Well, it's official. No 'one and done' when it comes to the Ironman 70.3 distance. On Sunday, June 25, 2017, I completed my second half iron at the Ironman 70.3 Mont Tremblant.
I am going to skip over the horrible experience I had with the flight to Montreal. I vowed not to let that set the tone of the weekend and I do not want it to set the tone for this report. It was nothing some coffee and good driving music could not solve.
And before I get into the report, let me just say that this race was amazing. I am not talking about my performance (more on that later), but in general. The whole city, athlete or not, gets behind this race.
Everything about the whole setup was clean, professional, well supported, well volunteered, energetic, exciting, and amazing in general. The government and people of Mont Tremblant support this race with their heart and soul and it shows. Merci Mont Tremblant, Merci.
I arrived in Mont Tremblant Friday afternoon to help a fellow TNT teammate, Marie, prep for her first Olympic distance triathlon.
After watching Marie complete her first triathlon, I went back the hotel to assemble my bike. I was staying at the Hotel Mont Tremblant and would highly recommend this hotel if you ever do the 70.3 or the full Ironman. When I checked in, they asked if I was racing, then proceeded to tell me all the things they do (for free) for those racing; Bike assembly/storage room, free early breakfast, extra towels, cab service to the start. They remembered everyone's name, always inquired as to how race prep was going, and always asked if there was anything they could do.
Once the bike was assembled, I drove down to bike drop off. I parked in a lot a far from transition. There were free shuttles to and from all the parking lots, but I needed to check my bike.
The bike worked perfectly as I rode to bike check in. I stopped to put on my race stickers before finding my transition spot. It was a good spot right at the Swim-In and Run-Out point. Ideally I would have wanted to be closer to the Bike-In/Out spot to minimize the time running with my bike, but at least it was not somewhere in the middle.
All the TNT athletes were positioned together and I chatted with a few of them as we racked our bikes.
As I made my way over to the race meeting, it looked like it was going to rain. I grabbed a seat on a nearby balcony under a large umbrella moments before the rain fell. Due to the rain, the race meeting went by quick.
After the TNT Inspiration dinner, it was time to head back to the hotel. Once there, I did some last minute prep, double checked my gear, and went to bed.
I was in and out of sleep all night. I kept having dreams of swimmers being pulled out of the race because of dangerous whirlpools in the lake.
My alarm went off at 4am. I got up, showered, dressed, and grabbed my gear. I took advantage of the free early breakfast, grabbing a banana and a bagel with peanut better and jelly before driving to the race.
Jen wanted me to call her when I was on the way, but there is a 3 hour time difference. It was 1:45am where she was. She didn't care. She wanted to hear from me. As we talked and as I drove (hands free of course), I realized how excited I was. Excited. Not nervous.
The weather was overcast and foggy. It was supposed to be sunny until 11:00am, then thunderstorm, but when I checked again, it said cloudy, then sunny, then thunderstorms at 1:00pm. Good. I'd be off the bike by then.
On my way to the parking lots, I saw 2 people with gear bags walking. We were quite a ways from the race start, so I pulled over and offered them a ride. The same thing happened Saturday on my way to watch the Olympic race.
Karma paid off as the closest parking lot (within walking distance of the start) was not yet full.
I met with the other TNT athletes and we all walked to transition together.
As we setup, we chatted about past races and strategy for this race. I had my bike pump and some chain oil and gladly offered both to those who needed them.
After wrestling with a tire valve, I was done setting up. I did a quick walk through, then put my wetsuit on to my waist.
It was now 6:30am and Marie and Rue were going to meet me so I could give them my transition bag. They were not late, but I was just anxious to get to the water for a warm up swim. Luckily, a group of TNT staff members walked by and asked if I needed anything. They happily took my bag and held it at the TNT tent. I texted Marie to let her know and I was off to the lake.
As I walked to the beach, I saw several people putting on their wetsuits before walking down to the beach itself. I followed suit, thinking they knew something I didn't. Turned out to be a good move. The walk to the swim start along the beach was so crowded there was no room to put on a wetsuit.
Just before making it to the water, I stopped for the national anthem and the RCAF fly-by. The cloud cover hid the jet, but the sound overheard was enough to get us pumped.
I made my way into the water for a short warm up. The water was perfect, cold at first, warm once you were in, but not so warm that you would overheat. I did a few strokes and stretches while chatting with a few more TNT athletes.
During the warm up, the pro men's field and then the pro women's field started with the sound of a canon and fireworks. Then, it was time to line up.
There was a change of format to this race as far as the swim start. Rather than a wave start, this race was a rolling start. This meant everyone lined up according to their projected swim time fastest to slowest and then released 3 at a time, 3-4 seconds apart.
The mass of neoprene clad athletes slowly marched towards the starting arches. I remember thinking, "The Slow March of Doom!" but quickly realized it was a "March to Victory!" We were weekend warriors all with our own battles to fight that day. We had come together as an army to defeat this 70.3 course!
No nerves. I felt great. I felt ready.
I positioned myself on the left side of the marching army for better sighting once in the water. I saw Marie and Rue in the same spot Rue and I cheered on Marie the day before. I gave them a smile and a thumbs up before marching past.
I made my way into the start chute, thanked the volunteer, was released, and was off!
The Swim
I started my watch as I crossed the timing line, waded into the water, then fell forward and began to swim.
I started off nice and easy with strong smooth strokes, but found that I was passing people left and right. I thought I should slow down, but felt good. I found a draft right away and stuck to it for a bit before passing.
