3 siblings & 3 unique weddings

So its been awhile since my last post. Lots of travelling due to work, pleasure, etc, but now that I have a weekend to get through some of my 'to-do' list, I decided there could be no better post than to reflect back on the fact that all three of the Smith kids have now married! From the first marriage of Kevin & Leah, to now Heather & John, what is so exciting is that each marriage celebration was a unique reflection of the couple it showcased. No single celebration was the same, which meant that there was no way to compare each celebration- as they each reflected a different style & location!

Kevin & Leah August 13, 2009, Lake Placid, NY.
Kevin & Leah chose a place that meant the most to them. It also happened to be a long standing family vacation spot for us, and Kevin bringing Leah to Placid for the first time, was very special. They chose an intimate lakeside ceremony on Mirror Lake, with a day that lived up to the expectation. The forecast the week prior was not looking good, but like wedding magic- the day was exceptionally beautiful with a sunset overlooking Mirror Lake, that just made the day that much better! It was a true intimate style wedding, with a live band, yummy food, and close family & friends. For them, they couldn't have had a day that was more perfect for them!

Simon & Jennifer August 7, 2010, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Our wedding was a traditional Catholic wedding in one of the most beautiful churches... scratch that- the most beautiful church I have ever laid eyes on. Right away I knew that if we were going to have a church wedding, it would be in the chapel of the Basilique Notre Dame! We decided to go for vintage classic romance, in Simon's home town of Montreal- which is one of the most romantic cities in the world. History, tradition, and culture just ooze out of this city. We also chose to have our wedding conducted in French, by a priest that had known Simon almost his entire life. It made it more special that Gilles could speak from the heart about Simon, having watched him grow up from a wild child to the man he is today. It was a bit of a departure from the original wedding I had always imagined as a small girl (on the beach in Pensacola, Florida, in English) but having made our ceremony a reflection of us- I couldn't have imagined it any other way. It was a combination of all the little things that matter to us: we had 75 close family & friends attend our celebration, Simon's car Lola have a moment to shine-- with a humorous story, and an ending with dancing & fireworks on the river. It was a truly magical weekend!

John & Heather March 23, 2012, Walnut Hill, Florida
Right off the bat, Heather & John being the 3rd & final marriage of the siblings, came with a small amount of pressure to be different than the previous two, unique, and memorable. Knowing my sister, she was acutely aware of this- despite Kevin & I both supporting her and telling her that her wedding would be uniquely different and beautiful no matter what- because it was 'Heather & John's wedding' and nobody else's.

John & Heather searched high and low for where they wanted to celebrate their marriage, and after months- finally decided that their marriage would best be celebrated in a place that was unique to them- John's family farm. About an hour north of Pensacola, it was a beautiful piece of land, with green grass and trees as far as the eye could see.

Similar to Kevin & Leah's wedding, the weather the week leading up to the wedding was NOT looking good. There was a rather large slow moving storm heading straight for Pensacola, that was almost hovering... biding its time until Heather's day. My mother had done enough praying and worrying for everyone involved, as there was no back-up scenario for this outdoor wedding. A while back, I had learned of the "broom voodoo" which as the legend goes- you put brooms in the trees a few days prior to ward off storms on your wedding day. So on Wednesday, John's mother placed a broom in the tree... and would you believe... IT WORKED!! (Well, there were probably a whole lot of other things that culminated in their day being breathtaking... like countless prayers being said around North America) but it makes the story sound better that the broom did the trick :)

The morning of Heather's day was spent getting nails done, and trying to ignore the loud lightning storm going on outside the nail salon.... the boys (Simon, Kevin, cousin Christopher, John & his brother & friends) went out to the farm early to sweep (yes sweep) water out from underneath the reception tent, drop about 500 pounds of pine straw, and work like slaves to get the place ready. Boy did they do an amazing job!!

At 1:30pm the sun came peeking through the trees, and at 4pm when Heather walked down the aisle, there was a breeze and beautiful sun shining down during their entire ceremony. The ceremony was 'short and sweet' just like John wanted it, but rustic romantic like my sister wanted it. It was the perfect balance of the two of them, culminating in a ceremony that couldn't have been more perfectly suited to their tastes and styles.

The reception was a cut above the rest. The food.. including a macaroni and cheese bar, and the cakes were perfectly matched to the weather and the southern vibe and feel that was so effortlessly portrayed. The reception was topped off with a band that was the best live band I had heard in awhile. Perfectly chosen, the band played southern foot stopping music that was so perfect given the setting, and definitely made me stop on several occasions and reflect on how great it was being "back home in the south". I was excited for Simon to be exposed to this as well, because this was the music that I grew up with. While he didn't know the words to every song (but he did know sweet home alabama) he loved the vibe, and was dancing and stomping his foot to every song. As if it was planned (i assure you it wasnt) there was even 4-wheeling in 3 trucks on the field out back during 'sweet home alabama' it couldnt have been better planned! Lots of whooping and hollaring, were had by all, as John & Heather departed under the glow of sparklers. I couldnt have imagined a better day for them. It was the perfect way to top off 3 weddings, uniquely them, and a fitting finale!!! Thank goodness for the broom! ;)

