IMC my impossible

The Thanks
The kids (Best supporters ever and my inspiration)
Wife(Kid wrangler and mover shaker)
Dad and Brother (Best transition team without them my race would not be what it is)
Tri It Multisport Calgary (Best tri store around, Iron Elvis lives)
Alberta Paraplegic fund (helping out with equipment needed to even attempt)
Rest of my family, friends, Spanish Villa group, volunteers and supporters
Steve Fleck (doesn't know it yet but is going to hook me up with a nineteen wetsuit and shirt)

Pre Race
Had a great sleep, felt great got to T1 setup talk to some pro's (Jordan) wished them luck

Swim - 1:26:45
I had planed to start for left as I heard that would be the best place to not get beat up but its so shallow and since I don't walk I decided on just left of the buoy line deep enough that everyone had to swim about 4 people back. I was fine until I hear a guy say "No broken noses" and thought WFT never thought of that and we are off.
First 400m a little rough but much better then I thought it would be I swam the buoy line the whole way out got bunched at the front of the buoy but after the buoy was open, I got elbowed, dunked and grabbed but felt it was ok, if someone was overly aggressive or zigzagging I just stopped for a sec and let them be. Turns felt fine and stayed to the right of the buoy line on the way back.
Super pumped for the swim I kept thinking I would be 1:30 - 1:40 and really figured it would be 1:40 so at 1:26ish happy and surprised

Bike - Offical DNF - or just under 11hours
Was out on the bike in 1:35ish and felt great I was aiming for over 25km average out to the bottom of Richter Pass, I was passing people and being passed hit McLean Creek felt good, my plan to get water at McLean Creek was to not happen as they were out, got through the top of McLean Creek unscathed by the tacks but saw a lot of victims tore done to Ok Falls and on my way to Richter Pass.

Just pass Ok Falls by shoulders started to feel crappy something I had not felt before so stretched a bit and kept on going.

I hit the bottom of Richter Pass at over 25km average and felt good shoulders sore, again no water, now as I was climbing it just did not feel right I just did not seem to have the power to climb I was loosing time fast and being passed a lot, I just kept going lots of support from everyone even when I got passed by sister Madonna Buder she called my name and wished me luck.

At the top of Richter I knew that I was going to miss the cut off my average speed was destroyed and now I just wanted to see by how much I would miss it.

Great going down, rollers no big deal just got through them hit the section after the rollers and again could not find the power to put down.

Must have gotten a second wind on the out and back felt good speed was up, hit the special needs, at this point I am the last person they find my bag I switch out my camelbak and keep going at this point they are closing aid stations as I keep going but I have been able to get some water and I am fine for nutrition so I keep going, I am told by the great support crew that I have a few hours to the cut off and they will keep supporting me till then.

I turn right after the out and back towards yellow lake and I start the long climb to the top, again the power just does not seem to there my shoulders are angry and my speed is not so good.

I hit the penalty tent at yellow lake at 5:30 I meet up with the official and given two options go back with them(recommended) or continue unsupported I choose to continue.

As I am climbing I keep thinking if I see that van again I am getting a ride back I am no longer having fun, I am sore and keep thinking this was just to much to soon at times I am doing 3km/hr and stopping every 1km to rest, I finally hit the very top and cruise down to transition and arrive to meet my family my boys are waiting and run with me into transition at 7:30.

Post Bike
Everything feels fine accept for my shoulders it was strange mentally I felt fine the rest of my physically felt fine but my shoulders were just done something I had not thought as I had not had an issue with them like this before.

Post Race thoughts
-Swim great
-Bike an hour longer then I wanted to be I figured I would be at worst 10hours on the bike not 11
-Not sure why my shoulders gave out so fast, could be from the swim, I think it could also be from pushing around Penticton for a week before the race more then I would at home.
-So much support from everyone
-Two guys from ST I met stood out not sure why but they offered words of encouragement, Steve and Nick thanks for you kind words

I am still decompressing and not sure what I will do next, I have a lot of support from people to try again next year but I am not sure, the bike may not be doable within the time cutoff, I might focus on some halves and sprints but I keep having this feeling of unfinished business.

I have to give huge props to David Lee, he became the first wheelchair athlete to finish IMC within the time cutoffs. He was a paralympian in Beijing for handcyling a personal trainer and devoted a month of training in Penticton to finish the race.

I heard a quote from Jordan and it has been eating away at me

"Chase your dreams, don't believe anything is impossible, only believe in the possible" -Jordan Rapp

IMC is my impossible but also a dream I hope mentally and physically it can become my possible one day

Kelowna National Championships

Had a great race person best for swim, bike and run and that added up to a PB for the whole race.

750m swim - 15:52
20km Bike - 48:55
5km Run - 19:08

Total - 1:29:33

Under 1:30 WooHoo I wanted to go under 1:30 and I did so I was pumped

I finished 3rd behind two great guys racing with the Canadian National team, one guy crushed me by 15min the other only 6min I lost it on the bike.

This result motivated me to seriously consider moving to the short distance and make a run at the national team