IMC

It wasn't pretty but I got to the finish line and I got a medal.

**

I'd had very high expectations heading into the race.

I felt more fit than before any previous Ironman. I had been training consistently for a solid eight months, responding well to 'The Method' as espoused by my ironguides coach Kristian Manietta.

I was setting PBs in the pool, on the local TT course and running. I was strong and as light (lean) as I've ever been.

And in the final two months before the race I was able to lift my training efforts for which I give a lot of credit to having my Aussie friend Dingo on location here in Squamish.

I felt competitive and believed that I had an opportunity to win my age group.

**

On race morning, my mind was calm. I had been calm most of the previous week.

We arrived early to be bodymarked and I was ready to go more than an hour ahead of the starter's countdown.

As planned, I went for a warm-up run. I remained relaxed. While I've made progress in each discipline this year, I have felt my biggest improvement has been with my run. I was really looking forward to running a 'fast' marathon.

Simplicity was my watchword for the day. I intended to focus on 'what's important now' and continue to remind myself of that through the day.

As per my pre-race plan, I bolted at the start of the swim.

Bam, bam, bam. Strong and powerful strokes. I swam as hard as I could for the first 500m or so to get as much clear water and to get as far away as I could from any potential chaos.

The swim was about 1.6km straight out, then about 500m across and then 1.8km back to shore.

I got to the 1.6km mark in less than 25 minutes. I ran the numbers through my mind and was on track for the 1 hour start to my day. I exited the water in 1.05 and was initially disappointed. But I didn't dwell on it. It was time to spin.

**

The first part of the bike course is flat and fast. I hit the 40k mark in 1:01 and was very happy. I opted to ride without speed or distance on my bike computer, just cadence. My nutrition was going in, I was taking a salt tab every 20 mins or so. All systems on target. Then the first of the 'packs' swarmed me.

I hadn't ever heard of drafting as an issue at IMC and so was really taken aback by it. It really really bothers me. And I saw little to no attempt to control it.

At 60k I had clocked 1:33 and felt strong. Richter - a solid half hour climb - lay ahead. And then ...

**

I took the turn at Osoyoos with a bit more speed than I realized. The road drops a little as it curves and I misjudged how fast I was going and how much room I needed to turn.

I braked a bit and slid on the white painted road markings. My brakes locked and crossed into the adjacent lane.

At the same time a SUV was driving in that lane, fortunately headed in the same general direction as me. And I slammed into the middle passenger door/side and then fell to the ground.

(*Not that I noted at the time but the SUV simply kept moving. I hit it hard enough that I'd think someone would have noticed.)

As I processed what happened, I stood up and a spectator came from somewhere and helped collect my bidons and my bike. I did a very fast bike check, hopped back on and started off. I knew that I had to keep moving.

Needless to say my focus was disrupted! And I was sore. I nailed my left side - shoulder, arm and leg. My rhythm wasn't quite the same after the fall.

I have six road rash areas .. and two wicked bruises. Otherwise I am good. Everything is healing well.

**

The end result was that my mind was now in overdrive and not in the most positive way. In hindsight, I was a bit dazed too.

I was passed by so many athletes going up Richter. It was disheartening after I'd begun with such a solid effort.

I lost the plot for about 100k despite trying to focus on 'what's important now'. I was wary of my bike and so took the downhills a bit easier than I would have, though I'm no downhill specialist.

I eventually regained my composure and put in a solid bit of work for the final 20k of the bike. I came good again. So the first 60k and the final 20k were basically as per my race plan! Small victories!!

I ended up with a bike split of about 5:41, according to the clock on my bike. That was a good 20-25 minutes slower than my plan. Still I had to remind myself it was a decent time given what had happened.

**

The first step off the bike told me that I wouldn't be running quite as fast as I'd visualized. I was far less mobile on the left side than I expected. I wasn't in a happy place.

I walked to get my run bag while volunteers were zooming this way and that way. I almost laughed. At least, I had plenty of time to put on my long socks I thought and I took my time doing so. I got some sunscreen and headed out.

The first 5k were OK. My mobility increased the more I ran and I started to think that I'd still be able to run a decent time. My run cadence was good. I got to the 10k mark in about 52 minutes. I was coming good - I thought. Ha!

I kept my pace for another 5k or so before I started to hit the wall - not ideal! About 25k earlier than the plan.

Then I made a mistake. I walked through a few aid stations to get in my nutrition etc. That wasn't such a good idea. It was tougher to restart than I anticipated. I hit the turnaround at about 2 hours.

My mind switched gears at that point. It's not that I gave up, I just realized this wasn't going to be my day. I couldn't force in my nutrition.

I kept moving though and decided that no matter how slow I was running, I would run to the end. And I did that.

I was in a good place as I entered town for the final 5k or so. The spectators along both the bike and the run courses were superb - among the best at any race I have ever done.

I would not 'sprint' the chute.

I saw Margreet with about 20 metres to go, third time that I had seen her during the day. (IMC is a superb race for athletes but it's not very spectator friendly because the bike is one loop and the run is one loop too.)

I ran 4:24 .. a solid hour slower than I had in mind.

Final time: 11:21 .. well off the Sub10 in my race plan. 53rd in my age group.

No Kona for me this year.

**

Not surprisingly the day after the race, I felt like I had been hit by a truck. Ha! But as I said earlier I'm recovering well.

Two solid walks with Luka on Wednesday helped, another on Thursday was good too, and more in the next few days.

While I failed to achieve any of my performance objectives, I don't intend to lose any sleep over what happened.

I'll be back in the pool, pulling on my running shoes and clipping into my pedals in due course. I love being a triathlete.