KONA

Every now and then... you get to check something major off your bucket list. One of those 'majors' for me... was the Ironman World Championships in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. I remember the first time I learned of the Hawaii Ironman. I was in elementary school, and watched a special on Dan & Rick Hoyt, the dynamic & inspirational Father-Son duo who not only completed Ironman's, but the grueling Hawaii ironman- several times. Its a story I recommend EVERYONE watch, as it is a true example of the power of believing, the personal struggle, and the personal glory of just crossing the finish line in an Ironman. From that moment, I always considered Kona to be the single biggest sporting race on the planet. Little did I know, that one day I would get to be a small part of something so much bigger than any of us individuals participating. This race is so much more than just a sporting event. It is a full test of the human spirit, making sure you are willing to go 'to that special place' just to finish the race. This island is notorious for making you work to get to the finish line. I have been told that the simple act of FINISHING the race, makes it all worth it. I can assure you, that is 110% correct. Run, walk, or crawl.. the desire to cross THIS finish line, and hear Mike Reilly- the now Ironman Hall-of Famer, call out 'You are an Ironman!' after pushing your body through 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of biking, and a full marathon, IS worth every single second you spend hurting on this course. All to join the small club of those who have been to & conquered the Big Island. Here is my Kona journey...

We arrived the week before the race. I was told by several friends who had previously raced Kona to come the week prior to acclimate to the weather & humidity. If I still lived in Florida, I probably wouldn't have done this same plan- being that the climates (and humidity for that matter) between Hawaii & Florida are so similar. However, having spent the past year & a half living in Canada, I am starting to feel my 'skin' acclimating to this um.... great white north ;) So a week early we went.. and WOW! I forgot what humidity really really feels like. It was an adjustment.. but as the week went on, I started to feel the southern girl peel off her tundra skin and really feel the hawaiian weather. Before we knew it, it was Saturday morning at 4:15am.. and the alarm was going off for what would be a LONG LONG day, before I would return to this bed.

The Swim:

Everything you have ever heard or assumed about the Kona swim is true. The areal video of the cannon going off and chaos beginning.. is exactly how it feels! Flash back to this summer's Swim Trek in the Greek Islands, and our coach Dan's now famous quote... 'Long periods of calm, followed by extreme moments of chaos'. This is the only way to describe it!

I put myself amongst a pack of swimmers (remember, everybody in Kona got here for a reason- they are fast... and a good majority of the swimmers are fast) and just prior to the cannon blasting there was a massive amount of pushing forwards and backwards all around me- think mosh-pit at a concert. But before we knew it, the helicopter was making its last low pass, Mike Reilly was yelling 'You earned your right to be here, I will see you at the finish line!' and BOOM! The cannon fires & scares the crap out of all of us!

CHAOS CHAOS CHAOS begins! White water everywhere, bubbles, kicked in the face, elbowed in the cheek, scratching at my legs.. you name it. I was surrounded by dudes taking no mercy.. fine- you want to play that game? Time to get run over. I was immediately flashing back to our running of the bulls experience- be angry, 'bows up' and start shoving people around you, or you will get knocked down! At about the half way point I finally felt like I wasn't swimming breastroke. It was bedlam for the first half. I never got a point to stretch out my stroke due to the sheer amount of people ALL around me. By 3/4ths of the swim, I was finally able to get out in a small pack of guys who weren't thrashers and aim for the beach. As we got closer the excitement starts to build. You can literally hear the crowds waiting for you, screaming for you to come back.... AWESOME. I felt the beach, ascended the crooked steps to transition, made it to my bag, changed, and then to the bike.

The bike:

Riding through downtown Kona is such a rush. There are people EVERYWHERE along the course, at the turn around, along the streets, cow bells clanging, signs held high, intense screaming... so cool. We made our way through the town, then back north heading up for the long ascend to Hawi. I was told about the crosswinds. They are legendary. There is a reason everybody talks about them, and I got a chance to be humbled by them the week leading up to the race.

A few days before I went up to check out just how bad these crosswinds were. They were so bad I was blown across the double yellow divider, and after a second scare (at 40mph gusts) unclipped and put the bike in the rental car. I was so mentally defeated, and scared that I came all this way & an element was going to potentially stand between me & finishing this race. But... this is Kona. This is why this race is here, this is what Ironman is all about. Testing your limits to make sure that only the really worthy will have what it takes to cross the line. I went back and talked to a bunch of people, read up on the winds, and was told over and over again to RELAX, as backwards as that sounds, and let the bike move and sway, and just lean into it. Boy did that ever work! Luckily the crosswinds weren't as bad on race day as they were the day I went out there. The head wind was still severe coming up to Hawi, but I was the most terrified of the crosswinds. I leaned as much as I could, and relaxed as much as humanly possible, and was smiling as a I came down the final hill from the turn-off at Waikoloa, because I knew I had come through the nastiest part of the crosswinds. I knew that I was one more challenge complete to crossing the finish line on Ali'i drive! The rest of the bike had its share of extreme heat & headwinds, but the biggest challenge I faced coming back was the mounting pressure to use the restroom. My stomach was churning and cramping & things were happening that alerted me to something 'not right' brewing. I kept telling myself I could take all the time I needed in transition, and suffered through the last 20 miles to make it back into town.

