So, the pros went off and there was basically no warm up time. People finally started getting on the beach after it being pretty empty for some time.

This is my most nervous part. Four years ago I didn't swim and my time in triathlon has largely been a battle to get calm and comfortable during the swim. I had been training and felt good but I know i am not fast, I was thinking a 1:30 would be reasonable given my fitness and speed. But i had my doubts. The ironman mass swim start is notoriously scary for swimmers like me. Contact, crowding, the length all play into it. Also, my swim training had not been the best. I hate to admit that I never actually swam the whole distance in training.

Also, it's important to picture the lake. The swim is a long rectangle separated by a peninsula. It's a gorgeous setting with the hills of the Laurentians all around us. However this morning that was 'fog' or 'steam' on the lake and we couldn't see all of the buoys from the shore. It was interesting to know that further beyond there were more buoys. Perhaps this calmed my nerves.

Finally it was go time. And I didn't wait as long as I thought I would. The water was warm compared to the air temperature so it wasn't much of a shock getting in. I was so calm I couldn't believe it. I started swimming and just followed the mass of people. I didn't look up much and just kept with it - it didn't seem likely that these people were all going in the wrong direction. After what felt like about 5 mins we were suddenly all jammed together. The area narrowed significantly between the buoys and some parked boats. Again, I just rolled with it and tried not to get pummeled. I caught a hand on my shoulder and lightly my goggles got knocked so some water got in on the left side. I wanted to keep going so i just pressed on it to make sure it was sealed and kept on.

The water in my goggle was annoying but it didn't want to stop so i kept swimming with that eye closed. I also didn't want to worry about time so i just kept swimming. I ended up to the left of buoy line but there were lots of people there and i didn't get moved. I finally peeked at my watch and I had forgotten to start it ... shoot! Oh well, i started it and kept going. It felt like a thousand buoys but finally i made it to the first turn. I had to swim left to go and get around it but it was okay.

After turning i was back with more people and it was a little more contact. I had two guys nearly sandwich me as they were swimming right for one another. i hung back a second and tried to find some feet to swim behind. This was mostly distracting as many people have a very sporadic kick with no rythm at all!

When I rounded the second turn and started the home stretch i was still fine and still looking out of one goggle. I was getting antsy to just get there and started looking for the start of the peninsula because i knew i would be close then. Finally i'd had enough of the one goggle situation. I slowed enough to get my head up and let the water out and re-seal. It was all good.

Finally i was getting into shore. I didn't know where it would be best to stand up but I did too early ... however, standing up i could see the clock- 1:28. Woot! I waded about 50m and I was off.

I can't believe I had just finished the ironman swim!!!

Well, I would have swam more but that's a woulda, coulda, shoulda - i swam what I thought I was capable of and it was better than I anticipated. So happy with this!

So, it's a very long run into transition. There were a ton of people lining the way so it was awesome. I heard a guy from our swim group tell me I was awesome! I ran with no problems and felt almost lifted all the way the way there.

I got to the tent and declined help from the volunteers and got myself sorted. I nearly burst into tears because I was so overwhelmed that I had just done the ironman swim and I was on to the next stage. This was a huge accomplishment for me.

I had made myself a list but i couldn't find my body glide so i skipped doing my feet. But as i got my shoes the tube was in there. So i stuck it in my pocket so i could do my feet in T2 - this is very important for the run - not so much for the bike.

And then I was off! Except for a quick stop for sunscreen - i am very pale and this is very necessary for such a long day.

Not sure. I was kind of shaky but I don't think i dallied much. It is a really long run through transition and I didn't really care all that much.

So, i had biked the course about a month before and knew it was manageable. The key was to keep enough energy for the mean hills on Chemin Duplessis on the second loop.

It was a cool morning so i had to managed to put on my very fashionable tube sock arm warmers since I figured the day would warm up significantly and I wanted to be able to toss them.

