Yes. Someone finished IMC last year on something insane like 3-4 hours training a week. You have ridden the miles, swam the distances, etc. Don't be so unsure of yourself. 6-12 months of training will not magically disappear from your muscles in the next two weeks. In fact, a good taper (most people recommend 75%, 50% 25% for the last three weeks) will actually make you faster and in better shape.

At this point the question is not, "Can I finish?" But, rather "What should I avoid to make sure I finish?" The reality is that we are all capable of doing the distance. What you need to concentrate on is pace, proper hydration, proper nutrition, under training, etc. Probably the single two biggest reasons people do not finish an IM race is because they go out at the wrong pace, and they do not eat/drink properly.

Make sure you do not go out too hard. It is a long day for everyone. Finding the proper pace is so important in a race this length.

As for nutrition, you should have a solid plan in place by now, and be doing a little fine tuning. What will you eat on the bike? On the run? What is in your special needs bags? I find it best if I write everything down before I even pack my gear for the trip. A good idea for now is to make sure you eat something every time you go out on a ride or run. If you will be eating Powerbars during the ride, take one or more with you on every ride, no matter how short.

Half hour ride? Eat half a bar. If you are going to use salt tablets and Quickdiscs on the run, use them on every training run. Why? Doing this lets your body become more accustomed to the food, and the need to digest while exercising. I have also been experimenting with a few food that I know will be on the run course. Cookies, grapes, potato chips, pretzels, etc.

Do NOT do anything new on race day. How many times have we heard this one? Make sure you wear your race uniform a few times before you show up in Penticton or Lake Placid. The last thing you need to find out is that the shorts rub a little bit on race day.

BIKE CHECK IN

You check your bike in the day before. It is usually better to go early. The bike is inspected by a mechanic and then taken by a volunteer to its place in the bike rack. You DO NOT rack your own bike. Once you hand off your bike, you do not have access to your bike until race day. You DO have access to your bike on race day. You can pump up the tires, put water bottles, Powerbars, etc. on the bike. You can either bring your own pump, or use one of the pumps that are available. Just remember, 1600-1700 people are doing the same thing.

TRANSITION BAGS

You also hand in your swim-bike and bike-run transition bags the day before. Once handed off, you do not have access until the day of the race. Do not put anything that will spoil or get mashed (Bananas) in the bag until race morning. After the race, you will be able to pick up these bags. Therefore, you can put something like an extra shirt, sweatshirt, phone, etc. in the bags. Be warned, they are simply plastic bags and may rip. I would not put anything of high value in the bags.

SPECIAL NEEDS BAGS

These are handed off (actually put in a box) the morning of the race. You can put anything you want in these bags. However, you will NOT get them back after the race. They are thrown out. Therefore, anything that you do not take from them, will be lost. Besides food, people have placed things such as socks, spare shirt, rain gear, cameras, sunscreen, Vaseline, inspirational messages/pictures, etc. in the bags. These bags will be in the sun for quite sometime until you get them. Just about anything that you freeze will be liquid by the time you get it. (Unless you put it in a thermos, and even then...) The bags are the same size as the transition bags.

RACE DAY

Both races start at 7:00 a.m.

First, go and get body marked.

Then put on your sunscreen (two layers).

Drop off your special needs bags.

Go check out your bike.

Don wetsuit, goggles, and swim cap. Take a warm up swim

THE SWIM: 2.4 MILES

You must swim this portion.

A tip for the swim. Put your goggles on first. Then put your swim cap on top of the goggles. This helps keep your goggles in place, if you get hit in the head. Seed yourself according to your ability. If you do not know, go towards the back. Once the gun goes off, you have 2:20 to finish the swim course. This is a 58 minute/mile pace (3:18 per 100 yards) There are plenty of people on kayaks, rowboats, boats, jet skis, etc. to help you if you have problems. At IMC there are frogmen on the bottom of the lake watching you. Smile and wave as you pass them. You are allowed to grab hold of a kayak, boat, etc. to rest. You are not allowed to have the craft propel you forward. If you run into trouble, do not hesitate to grab hold, rest and then continue on. This is allowed under the rules.

