Mont-Tremblant

355 days

The final push

Still trying to wrap my head around what is defiantly going to be my biggest challenge of my life, Ironman Mont-Tremblant  ! Recently I went to the beautiful province of Quebec and volunteered with my wife and my friend Liz, my wife in support of me and my friend Liz to sign up, we were also there to cheer on mark who was on his first Ironman journey. Our friend Sheila was also there as another key support for mark, it's always good to have support !

The experience was life altering for me just to watch the people's faces change through the race, I still haven't put my finger on it yet but eventually I will be able to explain it. There is so much more that goes on in a race that you can't really see or even really understand, like a grown man that is crying and barfing wondering why he can't keep going! He said to me, "I've trained so hard to get here and my legs won't move and I feel sick" I called over the medic right away to access him and she wasn't really concerned but she kept a watchful eye over him as he cooled off and took in some food, I think he stopped right on time as he was about to go down. He came back to life enough he could cary a sentence like normal and asked me what he should do? So I so I said to him "do you want to be a Ironman ?" He said "yes" so I told him to get up and finish the dam race! I turned back to hand out water for a few minutes and looked back and he was gone! I didn't get his bib number and will never know if he finished, I saw him when I was in line for sign up for the race the next day and he didn't have his finisher shirt on and I didn't want to ask him about it so I left it at that !

I had some other friends in that race also, Deanna put on quite a clinic, as I thought she would as she is very strong, very proud of all of them who raced that day ! 

Just getting to the start line of this event is an amazing thing ! Even those who didn't make the finish line I have the biggest respect for being there and putting in the training time, they are all ironman in my eyes.  

When I started writing this blog I didn't tell anyone that I knew about it, then it got out one day and a few people started to read it, as my time each day is limited it is sometimes difficult to get it in but a friend of mine told me and i will keep it up this time, she said "don't miss a day! even if its only one word" and since she is a major contributor to my triathlon life I will honour that until this journey is over. There is many people writing blogs out there, lots with the same content the same  as mine. This one started off as a training journal and now is progressing into a life story for me that should be getting interesting over the next year !

I have the Muskoka 70.3 race coming up in two weeks, this is going to be just a fun race for me ! Just to take the edge of of what will be an intense winter off season training session although I'd like to finish under 8 hours and will do my best I'm just going out for the finish and to have fun ! I put way to much pressure on myself with goal times and dramatic time reductions, this race I'm going into it maybe a little under trained due to a couple injuries I had over the summer but its just about fun and enjoying the festivities, because that's mainly what it is, a couple thousand people getting together to celebrate their fitness it's an awesome event.

I have a couple monsters chasing me still, one who is hot on my heals and has been for a long time (the fat monster) and one who I have been away from for a long time (alcohol). Over  the last two years I've been on a drug called methotrexate, under no circumstances could I drink and when I received clearance to get off the drug due to its ability to make me sick for two to three days a week  that stupid alcohol monster made an appearance just one more hurdle I need to overcome now on my road to ironman !

So my main goals, training plan,  meal plan and life plan will be laid out for the next year !

I'm making a yearly plan (which is already under a year) a monthly plan, weekly plan and a daily plan all of which will be coordinated with my team captain (my wife Erin) who is also ironman training and she doesn't even know it ! Just getting me there to the start line for her will be a challenge!  

We have quite a few members in our club that are going to take a stab at 2014 ironman which I'm happy to see because at least ill have some training partners to hang out with, it would be a long season all alone !! Thanks DRTC you make all the difference in the world !

My goal phrase for this season !

"It's time to build a machine"

Completion date August 17 2014!

Stay tuned !!!!!

365 days away

And so it starts ! After a long couple years of talking about it finally it will soon be on the race books ! Along with a tune up race of the 70.3 in June !

It is going to be quite a ride, but once again team Drinkle is going to be on the hot plate to get this high maintenance triathlete to the finish,

Erin, Liz  and I have a long day ahead of us starting at 5 am to get close enough to get a parking spot to enjoy the festivities !!

Looking forward to see the pros roll through the aid stations tomorrow morn, this will be a first watching a triathlon !

Can't wait great day ahead 

Here we go

So I'm at the 2013 Ironman Mt Tremblant volunteering for the full Ironman race, so far I'm speechless on what I'm witnessing here so far! From what I can explain its like a "jack in the box" we are just winding up the little handle on the side and the little man is about to spring out ! I've seen many faces so far from the experienced veterans to the first timers, you can just see it in their faces. The energy is awesome, the venue is awesome the people are awesome this is an amazing experience !

We are staying off site in the old village which presents a few obstacles but manageable, the accommodations are great and clean, very impressed !

Today's plan is to go ride the bike route and run a few km after to get ready for Muskoka in 3 weekends, can't wait it's gonna be fun.

Monday morning I sign up for the 2014 full ironman, well at least that's the plan anyway as long as the bike course doesn't scare me off !