*Please note- skip 'The Run' if you do not like reading about bathroom & female related topics. You have been warned!!

The Run:

I spent my time in transition, between changing, and enjoying myself in the sauna of a portalette (not really, but hey- have to find humor somewhere) and was greeted by not only the evacuation of my bowels, but mother nature herself. Yippie! In truth, I knew she was suppose to strike at some point during the week we were in Kona.. all the signs were there- but I was hoping against hope she would hold off just one more day.... come on- it wouldn't be an Ironman, & it certainly wouldn't be Kona if you weren't tested in every manner possible! So I planned for the worst, and luckily had packed provisions in each of my transition bags. So a lazy transition later, I was out on the run course, cramps and all!! The pavement was a blistering 135F, oh yes... just get out the steaks cause its time to grill baby!! The first 10 miles of the run are in town, in an out and back manner, followed by a 16 mile gut session in no-mans land to the energy lab- which Simon affectionately called the 'energy sucking lab' (he ran out there and back a few days prior and said it was every bit the run he expected- lava hot, painful, no shade, and no mercy!)

So on my out part on Ali'i drive all felt smooth until about mile 5, when my bowels effectively launched 'Operation Evac NOW!' so I sprinted to the aid-station portalette... occupied. Dammit. I banged on the door impatiently that I needed to go, to which the person inside yelled 'Im busy!' ok... 2 minutes later, I decided to try my luck at the next aid station, (the turn around) on the way I came across a little boy holding a poster.. this poster would be the inspiration for the rest of my run, it had but three words: Embrace the Suck. You got that right kid!

Turn around potalette was occupied. Turn around and go back to previous aid station (where there was a portalette) SUCCESS!!! Spend time in the sauna. Come out thinking someone turned down the temperature... nope, 3 minutes later it is still hot.

As I continued again through mile 7, I started to realize I was still needing to go, AGAIN. Oh yes, this would continue for the remainder of the race! Now you might be thinking there is no way a person can produce a #2 for the remainder of the aid stations, but I assure you- one can, if they have spent the week leading up to the race eating enough fresh Papaya, Pinapple, Cantalope, and Honeydew to feed a small country.... oh yes, did you know Papaya alleviates constipation? I do now :)

I passed Simon and my parents at Mile 10, still attempting to run, but knowing my pace had fallen off the wagon. As I neared where they were, I started thinking about bailing on the run- but quickly had my first 'come to jesus' meeting with myself. 'Wait a minute, LOOK AROUND YOU! Do you know where you are?!?!' Yes, you do. Keep going. Ok. I passed them and smiled/ waved, and figured I should just enjoy this. I am not going to do a best time, Im going to have to start walking soon, but at least make it past them! So I jogged past them, up the hill on Palani, and turned onto the Queen K. Ahhh no mans land... This. is. going. to. suck. As I turned onto the Queen K, the pressure from running was putting too much on my bowels and intensifying the sensation to 'go' that I had to slow to a walk. I was now doing my best as$ shaking, side to side, old lady power walk- and laughing at myself.. where is NBC when you need them- this is one of those moments in life. I knew Simon would be tracking me on the iPad, and would see the pace fall way off. I couldn't wait to get back and tell them I got the 'sh#ts'. I was constantly pouring water on myself in shower format and praying I didn't have anything on myself... that'll look nice for the kids on NBC.

Another 4 miles goes by. Now I am WAAAAY out in the middle of no where, just me and lava. Guys are stopping off to the sides and puking. Pros are walking. The sh$t appeared to be hitting the fan all over. I had another 4ish miles before I even reached the turn around. Motivation, energy, and legs were starting to get the best of me. I institute 'come to jesus' meeting #2 with myself, and looked around at where I was. If it took me until midnight, I was going to finish this race. It meant that much to me. Not the place, or the time.. but crossing that line, surpassing my own expectations on this day, and playing the hand I got dealt. Energy lab... yeah, Simon was right. Nothing glamourous. Special needs, WAHOO!! I filled up, and started taking every cup handed to me at the aid station. Water, coke, powerade, pretzel, banana- which almost made me yack thinking about another piece of fruit... but I tried to draw as much energy off the aid station volunteers as I could. They really, truly made the run for me. If it hadn't been for their energy at EVERY single aid station, screaming, encouraging, dumping water on my head- I dont think I could have continued (and god bless the portalettes!!). I continued my inspection of each portalette at each aid station (btw they were NOT next to the race course- but rather down a side street about 100 yards, wtf!) and continued on my way back towards Kona. My watch had gotten wacked during the swim, which subsequently stopped the timer, so I had no idea where I was time wise- nor did I care, but I did know what time it was... and all I cared about calculating was how much time I had until midnight- the official cut off. (Yes, I know I could have done the math based on what time I started and figured out where I was, but my thoughts were on finishing within time, not on what time I would go). Slowly but surely the miles ticked away, and I made my way back to Kona. Tons of people passed me, and it hurt to not be able to go after them... but 'live to fight another day' I always say... so I had to let each and every one of them go... but I knew we were going to the same place, and I knew as I got back to the turn on Palani, that I was going to do this...

