And not for the same reasons most people do. Lazy days at the beach, patio time, picnics and fireworks are wonderful, to be fair. But in addition to all those blissful things associated with the summer months, June through August represents the height of race season. Sweat. Bikes. Sunshine. Long days of training and the lure of all kinds of fun events to partake in.
I returned from France / Spain at the beginning of June to the (joyful) knowledge that the next eight weeks were jam packed full of summer fun...of the triathlete persuasion.
Ride to conquer cancer
Since 2010, the Ride to Conquer Cancer has been an annual event for me. And this year, the sunshine even decided to show up!
It was two days and 310km of fast, sunny riding for a fabulous cause, the BC Cancer Foundation. This year marked my final turn as a co-captain for the KPMG team, and I am proud to have ridden with such a great group! Our team raised a tad over $200,000 this year, bringing our total local fundraising to over half a million dollars in three years.
Participation in sport, to me, has to be about more than chasing fast times. The philanthropic aspect is integral to time spent on two wheels, and to all those who have (repetitively) supported my ride with donations to the BC Cancer Foundation, I truly appreciate your dedication to a cause that is so important to me personally. (That being said, you are not off the hook yet because I have signed up for my fifth year as part of the Wedgewood team!)
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| One of these is not like the other ones. |
Axel and his team put on a first class event! This was my first year riding the 160k granfondo in Penticton, as in past years it has coincided with the Subaru Vancouver half-iron. With a change in date for the Van half this year, the fondo was a must-do and a good excuse to make a trip to the Okanagan.
I have a soft spot for p-town, and traveling there in the summer evokes fond memories of my 2010 freshman year of racing, training and post-ride wine touring. The friendly people in Penticton are incredible and welcoming, and make traveling there a worthwhile experience. Particular props to the wonderful staff at the Penticton Lakeside Resort who simply cannot do enough. Friendly service reigns supreme.
My goal of a long, hard training effort...accomplished! The highlight of the day was hanging on to the back of Trevor Linden's wheel for the better part of 100 kilometers (which I am sure he was less appreciative of), although I did take my turn at the front of the peloton as needed. The lowlight was a tactical mistake at 120k that resulted in me putting in 20 minutes of solo riding through a fairly rough (literally and mentally) part of the course. I'll chalk this up as good Ironman training :)
The very best thing about working hard on a ride is that it ends faster, and in 4:17 I was back at Gyro Park with a serious hankering for a slurpee. Dan (aka sandbagger), at a distance exactly 60% further than he has ever ridden, cranked out a respectable 4:41. There was grumbling that he would have been faster but for the *heavy* bike that I put him on. If he continues to progress at this rate, I may have to weigh that bike down a little more.... :)
Team Wedgewood capped an incredible day with a fantastic dinner in scenic Naramata, where we celebrated our mixed and women's team wins over a glass of Hillside Estate wine. A great evening of food, laughs and war stories!
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| I won the bike draw! How cool is that? |
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| The kick-a** Wedgewood mixed team FTW! |
I followed up the granfondo in the manner that any reasonable triathlete would, by racing the BC Provincial and Canadian national long-course championship a week later. Sunshine, home-course advantage and provincials to boot? I'm in!
Waking in my own bed a few hours before race start is a luxury, and possibly the most irresistible part about this race. The streak of summer weather absolutely did not disappoint and we were treated to an incredible morning on Jericho beach. Calm, serene waters with a backdrop of mountains...oh wait, that peaceful scene was before the herd of smashing, bashing triathletes got in!
For some reason (probably for a photo op), the organizers opt for a sprint-style beach start. With just under 400 half-iron athletes plowing into the water at the same time, I have always found this start (particularly as a small person who is a nervous swimmer) unnecessarily violent and unpleasant. This year, the congestion and bashing continued well into the second lap, particularly at the buoys. Not fun at all for an average-at-best swimmer.
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| What we looked like at the turn buoys. |
Because the event was a sell-out with 50 percent more participants than in the prior year (including sprint and Olympic distance races, as well as relay division), progress on the bike was not quite as uninhibited as I would like during a race. Forward motion was brought to a screeching halt a number of times due to several no-pass zones and a lot of (what I hope was inadvertent) blocking in other sections of the course. While frustrating in terms of overall bike split, my hope is that the other racers heeded the no-pass rules to make for a fair race. On the plus side, the noodle through the no-pass zone was a perfect opportunity to eat and drink.
My fifth place out of T2 faded to ninth at the finish. It was just one of those days that the engine was stuck in the middle gear - I felt ok puttering along, but had no speed. Notwithstanding, I always enjoy the fantastic, soft gravel run course that loops around transition. Passing through the crowd several times is definitely a smile-inducing pick-me-up, as is getting to cheer on the other runners and my teammates (who were kicking some serious times out on the race course).
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| Smiling through the pain! |
Big hugs
The dog days would simply be less awesome without some pretty incredible people. Huge hugs and thanks to:
Speed Theory, and in particular Jeremy, not only for your incredible support but also for the hours at the Van half race site doing mechanical assistance. I am proud to rock my Speed Theory kit for the most awesome tri shop in Vancouver!
Coach Bjoern for all the time you invest in making me as tough and fast as possible.
My teammates and friends who raced, cheered and supported at the R2CC, granfondo and Van half. Those smiles out there make it worth it!
My training partners who willingly show up for whatever the coach dreams up. Really, who doesn't want to run 30k in the blazing sun or be snacked on by a Kits harbour seal at 6am?
Dan, Jill and Mark for your support, encouragement and for accepting that smelling like SPF50 and waking up at 4am is just my version of normal.
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