Mont Tremblant 70.3 Recap

"Nick! Wake up! it's 4am!"

These were the first words I heard on June 24^th, 2012 when I embarked on my first triathlon – Mont Tremblant’s 70.3 Ironman. The first round of my support staff, my father, was anxiously waiting for me to prepare for what has been in the works for over 170 straight days.  The sound of his voice waking me up was synonymous to when he would wake me up for school – only this time the exam was pass or fail.

By 5am I was at the base of Mont Tremblant alongside my father with gear bag and wet suit in hand. Words cannot describe the emotions I was going through as I entered the body marking area.  My bib number 195 was affixed to each shoulder and my age on my left calf.  At that instance I felt like a true triathlete, more so than when the Ironman athlete bracelet was secured around my right wrist during registration.

I entered the transition zone and setup my white stallion for the 90km trek we had ahead. I filled my Pure Iron nutrition bag with gummy bears and a Honey Stinger Wafer. On the ground, my Newton Running shoes and two Clif Bar Gel Shots to supply me with energy for the 21.1km run thereafter. I did my final checks of the transition zone, located entrances and exits, and engaged in conversation with fellow athletes who were about to conquer 113km continuously with 3 different modalities.

At 6:20, my girlfriend came down from sleeping in to wish me all the best and see me enter and exit Lake Tremblant on my first open water swim. All three of us ventured towards to swim out located at the Tremblant Beach and Tennis Club where I would change into my Aropec Triathlon Suit branded with none other than Pure Iron Athletics and TriathlonCentre.com, my sponsors who have assisted me throughout my endurance adventures. It fit perfectly and did not give any difficulties when trying to slip into a wetsuit thereafter.

The Snowbirds filled the sky with their brilliance to open the Inaugural Mont Tremblant 70.3 Ironman 2012.  With the sound of a cannon – the elite athletes were off at 7am. I entered the swim out section for my wave start; 5 minutes after the elites had taken to the water. By the time I started the swim, it was amazing to witness the elites almost nearing the turnaround; true breaded athletes. I entered the water with hopes of finishing since I knew my weakness was swimming and that open water swimming was far different than swimming countless laps in a pool. 

Once I could not see the bottom of the lake, I hesitated and panicked, I couldn’t continue my perfect freestyle technique I had practiced countlessly in pools.  I had to keep my head up for the remainder of the swim since once I attempted to duck my head in I would panic and drink the most fowl tasting water.  I swam 1.8km with my head up and knew that at some point I would be standing up again on land. 

When my fingertips could feel the beach, I was elated. I stumbled out of the water and began stripping the wetsuit off. I saw my Dad and girlfriend smiling as I came out of the water unharmed. I knew I had conquered one fear, and the two last events were my strongest fields. I ran the 500 metres to transition and began suiting up for the 90km journey.

My first mission on the bike was to refuel my body. The Aropec Trisuit dried considerably quick (within the first 15km) while I drank water liberally and inhaled my Honey Stinger Waffer. Within 20 minutes or so into the bike course, I was sufficiently recovered from the grueling swim that I could start making some gains on my position. I came out of the water 1581^st out of just over 2100 people therefore needed to make up for lost time. 

The bike course was amazing.  It was the perfect blend of uphill climbs and death defying descents. I was zipping past people constantly on their $6000+ triathlon specific bikes while I slalomed through athletes on my Scott Speedster S10 with clip on aerobars. The first portion of the bike course was along a large section of highway 117 that had been closed for this inaugural event.The line of triathletes extended long into the distance, however it did not discourage me in the least. We went downtown of St. Jovite where the streets lined with enthusiastic spectators. As we made our way back to Mont Tremblant, I climbed more positions and knew what was in store for the final 2/3rds of the course.

Chemin Duplessis is a fearful hill when ascending, but feels like a roller coaster as you make your way back to the base of the mountain.  We climbed single file up this monstrous hill at no record breaking speeds. It was a true testament of strength, endurance, and skill. I spent most of my ascent in my small sprocket and keeping my cadence high to save energy for the powerful descent. When I reached the turnaround point at the top of the hill, I smiled knowing that the ride of my life was about to begin. As I mentioned, the descent is similar to a roller coaster with high speeds and sharp turns that would make any stomach queasy.  If I had wings, I would have more than likely obtained lift off. My Cateye odometer was reading speeds between 60-67km/h throughout the beautiful descent.