I kept with my sighting pattern I developed with SeaHiker and stuck with my strategy: No stopping. In a race like this, I usually have to stop every so often to catch my breathe. My goal today was to stay steady and not stop. If I needed a break, I'd just swim slower. Turns out, I had picked the right speed. I never felt like I needed a break. I did get kicked once and needed to stop for a quick second to reorient myself.
As I continued to pass people, I got knocked around a bit. Several times during the swim, I had people swimming right beside me. Either the other swimmers were not sighting enough or they did not know how to draft.
My sight lines were perfect. I kept my sight pattern/rhythm and soon found myself at the first turn buoy. I made the turn, got my sight line and continued on.
The swim became more and more crowded as I continued to pass people. Had all these people overestimated their swim times? Or had I underestimate mine? Either way I was having an amazing swim.
I soon found myself at the second turn buoy. The swim had become even more crowded now. The buoys began to angle to the left and soon I could see the swim exit.
As we approached the swim exit, people began to thrash and sprint.
As we approached the swim exit, people began to thrash and sprint.
Nope.
There was plenty of race left, not going to burn out here. I kept my pace, sighting a bit more often so not to run into another athletes.
The water became shallow very fast and almost everyone stood as soon as they could. What are they doing!? Don't they know it's easier and more efficient to swim though water than walk? I winded my way through the maze of trudging waders until the water was just below my knees. Then I popped up and made my way onto shore.
I lapped my watch as I passed the timing line and took a quick glance. Wait. That can't be right. It read 37 something minutes (official swim time 0:38:04).
WHAT!? That was closer to my Olympic Distance (1500m) time than my half iron time.
I felt amazing as I ran up the ramp, stripping off my wetsuit to the cheers of all the spectators. I soon saw Marie and Rue. I told them it was a PB and continued on my way feeling excited for the rest of the race.
There was plenty of race left, not going to burn out here. I kept my pace, sighting a bit more often so not to run into another athletes.
The water became shallow very fast and almost everyone stood as soon as they could. What are they doing!? Don't they know it's easier and more efficient to swim though water than walk? I winded my way through the maze of trudging waders until the water was just below my knees. Then I popped up and made my way onto shore.
I lapped my watch as I passed the timing line and took a quick glance. Wait. That can't be right. It read 37 something minutes (official swim time 0:38:04).
WHAT!? That was closer to my Olympic Distance (1500m) time than my half iron time.
I felt amazing as I ran up the ramp, stripping off my wetsuit to the cheers of all the spectators. I soon saw Marie and Rue. I told them it was a PB and continued on my way feeling excited for the rest of the race.
I walked most of transition. 70.3 miles is a long time and I did not need any extra heart rate spikes. The route to T1 was long but completely lined with speculators cheering in French. I do not speak French but based on past race experiences, I could tell what they were saying.
I suppose since I was walking they felt I needed extra encouragement. While it was appreciated it made me feel like they were pitying me. I knew that was not the case and thanked them.
At one point a very large group started yelling "Get Going! Get Going!"
I shouted back with a smile, "Don't rush me!" And we had a good laugh.
I entered the transition area and found my bike very quickly. I took off the rest of my wetsuit and went through the usual routine. Once done, and after a quick final check, I grabbed my bike and was off.
As I ran down the aisle, I was sure to warn other athletes, "Bike behind!" A volunteer directed me to the left saying it was faster. I thanked him and was on my way to the mount line.
As I came to the mount line, I could see it was getting crowded. I positioned myself to the far left to give myself room to mount and also stay out of other athletes' way.
I clipped in and was on my way.
The Bike
The bike course started with a nice flat section leading out to Chemin Duplessis. As I made my way to the main road, I passes fellow TNT member and team mate from my very first TNT team, Amanda. I cheered her on and made my way to the first right turn which was lined with cheering spectators.
After a small climb and a round-about, the course took us up Montee Ryan. I took a look at my heart rate and saw that it was pretty high. My perceived effort did not seem to warrant such a high heart rate, but I figured it was due to the excitement.
Once a ways down Montee Ryan, my heart rate began to settle. I took this time to get some gels and nutrition. I was keeping the same hydration/nutrition plan as Arizona. I knew it would not be as hot, but I also know I would be climbing for most of this course.
The course was very crowded at the start and I did my best to obey all the drafting/passing/blocking rules, although it was difficult on the climbs. But in reality, how much will a draft help a 230 pound guy climbing a hill?
On a big descent 3k in, we hit the first 'No Passing Zone." I checked behind me to make sure I would not be in the way of anyone wanting to pass before the zone started. I was clear.
As you can tell from most of my bike pictures, I run very deep aero wheels. Up until now, I have not had any issue with them, but during a training camp in Penticton, I almost crashed when a cross-wind caused my front wheel to create a dangerous speed wobble on a fast (50kph) descent.
I had my bike looked at the local bike shop and they tightened a few things up. Nonetheless, the fear was still looming.
As I went down this first (of many) big hill, I was curious to see what wold happen. As I bombed down the hill, I could feel the bike start to wobble, but soon realized it was bumps in the road, and not anything to do with the handling of the bike. I let the bike and gravity do there thing as I flew through the no passing zone.
Once on the other side, the first of many climbs started.
This course was extremely different from Arizona. Arizona was very flat with just one 'biggish' hill. Mont Tremblant is a series of climbs. While most were just long, some were pretty brutal, but we will get to that.
