Mark and Loїc's Ski to Sea 2008

So a lot has passed since our last update. Let’s go back to April 6th.

April 6, 2008, the much anticipated day of the Ski to Sea. After limited training, and a lot of procrastination, Loїc and I finally got our time to shine as a two man team. A friendly wager with Deanna and Tess’ team meant that we HAD to finish ahead of their team or we would have to bake a batch of brownies for their team.

The day started early as Tess and I turned up at City Park to pick up our race packages. There is nothing like seeing so many athletic people dressed in spandex that early in the morning. It truly is inspiring.

The race started at 9:30 at Big White. Two years ago I completed the first leg of the race, the up hill downhill, and vowed never to do it again. This year I had to due to the fact that I am not an accomplished cross country skier like Loїc is, but I can go down fast. Unfortunately my first task was to run up to the top of the Black Forest Chair from half way down the Telus Park, a total distance of about 800m, but felt like 8000m. Oxygen deprived, completely drained of any energy, and with all limbs fully lactic I then had to race down to the bottom of the Happy Valley Gondola to Loїc who took off like a bat out of hell on the cross country ski.

The cross country ski is approximately 7km of hell. Elevation plays a big role in the difficulty of the course, but I hear that the hardest part is the final 200m uphill to the transition point. Many good people have lost their lunch while sprinting for the finish. Loїc didn’t, but he certainly didn’t look fresh. I tore the relay tag from his jersey and took off on the mountain bike.

With only 24 mins of rest between the downhill ski and the beginning of the mountain bike, I was not prepared for the first uphill out of thee village. Still I managed, and was pleasantly rewarded with a super fast downhill. The ride was exciting, and I ripped through the course like it was kids play, or at least until the next uphill after which I was exhausted and thinking about dry heaving. Thankfully though I was pitted in a race against time, and puking would have taken too much time. I forced myself downhill to the transition passing two people along the way, and battling with another all the way to the finish, but holding position in the end.

I came flying into the transition leaped off my bike and just about had my legs collapse under me. I staggered to Loїc who was poised and waiting on his road bike. Loїc tore off the staring line with flames behind him. After tying to recover, we loaded up my bike into the truck and had a difficult time catching Loїc. By the time that we did he was 3/4 ‘s of the way through the course, and had but a few minutes left. We raced to the transition with his runners in hand and only just beat him there.

Loїc dismounted his bike and started the transition to the run, shedding his riding shoes and dawned his red runners like a seasoned vet. Now 2/3rds of the way through the race, Loїc ran the 14km run to City Park. I have completed that portion of the race only once before, and can attest that it felt like the course that never ends. Still though, we had little time to get to the transition and get the canoe ready. At the end of the run Loїc had 12 minutes to transition. Thankfully he arrived with a few mins to spare, and was able to have a drink and a quick bit to eat before we headed out on the water for the canoe portion.

The water was calm, and we were primed with two whole training sessions under our belt. After launching, I looked across the lake and saw one boat ahead of us. I told Loїc I wanted to get them. We did. I the looked farther forward as we turned toward the half way point. Two more boats ahead of us. Once again I told Loїc that I wanted to pass those two boats , and we got them by the ½ way turn. Two more boats ahead of us, one of whom were friends on thee Fresh Air Team. We got them too, this time on the home stretch.

When all was said and done we finished 9th overall, 5th in the men’s open, were the fist duo team to cross the line, and most importantly ahead of the girls team who placed third of seven teams in the women's division. Tired, but incredibly happy we collapsed and recovered only three feet from the finish line. I am ecstatic about our race, and we have already stared scheming about next years race. To check out how our team, Frog’s Legs, did click here.

I would like to thank a few people who made this race possible for us. First Joel Fafard, as he was our truck support for the day. Larry Davidson was nice enough to loan us his canoe again this year, while Linda Frandsen supplied us with paddles. Finally there is Deanna’s team, Jim Nykyforuk, and Mike and Irene who were fan support and photographers.