Ironman Mont-Tremblant Race Report!

After months of training, the time finally came for the big race. I was getting progressively nervous during all of July and the first half of August, wondering how on earth I would finish an Ironman, particularly after being benched during a critical build period. The answer, it turns out, is the same as for anything else - one bite at a time.

The day after cheering on my Team in Training teammates and volunteering at the aid station at mild 23 of the run (an incredible experience - I definitely plan on volunteering at other races), I packed the girls, the dog, all my triathlon gear and of course my bike into/onto my car, and we headed north toward Mont-Tremblant. We arrived there late Monday night - I thought it would be nice to combine a vacation with som course recon and training.

Lac Tremblant, where the swim was being held was open to us starting on the Monday before the race from 7-5, and buoys were set up so that we wouldn't get smashed by the motorboats. I quickly figured out yet again that the sleeveless wetsuit was the better option for me. The water was a lovely 72 degrees, and relatively clear. Each morning , Tuesday through Friday I headed out to that lake before the girls woke up for progressively shorter and shorter dips. I also threw in short bikes or runs to keep my legs fresh, and the rest of the time we explored the Tremblant resort area- we went luging, zip lining, on an aerial ropes course, as well, of course, shopping, eating, and walking around. Mont-Tremblant is a pretty and charming area, and everyone we met was friendly and gracious.

A couple of days in we received a great surprise- my parents would be driving up for the weekend to cheer me on and hang with the girls on race day! Since it was so last minute, it was fortunate that the room I was in slept 6 (this is primarily because I wanted a room with a kitchen so I could prepare meals that my ultra-sensitive stomach could handle). We quick reshuffled our stuff, and I was sleeping with Amit in her bed (so pretty much no difference as before she was sleeping with me in mine).

After a few days of build up, expo shopping, and even more anxiety, race day finally came. Buffered by the well wishes of my team, after a 3:45 wake up, mediocre attempt at eating, final bottle prep and hair braiding, I headed out on the hotel shuttle to transition. As usual, I got there just after transition opened, organized my things quickly, and had way too much time before the race started. I bumped into Claire, who was with me on Terrier Tri last year, ands we spent most of that time catching up, talking about how our year had gone and possible plans for next year. We took our time heading down to the swim start. I drank my Living Fuel shake to get some more calories into me before the race, visited the john, put on wetsuits, threw our morning clothes bags into the correct bins, and it was off to the swim start. With 20 minutes to race start, I had 1/2 of a Accelerade gel with some water, said goodbye to Claire who was a very strong swimmer and comfortable toward the front of the pack, and found myself a spot toward the back.

The buoys were well spaced out, and you could see the yellow line of outbound buoys stretching toward the horizon. A fighter plane came zipping towards us, the cannon went off, and the pros were running into the water! After a quick applause, I adjusted my cap and goggles and moved even further back to avoid the trampling. Before long, that fighter plane was back for us, and the age group race was on!

The water was a fabulous temperature, and going out found me swimming easily, finding feet for large portions, avoiding being beat up, and counting breaths between buoys (35-40). Pretty soon, and much faster than I expected, we were at the red turn buoy, making a right toward the next, and the orange buoys that would be pointing the way to shore. The way in was a bit choppier,but totally manageable - there were feet to find, and sighting to do. Petty soon we we back at shore w it hour any mishap. I aw several men wading in, but chose to swim in as far as possible. Running up the beach, I saw that my swim time was pretty much what I expected it to be, and was pleased about that.

We ran through the line of wetsuit strippers - a bizarre experience. They wanted me to lie down and put my feet up, and peeled my wetsuit off me. Okay then! After a red carpet run into transition, I quickly dried off best I could, sprayed on the sunblock, and lent it to the ladies in the transition area with me, put on my helmet and shoes, chose not to use arm warmers, and was off to my bike.

