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.