Thank You Canada

IMC #26 gets 9.9 CT Legs

You know by now that 10 is PERFECT. Closest to it this year has been Boulders 5430. There area a lot of good races, a few great races, and one or two exceptional races. But there is only one IRONMAN CANADA. I have long held that this is the best long course triathlon in the world. Unless you are a Pro and racing for prize money and sponsorship, this event is every age groupers dream. Folks, there are reasons why it is now in its 27th year. I will list three: Quality, passion, venue.

Quality. Tough to define, easy to see and feel. This event, under the expert direction of North America Sports (Graham, Helen, Roch, Joe, JD, Z, Mark, et. al.) put on a show second to none (are you reading Diana?) From the Expo and registration, through race day and into the awards banquet, this is an experience of an athletes lifetime. Hence the demand.

Passion: Graham told me last year that the people that work for NAS are passionate about what they do (or they wouldn't do it). The wonderful folks of Penticton open their streets, shops, homes and hearts to each and every Ironman participant, every year. They yell, they cheer, they support, they encourage, they inspire. They outnumber the participants almost 3-1. We get pampered every August in the Oakanagan.

Venue: The swim in Lake Oakanagan is about as nice as it gets, photo op mass start and two right turns in comfortable clean water. Aren't many one lap 112 mile courses anymore. Florida, Lanzarote, Kona. 'bout it. The spectacular 112 of IMC has it all. A thirty mile (mostly) downhill to start past incredible mountains and lakes, the signature climb up Richter Pass, the seven bitches - a set of relentless rollers - the Twilight Zone of Cawston, a TdF like climb up Yellow Lake and the screaming downhill finish into town and return through cheering Main Street. And that, folks, is the seriously condensed version, anybody who has done this race will take hours to tell you what unfolded on their personal journey. And the run, once outside of town, is as good as it gets, along Skaha Lake, at the turn in OK Falls and back. Running down Main St. towards the pandemonium of the finish is an experience that every tri-geek should know. How the mind deals with the pain of the body and the elation of the soul is truly unique. To be cheered onward by thousands of screaming fans as you deal with absolute physical fatigue, disorientation and dehydration is only reconciled by crossing the finish line. There are tears. There are hugs. Character is on display. Legends are made here. Heros born. Stories begun and chapters ended. This venue is so special, so magical and so meaningful, that even in the pouring rain at 10PM, fifteen hours after Ironman legend Peter Reid lit the match firing the starting canon, I sat in the rain and watched finishers hit the tape in a steady courageous parade. Sure, I've done my share of Ironman events, but siting there on Sunday night, I realized that I hadn't done one TODAY.

And suddenly a squall of empathetic gratefulness washed me clean. I am happy to have done my races in the past, I am proud of the folks finishing right now, and I am especially grateful that we have this wonderful opportunity to exercise our quality of life freedoms in such a beautiful and passionate venue.

Thank you Canada for 9.9 CompuTrainer Legs.

Photos: Kurt doing a street Renior Saturday night. I love the pipes, especially at mile 21. The Super Shooter Scooter gets primed. The finish and the start, all in a days work.