As I neared transition zone I felt great and deserved to as the running time was for my race was 3 hours and 35 minutes. I had gained considerable distance on the bike leg - actually putting myself in the upper half of the group (818 overall). Best of all, the Aropec Trisuit served great for the 90km ride as I did not suffer any discomfort in the saddle!  My hamstrings were a little tight, but nothing that would impede me on completing the run. Heck, I had completed a Marathon just over a month prior with a time that qualified me for Boston 2013 so I was confident to finish. I racked my bike in record time, placed my helmet on the ground, slipped on my Newtons and grabbed my gels. I was off for the last 21.1km of this adventure.

The start of the run had us enter Tremblant village where citizens sat in their front lawns with garden hoses showering the roads. The mist served as a well-deserved treat after  90km in the sun. After about 4km, we entered a man made gravel run path for the remainder of the run. This gravel served uncomfortable to my feet and gave me considerable pain.  I had to stop 3 times just to take off my shoes and let my feet feel normal again. I kept reminding myself that I was in the home stretch and nothing was going to stop me now. I had spent 170 days training for this one event, I conquered my first ever 2km open water swim less than 3 hours prior, and I just biked 90km in fashionable time, a little discomfort on the bottom of my feet was not going to stop me.

One of the most memorable portions of the run was when I passed a fellow athlete I knew personally at about the 10km marker on the run.  I knew he had prior experience in triathlons and had competed in the Mont Tremblant Olympic Triathlon a few weeks before. We each had started at the same time that morning, however his experience in open water gave him the advantage.Throughout the race I had made it my goal to catch him and I did just then and there. As I caught up to him I patted him on the back and we exchanged congratulations for making it thus far. His words thereafter made me feel like a true triathlete, ’Finish strong.’

I counted down the distance as I passed the markers, ‘109 down, 4 more to go.’  When I saw cobblestones beneath my feet  I knew I was within the last 500 metres. I entered the last stretch of the race while spectators lined the barricades. I was overcome with emotion and began to tear up slightly. As I made my way down the hill towards the finish, I looked left to right trying to find my support group. A big thumbs up from my father and the largest smile on my girlfriends face was all I needed to sprint my way to the finish, and the aid of a downhill slope.

I passed the historic plants aligning the Ironman 70.3 arch with delight. I had managed to come back from 1581^st place out of the water to 472^nd overall. I dreamt about this moment; however nothing can truly simulate the real thing. As I passed the finishing arch, I became a triathlete and a 70.3 finisher. Theses credentials stay with you for life, and no one can ever strip you of them. I finished the 70.3 strong and to the best of my abilities at the time. As I made my way out of the athlete’s quarters, I reunited with my support group. After they all congratulated me, I took a second to thank them for being up early this morning and watching as I pushed the limits of my physical capabilities.

I was happy to have had the experience in Mont Tremblant which will be hosting the 70.3 and Ironman events for the next 4 years. It will also be the go to destination for triathletes wishing to train during the summer months. In such a scenic location, it is a great place to train and rest as I spent the days preceding the 70.3 training in the environment.

I want to thank Triathlon Centre for all their support during my journey which began last September when I met Jimmy. Without their excellent staff and products, my dreams of becoming an Ironman would have busted last year. I am confident to say that their product line is by far nothing less than exceptional for any triathlete. I look forward to continue training and racing with confidence that Triathlon Centre will support me throughout my future endeavors. 

70.3 Mont Tremblant

The day I have been counting down to for the past 200 days finally came.  I had been excited up until yesterday when I attempted my first ever open water swim.  I was in fear of drowning out in the middle of the water with no hope of survival.  Needless to say, I am writing this after I completed my very first Triathlon - a Half Ironman.  Although my goal may have not been met, I still set myself a time to beat.

So without further a-do, here is my day overall:

My biggest fault in this event was my swim.  I honestly never had experienced an open water swim before and that was my largest let back.  Although my swim was not the greatest, I was able to make up considerable ground on the bike and run portions.  I actually passed over 1000 participants in total from the point I got out of the water to the end of my run.  In my age group alone I gained 22 positions.  Therefore after such a great experience, I learned my limitations at said time and will definitely try to get better for next time.  Yes, there will be a next time.

