Ironman Canada - the rest of the story

The Ironman Canada bike course is no joke. There's a lot of climbing, and most of it takes place at the end. In return for all the uphills, you are rewarded with a lot of fun descents (this coming from someone who doesn't even really like descending), and some gorgeous views. It's totally worth it.

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After my swim in Alta Lake (that you can read about here), I spent what felt like forever in transition. It was 4 minutes (which is a long time when you compare it to other people who spent closer to half that time). So that's an area for improvement, I suppose. One memorable thing from transition was that the volunteers at Ironman Canada were incredibly generous with the sunscreen. It was everywhere (see photos). I spent the first mile or two of the bike trying to rub in sunscreen while also staying upright. I was pretty successful at both of those things.

The volunteers at Ironman Canada were incredibly generous with the sunscreen. :-)

Ironman Canada - the Swim

Just in case you stop reading after the first paragraph of this blog, I need to say something up front:
If you have never been to British Columbia, you need to go. There's a reason why it says "Beautiful British Columbia" on their license plates. It is drop dead gorgeous up there. The drive from Vancouver to Whistler is like Big Sur on steroids. Go there. You will not regret it.

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The Thursday before Ironman Canada, I arrived in Whistler with my support crew (my husband and his parents). And before I say too much about the race, I owe a big thank you to them for helping with so many things during race week. Racing an Ironman is truly a team effort, and I couldn't have done it without their support!

Arriving three days before the race gave me the perfect amount of time to relax and take care of things. We swam in Alta Lake, strolled around Whistler village, worked on jigsaw puzzles, hung out with old friends, met new friends, and ate ice cream.

My husband and I rode our bikes to Alta Lake a few days before the race... what a beautiful setting!

Night with a nocturnal triathlete

It's my day off, so I slept in until 3pm. Yep, you read that right. I'm working nightshift for the entire month of May, which means I sleep during the day and work 12 hours each night. I get one or two days off a week. Also, I'm training for an Ironman triathlon in 10 weeks. Most people think I'm crazy, and some people are curious about what I do on my nights off. So here's a quick rundown of what a typical night off looks like.


3:00 pm - Alarm goes off after a full 8 hours of sleep. When I'm working 12-hour shifts, I usually only have time to sleep for 7-7.5 hours. So this is a luxury.

3:15 pm - Breakfast (coffee and cereal)

4:30 pm - Head out for my long run. Today I have two workouts (a 2-hour run and a 2-hour ride). I opted to do my run while it was still light out and save the ride for the trainer at home later.

So thankful for the running trails/roads and sunshine in SLO!

Wildflower 2016

Wildflower is one of those races that pretty much automatically gets added to my race calendar every year. It's close to home, there's always an abundance of familiar faces, and (since I've raced it so many times) it's a great benchmark for my progress. Although registration numbers have been down in recent years due to the drought, I highly recommend it. You won't find a race like Wildflower anywhere else.

Going into the race this year, I honestly wasn't sure what to expect. I found myself unsure how to answer any time someone asked me if I was excited to race. For some reason, I wasn't sure if I was ready yet. But, ready or not, race morning came and it was off to the lake. I picked up my packet, and met up with fellow Freeplay Magazine athlete Kelly O'Mara in transition. Kelly is quickly becoming one of my favorite athletes to be around. She's fast, and knows what she's doing. But she's also chill. Hanging out with her on race morning was really nice.

Pre-race sitting around eventually came to an end, and it was time to put on our wetsuits and head towards the start. Almost every year I've raced Wildflower, my wave has been one of the last to start. This year it was one of the first, which was a welcome change. An earlier wave means a less crowded race in general which is always nice.

Helping Kelly with her wetsuit before our swim start

Ironman Wisconsin - Highs, Lows, and Everything in Between!

On Sunday, I raced Ironman Wisconsin. It was my second full Ironman distance triathlon, and I was hoping to improve on my race at Coeur d'Alene two years ago and take my best shot at qualifying for Kona. Sunday also happened to be my husband's birthday, and it was extra special because he was racing too - his first Ironman! (I think he decided to sign up because he figured it would be easier to participate in an Ironman than to spectate an Ironman on his birthday.)

With my husband pose at the finish line before the race

In the days leading up to the race, everything went smoothly. We had plenty of time to check in, swim in the lake, make sure our bikes were dialed in, and sit around with our feet up. Before we knew it, our alarm was going off on race morning.

A Rollercoaster and a Race

Two weekends ago, my husband and I spent a couple nights in Santa Cruz with some friends. The "excuse" for the weekend getaway was that several of us had signed up to participate in Tri Santa Cruz. But we did a lot more than race when we were in town. The weekend was filled with all kinds of fun and relaxation - riding rollercoasters, cycling up Highway 1, completing jigsaw puzzles, eating delicious meals, sampling gourmet chocolate, and people watching (Santa Cruz is THE place for people watching).

Riding the Giant Dipper on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk - the 5th oldest rollercoaster in the US. It had been a number of years since either of us had ridden a rollercoaster, and we both decided the Giant Dipper was well worth the $6 ticket.