The first 10k was very crowded. And I very nearly took out one of those construction pylons which was a good reminder to 'pay attention' as i was looking down to see if my body marking was gone (it was). The weather was very clear and calm heading out on the highway. We were encouraged to use the road instead of the shoulder so i did. Halfway up all the fast guys were coming back and there were huge packs. I had my swim coach's voice in my head telling me that this was my day and my race and not to think about anyone else. She especially emphasized not to worry about how slow I was in comparison to others so i didn't. My garmin screen showed heart rate and total time and that was it. I would get a 5k spit to check in on pace.

The bike was rather uneventful. I ate and hydrated and skipped the first number of aid stations. I often passed people on the uphills and would spend time with the same groups of people for a while - passing one another back and forth.

Passing through the town of Ste. Jovite was fun but in the morning there weren't as many spectators as I had thought there would be - there were still lots and they were very enthusiastic.

This bike course was slightly different than in training and the turn around on Chemin Duplesis was further up. On the first loop I wanted to grab some hydration but the station was curved and I couldn't quite manage it. I still had some hydration so it wasn't a dire situation but I had had to get some at the next one.

I was thrilled to finish the first loop. The hill section was tough and I didn't get some of the gearing right and I was grinding my gears more than I should have in a few spots. I was worried that it might affect the second loop and ultimately the run.

This time there was some wind on the highway. Ugh. Thankfully it wasn't too bad and then there was some light drizzle. Thankfully it didn't last nor cause the roads to get too wet. Being a two loop course I could use landmarks to gauge my progress and I was waiting for the big uphill because that meant i would soon be done the highway section and then all that was left would make me sooooo much closer. I did some visible fist pumping coming off the highway - just 40k left! oooh baby! My first ironman bike was nearly in the bag!!! So happy!

I made friends with a guy 'Eric' with whom I passed back and forth through the Chemin Duplessis. But to be honest I didn't really want to talk I wanted to bike! My left IT band was threatening and starting to pinch a bit so i made the effort to keep my cadence high and not grind too much. I was worried that any significant flare up would make my day that much harder. I was great the second time around on the hills and hearing the people zooming by on the way back was so motivating - I knew the end was near! I tried to use the aid station again with no luck. Darnit.

Coming back in is a blur. I know I did and there were fewer spectators waiting near transition which is to be expected.

That was it! I finished my ironman bike and my IT band was fine and I beat my projected time of 7 hours!! Woot!

Not a heck of a lot. Other than be prepared for the aid stations better.

T2 is a blur. I do remember taking the time to coat my feet in body glide, stuff my gels in my pockets and that's about it. Stopped for more sunscreen. It wasn't particularly sunny out, but, again, I am very pale and anything to make life more comfortable is good.

Nada. This was fine.

So, this is the unknown. I have run 5 stand alone marathons. My best at 4:08 and a worst where I walked a whole half at 5:20 or something like that. But 42.2 km is really far and how would it feel after all that biking and swimming?

We had heard a talk from Lisa Bentley the day before and she talked about walking and not letting that 'little voice' take over because even a slow jog is faster than walking. So that motivated me. I planned to walk the aid stations to ensure I got my hydration and nutrition down and to do that as long as possible. I made a deal with myself - get to the far turnaround on the trail which would be about halfway on the first loop.

I made it no problem using that strategy. We had a cool rain shower on the way out but it wasn't too soaking. My HR was low which was good - i had no problem keeping it down. So, I decided I would try to keep the strategy up for the whole first loop and then re-evaluate again. Coming back to the village I was getting tired and the couple of hills heading there were not all that welcome but I didn't stop - i ran the hills and only walked the aid stations. The village was amazing the chute was full of people cheering and high-fiving. It was a great boost. I can tell you though that I didn't want to go back out. It was sooooo tempting to run for the finish.

Coming back into the village our swim friend Ali passed me and she was going to finish - I looked at the clock as I ran back out for my second loop and it was 10:50 - she rocked it!