The flat course at Arizona played to my strengths on the bike. However that did backfire. I pushed so hard on the flats, that when I started the run, I had no energy at the start. It took some time to get any sort of rhythm on the run.
My strategy here was to take all the climbs at no more than a Zone 3 heart rate effort. Naturally some hills spiked my heart rate, but for the longer climbs I was able to take them slow and steady.
I would then coast down all the descents to make up for the slow climbs (and to give my legs a rest). If this meant I would sacrifice my bike time for a better feeling run, I was ok with that. In triathlon you have 3 matches and you want to burn one match for each discipline.
This proved to be a mental challenge as I was passed on every uphill by people hammering away. There was alot of race left and I did not see the sense in wasting energy this early.
The course flattened out a bit from here until we continued through a round-about on Montee Ryan. From here there was a gradual descent that turned into a fast sweeping decent. This area was not as protected by trees and a crosswind caught my front wheel. I was able to compensate, but kept on the brakes to keep in control. Despite this, it was still a 45-50kph descent.
The course then took a right turn onto Route 117 and the fun began. Here is where the course got hilly. These long climbs followed by long descents were nothing I could not handle. We do a ton of hill training with Coach Powell. As long as I stuck to my strategy, I would be fine.
15 kilometers in, we hit the first aid station. I grabbed a water, refilled my aero bottle, and threw the bottle away. All aid stations are designated drop points for trash as long as you drop it in within a certain point. At this race, they had 3 hockey nets (sometimes with goalies) setup at the start, middle, and end of each aid station. I tried to slide my bottle past the goalie, but it bounced off the side bar. All the volunteers let out an "Awww!" I yelled over my shoulder as I rode away, "It's my American handicap!"
I suppose since I was walking they felt I needed extra encouragement. While it was appreciated it made me feel like they were pitying me. I knew that was not the case and thanked them.
At one point a very large group started yelling "Get Going! Get Going!"
I shouted back with a smile, "Don't rush me!" And we had a good laugh.
I entered the transition area and found my bike very quickly. I took off the rest of my wetsuit and went through the usual routine. Once done, and after a quick final check, I grabbed my bike and was off.
As I ran down the aisle, I was sure to warn other athletes, "Bike behind!" A volunteer directed me to the left saying it was faster. I thanked him and was on my way to the mount line.
As I came to the mount line, I could see it was getting crowded. I positioned myself to the far left to give myself room to mount and also stay out of other athletes' way.
I clipped in and was on my way.
The Bike
The bike course started with a nice flat section leading out to Chemin Duplessis. As I made my way to the main road, I passes fellow TNT member and team mate from my very first TNT team, Amanda. I cheered her on and made my way to the first right turn which was lined with cheering spectators.
After a small climb and a round-about, the course took us up Montee Ryan. I took a look at my heart rate and saw that it was pretty high. My perceived effort did not seem to warrant such a high heart rate, but I figured it was due to the excitement.
Once a ways down Montee Ryan, my heart rate began to settle. I took this time to get some gels and nutrition. I was keeping the same hydration/nutrition plan as Arizona. I knew it would not be as hot, but I also know I would be climbing for most of this course.
The course was very crowded at the start and I did my best to obey all the drafting/passing/blocking rules, although it was difficult on the climbs. But in reality, how much will a draft help a 230 pound guy climbing a hill?
On a big descent 3k in, we hit the first 'No Passing Zone." I checked behind me to make sure I would not be in the way of anyone wanting to pass before the zone started. I was clear.
As you can tell from most of my bike pictures, I run very deep aero wheels. Up until now, I have not had any issue with them, but during a training camp in Penticton, I almost crashed when a cross-wind caused my front wheel to create a dangerous speed wobble on a fast (50kph) descent.
I had my bike looked at the local bike shop and they tightened a few things up. Nonetheless, the fear was still looming.
As I went down this first (of many) big hill, I was curious to see what wold happen. As I bombed down the hill, I could feel the bike start to wobble, but soon realized it was bumps in the road, and not anything to do with the handling of the bike. I let the bike and gravity do there thing as I flew through the no passing zone.
Once on the other side, the first of many climbs started.
This course was extremely different from Arizona. Arizona was very flat with just one 'biggish' hill. Mont Tremblant is a series of climbs. While most were just long, some were pretty brutal, but we will get to that.
The flat course at Arizona played to my strengths on the bike. However that did backfire. I pushed so hard on the flats, that when I started the run, I had no energy at the start. It took some time to get any sort of rhythm on the run.
My strategy here was to take all the climbs at no more than a Zone 3 heart rate effort. Naturally some hills spiked my heart rate, but for the longer climbs I was able to take them slow and steady.
I would then coast down all the descents to make up for the slow climbs (and to give my legs a rest). If this meant I would sacrifice my bike time for a better feeling run, I was ok with that. In triathlon you have 3 matches and you want to burn one match for each discipline.
This proved to be a mental challenge as I was passed on every uphill by people hammering away. There was alot of race left and I did not see the sense in wasting energy this early.
The course flattened out a bit from here until we continued through a round-about on Montee Ryan. From here there was a gradual descent that turned into a fast sweeping decent. This area was not as protected by trees and a crosswind caught my front wheel. I was able to compensate, but kept on the brakes to keep in control. Despite this, it was still a 45-50kph descent.
