Nationals

I have for the past number of years participated in masters swimming championships, either Provincial or National or both.
This year I went to Nationals in Montreal. 
I initially was disappointed with my swims, particularly lack of personal bests (PBs), only 1 over the weekend.  I thought since I've been spending way more hours swimming than other years, PB's would be falling easily... I felt a shake in my confidence for my big event for the year (the Lake swim) from my performance, and even shed a few tears when I mentioned it to Dave, my coach/BMSC coach. 
But Dave reassured me that pool sprint racing is not what I am training for and continuing training for my Lake swim in the week up to Nationals meant I wasn't tapered either... my team-mates were also there for me, helping reassure me!
And finally on the last event, the 1500 free, I took 8 seconds off my previous best time (from 2005) in very easy fashion.  This was a very comfortable race/pace, which I could have continued for longer... 
I also met Lake Ontario swim crossers Colleen Shields (who will be my SSO swim master) and Kim Lumsden...
Always a good time with BMSC on away trips!  My memorable moments include:

• the laughable poorly organized/run meet
• taking the subway with Lynn and our guide Art
• our “quick” zip home to hang up wet stuff resulting in getting lost before the social (especially since Jenn Strang was with us and the social was for her to get an award)
• Dave Bilton's Saturday evening tour with John Arbon of Old Montreal
• taking pictures with the underwater camera
• watching Denyse complete her 1^st 200 fly
• playing on the restaurant floor with Andrew and a St Hubert cardboard car
• having my flight home cancelled til the next morning

Bill's 3rd Ironman - St. George, Utah

We all headed to sunny St. George, Utah the 1st week of May, for vacation and so Bill could do what is considered one of the toughest Ironman in North America...

This was going to be Dahlia's 1st flights, and I think she did rather well.  We had a long full travel day on the way there, with a 4:40am start and 3 flights, we had to pull over and sleep on the side of the road on our drive from Vegas.  Dahlia got a couple cute looks as we walked through the airport pulling her cute little travel bag and she would occasionally say "this is so exciting"... In Calgary airport she loved the "fossils" in the floor and the flying dinosaurs models hanging from the ceiling, which she called "flap-asauros" and in Vancover they had an indoor playground where she made some friends.

Our condo was quite nice (other than the defunct pull-out couch and inability to get on the free-internet and the after hours pool key which didn't work (getting me locked in the pool area one morning))  The pools were very nice and our new underwater camera got a lot of use!  Dahlia loved the pool, we had to drag her out, guess it runs in the family.

Bill had lots to do to get ready and it was a pretty busy few days, pre-ironman.  One day we went out to Sand Hallow Reservoir; it was just beautiful!  Bill did a practice swim, while Cadence suntanned and Dahlia enjoyed throwing rocks into the water.  When Bill finished, I got my turn for my 1st open water swim of the year.  This was such a great treat!!!  The water was about 60F and the triathletes gave me a few odd looks as I went in "naked" (in open-water terms, naked means without a wetsuit)  Bill said after I got in one lady said to her friend "she (me) must be from San Fran" - like that's the only place they get open water nuts (although I guess there are a few extra there)... anyways the water temp really was perfect for a little swim, I enjoyed it so much I forgot to write it down in my training log, as it was just too nice to think of it as a workout. 

We also drove the bike course one day, it was very scenic! and when we were down in the canyon a fighter jet appear above the red rocks, did some twirls and as fast as anything disappeared over the other side, almost touching the red rocks, it was kind of neat.  We drove up the Veyo "wall" and I was thinking (to myself) "this is going to be a tough Ironman" and was glad it wasn't me.  At the top of Veyo, we stop at the Veyo pie shop and got some yummy treats before we headed back into town  (Note: Bill had to do the Veyo wall twice on the bike as it was part of the loop).

Ironman Day, early morning I took Bill to the shuttle bus, walked with him to the mid-way bag drop off, then gave him my big good luck hug and kiss.  I told him he had everything he needed to get this done and he got on the bus,,, and we started our adventure of trying to follow his progress.  I went back to the condo and woke the girls and we drove to another location to catch our shuttle bus out to the swim.  I was quite impressed with the organization and the number of people out to watch the swim (everyone needed to take a shuttle to the swim as they were not allowing cars in)... the view was lovely and we spotted Bill starting off on the bike and he saw us and gave us a big smile.  We had to wait awhile until we could catch the bus back, so Dahlia again wanted to go down to the waters edge and throw rocks.  Particularly cute was the fact that since it was such an early start I had just left her in her pjs...

Next I tried to figure out where to go to watch the bike, I picked a location, put it in the GPS but got re-routed because of road closures for the race and ended up at a decent location anyway, there was a little playground park area (with some shade - it was getting hot!, oh the poor athletes), Dahlia played and we could see the bikes go by and then we saw a runner; we ended up at a part of the course which was both the bike and the run, sweet!  We had to leave the shade to go closer when we thought we could expect Bill... let me tell you this is one of the hardest parts about being an Ironman spectator, waiting, worrying how he is, wondering if you missed him, etc.  Well we saw him on the bike, he looked reasonably relaxed and then we waited for him to come by again running... I should say that where we were was at the top of a long slow hill (they were going down on the bike and up on the run)... so when he went by "running", I felt my heart sink as he said he didn't want to run; this was pretty much the beginning of the marathon, not so good, especially when I had heard this is one of the hardest IM runs out there, I had seen the elevation chart too!...  But we cheered him on as best we could, and Cadence and I held in the tears welling up until he had past... 

