2 was fast. Hand off the bike, grab my bag, helmet off, running shoes on, grab my fuel and hat...let's go...keep focused.
Now the marathon...where I knew my real Ironman would begin...my nemesis...my demons. Sound a bit dramatic?? Well it has been in the past. In fact it's been downright ugly in the past. Not this time I thought, I knew what I had to do. Good posture, keep your pace, keep fuelling and water at every aid station...stay focused.
I was happily surprised at how good my legs felt at the beginning of the run. In fact they felt okay, not peppy but okay, until the last set of hills before OK Falls, about the half way point. But I'd been to that place before...the place on the long training runs where the quads start to hurt. Once again I relied on my training experience to just accept how I felt, knowing that I could push past this point and keep running. Stay focused...keep running.
On the way back from OK Falls, I started doing the math...not the best subject for most triathletes but try doing it when you are 10.5 hours into a race. The course was marked off in miles so at every marker I found myself looking at my watch and attempting to calculate if I was going to make my goal. I knew it was going to be close. Every mile marker...I was recalculating. Stay focused...keep running.
I ran almost the whole marathon, except for a few steps every aid station to take a gulp of water and a couple of hills on the way back (when I realized that the woman beside me was walking the same speed I was running up the hill).
I knew that from the turn off back into town, it was about 5km to the finish line. "Time to push" I had planned. That's when I started to giggle...or at least I was giggling on the inside at the absurd notion that I had been doing anything else but "pushing" this whole run!! My quads felt like I was being stabbed on every stride, my hips were incredibly tight and I could feel that my posture had gone to hell. I don't care what I look like just keep running...you can make it...it's going to be so close, just keep running.
At the top of Main street, I had an incredible sense of emotion when I first heard the finish line. I was listening for it as I got closer and closer to town. But when I finally heard the announcer and the cheering I felt even more a sense of urgency to make my goal. Still looking at my watch and recalculating I wasn't sure if I was going to make it. The cheering as I came back down Main street was incredible. Stay focused...lengthen your stride...faster.
As I reached Lakeshore Drive, still having more than a mile to run (it is an out-and-back to the finish line), I saw Ken with such a look of excitement on his face. I could see him glance at his watch and then yell "GO, GO, GO" sending all his energy to me. It was 12:45 on the clock...less than 15 minutes to meet my goal. I ran to the turn around, which seemed like forever, then ran with everything I had left to the finish line. It wasn't until I hit the final finish line carpet that I realized the goal I had been obsessing about for 2 years was met. With a high five from Ken and a thousand cheering spectators I crossed the line at 12:56:15. A personal best by 1 hour and 15 minutes. Mission accomplished.
Training for me has always been very physical. This year was different...I'm not sure why...maybe just being more experienced. I really lent on my training, especially the tough days, to get me through the difficult race day moments. Training is growing and learning about yourself and your abilities...hopefully it will never end.