Day 3: Mont Tremblant Half Ironman

My alarm went off at 6:20am, although I had beaten it again.  I laid in bed this morning thinking to myself and wondering how tomorrow would fair out.  I was worried that it might rain tonight or tomorrow during the bike and/or run, or that I might feel sick during the race, or that I might just not have the strength to continue.  I finally managed to crawl out of bed and make my way to the kitchen for some pre run energy.

  This morning I decided to go for a light run along the start of the run course – nothing overly exhausting.  I had my morning java and a Honey Stinger Wafer to commence my day.  The start of the run course is just as gorgeous as the bike, and just as hill filled too.  I found myself battling hill after hill at the start; but I also foresaw all this – I am in Mont Tremblant remember?  I did not go out for too long – about 30 minutes – just to keep my legs fresh for tomorrow’s greatest endeavor.  I ran through the Village of Tremblant and witnessed many other Triathletes with wetsuits in hand going down to the beach to get in a brisk morning swim.  The weather outside this morning was tipping the thermometer at 12˚C and I can only imagine how cold that water is!  Later today I will find myself in the same body of water seeing just how far 2km is in open water.

  Yesterday I managed to pick up my race kit and let me just say, they spare no expenses on this ‘goody bag.’  Not only did it come with infamous race shirt, it also came with a Merrell running hat and a perfect small gym bag which is carrying my wetsuit for later.  I also got my swim cap, 2 race bib numbers, clothing bag, and multiple number stickers for my bike and helmet.

  This morning I also began preparing my transition bag.  Inside this bag is a towel, my cycling shoes, running shoes, and race nutrition.  My race nutrition consists of gummy bears and a Honey Stinger wafer for the bike portion and two Clif Bar Power Gel Shots for the run.  I have tested all this on my stomach so there should be no problems! (Fingers crossed).

During my open water swim, I found out just how hard it is to swim in open water.  The hard way. I had never attempted a swim in open water before, merely assuming that my countless hours in a pool would suffice.  I got out 300 metres and became so frightened I turned around dreading tomorrow.  I was shaking when I finally got to the beach.  Being in a pool is far safer than being in the middle of a lake.  I spent the rest of the day in fear of what I was about attempt the next day... 2km in open water with two options; either give up or push through.

Day 2: Mont Tremblant Half Ironman

  I knew I had made the right decision of driving down the night before so that once I woke up I was prepared and ready to go for the next day.  I had set my alarm for 7:45am but found myself tossing and turning hours before.  I was anticipating the first day of scoping out the bike course… which I expected was full of hills.

  This morning ride served multiple purposes; checking out a portion of the bike course, testing out the new tri suit, and seeing if the Giro Advantage2 proved any noticeable difference.  I knew I was at the tail end of a taper phase therefore I was not planning on going out hard.  Although that was my plan… plans do not always go accordingly.

  

  I started going down the first portion of the bike course and the roads were filled with M dot markers and cyclists testing out bikes and the terrain.  The scenery was beautiful which took my mind away from the courses fluctuating elevations.  The first portion of the bike course is all rolling hills which makes for great breaks to catch ones breath in between hard uphill battles.  I managed to complete this section with little exhaustion which allowed me to attempt the final portion of the bike course – an increase in elevation of 100 metres at approximately 12% grade.

  What a ride.  It was amazing going up such a treacherous hill.  It was not a straight climb which allowed for an easier ride up the mountain.  When I got to the top I could hardly believe it. I was so happy to have conquered the hardest hill in the ride with tones of energy in the tank to continue.  The best part of going up is down and this hill certainly proved it.  I was descending at speeds upwards of 65km/h and enjoying the thrill ride as I zipped past trees and other riders.  The biggest fear on this hill would be falling at such speeds but I knew that if I want to be ready for race day, I need to prepare now.  When I got back from the ride, I felt great and ready to face the rest of my relaxing and restful day.

  As for the other purposes of the ride – the Giro Advantage2 helmet felt great!  I could literally feel it slice the wind.  It didn’t feel once like it was slowing me down which I enjoyed most.  The suit was just as great and although it seemed as if it did not have sufficient padding, I could barely notice anything different.

