While everyone was buying Ironman Canada shirts, pre-paying for finisher photos, and shaving Ironman logos on their head, I abstained, knowing I may not finish. I did know that I would follow the guidance that God puts in my heart, even if that meant stopping to help someone or pulling out of the race.

The course is hilly and it's going to be a hot day. Doctors warn of dehydration and hyponatremia (salt deficiency) and also against use of Ibuprofin which leads to dehydration. The parade of athletes shows off about 20 different countries. A thousand details are focussed on: packing food and fluids for the all-day race, tuning bikes, preparing transition bags for quick changes, hydrating, carbo-loading, stretching, and developing a game plan. Mine was to eat & drink a lot and be very conservative on the swim & bike, and closely monitor my legs during the run.

The evening before, I reluctantly went to a friend's pasta party. To my surprise, Thomas Hellriegel (who I believe is the world's fastest Ironman and who shattered the course record on race day) and Holly Nybo (last year's winner) were there! Talking to them was an incredible boost and very informative.

Race day. With 1000 calories in me, I walk towards the shore of Lake Okanagan where 1700 triathletes are lining up for the largest wave start in triathlon history. I take some deep breathes, go over the race in my head one last time, say a prayer, and tell myself, "go easy, save energy". The cannon fires, a massive sea of bodies goes from vertical to horizontal. Like my friend Craig says, "It's like 6 people trying to use the same phone booth". I concentrate on staying calm. A hand wacks my left goggle off. So not to be trampled, I sprint ahead, find a pocket of clear water, and quickly fix it. Most of the swimmers are near the buoys so I stay wide. The water is so clear I can read the age group on the calf of the woman in front of me. At the turn buoy the lake bottom becomes visible. I'm staring at seaweed and fish and suddenly am startled to see 2 bodies lying on the lake floor! Then I notice the cameras and scuba tanks. I'm swimming easy and staying in the draft. Exiting the water we dash for the transition racks. Volunteers shout "hit the grass!" and help you out of your wetsuit.

In bike shorts & jersey, I run to the bike and start the 112mi ride down Main St. Everyone's cheering like your heading off to discover new world's. I think, "Now we're moving!" Everybody's passing me... I remain conservative & follow the plan: stay comfortable, drink a bottle every 10mi, and take in 400 calories every hour [I lose about 850cal/hr swimming, 540cal/hr biking, 940cal/hr running]. At 16mi Clint Gaver taps me on the back, without a word, as he flies by, set on a top 20 bike finish. I cheer him on as he arcs through the twisty countryside. I see locals, Rebecca Nelson ('95 age group winner) and Kana Shibuya (7th woman out of water). The first 35mi are a breeze, slightly downhill. Climbing up 1500ft Ritcher Pass, I encourage Darren Gill (intent on qualifying) as he hammers up the slope. I stay seated and keep my heart rate aerobic (below 165bpm). After loud cheers at the top, the downhills are marvelous, long 45mph stretches. At 56mi, Kevin Sutton drives up alongside to take pictures. I tell him I feel great and am having a blast! I'm averaging 20.4mph. At 65mi I see a tall guy on a red Cannondale [like how Brigid described her friend from Texas] He's totally surprised when I ask, "Are you Mark Thom?" He's also trying to qualify, I see the concentration.

The course scenery is stunning, the people are enthusiastic. On the 10mi out-n-back to get our "needs bag", I see Clint and the others. I'm happy to open my bag, pour Cytomax into my Jetstream, and start munching on a tasty PB&J sandwich! At 75mi I shift too quick & throw a chain, it won't jump on so I get off and fix it. Now my rt knee is hurting because my seat's too low. For 20mi I keep asking spectators & motorists if they have an allen wrench but no luck. At least it was a distraction and I didn't even remember going over Yellow Lake, the hardest climb on the course. Almost 100mi, we're flying down to Skaha Lake, a Cliff Bar in my mouth, I see John Kruempelstaed. He's tired but still hammering to the end. I didn't realize he was also on a qualifying mission. I'm feeling good, taking it easy. At 104mi I see Thomas Hellriegel, the leader, already 8mi on the run! Last aid station, bummer, I miss the water bottle! The town spectators are going wild. The transition goes well, total time is 6.5 hours. Now, can I run?

I'm amazed that my legs feel great! I start with 7:15 pace and it feels easy. The plan is 8:30 pace so I compromise and run 8:00. I eat Gu every 3mi, then every 2mi. I drink a lot, pour a lot on me, and keep filling my hat with ice. It's hot on these uncovered, lakeside roads. At 4mi I meet up with Clint. He's dehydrated, shuffling along. A little frustrated that the bike didn't come together as expected, he tells me, "You better go ahead, it's gonna be a long day". At 5mi I see Craig Sullivan who ran 4:35 at ½ Vineman. He's nauseous & cramped, I encourage him but he remains walking. At 6mi I run with John K. He's hurting but continues a persistent 8:30pace throughout the marathon.

The sun is really beating down, there are walkers everywhere. I stop and stretch a few times, I want to take care of my legs. My knee hurts when my pace slows below 8:30 so I'm committed to a 3:40 marathon. I see the leaders, Thomas, Peter, Pauli, Ken, Tinley, and Paula Newby. My buddy, Kevin, is riding the course, taking pictures and keeping me company. At one point I see him escaping the heat by floating in the water, taking pictures of us running along the shore. I see Chris Pendray, from Runner's Factory, also in pursuit of qualifying. He's feeling ill and a little later he passed out on the pavement. When he realized what happened he was able to walk to the medical tent at 13mi. He later continued to finish the race!

My wet shoes have led to blisters, at 11mi I put a big glob of vaseline on my feet. At the turn-around I load up with Gu's and power food from my "needs bag". I'm 1hr 47min into the run. From 14mi to 20mi I'm feeling great, maintaining 8:20, and drinking a lot. When my heart rate goes anaerobic (>165bpm) I pour water on my head to bring it down. I go by Erin McCarty, top Silicon Valley amateur, who's running strong on her way to qualifying. At 20mi I try to eat a bar with Ginseng in it but I'm getting tired of eating. Now it's tough. Long gradual climbs. My heart rate is 177bpm (anaerobic). I go by Arne Hansen who is an amazing runner, always ahead of me, but his qualifying hopes have been squelched by debilitating cramps. He runs with me a bit but is soon forced back to walking. My sights are set on Mark Thom, but he's pulling away. At 24mi, just when I think he's out of reach, I see his left leg seize up, forcing him to stop, grab his leg, & continue limping. I talk to him and he says he'll work it out. Now the full realization that I'm about to complete an Ironman hits me and I'm astatic. The spectators are packed along the last mile, I hear the announcer calling my name, I see the grand finish line and jump through the tape at 10hrs 11min (3:39 marathon). Behind me is Mark Thom, who did pull through and qualified for his age group. Behind him, John K, also qualified. [I was 33 of 248 in div and 108 overall. In my age the qualifying time was 10:03. In 30-34 age the time was 10:13].

Many others were still out there, struggling along the hot pavement, watching the sun start to set. It would be a long day for many but they will feel victorious when they see the finish. As Paula Newby-Fraser said, you learn more about yourself in an Ironman because seldom do you spend that many hours focussed only on you and what you're made of.

I'm happy to say that my Canada Ironman experience has given me knowledge and new excitement for my upcoming challenge in Hawaii. I think I really enjoy this distance. At Hawaii I will be trying for a sub 10hr Ironman. My Canada experience, additional wind & heat training, and listening to God will make for an exciting race in Hawaii. Thanks for the support!