Pre Race Report Here
Well things turned out completely differently than I had anticipated. That is probably not surprising given what everyone had told me over the last few months. Thinking back to my race experiences earlier this year, the outcomes were not a big shock.
Big Picture Overview of the Week - Ironman week in Penticton was a lot of fun. However, I did let my taper get a bit in the way of having as good a time as possible. It was really good to meet many of the people that I had spent so long reading about (and writing to) over the last few months. I made it to the 7AM swims but about fifty other people did as well and that made it tough to get to meet everyone. Many of the people that I did meet were overwhelmed by all the names they had to remember. Thanks to Kathy for bringing the markers and the swim caps. I just took to re-introducing myself every time I saw one of the guys. Hi XXX, I'm Gordo. That made it easier for folks to remember me.
Carboload - Given the huge number of folks that they had to feed, I thought that they did a pretty good job. I was able to get a lot of food (two plates to start) and then hit it again for seconds. The Veggie main was a nice touch and appreciated. Miss Penticton can sure sing. I had more Oh Canada's in IM Week than I did in a year of primary school.
Souvenirs - My recommendation would be to hit the shops early and hit them hard. Many of the best items were gone by the day after the race and I wished that I had picked up a few more things.
Expo - Fairly good but Wildflower had more things that I wanted to buy. However, the selection of IMC souvenirs was really extensive and good. The colour schemes were quite Canadian (read mellow with plenty of earth tones). Still, I managed to find a few bright things and the kids stuff was neat.
Mandatory Meeting - Being new to racing and as an Ironvirgin, it was very useful for me. I learned several things that I was not aware of: (a) inside passing; (b) their interpretation of blocking (strict and good); and (c) center line violations on the run (that was a surprise). It ran a bit long but the organisers were clearly doing their best to keep it moving. Some of the questions were a bit lame but most were useful to hear.
Parade - I got the impression that the parade was more for the townspeople than that athletes. For that reason alone, I would recommend that people participate in the parade. It is a way for us to give something back to the people of Penticton. The timing is not all that great because I would not normally spend that long on my feet in the sun before a long race.