  Later on I will be picking up my race kit and maybe a few new pieces of clothing from the Ironman Store conveniently located within 5 minutes of my doorstep!  What is in store for tomorrow? I believe I will get up for a nice light paced run with an open water swim later on in the morning or afternoon.  

Day 1: Mont Tremblant Half Ironman

Change of clothes. Check.

Swim goggles. Check.

Bike and helmet. Check.

Running shoes and socks. Check.

More nervous than my first University exam. Double Check.

  I left Ottawa just shortly after 7pm Thursday evening after a long day of preparation for an eventful weekend.  I believe that I may have checked my bags 20 times before I left just to make sure I was not missing anything.  Before leaving for my 2 hours venture to Mont Tremblant, I had to stop and pick up my first ever wetsuit.  Thanks to the guys at Fresh Air Experience located in the heart of Westboro, they hooked me up with a great wetsuit for an even better rental deal.

  If you have ever driven through Quebec, you will probably agree with me when I say that the landscape makes for a gorgeous drive.  The mountainous environments, rock face cliffs, and forests littering both sides of the highway truly make the drive an all-encompassing experience.  Personally, I would love to live in such a scenic location.  The winding roads with multiple rolling hills would make an training session a memorable one.

  As I neared the village of Tremblant, I became overwhelmed with a powerful emotion.  It was the greatest high I had ever felt. It was this sense of belonging, this sense of the past 170 days of waiting and training has now come down to 3.  In less than 72 hours, I would be joining thousands of people at the starting line to tackle 70.3 miles.  I can even pinpoint the exact time that this overwhelming feeling struck me

– It was when I passed a sign saying ‘June 24^th – Half Ironman; Cyclists in training’.  It was nightfall when I started driving along the sole road into Mont Tremblant, but I could see all the reflective M dot logos.  They lined the street signs for what seemed to be forever.  And as I got nearer to my place of residence for the weekend, I saw the crews placing pylons along the side of the road in preparation to the event.

  

  This felt so surreal.  If anyone can recall, just over a year ago I had completed my first 5km race.  In less than 72 hours I would be attempting to complete over 22 times the distance with three different forms of locomotion.  As a friend kindly put it:

“You are going from weekend warrior to Ironman in record time…You are in the big leagues.”

              

  I finally packed it in at 11:30pm after settling in and unloading my van of all my supplies for the weekend.  Tomorrow I will be doing a bike ride along the suggested course and then check out the Ironman Village.

Excessive endurance training can be too much of a good thing, research suggests

ScienceDaily (June 4, 2012) — Micah True, legendary ultra-marathoner, died suddenly while on a routine 12-mile training run March 27, 2012. The mythic Caballo Blanco in the best-selling book, Born to Run, True would run as far as 100 miles in a day. On autopsy his heart was enlarged and scarred; he died of a lethal arrhythmia (irregularity of the heart rhythm). Although speculative, the pathologic changes in the heart of this 58 year-old veteran extreme endurance athlete may have been manifestations of "Phidippides cardiomyopathy," a condition caused by chronic excessive endurance exercise.


Read the full story here.

7 Days until 70.3

One week away from judgment day... and I am filled with excitement!  I honestly cannot believe almost 170 days has past since I signed up for my first ever 70.3 distance and triathlon.  I am overwhelmed.  So many hours have been painstakingly put into training for one day.  One day where I can either make it or break it.  Knowing my capabilities, I feel so confident in finishing and safely saying - I have completed 70.3 miles continuously utilizing 3 methods of locomotion.

I will keep a constant diary for my entire trip and post the finalized blog post all in one!  I am unaware if I will have internet at the condo I am staying at so I will ensure a lengthy read of the experience.