Next we headed into downtown St. George, they have this quaint town square, which today was packed with excitement!  They had a little splash pad area, and Dahlia had a blast!  Using my best estimate, we eventually pulled Dahlia and went to try and catch Bill go by on the 1st loop of the run; we waited, Dahlia got impatient to go back to the water area, I eventually left Cadence there to watch for him (trust me, there would be no other place Cadence would go, she watches so intently for her dad!  I know how hard it is for her as she worries through these races) and I took Dahlia back to the splash pad... I gave up only about 15 minutes too early.  Cadence said that Bill said he was feeling better, and I finally felt some relief as well...

After a bit, we made our way to the nearby finish area, they had stands set up and we found a spot.  Dahlia enjoyed cheering, we heard her yell what sounded like "do it dad" & "get it done"... At one point she sat down and had an apple and next time I looked at her she was sitting there a sleep, in all the noise, it was adorable.  So the rest of the wait, I held her asleep in my arms, and then Cadence saw him, we were screaming, but he didn't see us...so then we had to scramble and make sure we found him coming out the other side of the finishing chute,,,
WOW that was a hard, hot, hilly (hilly is a kind word) and not to mention the hard part training for an event at this time of year in Canada... and Bill plugged away and got it done!  I think I know how bad he wanted to quit when he started the run,,, but he held in, later we found out he had an upset stomach too!  I am so proud of him and my iron-cheering kids, I can't even express it properly!  Way to go Billy!!!

Next day, (mother's day) Bill spent pretty quietly.  The girls and I went shopping to give him some peace so he could relax and plus cause we like shopping...hee

Before heading back home we managed to get in a trip to Zion National Park, and am glad we did.  It was quite fantastic.  Dahlia enjoyed roaming around, although she wouldn't stop for pictures, so opposite from Cadence who loves the camera... Even with the downpour we got caught in at the end of the hike, I'm so glad Bill felt up to doing the trip.

Here is Bill's summary of the race:

So I had a crazy idea of squeezing in an early season race before my focus turned to helping my wife Melanie train for her Lake O Crossing.  Now I’ll tell you that my choice was Ironman St. George Utah.  This race was quickly labeled as one of the toughest on the circuit due to the possibility of a cold swim, a tough bike and a very punishing run.

The hardest part of any Ironman is the training and this one is no different, perhaps a little more grueling is that this one is done throughout the winter.  So a time of year that should be used to rest the body and mind was full of unusually long training weeks. 

In the fall I joined the HAC masters swimming group.  Having a coach and being in the pool with other swimmers was great to keep me focused.  Coach Carrie corrected my chicken wing stroke and tried her hardest to make me kick.

My training time on the bike was 99% on the trainer just spinning way.  Right after my first time riding the St. George course on the Computrainer I knew it was going to be something “special”.  The longest rides I could manage on the trainer were just over 4 hours… yes it gets very boring.

I thought the hardest part of training for this event would be running in the snow and cold!  But I ended up enjoying getting outside and braving the elements… “makes you tough” was my motto.  The best was my long runs with the Oakville running group on the Around the Bay route and JC bagels to warm up afterwards.

After a long day of travel, we final arrived at our accommodations; the city of St George is beautiful and the locals seemed very friendly and excited about the race.  Even with all the logistics of 2 transitions, the registration process and getting set up for race day was a breeze. 

Race day started early with catching a shuttle to the swim start.  Last minute bike checks, nutrition set-up and getting all greased up with sun screen; all of this is done before the sun comes up.  Once the sun breaks the horizon the panic sets in; all athletes head to the start corral at the same time.  The start is just seconds away…

The Swim: 1:12:24 (PB)

After the gun goes off, I’m waiting for the washer-machine to hit me, but instead I get open water right off the bat.  Many athletes seemed afraid of the 62C “cold water” and lingered on the shoreline until the start, but it wasn’t that bad (for a LOSTie anyways).  Cool and crisp, it was very easy to settle into a great rhythm and just follow the fastest feet I could hold onto. 

The Bike: 6:55:37

Out of the fresh waters into what is an already warm morning; the ride starts with a route back into St George 35 miles approx. There are3 longer climbs in this section but this early in the ride and the amazing scenery you hardly notice them.  A very steep downhill to the loop, this is where the fun begins, the loop is 40 miles approx.  The loop consisted of rolling hills, good climbs and some very mean climbs with the occasional downhill to rest.  The breathtaking vistas make the climbing very rewarding. Even a couple low flying military jets flew over.  I have never ridden anything like that descent back into town before; 8% descents on the aero bars over 70 kph = Amazing!  Then do the loop all over again, second time around not so much fun. 

The Run: 5:53:26    

Right out of T2 the run is a beast.  A gradual climb to a steep long climb to more climbing, some downhills, steep downhills, more climbing … no joke this run would be hard on a bike.  And just like the bike course it was a 2 loop run so you do it all twice!  On the second loop just past the turnaround on top of the bluffs you can hear all the commotion of the finish line.  Something about the sound of Mike Reilly calling finishers down the shoot spurred me on; it got me to the finish!  To see my girls anxiously waiting for me, that was climax of my journey. 

This race was a real test for me, with temperatures well over 90F and no shade until late in the run.   At one point, I wasn’t even sure I would finish the bike.  And the run began with whatever virus I had earlier in the week.  From porta-potty to porta-potty, I kept plugging away until my body would let me function.  At some point in the second lap of the run though it became fun again, knowing you will finish has that affect.  What a great way to spend a day!  Will I do this race again? …certainly hope so!