The Finish:

I was going to cross the finish line. The same finish line I saw Dan & Rick Hoyt cross. The same finish line I saw in the gatorade commercial with Chris Legh, where he collapsed with 50 meters to go. I was going to CROSS this finish line. I was going to enjoy it. Pain and all.

I rallied something deep inside me to run the last 3k through town to the finish line. Simon met me with about 2k to go and ran with me (faster than me mind you- in flip flops) until I turned & he cut through to the finish line. The screaming started again, the streets were lined with people, as they had been earlier. It was just like the Tour de France- they were so close, only parting ways for you to pass just as you neared them. At 1k to go, a guy yelled 'enjoy the next 5 minutes, they will be the best 5 minutes of your life!'

It was incredible. It only got louder, the people only got thicker on the sides of the streets, and ahead I could see the lights, hear Mike Reilly, and see the carpet. Feel the carpet. Pass the Ford. Flags along the sides of the barriers. Enter the spot lights. Final ramp up to the finish. Oh. my. god!!!!

'Jennifer Vaillancourt of Toronto Canada, by way of the United States, You are an Ironman!!!!'

Everything I ever thought it would be, it was- and then some. Pain, tears, completely humbling elation, surpassing my wildest expectations.

Dear suck, Embrace THIS! :)

Two BQ's in O-Town!!!

This past Saturday Simon & I ventured East to Ottawa to run the Ottawa Marathon! This would be Simon's second time running it, & my first. It was also Simon's big goal race for the spring, as changes to the Boston Marathon qualification process means he needs to qualify earlier than previous years.

His current qualifying time (all based on age-group) is the fastest qual time for Boston: 3:10. I knew Simon had it in him, but after some spotty training before last year's Scotiabank Marathon- he had the speed, but lacked the endurance & bonked at the 33km mark. This year, he set out to train harder, and make a serious attempt at qualifying. He did the work, and BLAZED to a 3:08 finish! I couldn't be happier for him!! :) The best part is... he knows what else he can do to get faster, so I think he is going to pick a late summer marathon to try and squeak below the 3:05 mark- which guarantee's early registration for Boston.

After September of this year, all the BQ times drop 5 minutes, AND this year they are starting a new registration system: 5 minutes or faster than your BQ mark allows you to register in week 1. 4 minutes and to the BQ mark, means you have to wait until week two & its a selection process.. meaning even if you quality- you may not get to race. Not wanting to take chances, I think Simon may elect to do the late summer race & get under the 5 minute mark!


My race was anything but pretty. I knew going in to this, that my lack of long runs & sheer amount of traveling for work would make this puppy hurt. My endurance wasn't going to be there- so this would be a sheer 'finish' race strategy. It would also help jump start my summer training block in preparation for Kona. Let's be honest, with the winter lasting up here as long as it does- its not really feasible to get out and do much IM training before May. So... now that I have officially started my training, here's to the next 5 months!

I started out with a group of runners holding a pace much faster than I should have started out at (given my lack of endurance training) but what can I say- I am a gluten for punishment & all those years of chlorine to the brain has done a number on me! So holding the nice 3:20 pace felt fine until about the 18-19km mark... as I knew I was reaching my threshold of long run training... sooooo at round about 23km I hit the 'bonk wall'. Normally in a marathon I have heard people discuss the 33-35km bonk wall... where you legs just seize up & its hard to place 1 foot in front of the other... yeah- 23km for me buddy! I knew going out too aggressive for my training would come back to bite me- buuuut I just slowed it up a bit... ok, a lot... and tried to not quit the next 19km. I also knew that the 32km mark was ACROSS THE STREET from our hotel, & it took every ounce of my mental strength to not dip out, go to the hotel & take a nice bath. As I watched the people pass me, I kept trying to hang on to someone- but the legs just weren't going to help me today. Today it was going to hurt... baaaaaaad. Crossed the line 10 minutes off my PR, but still under the BQ mark for my AG, so it wasn't a complete disaster, in fact, I was expecting another 20 minutes added to my time- so I guess I came out better than I thought! :)

I guess for me it came down to this: First or last, fast or slow, I am doing something that not many people can physically do. There are people that for whatever medical reason cannot, even if they wanted to, go out and do a marathon. For that reason- there is absolutely no reason for me to quit a race, ever. Even if I walk across the finish line, even if I add copious amounts of time to my PR, at this point in my life the pressure to perform at a certain level- retired with my collegiate life. I do this, because I can- for those that cant.