And to sum up this simple blog post - my attire for the event courtesy of TriathlonCentre.com:

Front

Rear 

Accessories for Staying Fueled on Long Rides

Today was an adventure for me - my first ever century ride!  What can I take from it? Three things:

1. Move up and down from the saddle throughout prolonged rides to allow full recovery of sensation
2. Stay hydrated prior to and during - 2 Litres of water on a comfortable day is plenty for a 100km cycle.
3. Ensure adequate nutrition prior to and DURING the ride

As I have already talked about in a previous post (see here) the benefits of ingestion carbohydrates during exercise to save muscle glycogen stores, I won't be reiterating that.  Instead, I will be demonstrating my fueling and nutrition supplies located on my bike.  Below is a picture of my bike with all the accessories:

Nutrition Box

Directly behind my stem is a brand new nutrition bag from Pure Iron Athletics.  This handy bag can hold up to 4 packs of Honey Stinger gum drops or 8 Clif Power Gels while nestled right behind your stem to reduce impedance on aerodynamics.  The greatest feature (besides the price) is that the sides are not rigid allowing it to hold nearly any shaped container.  Although not insulated, it will do the trick to hold your food, keys and wallet for a long ride.  Check it out at Triathlon Center.com.  

Speedfil Hydration System

This handy hydration system allows for convenient ingestion of water without having to get out of aero-position.  The straw (plastic pipe to be precise) can be positioned in any which way to the riders liking. Furthermore, the bottle cap features a funnel top which allows for easy refilling of the reservoir on the go!  Although the bottle supplied can only carry 1 Litre at max, the caps threading can fit other bottles which will allow the rider to upgrade at any point.  To be safe I carry a second bottle with me at all times so I can refill the reservoir whenever I get a chance.

Saddle Bag

The saddle bag on my bike is employed to carry my wallet, phone, and spare tools just in case I run into trouble along the way.  I would never want to be out in the middle of nowhere without identification or a means of communication.  It sits nicely under my Selle Italia gel flow saddle and does not compromise my aerodynamics.  A comparable product is can be purchased here!

Review: Newton Distance Running Shoes

A present to myself after the inaugural first Marathon completion which qualified me for Boston 2013, I decided to treat myself to the up and coming shoe-makers - Newton.  My first pair of Newtons are the "Distance" and I do not foresee them being my last.

Brief History


Newton shoes was founded by Russell, an inventor situated in Colorado.  He was puzzled by the way shoes had been crafted for the last century, and realized the biomechanical imperfections placed by modern footwear.     His invention allowed for a more natural footstrike and he attempted to sell his product to the likes of NIke and Adidas, with no success.

Russell eventually signed the rights of his product over to Danny Abshire and Jerry Lee, a specialist in orthopedics and real estate businessman, respectfully.  These two men shaped the future of Newton Shoes and have built a strong reputation in the running and triathlon world with there fairly pricey product.

Newton Distance


As per their website - this is their description of the Distance 2012 runner:

The Distance neutral light weight trainer is engineered for the Natural Running gait with a level-to-the-ground profile and our Action/Reaction Technology™ (in the forefoot only). This high-mileage, light weight trainer is perfect for everyday training, or racing any distance, from a 5k to the ultra marathon.

Sizing: For customers who are new to Newton Running, this shoe runs true to size. Current Newton Running customers may wish to go down a half size from your current Newton Running size.

UPPER

• Highly breathable, fast-drying, open screen mesh

• Minimal anatomical support strapping

• Metatarsal stretch panels

• Variable fit

• Slip-proof laces with heel-securing double eyelets

• Reflective heel logo

MIDSOLE

• Action/Reaction Technology™ in forefoot

• Biomechanical metatarsal sensor plate

• High rebound EVA

• Met-flex enhanced forefoot flexibility

• ETC anti-friction, anti-bacterial sockliner

• Accommodates orthotics

OUTSOLE

• High-density rubber

• Exposed EVA foam heel

• Minimal surface contact area

GREEN FEATURES

• 100% recycled laces, webbing, insole topcover

• 100% recycled box, packaging

Review

These shoes do exactly what they say.  I have done 3 runs (approximately 45 minutes in duration) with these shoes and they truly do promote a midfoot to forefoot strike.  Furthermore, I even beat my personal best on one of my routes by 30 seconds, which was a lot considering I was not attempting any race pace run.  I feel quite comfortable in recommending these shoes to experienced runners who have a great base of strength.  They do take a considerable amount of time to break in as the feeling will provoke strain to new muscles.  I felt some strain in my calves after the first outing - however it has subsided after the third run.

I love the Newton Distance 2012.  They have a roomy toe box which allows for considerable splaying of toes.  The heel support is unparalleled to other offerings in this weight category.  The colors are vibrant and I will definitely be a returning customer!

Check them out here to find the nearest retailer for you.