Winter Has Arrived: IMFL

Ya, ya, I know... "winter" ...since I'm not in Canada anymore ;) ...but after 8 years in the ATL, I freely admit that this does feel like winter to me now :)

So last weekend was IMFL.  When we were in Choo, Linda had asked if I wanted to go down and cheer, and I had happily agreed.  She ended up having some other commitments spring up, so had to cancel.  I thought I might still want to go, but then the weeks passed, and I didn't make plans.  When I had lunch with Coach, and mentioned it, he said he thought Vallee and Christine were going, so I tried to hop on that bandwagon...but they'd decided no as well in light of family commitments.  I hemmed and hawed for a few more days not knowing what I'd do.  Then I spoke with Kayla mid week, and she shared a very sad work story that left me crying.  I'd just watched the news video about Brent and Kyle Pease, and so I shared that inspirational story with Kay to make us both feel better, and in that instant I decided I had to go, even if I spent the whole day by myself, because that alone was worth going to cheer for, not to mention the other friends (Kev, Erin, Lane) who were going to be there.  I thought about all the folks who were there cheering for me at IMChoo, and I knew I wanted to give back.

Friday after noon swim I headed out, and made the 6 hour drive.  As luck would have it, Kevin had a spare bed in his hotel room, so I stayed with him.  He was also Sherpa-less so I immediately volunteered.  I lucked out even more with Kev's awesome friends, 3 of whom were racing, and their amazing home-cooked meal.  Delish!  And we were in bed by 8.  Ah yes, the excitement of Ironman racing!  A couple days after the race, Kevin sent me this pic which he'd found that has me overlooking transition.  Pretty cool, and I think quite unintended!

So I'm in Florida right? Should be balmy, right?  WRONG.  I don't know what it is with me and Florida, but unless I'm racing (in which case it's stupid hot and humid) it is almost always cold when I go there.  The first time I was ever in Panama City Beach, I spent 3 days not being able to see off the balcony because the fog was so thick.  It was downright COLD.  I'd picked up some soccer socks (recall Muskoka) for Kevin on my way down, and so glad I did.  He ended up wearing them the entire bike.  Never in a million years would I have expected conditions at IMFL to rival the frozen tundra known as Huntsville Ontario and Muskoka 70.3.  And yet, it was the same temperature race day in FL as it was for me race day in Muskoka.  For reals.  It may look nice and warm, but don't let those pretty colours deceive you!

Up at 4:20 am with Kevin, we got our coffee, and headed down to the beach.  In the end, they cancelled the swim due to a very high riptide, and the inability to get the safety personnel off the beach.  I actually saw a pic of the rescuers being rescued.  Our local Dynamo hero, Betty, had volunteered to swim along side Kyle and Brent because it was so choppy, in case Kyle fell out of the raft.  Amazing.  So all went back to change, and wait for the time trial start for the bike leg.  After making sure Kev was settled and had what he needed, I hung out with Coach and the other Greenies.  We waited out on a corner to cheer all the cyclists on their way out.  It was going to be a tough day.  It was cold and super windy.  The wind, all day, was just brutal. Thankfully I'd brought my new green sparkly uggs, and lots of layers, so actually I was ok, at least my feet were toasty.  It definitely got colder later on, but hey, I wasn't racing.  (although I sure wish I had been, to be honest!).

Erin smokin the run - lap 2

Lane cruising thru lap 1

I went off and did my run, had some lunch, and then hung out on the run course.  I had brought my bike with me so that I could cover the course more effectively.  Erin, now forever known as Grin, thanks to a typo in the race roster, had been literally tearing up the course, and was the first of my gang out on the run.  Watched her the rest of the day, and she totally smashed the course, with the second fastest (including Pros!) bike split, and a phenomenal 3:26 run split, all a mere 3 weeks out of Kona.  It was great being able to support her!  

Lionel Sanders in the lead -
love the Maple Leaf on your kit!

Kevin pre-race

Cheered like crazy for my fellow Canadian, Lionel Sanders, who also just smashed the course, winning IMFL.  Somehow managed to only see Kevin one time before the finish, despite numerous attempts and much time freezing in the dark in the far reaches of the run course.  One of the best parts of spectating was watching Brent and Kyle come in off the bike, after truly grueling conditions, and head out on the run.  I managed to find them again just before the turnaround as well, and screamed my lungs out for them.  Cheered for everyone in all 3 of the spots I hung out at.  It's actually really nice to have names on bibs, so you can call out a person's name.  I know it makes a difference for me.  I hope it helped all those racing on Saturday!

Brent and Kyle finishing their 2nd IM

The whole Dynamo crew was there to cheer in Brent and Kyle.  That was pretty darn awesome.  They are truly an inspiration, and you can read about them and support their outstanding efforts with the Kyle Pease Foundation right here:  http://www.kylepeasefoundation.org/

Thankfully I did see Kevin coming down the chute. Managed to find Lane coming down the chute, too.  And more than a few people heeded my encouragement to 'run it in' down the last few hundred meters.  As we all sat eating pizza later, I suddenly recalled that, in fact, this wasn't the first IM I'd spectated at - I had been at Tahoe last year, cheering on April.  That was the weekend where I actually met Coach for the first time, and mentioned wanting to talk about becoming one of his athletes.  Yes, the Tahoe that was absolutely frigid.  Hmmmm.....I sense a pattern here....

Soooo glad I went.  Had a really great time, and just love being around my Green family.  

Thermal tights Dynamo style

And it appears that winter is really here to stay in the South.  I went out for my ride today, fully
dressed in all my new winter gear.  And I have to say, that even in 40 degrees (5C), I was actually quite toasty.  Even too warm maybe now and then, and actually opened up the jacket.  There are definitely no excuses for not getting out on the road, at least on the weekends.  I think it will have to be pretty nasty for me to stay indoors this winter for my weekend rides.  And I guess that's a good thing, given I have an early season IM to train for.  

Bring it on Mother Nature.  After all, I may have gotten a little soft living in the South for 8 years, but I am, after all, Canadian.

Happy training ya'll, eh?!

Kat