What if the T1 transition was closer to the end of the swim?
Or, if my transition time from the swim-to-bike was a bit quicker? Or, if I did
not have to make a port-o-let stop at the beginning of the run? Or, if I swam,
cycled or ran just a little faster? Well, maybe, just maybe I would have broken
the elusive 5-hour mark at the inaugural Ironman Mont-Tremblant 70.3 triathlon
in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, Canada. In the end, I needed 46 seconds to beat the
5-hour mark, though, I was truly elated by having set my personal record, if by
only 13 seconds, on an unlikely course.
The race day started for me with a 2.5-mile run and a
15-minute swim in Lake Mont Tremblant. The water was calm at about 74F. The pro
athletes, leading the way, started at 7AM. My swim wave (#9) started at 7:40 with
about 200 athletes in it. It was another solid swim with a lot of open water
available for most of the 33 minutes on a well-designed course which minimized
the blinding effect of the rising sun. The run from the water to T1 was quite
long - 300 or 400 meters, maybe longer. The weather was perfect. It was already
getting quite warm. Although, I always plan to have a quick transition, it
rarely ever works that way. There is always a cramp or something that slows me
down. But once on the bike, the game was on.
The swim start beach
The boats were gone and the water was calmer on Sunday morning
Well, some of them were gone and the beach became a busy, busy place
The end of the swim
What can I say about the bike course? Hills, falls flats,
fast descents where strong biking skills are a must. My speedometer registered
the highest descent speed at 53 miles per hour, while the slowest climb at 6
miles per hour. That was both scary fast and scary slow. It was also one of the
most beautiful and safest venues in my triathlon experience. Ninety-five
percent of the roads were totally closed off to the vehicular traffic and the
organizers topped it off with the closing of the entire highway portion of the
race. It was a treat, indeed. After having driven the bike course before the
race, I did not anticipate reaching a blazing overall bike time. In the end, I
think, I proved myself somewhat wrong when I clocked a 2-hour 40-minute ride.
The bikes are trickling-in
The T2 transition went a bit faster, although I had to make
an unscheduled pit stop. I was not sure what damage have the hills on the bike
done to my legs. Surprisingly, the start of the run looked promising. I felt
light on my legs and my heart rate seemed to be in check. It was already
getting quite hot and the first hills were just ahead of me. I kept on pushing
and feeling my confidence on the run. I kept increasing the tempo. My 1 km
splits were getting quicker with each “K.” I remember thinking about not
blowing up when my kilometer splits reached 4 minutes 15 seconds. Being “on the
roll” I kept on passing runners and with each passing it became a numbers game.
In the end, I was passed by only one runner, who of all the people, was in my
own age group. I do not know how much
gas I still had left in the tank at the finish line. Perhaps, the adrenaline in
the system made me feel I could go further, but on this day I had a 1-hour 37
minute run and a finishing time of 5:00:45.
An aerial view of the finish line
The organizers did a great job designing and making the
course very safe and challenging. There were 2,100 athletes from all over the
world. The town of Mont-Tremblant was a perfect race destination for athletes
and their families who had no trouble finding things to do for entertainment.
The village and its residents were very welcoming of their weekend guests. Shopping,
dining, and entertainment kept the spectators and families busy. There were also
ample options for those nature-minded with an appetite for a more active
lifestyle, such as parks, lakes, and a sandy beach club.
The swim start in the background
Ironman atmosphere was felt everywhere
Ironman Village
While there, triathletes could join the military or get one of those toys
Indeed, it was a race to remember on many fronts. It was a
beautiful place to visit, a challenging course to race on, and an opportunity
to meet and make many new friends. Among them, Luis and Julie from Montreal,
Vincent, Deane, and Rey from Ottawa, Dominic and his family from St. Agathe,
Janice and Gordon from the Thunder Bay, and Mary from England – all
great-spirited triathletes. And last but not least, Roberto, the owner of the
most-charming Bed and Breakfast (Le Refuge, www.refuge-tremblant.ca) in the
heart of Mont-Tremblant, with whom I spent lots of time talking about Catalonia.
Le Refuge
The view from my balcony
With Dominic. It was his first Ironman 70.3
With Luis, Roberto, Janice, and Gordon about 4 o'clock in the morning. Roberto was up at 2 o'clock preparing our breakfast
This was an interesting story. While getting my bike brakes serviced in the village this young man turned to me and said - "I painted your bike." So, obviously, I had to find out the full story. As it turned out, there are only 10 bikes with the "Norminator" custom paint jobs and he painted them all. Nine of those bikes belong to Norman Stadler, the two-time professional Ironman World Champion, and one belongs to me. So, in an unlikely place, I learned the history and lineage of my bike.
This upcoming weekend I will be traveling to Rhode Island to
race in Ironman Providence 70.3 - the triathlon season is in full swing,
indeed.
Picture credits: FinisherPix, Mary, Julie, and Tomasz
Picture credits: FinisherPix, Mary, Julie, and Tomasz
