Ironman Canada run course

Original post Aug. 5, 2009 slowtwitch.com:
One of many special things about IMC is the out and back run course. By mile 5, you're out of town, away from the crowds, little or no shade, with a glimpse of OK Falls in the distance....for me, that is where Ironman slaps you in the face. You have lots of time to think, as the layers are peeled away, exposing your soul. Now it's just you and the course, one step at a time, with miles to go the finish line. It's here where you realize it's been a very long day.
It's also here that you realize Ironman's are hard! The swim is a distant memory. You vaguely recall how good you felt early on the bike. You look forward to the oasis of the aid stations. You see the next mile marker, but can't believe what your watch says your pace is.
Sure there are distractions, like the runners coming toward you, heading back to town. Or you look out across Lake Skaha, the sun's rays sparkling on the surface. Way across the lake you see where you biked down from Yellow Lake, and you wonder how many bikers are still out there. You strike up conversations with other runners and shufflers. Afterall, misery loves company, and no one should suffer alone. You struggle, you're experiencing the lowest of the lows....... And then come the hills.

Ah, but if you can persevere, block out the pain, and keep moving forward..... If you can will yourself to run just 10 steps more, and then another 10.... to get to that tree, or the telephone pole, and now the big crack in the road. Next the walker up ahead. Before you know it, you've reached the top of the hill. It's a big deal!, but your only reward is to keep on keepin' on. You elate in these little victories, until you're able to make it to the turnaround. Now, you tell yourself, with every step, I'm getting that much closer to the finish!
Yes, you are talking to yourself. You're hearing voices, maybe even foaming at the mouth. Who cares. This is Ironman baby! And the voice you hear is that of your Ironwill.

This Ironman has beaten you up, but it hasn't beaten you. This Ironman might leave you broke, but it hasn't broken you.
You're in Penticton British Columbia, and you're doing Ironman Canada, and you WILL finish what you started. So stop feeling sorry for yourself, and haul ass to the finish line.

Finally you're on the outskirts of town, back from the abyss, back to familiar territory. Back to civilization, back to the belief that you're going to make it. The pain of each step is now masked in the joy of what's to come. Groups of spectators are cheering for you, as you reach the cobbles of downtown. Wall to wall people now, you feel energized, renewed, reborn. You hear someone say "Congratulations", and you burst into tears. Yes, it got ugly out there, real ugly, but here you are, just a couple miles from the finish, and you will be an Ironman!

You hear Steve King in the distance, and that's where you want to be. You turn on Winnipeg, the atmosphere is electric. You don't even see the 25 mile marker, it's blocked by the exuberant throng. You know enough to turn left, away from the finish line, away from the crowd, the noise, the excitement. . . back into the dark. . . abyss. . . NO! This is just a reminder that great rewards are earned. You run to the Siccamous, and make the turn in virtual obscurity. But soon, in a moment you'll remember forever, you'll be running on the carpet, between the bleachers, amid the flashes of cameras, with all your senses on overload.....