The bike course was beautiful- parts of it felt like riding on 9w in terms of the rollers. The region repaved a huge section of the highway for this race and the 70.3 that is one loop of the same course. At so many points along the way there were people cheering us on in English and French (Go, go, go! Allez, allez!). I started focussing on my nutrition and hydration. I figured to eat 1/2 a bar - Lara bar or Bonk Breaker, which I precut and froze so that they wouldn't be mushy while I was on the course - every 15k, and drink to thirst. When I felt my energy flagging a little, I took a couple of e21's (very similar to salt tabs, with a slightly different electrolyte composition). Pretty soon, I was at 42 miles heading up toward the super hilly part of the course. I thought it would be a good idea to take those hills nice and easy, recovering on the flats and downs. Well, there was no taking those hills easily. They kicked my butt! At one point i also got off, and hit my wheel, which was rubbing against my frame - truly not something I Fortunately, though, after their turn-around, we had a primarily downhill stretch toward bike special needs and the start of loop 2.

Receiving my special needs back, I took my time transferring my bars and tabs, replenishing my Accelerade in my hydration system, and then it was out again for the second loop. I made it approximately 4 miles when I felt the back wheel rubbing again. I stopped to try to figure it out, taking a moment to stretch, but everything seemed to be in order to my untrained eye. Honestly, I was in a pretty bad place at this point the hills at the end of the first loop did a number on me and i was just starting to feel its effects. Two miles later I stopped at an aid station, used the porto-john, and asked the bike mechanic to have a look at my back wheel. It turned out that it was misaligned. Although it was an 18 minute pit stop, it left me feeling better and able mentally and physically to continue the bike course. By the turn around on route 117 I was singing to myself on the bike, chatting with people who passed me or who I passed, and in a much better head space.

When I got to those hills in the last 14 miles of the bike, I decided that I'd handle them in a different way than the first go around. I decided to attack the downs and flats like I was being chased, and carry as much of that momentum as possible over the short but steep hills. Well, it worked. Really well, in fact. All of a sudden I was passing people, saving my legs and making up some time. I made it into T2 after just over 7.5 hours on my bike. And YRden and Amit were there to greet me! I hugged them and ran to change into socks, running shoes and a cap and grabbed my mostly defrosted Accelerade. I chose to keep on my tri shorts rather than changing into running shorts.

I said hi to my parents and girls coming out of T2, and started running. It was just over 9 hours after starting the race at this point, and I was feeling good knowing that there was no way I wouldn't finish. At around the 1 km point, I saw the first women coming in toward the finish, so applauded them. At the uphills, I opted to walk, and then started running at the first flat and continued running for until the 7 mile point when I stopped for a bathroom break. I took in coke twice, and water a couple of times as well. Also banana twice and one slice of orange. But the chicken soup didn't agree with me at all, and pretty soon I was done with all the options at the aid stations (but still thanked the volunteers for being there whether or not I stopped). I just wanted real food, and no more of the sweet stuff.

After the 7 mile point I did more of a run walk combination. I haven't run more than about 15 miles since December, so didn't want to be so broken down at the finish that I staggered through. I finished the first loop of the run in 2:38, and told my family to expect the second to take much longer.

A little bit later, it started raining, and then a double rainbow appeared in the sky. I had been appreciating the incredible Ironman experience all day long, so grateful that I was healthy enough to be there, that I was getting through each leg with a decent amount of competence and minimal discomfort, of the wonderful weather, location and crowds, and that rainbow really capped it off. Although I was able to jog, I stopped and walked a few miles with someone, borrowed his heat blanket, and heard his story, then said goodbye, jogging again, and repeated the process. I probably should have felt an urgency to run, but was content to alternate, until 5k from the end, when I hoped to be able to make it to the finish before the 15 hour mark and started running again. I almost did, too, but came in just after the 15 hour mark at 15:00:18.

It as an emotional finish, happy tears, hugs to the kids, the all-important medal, and the poutine that I've wanted to eat the entire week. Could I have raced it faster? Yes. But who cares? I had exactly the race that I wanted - a joyful, appreciative experience, and a wonderful first time experience.

First time? Yes, that's right. With my daughters' permission, I'll be racing another 140.6 next summer. Did you really think I'd do just one?

(For my coaches, aside from mile 62 on the bike, I was at an up 4-5 the entire race-some GI issues in the run, cramping, etc. lead me to believe that I have to reevaluate some of my nutrition choices, and maybe they brought me to a 3 physically, but not mentally. Also, the run course was great - a bulk of it on a really well-groomed carriage path, lots of aid stations, etc. It was definitely a race worth doing.)