Penticton Weekend

Friday was a half day for me and a full vacation day for Graeme. We started off the day with a swim at the Aquatic Centre before I headed to work for the morning. Graeme did his ride and packed up the car before picking me up and heading out at lunchtime.

After an ok but pretty slow drive (including some wet snow driving through one of the high mountain passes!) we arrived to the motel in Penticton around 5:30. We headed out for a run before meeting up with a bunch of people from the tri club. In past years apparently the club has booked out the entire motel, but that is not the case anymore. Still, there was a good turnout and we had the entire bottom of the motel. Luckily I don't think anyone else was staying there as there was lots of activity in the courtyard. We headed over to a local pub for dinner and then sat out in the courtyard until close to 11. Pretty late for a bunch of early risers!

We were up and ready to ride for 8am on Saturday morning. We had 4 support vehicles which was such a luxury. 3 of the vans had Gatorade, water, coke and snacks, and I put some sunscreen in a couple vehicles just in case. After photos we headed out, and 3km into the ride I had my first flat. Yes, ever. Very very luckily for me, 2 really nice guys stayed back. I am sure I could have fixed it myself, but I have never done this ride before, and I'd probably have been heading back to the hotel. After we got the tire changed (which yes, one of the guys very nicely did for me!) we decided to do a pace line and see if we could catch up to the rest of the group. I felt bad that they were missing the group so I pulled as much and as hard as I could. I had no idea I was working them as hard as I was, but later that night they were bugging me about hammering and that they were going pretty much all out. I wasn't planning on riding the whole IMC course and they were and when they realized that they decided to slow the pace a bit. Along the way we picked up another girl from the group (the gf of one of the guys) and then we eventually caught up to the main group at the first rest stop in Osoyoos. 2 hours of hard riding later.

After shedding some layers and shoving some food (but not enough!) down, we left Osoyoos and headed up over Richter Pass. It is a loooong climb. Over 9km of steady uphill. I didn't find it too bad though, as the incline is steep, but not too steep that you can't keep turning your pedals. I was well within the main group the whole climb, but lost everyone on the downhill. Apparently I need some desending pratice. And a bag of rocks Graeme says. Though there were smaller girls in the group who had no issues speeding down the hill!

After Richter there are 7 rollers before getting to Keremeos. I actually wished there was more uphill. I would make up some time to the group on each uphill and then lose most of what I had made up on the downhill. I was on my own this entire stretch and that definitely hurt my concentration. I eventaully realized I was hungry and ate all the rest of the food I had in my jersey. That was a big help and I rolled into Keremeos not too long after the main group. That was it for me though. I hadn't planned on going any further and I didn't. In retrospect I am sure I could have ridden the whole thing - especially with more fuel. But still, I am happy with the 112km and 3:53 of riding I did do. I got a ride back from Keremeos in one of the support vehicles and relaxed in the sun with a few other people who had headed back early.

Saturday evening was a BBQ in the courtyard with salads and dessert provided by the club. And a bunch of draw prizes. I had been talking about how I never win anything, but this time I did! A gift certificate for 30 min massage therapy - and I'm pretty sure I won it because of my flat. But hey, I'll take it! After dinner we pulled a TV outside and all sat around and watched the Canucks game - which unfortunately they lost. It was still a great evening though.

Sunday morning we slept in though I was up before my alarm went at 7 (which I had meant to turn off). Graeme and I went and grabbed some breakfast and read in the sunshine for a bit before heading a couple hundred meters from the motel to the finish line of the local 10 miler which a few club members ran. After cheering them all in we finished packing up and started to head home.

We stopped at the in-laws on the way back, changed and went for a run, then had a mothers day dinner there before heading home. I only managed 12.5km on my run, mainly because I was starving. The ankle wasn't great, but it did warm up as I ran. Of course it wasn't too happy when I woke up this morning!