Rockstar

Well, it is safe to say that trying to manage the triple life of working full-time, working out, and being on tour with a rockstar has made me NOT want to be a rockstar... well, if I had to continue doing all 3!

For the past month we have been on tour, Wild Vines presents Matt Dusk 'Back from Las Vegas' Canadian Tour, across Canada! The good times have been plenty, the short nights of sleep followed by LOOOONG days have been all too frequent, but it has definitely been an experience I will never forget!

Here is one blogger writing about his experience at our Ottawa show:

http://ottawaarne.blogspot.com/2011/04/evening-with-matt-dusk-and-anna-wilson.html

As well as several links to pics online from a few concerts:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/album.php?fbid=204351916253121&id=171662312855415&aid=47636

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/album.php?fbid=202009339820712&id=171662312855415&aid=46569

Failing at organizing the group photo...

In related news... hubski and I are traveling back to Montreal this weekend for birthday celebrations & the Montreal demi marathon! Next week its back to the tour with Regina & Edmonton!!

And miles to go before I sleep...

Toto, I dont think we are in Florida anymore!

Yes my friends, we are a long way from the sunny beaches & smell of salt in the air that is my home. No matter how many beaches I have visited all over the world- there is no place like home- the home of my childhood. Today, I call a new and adventurous place my home. I cannot even compare the two! One is sunny, and warm, with distinct smells and sounds- my new home, depending on the season, is the exact opposite! New sounds, smells, and feelings- like 'crisp' & fresh, which you cannot even begin to encapsulate into words for the people of my childhood hometown. This surfer girl has traded in her surfboard for two significantly smaller surfboards- that are attached to each foot! (Although, you should know my surfboard actually sits in our apartment in Canada! Right where I can see her :) )
I must say.. I am HOOKED on my new favorite sport of the Tundra- Nordic skate skiing!! Or as it is called in French, Ski de fond! This sport combines it all! Hard work, the thrills of constantly working on mastering the technique, conquering a downhill, and boasting the best athletes of any sport with the highest VO2 max... Nordic skate skiers are the fittest people on the planet. The first time I made it up a hill (which running I would have done no problem) on my skate skis, was after I had to stop mid way just to catch my breath. This sport is not easy. The technique is also a necessity. People who you would consider to be 'not as athletic as you' will leave you in their dust if your technique is sub par, it really is amazing how much it plays into it all!
I am actually getting sad that the season is soon to be drawing to a close. In a few short weeks, almost all the snow base will be gone, and my new skis (Simon bought me new skis!) will be put away in the locker downstairs. The exciting thing is, next season- I will be back!

To say I got to have a 'season' on a completely new sport is a slight exaggeration, but for two months I got to practice my technique each Saturday, in preparation for the Gatineau Loppet 29km race two weekends ago. The race was fantastic, I actually did it, and I finished well below my goal time!! I set a 3hr goal time for myself, not knowing what to expect, but come race day, I was ready to go crush that time (and the fast conditions of the snow helped too!) and came in at 2:00:22 4th in my AG and in the 40's overall for Women (including Pros)... and was more aggravated that I missed breaking 2hrs by 22 seconds.. bah. Next year!
Simon had an INCREDIBLE RACE! I saw his wave B start (you start in waves A-E) as I was in E, and after the first turn around into the woods I saw him skiing strong in 3rd position with two other guys about 20 meters in front of the pack. I knew at that point he was going to have a killer race! And killer he did, clocking a 1:23 for 3rd place in his AG & 30 something overall, including Pros! Next year he will definitely start with the A's & I will probably move up to C or D, just to put myself in a better seeding position.
Next year I will also have my brand new skis & poles (not that my skis and poles were bad- but they were 15yr old skis, the camber was almost dead & the aluminum poles were old and too long for me) which will allow me to technically descend down hills much faster, where the previous skis I was using lost most of their edges & was resulting in me having to slow myself down the hills (pizza slice) to keep from wrecking into trees.
I guess it is time to start thinking about warm weather sports again (by May) but it is still too cold to ride outside, so the bike has remained in the bike box since IMAZ & its been too cold to think about going to a pool... so there hasn't been any swimming since IMAZ. Unless you count the swimming I did down in the BVI with a drink in one hand, swimming out to a big raft? No? Ok, maybe I should go swim soon too. :)




And the new skis! :)

