First off some thanks! Thanks to Rio Glowasky for her colourful and eye-catching graphic, thanks to Steve King for mentioning the event at the Oliver Half Iron, thanks to Greg and Glenda at F2C for providing us some on-course support and a place to stash our bikes, thanks to Jeff Symonds for being one of the first folks to volunteer, thanks to Joe Dixon for the legal-type advice, and also thanks to Sonya Jacobson for being our first female participant to sign up! 
IronSoul 2018
Unsponsored, Unsupported, Unspoiled
What it is/What it isn’t
The IronSoul 2018 is an unsupported Iron Distance event held in the South Okanagan the last Sunday in August (August 26).
It is not a race. You won’t get a finisher’s medal, you won’t qualify for Kona, and you (probably) won’t hear Steve King announce your name along with the results of the last ten Ironmans you have done as you cross our “finish line.”
What you will get is an opportunity to test yourself on the original, legendary, Ironman Canada course. Do it once and brag for the rest of your life!!!
Why we are doing this?
The idea came because Ironman Canada moved to Whistler, Challenge Penticton folded, and most of us old bastards are genetically programmed to do an Iron Distance “something” the last weekend in August in the South Okanagan. We also want to see how we stack up to our former selves on the original course that we did for all those years.
What do I have to do as a participant?
We organized this event for friendship and fitness not profit or promotions. Getting 6 people on the “start-line” would be a success. Getting 25, the original number of Ironman Canada participants in 1983 would be amazing. Kind of like coming full-circle.
As a participant an unsupported event, you’ll need to have the fitness, food, and course knowledge to complete it on your own. Think of this as a long-training day with some like minded folks and you’ll be in the right head space for this event.
The course (subject to change)
Swim: from the buoy at the Big Peach to the SS Sicamous (twice).
Bike: Big Peach to East Side Road via Government Street. (more details later). Once on Lakeside Road, it follows the “Classic” route to Osoyoos via 97, Richter Pass, Cawston out and back, Yellow Lake, back to 97 into Penticton, stay on 97 and turn onto Lakeshore.
Run: Big Peach, Lakeshore onto Channel Parkway Path, through Skaha Park onto Lakeside, to Ok Falls, t/around at Christie Memorial Park in OK Falls.
FAQ (I’m sure this will grow over the next few months)
Will there be aid stations?
Don’t count on it. A few folks on Slowtwitch said they’d be willing to provide support for the run. That would be great, but again, don’t count on it.
As well, you are responsible for the logistics such as where your wetsuit is going after you are done the swim. And of course, there is the issue of your bike.
Do I have to do it all?
No, however, since the main idea here is to TEST YOURSELF against your former self on THE LEGENDARY course, it would be cool if you did but we don’t want any casualties out there.
How do I sign up?
You don’t really “sign anything” as this is NOT a race. But to let me know you are probably going to be there would be swell. Just respond e-mail me at kknnheinze@yahoo.com with the subject thread IronSoul.