I had been watching for my husband and he was a few kms ahead of me and with my slowing down I probably wouldn't catch him. Now that I had made the first loop I made the next deal: make it to 30k only walking the aid stations. I skipped the special needs not particularly needing anything from the bags

As I got out on the trail I started talking to and running with a guy from Austin. This was a huge motivator - thank you, Denis, you made that section so much more bearable. He dropped off at a porta potty before the 30k marker but most of the work was done. I was thinking that if i could keep going to 32 i would be in good shape with only 10k left I could definitely do it. Then it started to rain again. It was a colder and harder rain and I wished for my arm warmers. There was crack of lightning and I worried that things could get bad. I felt terrible for the volunteers at the aid stations. What a miserable time. Luckily that was it for the lightning and then there was a rainbow. What a beautiful pick me up.

I was doing okay nutrition wise. My teeth were getting really sensitive from all the sugar and my gels were becoming less and less appetizing but so was most of the stuff at the aid stations. During the rain I did take a cup of the warm broth which went down well. But mostly I would take water until my gel was gone, then at the next station have some perform and then start my next gel.

So, after making it past the 30k mark (only 12 to go! on my ironman day!) I was planning to keep going to 32 but my right calf was getting tight. Not a cramp per se but not happy. I finally gave in and did a walk between the portable spot lights that were along the trail. I tried to keep the walks short. I was doing this for a while. I miscalculated coming back on the to the road thinking I only had 5k to go so I started running more with the strategy of walking the uphills and aid stations - but I still had 6k to go ...I was annoyed when I realized but I had the drive to just get there!!

I also thought about my mom along with Lisa Bentley's talk. My mom had just finished a round of chemotherapy for early ovarian and uterine cancer the week before. And I thought about her and her unfailing encouragement of me and my sisters and how that made something like the ironman possible. I also thought about how awful she would feel after treatment and how I was lucky to be able to choose this pain. She didn't get to choose hers. Mine was a celebration and I should not feel sorry for myself and my aching legs at this moment.

By this time I was so close and I was coming past the beach with the swim start when i talked to a guy who had done a lot of IM's before and had done NY the weekend before and he told me that it doesn't get easier. With that in mind ran that one jerk of a hill just past the beach area and then walked the last one up to the special needs area just to save a little juice for the finish line.

And there it was - the cheering and crowds. I was with a small group of people and I was going to let the one girl go to have her finish time and then someone passed so i just went in with the others. High-fives, fist pumps and I was there!!!

Not a thing. I wish for more energy during the last 10k but what can you do?

Thanks to Lisa Bentley for her pep talk the day before. It really did help me.

Darren (my husband) was waiting at the end for me. I didn't hear Mike Reilly announce my name. I didn't see my finish time. I remember being annoyed with the guy in front of me who stopped dead at the finish to fart around with his watch! And then seeing Darren who was saying how awesome I did. I turned and looked at the clock and saw 13:19 and I couldn't believe it! I blew away my expectations. We went and got our finisher photos taken, including one together and got our finisher swag.

I was shivering like crazy. I was damp from getting rained on twice. We ate some of the awesome finisher food - there was beer! There was poutine! Though the hot food wasn't immediately available and I was so cold I didn't want to stay. So we grabbed some food and went and got our bags and put on our sweaters from the morning but I was still shivering. So we took the gondola back up, I showered and changed and we went back down to watch the other finishers. I was awesome.


Well, i didn't really train with intensity. I trained to 'complete' this race and wasn't focused on overall speed. I am very very very happy with the outcome and could not ask for more.


This was a fantastic race. While watching the finish (after we were done) Mike Reilly said a number of times that he couldn't believe this was the first year of the race. It was the best inaugural year he'd ever seen.

There were sooooo many volunteers who were so helpful. The finishing chute was AMAZING and the setting was just beautiful. I highly recommend this race - the course I think is fair - just the right amount of challenge but with the loops you never really feel alone.