Ironman Arizona

Well, this blog is a bit late... but better late than never! Post-Ironman has been a whirlwind of honeymooning, traveling for work, catching up on all the things I couldnt ever get to pre-Ironman, Christmas shopping, & skate skiing! I am sure I will dedicate a blog entirely to skate skiing- my new obsession, but for the moment, I will focus on my Ironman race recap!
A few years ago, my friend Michelle made the comment that she wanted to do an Ironman before she turned 30. Now at the time, I thought I'd never do one. At that time, I had no desire to do one. Well... a lot can change in a few years, I can tell you that! Marrying my husband & his constant nagging me to 'woman up' led us to picking an Ironman in 2009. For one year, I got to mentally prepare myself for this thing- and honestly, the entire time, there were plenty of doubts that I would be able to finish. Knowing in Nov 09' that in one year my life would be completely different (living possibly in Canada, married, working a new position that would require x amount of time, etc) was daunting, esp knowing what sort of commitment an Ironman should be given. I can DEFINITELY say, Simon & I did NOT put in the time we should have! Our work schedules, getting married, and moving in together took much more time than we initially anticipated- which obviously ate into Ironman training time... whoops. We swam a grand total of about 6 times leading up to the Ironman, didnt bike over 75 miles EVER. The last month grew particularly cold in Canada- which meant what little bike riding we were doing (1 time a week on Saturday, sometimes) turned into zero times outside, and a few 40 minute trainer rides... riding the trainer is NOT a particularly enjoyable task- just ask Simon!
Anyway, the point I am trying to make is- we really didnt train what we should have. I know that now, and I know exactly what I need to do to go much faster in Kona! Luckily, now that I know what to expect, I can better prepare, which is already a starting point. Secondly, Kona is a month and a half prior to IMAZ, so the weather should still be nice, which will allow for training outside. Bottom line, next year is going to be amazing- buckle on the ol' chin strap kids, its gonna be a wild ride!! :) Now to the race report:
Swim: Well, the water was FREEZING! 59 degrees, and about 50 something outside, meant it was pretty darn cold! We also had to tread water for 12 minutes waiting for the canon to go off. We had to be in the water 2 minutes before the Pros took off, and then we had another 10 minutes to wait for our start. The announcer was great though, yelling and getting the crowd amp'd was a definite temporary mind clearer... then you start thinking about how freaking cold the water is! I lost Simon right before we had to line up to jump into the water, and was afraid I was going to start this day without a Good Luck to my man... I searched and searched, but couldnt find him, and in the water it was even more difficult. Luckily, he found me!! I got to wish him luck, and shortly thereafter, the canon blasted and we were off!! The swim was definitely rougher than expected. Normally, I am the one avoiding blows from people, today- I got kicked and wacked right in the eyes, several times- I had a nice bruise on my eye that lasted the entire day.. it was swollen for two days after- luckily, it didnt turn blue!! Anyway, rough swim- and I just kept myself above water, trying to stay with a group of men that kept me honest in my pace. I came out, and felt pretty good about the swim, but didnt look at my watch, I was too busy trying to keep my balance!
I transitioned to the bike, and the prevailing thought I had was 'Holy Crap my feet are FROZEN!' The transition was long from the swim exit to the bike racks, and my feet felt like they were on fire! It took a good 15 minutes to start to feel my feet again!
The bike was full of surprises! Yes, the obvious- was it was 112 miles.. something we didnt even get near during training.. this was a mistake, we know that now- but cant do anything about that on race day, so ride on I did. The bike was TREMENDOUSLY WINDY! We had 30mph constant wind gusts coming head on, or cross-wind the entire bike. It was a 3 loop bike, so there was one 2-3mi segment that we actually had a tail wind, beyond that- it was never ending.. the nice thing I kept thinking was 'Well, this will make Kona easy!' Knowing the cross winds in Kona are legend, I definitely knew this could be good preparation! Several women were blown off the course, and I passed a few guys that were blown off too! I felt horrible the first 2 loops on the bike. I needed to go to the bathroom BADLY, and I didnt realize how much it was making me uncomfortable/slower until I finally stopped and went to the bathroom at the end of the second bike loop. After that it was much better!! I kept looking for Simon, knowing he was closing on me after the 1st loop, and a little closer on the second. By the 3rd loop, I figured any minute I would hear his voice right behind me, but at the turn around... no Simon. A few minutes later, no Simon. Finally, about 10 minutes after the final turn around, I realized something must have happened, I should have seen him by now- there was no way he was that far behind me.... then, I saw him- about 20 minutes after the turn around point. I knew by the look on his face that he flatted! It really stinks! He was poised to pass me, and I was actually looking forward to doing the rest of the race with him, but he flatted! I knew I had to keep on, and that I would have to do this solo :( So I finished the bike leg, and realized the wind, and severe lack of training took a lot more out of me than it should have! I knew this marathon was going to hurt BAD! But I also knew that I had a finish line to make, 16:59 if that's what it takes, but finish I would!