When you are finished the swim, there are volunteers to take you wetsuit off. They will put you on the ground, strip the suit off, and pick you back up.

Once up, head towards the transition bags. Shout out your number. There will be volunteers getting bags. They will also be screaming out numbers. Once you locate your bag, you can either grab what you need and head to your bike, or you can go to the changing tent. (Public nudity, no matter how much we want it, is not allowed). Male and female changing tents are available they are quite large. There are chairs in the tents. While in there, you can get Vaseline, sunscreen, water, and probably some food also. What ever you need, just scream out for it.

There is a urinal in the men's tent. As for the women...??? I believe there are porta potties just outside the tent.

While changing, make sure to put on sunscreen. Stuff your wetsuits and any other stuff in your bag, and toss it in the pile near the door.

THE BIKE: 112 MILES

You must cycle this portion.

NO DRAFTING IS ALLOWED. ANYONE CAUGHT DRAFTING WILL HAVE TO ANSWER TO BOB MINA (EAST COAST), TRICIA RICHTER (WEST COAST), CHARLIE CRAWFORD (REDNECK COUNTY)

The bike course closes at 5:30 p.m.

Assuming you take two hours to do the swim course and change, you have another 8.5 hours to do the bike course. This is 13.18 mph. There are distance markers about every 20-30 K (IMC). On the course, there are aid stations. They are placed 10-20 miles apart. They have water, sports drink (Gatorade - IMC, Unsure of the IMUSA Drink), bananas, and a few other food items. Things like Powerbars, gels, gu's, pretzels, etc. About every other aid station has a porta potty. Roving around on the bike course are bike mechanics. If you have a flat or worse, they are allowed to help you. They are not considered "outside assistance." However, they have a lot of ground to cover, and it may take some time to get to you.

Be prepared to fix a flat.

The special needs bag is located about mile 70-80. I have actually never stopped at the special needs hand-off. I simply slow down and someone has handed it to me. Rip open the bag and restock your bike.

The courses have numerous marshals, police, etc. monitoring traffic. At IMC, there are several sections, in the mountains, where traffic is limited to one lane, and we take the other lane. Wave to the people sitting in the traffic jam.

When you finish the bike, there are "bike catchers." They will hold your bike up while you get off of it, and they will rack your bike.

Once off the bike, follow the same routine as the swim-run transition.

THE RUN: 26.2 MILES

No form of locomotion other than running, walking or crawling is allowed. (From the official rules.)

Cut Off Time - 12:00 midnight.

Assuming you just made the bike cutoff, and started the run at 5:30 p.m., you would have 6:30 to finish the run. This is a pace of 14:53 min/mile pace. Surely you can do that?

The course is marked in both miles and kilometers. Be warned though, some of the markers are not accurate.

The run course has aid stations about every mile. They are stocked with everything imaginable. Water, sports drink, cookies, pretzels, grapes, melon, cantaloupe, bananas, gu's bars, chocolate, coke, ice, sponges, Vaseline, sunscreen, etc. Most stations have a porta potty. Several will give you a massage or let you sit in a chair until you are well rested. If needed, they can usually call for medical assistance.

Chicken Broth was available after 6:00 p.m. last year at IMC.

On the IMC run, the special needs bag was at the turnaround. There were two porta potties and a big clock with the official time on it. There are volunteers there who get the bag for you.

While running "out" wave to the people running "in."

While running "in" wave to the people running "out."

THE FINISH

Smile when you cross the finish line, you are on candid camera.

There are people there to help you. They will walk you around, give you a T-shirt, medal, towel and make sure you are all right. Proposing marriage to these people will usually get you an examination in the med tent.

If someone suggests you should get an IV, get two.

There is a lot of food at the finish. Eat as much as you can.

You also get a free massage. Take advantage of that!

If you see fireworks, and are still on the course, sorry you did not finish before the cutoff time.

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