The course then took a right turn onto Route 117 and the fun began. Here is where the course got hilly. These long climbs followed by long descents were nothing I could not handle. We do a ton of hill training with Coach Powell. As long as I stuck to my strategy, I would be fine.
15 kilometers in, we hit the first aid station. I grabbed a water, refilled my aero bottle, and threw the bottle away. All aid stations are designated drop points for trash as long as you drop it in within a certain point. At this race, they had 3 hockey nets (sometimes with goalies) setup at the start, middle, and end of each aid station. I tried to slide my bottle past the goalie, but it bounced off the side bar. All the volunteers let out an "Awww!" I yelled over my shoulder as I rode away, "It's my American handicap!"
As the ups and downs of the course continued, several riders and I played leap frog. They would all pass me on the climbs only to be passed by me on the descents.
On one of the climbs, I saw a motorcycle on the other side of the highway. I soon realized, it was the lead pro. I looked over just in time to see Lionel Sanders ride by as the 'whoosh--whoosh--whoosh' of his rear disc wheel powered by.
I continued my strategy of taking it easy on the climbs and recovering on the downhills. Some of the downhills had some unnerving crosswinds, but I was able to stay relaxed.
I saw very few people with flats on this course, but did see someone with a broken chain. I thought to myself, "How do you snap your chain? Isn't that something you take care of with cleaning and chain oil?"
Soon, the hilly course took us though a relatively flat section as we rode through a valley. On the other side of the highway, faster riders were all bunched up in a giant pack. How in the world do they ride like that and not get carded for drafting?
On my side of the road, some riders would pass, but not move over after passing. I knew this was not right, but never said anything. The problem was, when I wanted to pass someone, these riders were still on the left in my way. I decided to ignore it and just pass when I could.
The course became hilly again just before the turn around at Labelle. There was another aid station just on the other side that I took advantage of.
Then it was back the way we came through the 'flat' valley. On the way back, I was able to cheer on some fellow TNT athletes as they made their way to the turn around. I even think I caught a glimpse of the infamous Team Unicorn Sparkle Adventure.
We were more spread out now and the sun was coming out. It was shaping up to be an amazing ride. I looked at my time and thought, I could be just at my Arizona time if I kept this up!
As cars on the opposite side of the highway drove by they honked and cheered. Some of them unknowingly kicked up sand. Luckily I had eye protection.
Even though the course was 'flat' there were some slight downhills. I decided to take these easy but be in an aero position. I dubbed this 'getting it for free." Any spare seconds I could get for free were welcome.
Just before leaving the 'flat' sections to return to the hills, I started thinking about my team and training partners back in Vancouver. I thought about how lucky I was to have a team like I do. I know that every time I do a race, they are all tracking me online. They are extremely supportive of me and each other. While I may not be finishing in the top 10 of my age group, they all understand the amount of work put in and push me to do my best. If my Coach Powell people are reading this, thank you so much!
52 kilometers in, with the sun out in full, the hills started again. At the top of the first big hill was another aid station. Several people had stopped to refill bottles, so it took a bit on maneuvering to get my bottle on the go.
Climb and descend, up and down, I continued to follow my strategy. On one big, sweeping downhill, I caught alot of crosswind. I began talking to myself, assuring myself that I was good and was in control.
We continued on Route 117 past were we entered off Montee Ryan for a small loop/out-and-back through a small part of town. The roads were packed with volunteers and spectators cheering us on.
After a small hill, we turned around, and rode out of the town.
As we rode back onto Montee Ryan, I knew there was only a small out-and-back section beyond transition before the bike was over. I felt great, but that was about to change.
As we rode back toward Monte Tramblant Village, I saw a man riding the same road bike as the one I own. I chatted with him for a bit as he passed me on an uphill exclaiming, "Best bike ever made!" While I love my Trek road bike, I am a bit biased toward my Cannondale TT bike.
I flew down the hill at the no passing zone and soon found myself back at the first round about. We turned left and passed the start of the bike. Once again, the roads were packed with screaming spectators.
We rode past the cheers, under a pedestrian bridge (packed as well), and off toward the parking lot I had parked at the day before.
I looked at my watch. Just 15k to go. I got this. I could even beat my Arizona time.
The last 10k was the most brutal part of not just the bike, but the whole race. I rounded a corner to see a hill. Not the nice long gradual hills like earlier, but a steep, steep hill.
Ok. No problem. We train on hills like this. I will just keep my strategy, easy up, rest down.
I reached the top of the hill, heart rate easily in Zone 5. The road leveled out and took a slight turn around a blind corner. Then ANOTHER HILL!? Where was the down hill? This happened several more times until we reached the turn around point. Several bikers were walking, some were trying to stand and pedal, but we were all suffering.
I stood for the very steep climbs, letting my weight ease the climb. I figured the way back would be going down all the hills I went up. I guess in all the agony of the uphills, I forgot there were some downhills that I now had to go up.
There is a hill in Vancouver that we train on very often on Belmont Avenue. The last few times we did hill repeats on Belmont, Andrew would say, "This is Tremblant!" In my mind he meant that doing these hill repeats would get me ready for Tremblant. Now I know that he meant Tremblant would have Belmont hill repeats in it.
I bombed down all the downhills, picking up speed to help with the final climbs, and soon, I was back at the pedestrian overpass and on my way to transition.
As I turned right back to transition, the entire street was packed with cheering spectators. I was still feeling good, but wondered about the tole those final hills may have taken.
After dismounting before the mount line, I made my way back into transition. My upper hamstrings did not hurt, but were super tight. Only time would tell how much this would affect my run.