I had a few girls pass me on the bike that were in my age group, so I figured I was completely out of qualifying for Kona. (Or I thought I did, but in retro- I was a loop ahead) Regardless, this race wasnt about qualifying for Kona- this race was about finishing an Ironman. Whether I was 1st or last, I WANTED to get to wear the M Dot, I wanted to do something I didnt think I was physically capable of doing- just to see... and mostly, I wanted to join the Ironman group of my friends who had already done one before me. I wanted to finish and get to be an Ironman with my husband!
The run for me was painful. As I was under-trained for the bike, I had to give a lot more than I should have- which it turn was taxing on my run. My feet hurt BAD, I knew I was gonna have mega blisters, but walk or crawl, I was gonna finish this race! I had two more girls pass me on lap two, so about half way through lap 2- knowing I was about 5th or 6th, I started walking all the aid stations. I figured I had no real reason to push it that bad, as I wasnt going to get a Kona spot, and I was all alone- no Simon. Then, on the back side of lap 2, in an area I started calling 'No Mans Land' because it was a stretch of almost 1.5 miles of no one. No cheerleaders, just a big hill and mountains. Very peaceful- if you arent mid marathon, I'm sure! But who do I start running with? Chris Lieto. I passed him, he passed me. We both knew we were in a tough place, and we needed someone to just run next to. So we did.. until we crested the top of the hill and he couldnt go anymore, so I took off and gave him the 'almost done' look. Funny, not many times in one's life can they say they out ran a Pro like Chris Lieto, but that's my one.. and I'm holding on to it! :) My last loop was pure adrenaline. I was so excited to finally be crossing the bridges, the sidewalks, and 'No Mans Land' for the last time. The final 3 miles are just amazing. The noise from the crowd was so amazing. I was watching the sunset off in the distance, and was happy that I beat my stretch goal for the day: Beat the Sun! I rounded the last two left hand turns, and the final stretch before you see the carpet is the most amazing feeling in the world. Words cannot express that sensation. Seeing the bleechers full of people... hearing the screams, seeing the lights, and wait for it... the words I was waiting to hear for the past year, 'Jennifer Vaillancourt, you are an IRONMAN!'
I tell you, there are two times in my life I have felt this rush when waiting for an announcer, the 1st and most special was Gilles saying in broken English 'May I now present to you Mr. & Mrs. Simon Vaillancourt' and the second was this. I knew that was what the announcer would say, I knew it was the immortal phrase uttered at every Ironman, and I had heard it said on the first televised Ironman I watched many years before. I was waiting for it, and I was so unbelieveably thrilled and humbled by it when it came. That run leading up to the finish line, I've heard my friends say all sorts of things- they went blank, they cried, they thought of loved ones, they forgot the pain, etc. I thought of it all: I thought of my family (present & watching on the internet) my coworkers watching back in Canada, my friends watching on Ironmanlive, I thought of my Noles- which prompted the action we've all done thousands of times- that will be a part of me until the day I die, the CHOP!, I thought how fortunate I am to be able to do something like this- to believe there is a distinct possibility I wont be able to finish something- and to be able to prove yourself wrong, that is.... an amazing amazing feeling! To challenge yourself to the Nth degree, and realize you now join an elite group of people who call themselves, Ironman. If I never do another Ironman again, I will have done one. :)
I immediately found my parents as I walked the finish shoot, and the catchers handed me off to big hugs from my parents. I was so glad to see them! I heard their screams all day long, I saw their special message flash up on the Inspiration mile sign around mile 4. I was so glad they were here for this. My entire life, they were always my biggest fans, win, lose, or draw. They were there as much as they could be, and for that I will always be grateful. The pain was amazing. I couldnt stand, sit, or lay comfortably. I got a quick massage, to try and aid the lactic acid, but I dont think it did much. Then, we waited for Simon. It was a little bit before we saw him, as he lost a lot of time on the bike (due to the flat) and then lost a lot of motivation on the run. But true to Ironman, he finished. He thought about dropping out, and he very well could have- but he knew I would have given him hell if he did, and he kept on. Now, he can call himself a 3 time Ironman. I fear the day he gets a race without technical difficulties, he is going to FLY!
So the race came to an end. I saw Simon come through the finisher tent, and met him with a huge hug! We were now officially on our honeymoon! We would get one more surprise when we got back to the hotel room, as when we logged on to IronmanLive to get our official times, I saw a #2 next to my name... Wait, what!?!?! I could have sworn 3 girls passed me on the run... but alas, they were on lap 1, and I was on my 2nd...
So the next day, I accepted my Kona slot, surprised as all get out, but thrilled that I get to go to Kona & commited to actually giving it a full training prep that the Big Island deserves. I am excited, as I know now what needs to be done to go much faster, and excited that I know what I have in me! Kona is gonna be great. And luckily I have my husband to train beside me. Even though he wont be in the race with me, he will be there every step of the way- so it will be like he is racing.
And Mom- you finally get to go to Hawaii!!! :)

