It was amazing energy...IMLP (part one)

There is so much to say, beginning with I can't believe it has been two weeks since the Lake Placid Ironman. Two weeks today since we trekked off the meet and support our friend Anne and a few others from our local Kanata Running Room who were participating in this same prestigious event.

I have to apologise right now because I have so many photo's, so many memories (none of which compare to the participants, trust me)and so little patience posting to blogger, this will be posted in at least two posts.

After driving through Lake Placid and being swept up in the energy of the weekend. We found our way to our hotel in Willmington, it was cute, clean and had everything we needed for our short stay. It was close to many attractions in the area and close to Whiteface Mountain and The North Pole.

This shot is for you Marcy!!

Saturday morning dawned with warm temperatures and hazy sunshine, after coming from rain soaked Ottawa, any warmth and sunshine was a welcome relief.

Karen and I ate a quick breakfast of yogurt and fresh berries and got ready to go for a run.

We headed of towards "the North Pole", straight up!! It ended up being more of a walk / run instead of the other way around, I was not use to the altitude, heat nor hills. I could only think of what the Iron participants were going to face, miles and miles of hills, yikes!! When we finished our run we got ready to head into town. Having been to many competitions with Anne I just knew that we may not get the chance to meet up with her and her husband Dean on Saturday. Anne needs her prep time and she also needs time to get "into her head", so the fact that we never really saw her most of the weekend was no real surprise.

Let me begin with, the American's really do put on an amazing show. You could feel the energy building as you entered into downtown Lake Placid. Every shop, every restaurant and every building sported Ironman logo's, banner's or pennant's. The streets were lined with Ironman paraphernalia and the sheer number of people was totally overwhelming, each of the 2,300 would be Ironman had between 4 - 10 people in their entourage wearing matching T-shirts with some inspirational saying emblazoned upon it. It was amazing!

Saturday was spent wandering around the sports expo which rimmed the Olympic oval supporting the bike transition area. There were sooo many people of all ages, shapes and sizes, all there to support a friend, son, daughter, mother or father, they were there to support a loved one.

The athletes had to rack their bikes starting at 3pm. It was so amazing to watch...we spent a few hours just wandering back and forth, checking out the sights. While we sauntered over to Mirror Lake it just showed us how far the swim finish was from the bike transition, is was a really long run up a hill and then down the hill to the Oval.

Once we saw pretty much most of the Expo and the swim to bike areas it was time to do what any athlete in training would do....find a spot to eat and have an adult BEvERage.

We ended up several times throughout the weekend at the Great Adirondack Steak & Seafood Restaurant and Brewing Company on Main Street. They have a wonderful menu and a fine micro brewery set up right on location. For a nominal price you can get beer and a beer glass which sports different "quotes", I choose " I drink to make other people interesting." - George Jean Nathan.

The weather was perfect to sit outside on the patio and people watch. What a great way to start a long overdue vacation!

After we wandered around some more we headed back to our hotel for an early night since we had to be back downtown for 4:45am to body mark the soon to be Ironmen and women!!!

More on the actual Iron Day to come!!!

Life's fun if you don't weaken,

Lily