Post by jontotman on Aug 23, 2012 15:33:01 GMT -5
I know some of the members here are signed up or planning to sign up for the IronMan Mont-Tremblant 2013 so I want to share RodieEva's (member of this forum) race recap in the IronMan Mont-Tremblant last Sunday. Oh btw, she said sign up asap if you plan to do this next year.
Hi everybody,
Now back in New Jersey, I am writing my race report about the inaugural Ironman Mont-Tremblant for those who are interested in the details (or some Intel).
I had a great time here in Mont-Tremblant. Those who have seen the photo’s that I posted on Facebook can imagine why. Mont-Tremblant is a beautiful town and ski resort with plenty of restaurants and shops. The set-up for the race was great. Everything we needed for the race was within walking distance. The organization was flawless and the attention for details remarkable. Not to forget the friendliness of the organizers, volunteers, and in general everyone in Mont-Tremblant. I knew before the race that I would have a great time.
I didn’t come particularly well prepared to this race. I struggled with my recovery after Ironman Austria seven weeks earlier. By the time I felt like I was recovered, it was about time to taper. In addition, I hurt my hamstring (worsening a prior injury) a few weeks prior to the race falling while MTBing, which didn’t help with my physical and mental preparedness.
One thing was however clear… Temperatures on race day in Mont-Tremblant would not even be close to what I had to endure in prior half and full Ironman races this year, when temperatures averaged 95-100F.
On Sunday morning it was indeed somewhat chilly. The water temperature was however going to be nice, so I opted for the sleeveless wetsuit, which for me is synonym for swimming freedom. At around 6:30am all athletes left transition to go to the Beach and Tennis Club where the swim would start. Too many nerves? Too much strength? While closing the morning clothing bag, it broke. So, with the help of a volunteer, I managed to close it tightly so nothing would fall out. Good job, I thought… Oh my… Where are my goggles? Mistake #1: I put my goggles in the morning clothing bag, which was closed very tight and now in the collecting bin. It took me several minutes an nerves, but finally I was able to rescue my goggles. Now I was smiling again while getting to the swim start through the cheering crowd as one of the last athletes…
At 7:00am, about 2200 athletes entered the water. What in the morning looked like a calm lake, now felt like a whirlpool. With a few exceptions, there was luckily little pushing and kicking at the start of the swim. Initially, I had a bit of trouble seeing the buoys, maybe because of the thin layer of fog on the lake, but after 15-20min all was clear. The swim was enjoyable (I was even able to catch a glimpse of the surroundings) until close to the end when I started to be kicked and swum over several times. The good thing about being kicked (not that I like it) is that it means that there are still plenty of swimmers around me, an indication of a decent (at least for me) swim time.
The transition went smoothly, even though it took forever. Firstly, we had to run about 800m (fully carpeted) from the swim exit to the changing tent. Secondly, I made sure to apply plenty of sunscreen (I have learned my lessons with many sunburns this year). Finally, it took me a while to put gloves and arm protections on, which I normally don’t wear. But given the expected temperatures for the day, this was definitely a wise decision.
Out on the bike now… Why can’t I get into my pedals? Mistake #2: Oh no, my pedals cleat covers are still on (no wonder I was running so easily through transition). Well, you are not allowed to litter, so I told a spectator that was watching me and finding my little struggle very amusing that the covers were a gift for him. The 112mile bike course was a two loop course. The first part is a longer out-and-back section (on route 117, a provincial highway), with flats, rollers, and some long (but not too steep) hills. The second part is a shorter out-and-back “rollercoaster”, with some short but at times steep hills (the book said up to 12%, my Garmin showed up to 18%). You had to shift gears, literally, all the time… They said that this is a course where you need to be patient, it will suck the energy out of you. So, my tactic for the day was to ride conservatively and keep smiling whenever I would see spectators. The course was indeed energy draining, especially the 2nd loop when we also had to fight a strong wind. My bike split wasn’t particularly fast and this is confirmed by the fact that I didn’t pass as many female (or male) triathletes as I usually do. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the ride and got to transition not too exhausted.
As usual, I expected to have a tough time on the run course. My run training this year has been very limited (ca. 5-6miles per week, ouch!) and I knew that I would also suffer from my injured hamstring, especially uphill. So, I decided that my tactic would be to walk uphill, but too run as much as possible on the flat and downhill portions. The 26mile run was also a two loop course, with mostly out-and-back sections, which allowed me to see all of my “old” and new friends (i.e. Andy, Susan, Barry, Peter, Larry, Larissa and Gina) at least once. I particularly enjoyed the non-asphalted section on the P’tit Train du Nord Parc (the longest linear park in Canada). However, I didn’t enjoy too much the 20-30min pouring rain, even if at the end we were awarded with a beautiful rainbow… As much as I enjoyed the course, I was glad when I got back in town for the finish (I had a prelude at the end of my 1st loop on how it would be at the finish line… crazy party!). All the pain was gone while I was descending town towards the finish line. I finished in 13 hours and 48 min, which was a satisfactory result. This time, I was racing for smiles, and not for a PR. Most importantly, I heard for the 1st time in my triathlon career, believe it or not, Mike Reilly (“the voice of Ironman”) saying the famous words “Eva, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!”. And this was number 20!
The experience? Great! Totally enjoyed it! Not surprisingly, I will be back in Mont-Tremblant next year!
Post-race activity? Luge = sledding. Fun, but not as exciting as bobsledding post Lake Placid.
Learning of the day? It doesn’t matter how many you did, there will always be (stupid) mistakes…
What’s next? Ironman World Championship Hawaii (October 13th) J. Stay tuned…
Thanks to everyone for reading my story and for your support pre- and post-race. It really means a lot!