1 year and 70.3 miles

Most races have one or two highlights that stick in my memory. When I think back on Vineman 70.3 this year, I think I'll remember how special it was to race with my husband on our 1-year anniversary and how grateful I was to be able to run the entire half marathon (no matter how fast).

Happy 1-year Anniversary to us!
(photo by Jeanne Bare)

Wildflower: Still the One and Only

Wildflower holds a special place in my heart. In 2011, it was my first half ironman distance race, and I've raced the long course every year since then. The race is located out in the middle of nowhere and just about everyone camps at the race site. Because of that, Wildflower has become known as the "Woodstock of Triathlon." This year was actually the first time I camped at the race site, and I loved it. It was so much fun spending time around the campfire with friends (old and new), racing with my friends and teammates on Saturday, and sticking around to watch the Olympic distance race on Sunday.

Triathlon + Ocean = Happiness

Being a triathlete in California definitely has its benefits, and one of them is the abundance of small beach town race venues. I absolutely love racing by the ocean... it's like a vacation and a race all in one! About a week ago, I kicked off my 2015 triathlon season with an olympic-distance triathlon in Half Moon Bay... and the venue did not disappoint. Even though it was foggy the entire time we were in town, racing by the ocean still put a smile on my face and made me extra grateful that I have the opportunity to train and race in California.

Back on (the) Track

A couple weeks ago, I began my season with a 5000 meter race on the track. I absolutely love running on the track. I don't know if I can pinpoint what, exactly, makes the track so magical... it just is.

The first time I raced on the track was in elementary school. The Hershey's Track and Field Games hosted a local meet every year, and one year my brother and I registered to compete. I'm pretty sure we did as many events as we were allowed, ranging from the softball throw to the standing long jump to the 200 meter dash.

The Coast Ride 2015

Most cyclists would jump at the chance to spend 3 days riding down the coast of California... so I did! A little over a week ago, my training partner Amy and I joined a group of cyclists for The Coast Ride 2015. We started in San Francisco on Saturday morning and ended in Santa Barbara on Monday afternoon. That's 375 miles over 3 days, for those of you who are counting (I sure was).

Wonder Woman for a Day

This past Sunday, I had the opportunity to be one of the official pacers for the City to the Sea Half Marathon in my hometown of SLO. This was my first time running as a pacer, and I was excited that my number one job was to help others meet their goals.

O Canada!

About a year ago, I decided that one of my goals for 2014 would be to qualify for and compete in the Ironman 70.3 World Championships. Since none of the qualifying races in California fit my schedule, I traveled to Raleigh, North Carolina in June to race for my slot. The race in Raleigh was awesome - I got to stay with an amazing family (Tony and Lee), the course was beautiful, I had one of the fastest 70.3 races of my life, and I qualified for Worlds!

Wildflower 2014

I have a great deal of respect for the Wildflower Long Course Triathlon. It's one of the most challenging 70.3 races I've ever done, and I know I'm not alone in saying that.

Wildflower is hilly.
Wildflower can be really hot.
And those two things make a very challenging course where things can get really ugly really fast... which is exactly what happened to me the past two years.

Mental Games and Lessons Learned - CIM 2013

I signed up for the California International Marathon because I wanted something to train for this fall, but I also wanted a break from triathlon. Let me say that again:  I signed up for a marathon because I wanted a break. I think there is something wrong with me. ;-) I have definitely enjoyed focusing on running for the last few months. And it has been a nice break from triathlon training ("just" running takes so much less time!)

Santa Cruz Triathlon

The last time I raced in Santa Cruz (Big Kahuna 2011), I had one of the most enjoyable races of my life. That's probably the main reason why I signed up to race the Santa Cruz Triathlon as my last triathlon in 2013.

On race morning this year, we were greeted with clear sunny skies (no fog!), minimal winds, and perfect temps. What a treat!

Triathlons are Funner with Friends!

A little over a week ago, I participated in the Santa Barbara Long Course Triathlon. This race has a special place in my heart because it was the first "long" race that I did (in 2010), and I've done it every year since then. My goals for the race this year were to have fun, and improve on my time from 2012.

"Christine Bare, you are an Ironman!"

On June 23, I had the privilege of crossing the finish line at Ironman Coeur d'Alene, and hearing Mike Reilly announce, "Christine Bare, you are an Ironman!" I will only have one "first Ironman" in my life, so this is my attempt to document and share my experience.

Inspiration!

Over the weekend, my fiance and I traveled to Oceanside, CA to watch the start of RAAM (Race Across America). RAAM is a cycling race from Oceanside, CA to Annapolis, MD. Riders compete in a variety of categories, including solo and teams. Greg's PhD advisor from Illinois, Martin Gruebele, is racing as part of the two-man team Captain and the Honey Badger.

I am ready!

Yesterday, I did the longest workout of my life:
3 x (120 minute bike + 70 minute run)

Yes, you read that right... a total of 9.5 hours.