"Welcome to Penticton"

And I don't plan on leaving for some time. Forty bucks a day gets me electricity, water, sewage, cable TV and a fast wireless Internet connection! No property taxes!! And it's a 3 minute walk to the beach and all around me there's beautiful scenery, with great roads to ride or run on. Too much! I even thought I found a fitting place to relocate permanently when this came up on our navigation system as we approached the city.

Actually my whole family could probably move here and feel at home, but I'll settle for my grandchildren coming to visit once a month or so. How about it Mom and Dad? If I send the air fare? And no, no, no.... you should stay at home and enjoy some alone time!!

But seriously I am very happy to be here. When we came into the Okanagan from the south we drove the hard parts of the bike course (from 60k on) and while I am still very respectful of the incredible climbs I am less scared than I was. After we got parked I rode the first part of the course and also most of the run course. Lots more hills, but again, the scenery is very distracting. One thing that is a bit disconcerting, something which we had already noticed while driving, is that your eyes really deceive you. Because of all the curves and the surrounding topography it is very hard to tell whether you are going uphill, or downhill or neither. Very strange indeed. I need to focus on my intensity and try to disregard the speedometer. This phenomenom helped me make a decision; whether or not to wear my heart rate monitor? The most important rule of the day will be to stay within myself for the entire bike ride. I am more determined than ever to enjoy the day regardless of wind, rain, heat, sleet, hail, hills, lake monsters, flat tires, or whatever else may come my way. My HRM hould help with this.

I was reading some Ironman advice the other day in which the author strongly recommended that first timers keep any time goals to themselves. His rationale was that you will focus too much on the time and disregard circumstances such as the weather and end up blowing up. I knew of this risk when I told you of my 12 hour time hopes, but I am also determined that I'm gonna be smart. I hereby make a promise to myself and to you that I will use my brain, enjoy the day, and whatever will be, will be. I know in my heart that no one will think less of me if it takes me an hour or 2 longer. Oh by the way, I still plan on finishing in 12 hours!

We also checked out the lake this afternoon and I'm not worried about the swim at all...other than battling it out with the rest of the neoprene clad idiots. As I make that comment it occures to me that I should feel right at home. Everyone out there doing this thing is an IDIOT! Woohoo!! I'll probably meet some long lost relatives.

I wish to dedicate day 338 to Dan Ashton the mayor of this beautiful town that has allowed me to come here and hang out for a week or so.

"While runners differ, basic principles never change. So it's a matter of fitting your current practices to fit the event and the individual. What's good for you might not be worth a darn for the next guy."---Bill Bowerman(co-founder of Nike)

And this one is perfect eh?

"Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day."---Samuel Goldwyn

love

peter