Atlantic Canada Review

So... this is a LOOOONG overdue blog post, as I took my first Atlantics work trip back in July, but I took a second work trip the second week of August- so naturally, I figured I would eventually review the Atlantics as a whole- which makes things easier, but considering I just finished my wedding blog (and let's be honest, that takes precedent) this one took a back seat.
Newfoundland
Well.. I have to say, I found my second home. Being that I am very proud to say I was born and raised in the great beach community of Pensacola, FL, and minus the hurricanes and poor economy that has everyone in the dumps- my city normally has some of the nicest people you will find. More characteristically, there is a laid back personality, that you find. I have to say, of all the places I have traveled around the world, I have never been able to duplicate that 'small town feeling' quite like my P'cola home- until I landed in St. Johns Newfoundland! The people are decendents of Irish and Scottish settlers, which leads to a mixed and BEAUTIFUL accent which is a hybrid of the two. The second you hear a Newfoundlander speak (which by the way, they pronounce it Newfunlan) it is a distinct accent that is both appealing to hear, and memorable. The people are half of what makes this place so great. They are genuinely NICE people! The drive down the streets and the horn in the car is used to honk at someone you know, not in the manner that we traditionally use it. Oh, and EVERYBODY knows EVERBODY in this city. If Cheers is the bar where everybody knows your name, then St. John's is the city where everybody knows your name. There is a famous band (known across Canada, and now making it in the US) called Great Big Sea, and they are AMAZING! Their music gets you up and dancing, and the crowds at their concerts are lulled into a happy go lucky attitude that can be found all over the island. Newfoundlanders spread happy, period.
So the other 50% of Newfoundland's charm, is the scenic landscape. Absolutely beautiful! It is the farthest eastern point of North America, so a short 360+ miles off the coast is where Titantic went down. (Marked by a sign on top of Signal hill). The landscape is rolling, with several climate changes as your drive along the coast. This small fishing community has exploded over the years, many people coming from all over, and choosing not to leave. They are visited by whales every summer (approx mid of July to Aug 1st) for mating season, before the pods of humpbacks go south to the Dominican Republic (Far yes, I thought so too) for the winter. These whales were AMAZING to see up close! There were several large males, but one particularly MASSIVE one... absolutely stunning to see! He was larger, much much larger than our 35+ft boat.. and I only saw HALF of him. We also saw 1 Sperm whale (think Pinoccio whale). What amazes me about these creatures, is they actually put on a show for us. They know when the boats come out into the harbor, and they come alive showing their tales, and swimming around excitedly. As the boat went back in... the whales essentially disappeared.
I was also impressed to hear about a holiday in the end of July called Regatta day. Essentially, Regatta day does not fall on a specific day per say, but a week. The have it typically on a Wednesday... unless the weather is bad, then they roll it to Thursday, and so on and so forth (week day only) until they get a gorgeous day where everyone goes outside to the lake for regatta races! The holiday is marked by a large horn that sounds across St. Johns, notifying everyone that they are not to go to work today, that today is Regatta Day!! How cool is that? You get a 'go outside and socialize in the sun day' and best of all, its a surprise! The whole city shuts down and enjoys the day!!
Finally, my highlight of the trip was being 'screeched in' which is a ritual in Newfoundland. It is a 'right of passage' to becoming an official Newfoundlander, by saying the creed, kissing a cod, and taking a shot of screech rum. Definitely a sweet way to be inducted into a community! I love Newfoundland!
New Brunswick
To be honest, after Newfoundland, I didnt give New Brunswick the chance to be cool. I wasnt that impressed with the southern half of the Province, save for the Bay of Fundy- which is a natural wonder in itself, as the water goes in and out of the Bay of Fundy and can drop more than 25ft when the tide goes out! Very cool to see, but that about sums up my 'favorites' of NB. I did however, miss getting to go up to the NE corner of New Brunswick, where the Acadien population lives.. the Acadiens were the group of people who were exiled from Canada, and who later migrated to New Orleans. This is why the Creole language has influences from French. The Acadian language is a cross between English & French called Chiac, and Creole is a further breakdown from that! Missed this part of the Province, and truth be told- this is where I wanted to go, but business kept me down south. The Acadians are a very proud group of people, with a unique language and accent I wanted to hear myself!
Nova Scotia
Need to go back! I didnt get to review Halifax to the extent that I wanted to... stay tuned for a good report in 2011. I have been told since I loved St. John's so much, I will love Halifax!
Prince Edward Island
The land of potatoes!! No really, most of Canada's potatoes come from PEI! This place was great! And the potatoes were amazing. I definitely believe that native food tastes best where it comes from, and PEI potatoes are no exception. The island is also know for its seafood, in particular lobster, but I cannot eat lobster, so you'll have to try that one out for yourself. The island is pancake flat, but like all of Canada, gets snow in the winter. Fishing and potatoes are what PEI is known for, and we went on a fishing trip the last day in PEI.. which was the shortest fishing trip on earth (approx 45 minutes) as the swells were so bad over half our group got sea sick- myself included! I did catch 3 fish in 15 minutes though, so it wasn't a complete wash! Our group also learned how to chuck oysters, but since I am allergic, I was the judge of the best chucked oyster, since I cannot touch!
So in a nutshell, if you are planning a trip out to the Atlantics (Maritimes, as it is called in NB) I fully endorse NFLD, as it was the most amazing place I have been to! (outside of Quebec of course!) Time it so you can hopefully see the whales, or go in the winter when the whale watching boat tours convert to iceberg exploration tours (already looking forward to this!) as St. John's is notorious for getting large icebergs floating over from Greenland. (And it all makes you wonder if only Titanic had been sailing the part between Greenland & NFLD during the day...) the seafood is incomparable, and the people make the trip even more amazing.