Ironman Mont Tremblant

Ironman Mont Tremblant – August 19, 2012 (swim 1:24, Bike 6:54, run 4:43 – FINNISH 13:18)

I have FINALLY gotten some time to sit down and write my race report for Mont Tremblant. This was my second Ironman my first being Lake Placid in 2007. Things have changed in life since my last Ironman and finding the time to fit in training was much more difficult this time around. Based on my long training rides I had predicted a finnish time around 14:30-15 hours.

I headed to Tremblant on the thursday before the race. My whole family – parents, boyfriend, brother and his girl friend came along. We had booked a one bedroom and loft suite at the top of the main strip in the village Place St. Bernard. I would highly recomend the hotel and location. It was very convient being in the village and there was a lot to do on the days leading up to the race. It also kept the spectators occupied, the guys golfed one day whille the ladies shopped.

Overall I was very impressed with the venue. Having transition in the village made it very easy for spectators and gave them a lot to do during the race.

In comparision to the last ironman my swim training this time around was definitley lacking. I was swimming twice a week with a masters group but this just started in the early summer and I had not done any open water training aside from the half ironman race in July in Peterborough. I was hoping to just get through the madness of the swim. The start was a beach start and I found it to be way more crowded and congested than Placid, which was interesting since Placid was a much smaller lake. The swim was a one loop course where you finnished in a slightley different location from the start point. From the swim exit there was approximately 400m to run back to transition. The swim took me 1:24 – 8 minutes slower than my previous.

The bike route itselft was amazing. Most of the roads were freshley paved and the route was very scenic. Race day was cool and over cast which in my books was perfect. I was dreading a hot and humid race day.

The most challenging portion of the bike was the last out and back where you hit a good climbing section around the 70km and 150 km marks. I felt pretty good on the bike and was maintaining a pretty good pace throughout. I was just thinking to myself how this race was going so well and I was ahead of time when I got my flat.

As I hit the climbing section for the second time I got a flat. I hoped off the bike and started to change my back tire as spectators took picture of me doing so. As I finnished and was about to the fill the tire the race support guys showed up. He grabbed the wheel and more closely inspected the tire only to find a large slit in the tire itself. I immeditely invisioned my race being over at 155km on the bike because I wasn’t carrying a spare tire only tubes. The support guy didn’t have a spare either but radioed another guy who did and said he would be there in 6-8 minutes to change the tire. Once I was back on the road again I was not totally sure how much time was lost (my sense of time was totally off at this point) but I estimate anywhere from 10-20 minutes. I was extremley thankful they were so close by because otherwise I was in big trouble!

I finnished the bike in 6:55 which was 20 minutes slower than Placid, however close given the flat.

The run was a 2 loop course mostly on packed dirt trail. There were a few hills heading out of the village otherwise the route was relatively flat. I felt great during the run. Previously I had some stomach issues at the this point in the race. For Tremblant I think I mastered my nutirional plan and other than the expected soreness I was feeling great for the run! My run time was 4:43 which was 10 minutes faster than my previous.

The first loop of the run was raining lightley and the second loop was raining pretty hard. All I kept thinking was, Ill take this cold rainy day any day over a hot humid one! I was however very thankful for the warm chicken broth though!

I ended the day coming across the line in 13:18 – which was only 15 minutes off my previous 13:03

I had a great time, loved the venue, the crowd support and organisation. Ironman always puts on a good race but this has got to be my new favorite desitnation. My family also had a great time. If you have spectators travelling with you even children this venue is very family/specatator friendly. I was very tempted to sign up for 2013, however I am already signed up for Ironman Coeur D’Alene for 2013 so I held back.

It was great to see many fellow team running free members as usual!

If you are thinking of an Ironman I would definitley recomend Tremblant! and make sure you do some hill training on the bike!