I checked my watch and saw 3:30 (official time 03:29:55). Not bad! To be only 30 minutes over my Arizona time on such a hilly course was great! I was looking forward to what I could do on the run.
As I ran by some spectators, I asked who won. Several people looked at me like I was from Mars until one woman shouted back, 'Lionel Sanders!" I thanked her and made my way to my spot.
I took some time in T2 to grab a drink and some sunscreen. Once I had all my run gear, I was on my way.
The Run
The run exit was lined with the typical crowd of cheering spectators. This race definitely kept you motivated with the amount of supporters there.
As I ran out the same path I had run in from the swim, I made sure to start slow and steady, easing myself into the run. My legs felt fresh and my energy was good. My strategy on the bike had paid off.
After running along the water, the course went up a hill. Since this hill was very early in the race, I decide to walk it. On the other side I watched runners who were almost finished with their day and cheered them on.
Once at the top, I ran down the hill. I saw several people walking up the other side, swinging their arms while climbing. I made note of this.
As the run course took us past the swim start, I reflected on the day this far. Technically, a Personal Best (PB) could be done, but my goal was not to PB. My goal was to practice pacing and finish somewhere around 7 hours 30 minutes.
As the run course turned to rolling hills, I began to play leap frog with other runners. I knew this road well as it was the road I had driven several times to go between Ironman Village and my hotel.
I chatted with a blind athlete and her guide for a bit. We talked about our race thus far, races we had done in the past, and future races. Turns out, they were doing this race as a training race for the Mont Tremblant Full Ironman in August. I applauded them before going on my way.
I was keeping a very good pace and felt relaxed. I walked some of the larger hills and through the aid stations. It was still early in the race and I knew at some point I'd need the conserved energy.
As I walked up one of the hills, some spectators caught me talking to myself. "It's an insane way to keep myself sane." They laughed and cheered me on.
I heard a woman yell to her husband, "Think of the cold glass of beer at the end!" I told him that he deserved a pitcher of beer.
Soon the run course took us into the part of town near my hotel. All the local businesses had signs and cheering spectators out front. Even the hotel staff at my hotel was out in full force. The hostess recognized me and cheered for me by name. It was a great feeling. Have I mentioned how great my stay at the Hotel Mont Tremblant was?
The course cut right and onto a bike path. We ran along another lake for a bit before entering a wooded area.
This long out-and-back section was very boring. I passed the time by looking ahead for TNT athletes on their way back and cheering them on with a high five.
I saw several athletes on their way back who looked bigger and more out of shape than me. I found myself wondering how they could have gotten ahead of me. Then I stopped myself. It was not fair for me to make any kind of assumptions. I though about how upset I get when people don't believe that I do these races. Endurance racing is a journey, not just the race, but the training. Everyone starts somewhere and has their own strengths and weaknesses. Some of these athletes may be great swimmers, like the guy I met at the swim meet. And I am not the fastest runner out there by far and maybe they are strong runners. I smiled to myself as I began to imagine the different journeys people have and remembered that despite the journey, we are all here and loving it.
At one point I looked at the distance marker for the other distance marker for the other direction. 15k. Ok cool, I bet the turn around is at 10k. No problem. I'll get to 10k, then 15k, then it's only 6k to go. I got this.
Just before the turn around, the course dipped under the bike course and through a tunnel. A very supportive couple cheered us on as we ran past.
Once in the tunnel, music began to blare. It was Welcome to the Jungle by Guns and Roses. I began to sing along just as another athlete passed me. He threw up the rock and roll horns and started singing with me.
On the other side of the tunnel was an aid station. I used the time to refill the small water bottles I was carrying.
I ran to the turn around and started making my way back.
As I ran through the tunnel again, a super loud, super motivating song began to play. As I passed the supportive couple again, I said, "If that doesn't get you pumped, nothing will!" I wish I could remember the song, but I can't.
I continued on, keeping my eyes peeled for TNT athletes to cheer on and high five.
I heard a voice behind me, "Sorry. I breathe loud and I can't seem to pass you." I told her it was alright and that there was no rule on drafting during the run. I let her come up beside me and we chatted for a bit while we paced each other.
Her name was Lisa and she was racing despite having hip issues. She was trying to run for as long as she could because she was afraid of being swept. I told her she had nothing to worry about. We were well under the time cut off.
She thanked me for running with TNT and told me about a student of hers who passed away of cancer. She then asked me why I ran with TNT and I was able to share Abi's story with her.
Lisa soon needed to slow, but thanked me for sharing, talking, and keeping her mind occupied. I told her not to worry about the cut-off and to have fun.
As the boring stretched dragged on, I found myself making deals. Ok, you can walk. But as soon as you get to that tree, you are running again.
I saw the Team Unicorn Sparkle Adventure Athlete again and cheered him on. He seemed surprised that anyone would recognize his team, but I did. I swim with a few of the founding members.
The weather became cloudy as we returned to the area near my hotel. A local mechanics garage had a sprinkler out, but with the clouds the temperature had dropped enough not to need it.
I was passed by a TNT athlete I had chatted with before the swim. He asked about my race and I shared my times so far. He did not do well on the swim, did about the same as me on the bike, but it was obvious he was a strong runner. As he ran on I wished him luck.
It did not seem far now. I knew this road and knew how far I had to go. I looked at my run time and figured out that if I kept my pace under 10 minutes per kilometer, I could finish the run in under 3 hours. This would be a PB for a 70.3 run. I was running an 8 min/k at this point. I kept that up but walked the hills.
I wanted to check my overall time to see if I could PB, but decided it would not be a good idea. If I saw I was close, I would turn on the gas and potentially sabotage my race. If I saw that I was way off, it may bring me down and sabotage my race. I was still feeling good and did not want to change that.
Then it happened.
On one of the climbs, I saw a motorcycle on the other side of the highway. I soon realized, it was the lead pro. I looked over just in time to see Lionel Sanders ride by as the 'whoosh--whoosh--whoosh' of his rear disc wheel powered by.
I continued my strategy of taking it easy on the climbs and recovering on the downhills. Some of the downhills had some unnerving crosswinds, but I was able to stay relaxed.
I saw very few people with flats on this course, but did see someone with a broken chain. I thought to myself, "How do you snap your chain? Isn't that something you take care of with cleaning and chain oil?"
Soon, the hilly course took us though a relatively flat section as we rode through a valley. On the other side of the highway, faster riders were all bunched up in a giant pack. How in the world do they ride like that and not get carded for drafting?
On my side of the road, some riders would pass, but not move over after passing. I knew this was not right, but never said anything. The problem was, when I wanted to pass someone, these riders were still on the left in my way. I decided to ignore it and just pass when I could.
The course became hilly again just before the turn around at Labelle. There was another aid station just on the other side that I took advantage of.
Then it was back the way we came through the 'flat' valley. On the way back, I was able to cheer on some fellow TNT athletes as they made their way to the turn around. I even think I caught a glimpse of the infamous Team Unicorn Sparkle Adventure.
We were more spread out now and the sun was coming out. It was shaping up to be an amazing ride. I looked at my time and thought, I could be just at my Arizona time if I kept this up!
As cars on the opposite side of the highway drove by they honked and cheered. Some of them unknowingly kicked up sand. Luckily I had eye protection.
Even though the course was 'flat' there were some slight downhills. I decided to take these easy but be in an aero position. I dubbed this 'getting it for free." Any spare seconds I could get for free were welcome.
Just before leaving the 'flat' sections to return to the hills, I started thinking about my team and training partners back in Vancouver. I thought about how lucky I was to have a team like I do. I know that every time I do a race, they are all tracking me online. They are extremely supportive of me and each other. While I may not be finishing in the top 10 of my age group, they all understand the amount of work put in and push me to do my best. If my Coach Powell people are reading this, thank you so much!
52 kilometers in, with the sun out in full, the hills started again. At the top of the first big hill was another aid station. Several people had stopped to refill bottles, so it took a bit on maneuvering to get my bottle on the go.
Climb and descend, up and down, I continued to follow my strategy. On one big, sweeping downhill, I caught alot of crosswind. I began talking to myself, assuring myself that I was good and was in control.
We continued on Route 117 past were we entered off Montee Ryan for a small loop/out-and-back through a small part of town. The roads were packed with volunteers and spectators cheering us on.
After a small hill, we turned around, and rode out of the town.
As we rode back onto Montee Ryan, I knew there was only a small out-and-back section beyond transition before the bike was over. I felt great, but that was about to change.
As we rode back toward Monte Tramblant Village, I saw a man riding the same road bike as the one I own. I chatted with him for a bit as he passed me on an uphill exclaiming, "Best bike ever made!" While I love my Trek road bike, I am a bit biased toward my Cannondale TT bike.
We rode past the cheers, under a pedestrian bridge (packed as well), and off toward the parking lot I had parked at the day before.
I looked at my watch. Just 15k to go. I got this. I could even beat my Arizona time.
Ok. No problem. We train on hills like this. I will just keep my strategy, easy up, rest down.
I reached the top of the hill, heart rate easily in Zone 5. The road leveled out and took a slight turn around a blind corner. Then ANOTHER HILL!? Where was the down hill? This happened several more times until we reached the turn around point. Several bikers were walking, some were trying to stand and pedal, but we were all suffering.
I stood for the very steep climbs, letting my weight ease the climb. I figured the way back would be going down all the hills I went up. I guess in all the agony of the uphills, I forgot there were some downhills that I now had to go up.
There is a hill in Vancouver that we train on very often on Belmont Avenue. The last few times we did hill repeats on Belmont, Andrew would say, "This is Tremblant!" In my mind he meant that doing these hill repeats would get me ready for Tremblant. Now I know that he meant Tremblant would have Belmont hill repeats in it.
I bombed down all the downhills, picking up speed to help with the final climbs, and soon, I was back at the pedestrian overpass and on my way to transition.
As I turned right back to transition, the entire street was packed with cheering spectators. I was still feeling good, but wondered about the tole those final hills may have taken.
After dismounting before the mount line, I made my way back into transition. My upper hamstrings did not hurt, but were super tight. Only time would tell how much this would affect my run.
I checked my watch and saw 3:30 (official time 03:29:55). Not bad! To be only 30 minutes over my Arizona time on such a hilly course was great! I was looking forward to what I could do on the run.
As I ran by some spectators, I asked who won. Several people looked at me like I was from Mars until one woman shouted back, 'Lionel Sanders!" I thanked her and made my way to my spot.
I took some time in T2 to grab a drink and some sunscreen. Once I had all my run gear, I was on my way.
The Run
As I ran out the same path I had run in from the swim, I made sure to start slow and steady, easing myself into the run. My legs felt fresh and my energy was good. My strategy on the bike had paid off.
After running along the water, the course went up a hill. Since this hill was very early in the race, I decide to walk it. On the other side I watched runners who were almost finished with their day and cheered them on.
Once at the top, I ran down the hill. I saw several people walking up the other side, swinging their arms while climbing. I made note of this.
As the run course took us past the swim start, I reflected on the day this far. Technically, a Personal Best (PB) could be done, but my goal was not to PB. My goal was to practice pacing and finish somewhere around 7 hours 30 minutes.
As the run course turned to rolling hills, I began to play leap frog with other runners. I knew this road well as it was the road I had driven several times to go between Ironman Village and my hotel.
I chatted with a blind athlete and her guide for a bit. We talked about our race thus far, races we had done in the past, and future races. Turns out, they were doing this race as a training race for the Mont Tremblant Full Ironman in August. I applauded them before going on my way.
I was keeping a very good pace and felt relaxed. I walked some of the larger hills and through the aid stations. It was still early in the race and I knew at some point I'd need the conserved energy.
As I walked up one of the hills, some spectators caught me talking to myself. "It's an insane way to keep myself sane." They laughed and cheered me on.
I heard a woman yell to her husband, "Think of the cold glass of beer at the end!" I told him that he deserved a pitcher of beer.
Soon the run course took us into the part of town near my hotel. All the local businesses had signs and cheering spectators out front. Even the hotel staff at my hotel was out in full force. The hostess recognized me and cheered for me by name. It was a great feeling. Have I mentioned how great my stay at the Hotel Mont Tremblant was?
The course cut right and onto a bike path. We ran along another lake for a bit before entering a wooded area.
This long out-and-back section was very boring. I passed the time by looking ahead for TNT athletes on their way back and cheering them on with a high five.
I saw several athletes on their way back who looked bigger and more out of shape than me. I found myself wondering how they could have gotten ahead of me. Then I stopped myself. It was not fair for me to make any kind of assumptions. I though about how upset I get when people don't believe that I do these races. Endurance racing is a journey, not just the race, but the training. Everyone starts somewhere and has their own strengths and weaknesses. Some of these athletes may be great swimmers, like the guy I met at the swim meet. And I am not the fastest runner out there by far and maybe they are strong runners. I smiled to myself as I began to imagine the different journeys people have and remembered that despite the journey, we are all here and loving it.
At one point I looked at the distance marker for the other distance marker for the other direction. 15k. Ok cool, I bet the turn around is at 10k. No problem. I'll get to 10k, then 15k, then it's only 6k to go. I got this.
Just before the turn around, the course dipped under the bike course and through a tunnel. A very supportive couple cheered us on as we ran past.
Once in the tunnel, music began to blare. It was Welcome to the Jungle by Guns and Roses. I began to sing along just as another athlete passed me. He threw up the rock and roll horns and started singing with me.
On the other side of the tunnel was an aid station. I used the time to refill the small water bottles I was carrying.
I ran to the turn around and started making my way back.
As I ran through the tunnel again, a super loud, super motivating song began to play. As I passed the supportive couple again, I said, "If that doesn't get you pumped, nothing will!" I wish I could remember the song, but I can't.
I continued on, keeping my eyes peeled for TNT athletes to cheer on and high five.
I heard a voice behind me, "Sorry. I breathe loud and I can't seem to pass you." I told her it was alright and that there was no rule on drafting during the run. I let her come up beside me and we chatted for a bit while we paced each other.
Her name was Lisa and she was racing despite having hip issues. She was trying to run for as long as she could because she was afraid of being swept. I told her she had nothing to worry about. We were well under the time cut off.
She thanked me for running with TNT and told me about a student of hers who passed away of cancer. She then asked me why I ran with TNT and I was able to share Abi's story with her.
Lisa soon needed to slow, but thanked me for sharing, talking, and keeping her mind occupied. I told her not to worry about the cut-off and to have fun.
As the boring stretched dragged on, I found myself making deals. Ok, you can walk. But as soon as you get to that tree, you are running again.
I saw the Team Unicorn Sparkle Adventure Athlete again and cheered him on. He seemed surprised that anyone would recognize his team, but I did. I swim with a few of the founding members.
The weather became cloudy as we returned to the area near my hotel. A local mechanics garage had a sprinkler out, but with the clouds the temperature had dropped enough not to need it.
I was passed by a TNT athlete I had chatted with before the swim. He asked about my race and I shared my times so far. He did not do well on the swim, did about the same as me on the bike, but it was obvious he was a strong runner. As he ran on I wished him luck.
It did not seem far now. I knew this road and knew how far I had to go. I looked at my run time and figured out that if I kept my pace under 10 minutes per kilometer, I could finish the run in under 3 hours. This would be a PB for a 70.3 run. I was running an 8 min/k at this point. I kept that up but walked the hills.
I wanted to check my overall time to see if I could PB, but decided it would not be a good idea. If I saw I was close, I would turn on the gas and potentially sabotage my race. If I saw that I was way off, it may bring me down and sabotage my race. I was still feeling good and did not want to change that.
Then it happened.
At 17k, it began to rain.
No, not rain.
POUR.
While I knew it was going to rain at some point, I was hoping it would hold off until I was finished. There was nothing I could do, but accept that there was nothing I could and keep moving toward the finish. Besides, I only had 4 kilometers left to go.
Those 4k felt like an eternity as we made out way back to the lake. The spectators that once lined this section were gone, but the locals were out on their balconies cheering us along as we ran past.
Soon, I was passing the swim start once again and the hill at the start of the run. I remembered seeing athletes walking up this hill before and followed suit. I swung my arms and kept a brisk walk pace while keeping a very rhythmic breathing pattern.
Once over the hill and down the other side, I was at 19k. Just over 2k to go. I resolved to run the rest of the race. Hills or no hills, I was running the last 2k.
Shortly after, I passed the TNT tent were I received some much needed motivation.
As I made my way opposite the swim exit, there was a DJ on the corner playing Fort Minor. As I ran by, I caught his eye and gave him a big thumbs up. He smiled and waved back.
There was a climb as we passed the swim exit were volunteers were tearing down. They stopped to cheer me on as I ran by.
No, not rain.
POUR.
While I knew it was going to rain at some point, I was hoping it would hold off until I was finished. There was nothing I could do, but accept that there was nothing I could and keep moving toward the finish. Besides, I only had 4 kilometers left to go.
Soon, I was passing the swim start once again and the hill at the start of the run. I remembered seeing athletes walking up this hill before and followed suit. I swung my arms and kept a brisk walk pace while keeping a very rhythmic breathing pattern.
Once over the hill and down the other side, I was at 19k. Just over 2k to go. I resolved to run the rest of the race. Hills or no hills, I was running the last 2k.
Shortly after, I passed the TNT tent were I received some much needed motivation.
As I made my way opposite the swim exit, there was a DJ on the corner playing Fort Minor. As I ran by, I caught his eye and gave him a big thumbs up. He smiled and waved back.
The course kept going up and up, but I knew the finish through the village was all downhill. My mind was so focused on the end almost in sight, I forgot about the rain.
As I reached the top and made a sharp turn, it was all downhill from there. As I ran through the village, there were spectators everywhere. As they cheered, people in the shops and eating on patios stopped, looked, and cheered.
As I reached the top and made a sharp turn, it was all downhill from there. As I ran through the village, there were spectators everywhere. As they cheered, people in the shops and eating on patios stopped, looked, and cheered.
Soon, the finish was in sight. I saw Marie and Rue but was too focused on the finish to say anything. I gave them a quick thumbs up to let them know I was ok, and kept my focus on the finish line.
I ran up the M-Dot ramp, put my arms up, and let out a yell. It was done!
I stopped my watch, looked over my shoulder one last time at the finish line I had been envisioning all weekend, and received my much deserved medal.
As I made my way to the finishers tent, I checked my watch. I had PBed on the swim, went 30 minutes over on the bike, and 15 minutes under on the run (a 70.3 run PB) and finished only 12 minutes over my Arizona time.
I was ecstatic. I knew the reality of the course and the level of difficulty compared to Arizona so I was shooting for 7 hours 30 minute. But to come in at 07:11:36 was more than I could hope for.
I sat in the finishers tent with some food and a coke. Several other athletes joined me and we chatted about the day.
After tracking down a space blanket to keep me warm and dry, I met with Marie and Rue before heading to the TNT tent.
I ran up the M-Dot ramp, put my arms up, and let out a yell. It was done!
As I made my way to the finishers tent, I checked my watch. I had PBed on the swim, went 30 minutes over on the bike, and 15 minutes under on the run (a 70.3 run PB) and finished only 12 minutes over my Arizona time.
I was ecstatic. I knew the reality of the course and the level of difficulty compared to Arizona so I was shooting for 7 hours 30 minute. But to come in at 07:11:36 was more than I could hope for.
I sat in the finishers tent with some food and a coke. Several other athletes joined me and we chatted about the day.
After tracking down a space blanket to keep me warm and dry, I met with Marie and Rue before heading to the TNT tent.
At the TNT tent I got a much needed massage before heading back transition to pack my gear.
At transition, I met up with several other TNT finishers and we shared stories from the day.
I packed the car and headed back to the hotel. I gave Jen a call and told her all about the race. She was very excited for me.
I took a shower, met Marie and Rue for dinner, took a long, hot, epsom salt bath, then got some much needed sleep.
The next morning I met Marie and Rue for a bike packing session and breakfast before exploring the Village a bit more.
Then it was back to Montreal and my flight home to Vancouver.
Thanks to much for taking the time to read another one of my (lengthy) race reports. I apologize for the lack of entries lately, but work/life had taken up most of my time over the past 3 months.
Be on the look out for my next installment as I tackle my third Ironman 70.3 distance race on July 30th in Whistler BC!
I am also putting together a few Guest Blogger Entries from a few athletes I coached with the TNT Tri Team.
Thanks again!
At transition, I met up with several other TNT finishers and we shared stories from the day.
I packed the car and headed back to the hotel. I gave Jen a call and told her all about the race. She was very excited for me.
I took a shower, met Marie and Rue for dinner, took a long, hot, epsom salt bath, then got some much needed sleep.
The next morning I met Marie and Rue for a bike packing session and breakfast before exploring the Village a bit more.
Then it was back to Montreal and my flight home to Vancouver.
Thanks to much for taking the time to read another one of my (lengthy) race reports. I apologize for the lack of entries lately, but work/life had taken up most of my time over the past 3 months.
Be on the look out for my next installment as I tackle my third Ironman 70.3 distance race on July 30th in Whistler BC!
I am also putting together a few Guest Blogger Entries from a few athletes I coached with the TNT Tri Team.
Thanks again!
