September 17, 2016 - Vancouver Eastside 10K (BC Provincial 10k Championships)`

51st Female Overall, 4th Female 40-44, 9th Masters (40+) Overall

Racing in both the competitive Senior Open and Masters Divisions, I ran the Vancouver Eastside 10k last Saturday in torrential rain.  It was my first time on the course, which offered a fantastic tour of Vancouver's downtown Eastside, featuring the wharves, Roger's Sugar and Gastown.  The course was super hilly and challenging - I ran well but finished slower than planned - such is racing.

Since I'm racing the BMO Okanagan Half Marathon in three weeks, Coach Andrew had me run home from the race - another 45 minutes easy in the pouring rain.

Here I am at home - drenched but happy:

September 2, 2016 - Americas Masters Games Triathlon (Standard)

1st 40-44 (Gold), 2nd Female Overall, 11th Overall

Racing on a stormy Friday morning at Locarno Beach:

On the podium with my Gold medal:

I can't help noticing that I look tired after getting up at 4AM to eat and racing hard in cold conditions.

At Jack Poole Plaza, Celebration Plaza, for Closing Ceremonies on the Sunday after my race:

August 27, 2016 - Americas Masters Games Cycling Time Trial (20km)

3rd Female 40-44 (Bronze)

Ready to roll on race morning:

Celebrating with my biggest fans :) after the race (before results):

Bronze medallist!

With my coach, who one Gold!

The cutest cyclist I know:

August 7, 2016 - Subaru Irongirl (Women's Only) Sprint Triathlon

4th Overall, 2nd 40-44

August 4, 2016 - Miracle Mile with Lion's Gate Road Runners

14th Overall, 4th Female

July 23, 2016 - VOWSA Kits Challenge 1.5km Swim

4th Overall, 2nd Female Overall, 1st 40-44

July 10, 2016 - Vancouver 5150 Standard Distance Triathlon

21st Female Overall, 4th Female 40-44

After putting my lower back out at the gym on the Wednesday preceding this race, I thought it would be another "miss" in this year's race lineup.  Vancouver 5051 under the Ironman was the Canadian Championships and inaugural event in Coal Harbour.  Fortunately, my awesome chiro and massage therapist got me back in working order just in time to race - literally.  I didn't know I was going to race until my run warm up on race day proved I was pretty much pain free.  I called my husband, told him I was going to race, and asked him to put money on my parking meter!  No time to get nervous!

It was super fun to swim in Coal Harbour because no one usually swims there and the views were awesome, although the water was really dark and cold because it is so deep for the port. I had a good swim and came out of the water in good position.  I cycled well but had difficulty getting off the bike - my back was really stiff and my left calf was threatening to cramp.  I have a lot of racing experience and pushing through is not new to me.  I got out on the race course and my back and leg loosened up in the first km.  My run was steady but not stellar, at a slower pace than I'm used to and would have liked.  But the course, through Coal Harbour, around Stanley Park and back to the finish in Jack Poole Plaza, was very beautiful.

Me on the seawall:

A picture of the little one surround by "buoys" after her Ironkids 1km race the day before:

July 1, 2016 - VOWSA Canada Day 2km Swim

21st Overall, 6th Female Overall, 1st Female 40-44

Sasamat Lake offered perfect race conditions - warm, flat water - on a cloudy Canada Day morning.  The beach was closed because of high fecal coliforms so, for the first time (I know of), the race had a beach start, which is good for me.  I had a good start and ended up between two other women.  One woman swam off course a bit and the other seemed out of reach, so I let her go.  Maybe this was a mistake?

After the second buoy, on the turn down the far side of the lake, I picked up a draft and made the decision to stay on her feet after testing the water outside the draft a few times.  I think this was a smart choice.  I planned to pass her once out of the water and on the beach, but I tripped and didn't catch her.  In any event, I had a solid swim and was really happy with my technical and tactical performance.

Another great event by VOWSA, topped off with chocolate cake to celebrate Canada's birthday:

June 18, 2016 - Point Grey Short Triathlon

1st Overall, 1st Female Overall, 1st Female 40-44

After coming home from France on Monday, I raced the Point Grey Short on Saturday.  I had won this race two years in 2014 and was looking forward to it after being injured so long.  It was time to stoke the fire and get things going before race season started.  It was a chilly and wet morning, but after a smooth warm up, I swam, biked and ran to a top place finish.  It was very satisfying but showed me that I had lost some fitness that quickly need to be regained. Fire was lit!

France - Training

We spent two weeks in Paris and southern France in late May, early June and I got in a couple of great mountain bike rides in with my husband.  We explored the countryside and vineyards of southern France!

April 10, 2016 - Pacific Populaire 100 km

Top Ten Women

Happy to race the PP 100km route again this year. I hadn't raced this event since before my daughter was born in 2010.  Having been injured since mid March and having missed some run / tri events made this race even more important to me.  It was a beautiful spring day and it was nice to mix it up with the men in a few different peletons before dropping them on the hills coming back into Vancouver.  It was a pretty lonely trip along Marine Drive, around UBC, before heading west to the finish back at Riley Park.  Thanks to the one man who worked with me to bring it home!

March 12, 2016 - BMO St. Patrick's Day 5k & BC Provincial Championships

58th/812 Female OA, 3rd Female 40-44 (Ribbon Winner!)

The BMO St. Patrick's Day 5k is a tough, rolling course on the Stanley Park loop road that finishes with a long up hill on Pipeline Road.  I ran a smart race, with pretty even splits across the 3 mile markers, and higher than planned heart rates, but I was missing my top gear (at least according to Coach!).  I raced after coming into town from a work trip that had me on my feet for long days.

I would have liked have to run faster in the Championships but my time (21:12) and placement are the best I could produce last Saturday.  That, at least, is satisfying.

The race is a fantastic and exciting event that has fast age groupers toeing the line with BC's current and former elite runners, including Olympians like Nancy Tinari (who beat me of course) and Art Boileau.

Plus there are beer and cupcakes at the Finish!

February 7, 2016 - MEC Vancouver Race One

3rd Female Overall

Saw a lot of progress with a time of 20:47: one minute faster than on the same course last year.  I've been running really well in training, both on the track and on the road, and it's nice to see the fitness in a race.

I like the MEC race series because they award only the top three male and female finishers in each event: no age group awards!

Me on the podium with the fastest women of the day:

At home after the race: