Swim: 1:17:18
Bike: 5:44:30
Run: 4:24:31
T1: 11:18
T2: 4:34
I am 5' 10" and weighed in at 178.5 lbs fully clothed at check in on Friday. I have more of a wrestlers build than a triathlete so anything under 180 for me and I look dangerously thin. My guess is the lowest I could comfortably go would be 172-174 but I would really struggle to achieve that and would likely start losing power. FTP is 285-290 W range.
Pre race routine: Up at 4:00 am. Breakfast was a PBJ Bonkbreaker, 1 banana, and a cup of coffee. Morning duty, suit up, and down to transition. Got the bike all handled, support crew dropped off special needs bags, and I headed into the tent to double my T1/T2 bags. Opened my T1 bag to add in my sunglasses and was almost knocked over by the smell of my bike shoes...really need to clean these up! Take the cabriolet back up to the hotel for another bathroom run and knew the race was going to be solid!! Forecast the day before was for the morning to be in the upper 40s but upon waking up the temp was in the upper 50s, almost 60, and very comfy compared to the previous couple days.
Swim: I swam a 1:15 in 2012 with similar swim fitness...2 days/week in a pool for an hour and 1 day/week open water...no real structure to the workouts. I am always solidly middle of the pack swimming and have a difficult time justifying additional time. If I have a bad day I swim 1:20 and if I have a good day its a 1:12-1:13. I have to say I liked the mass start in 2012 more than the wave start this year. I had a difficult time keep a rhythm with faster swimmers from later waves barreling through. The actual start in 2012 was a bit rougher but stretched out nicely after 500-1000 meters. Maybe it was just me but I also found the beach to be a little cluttered and narrow for multiple waves.
The wind was coming at us on the outbound leg but I did not feel any resistance or chop till 3/4 of the way to the first turn even then it was coming more across the course than directly at me. Both turns very congested but what can you go. Got smacked hard in the face once on the return trip but nothing unexpected. Return trip felt 1-2 minutes faster but I never where a watch on the swim so who really knows.
Water is very clean and in the mid 60s. Swam with a full sleeve Xterra Vortex suit, perfectly comfortable the entire time.
T1: No carpeting with the run up to T1, this a surprise compared to 2012 and my feet were not happy! Quick stop a portajohn to take care of business, into the tent, grab my bag and got done to work. T1 was more crowded this year than 2012, also seemed like fewer volunteers, but that was not a big deal. Completely toweled off, bike gear on, lubed up, and out the door. Game time decision to go without the arm warmers and that was a good call, living in Michigan I have done much colder early season races and never had an issue with the cold. Definitely saw some smaller racers struggling a little with the cooler temps though.
Good thing I always keep sunscreen in my transition bags, there did not appear to be a drop found anywhere in the changing tent in Mont Tremblant.
Bike: Bike is a 2012 Felt B12, front wheel Zipp 808, rear is a Reynolds 90 with a PowerTap, and Conti 4000 GP whatever tires that everyone is using now. I rode a 6:03 in 2012 and felt the course was significantly more difficult this year with the wind out of the NW. It was a real mental drain on the second loop on both the outbound trip on the 117 and the return on the Montee Ryan. Normalized power was 190 W and all my long rides had been between 190-196 NP so I executed the ride just fine. Power could have been a little higher but I was struggling mentally on the 117 to keep the power up going into the wind, no real explanation for why other than it seemed incredibly distracting. Legs felt fine the entire ride and I had no issues maintaining power on descents or climbing, really lost focus into the wind today for some reason. Basic approach for Tremblant was easy up and hammer down. Feeling the wind 10 miles into the bike I knew my goal time would not be achieved so I focused on my plan and it worked fairly well.
The biggest observations I made on the course were the shear number of people riding too hard into the wind...clearly trying to maintain a average speed...and those same people out of the saddle grinding it out on the climb to Lac Superior on the first loop....not a good sign for the run ahead. Never saw these people again on the second loop
Had about 600 calories in my Speedfill of my own blend of maltodextrin, electrolytes, and protein powder...refilled with water as I ran out and one bottle of gatorade between the aero bars. Started off with Roctaine GUs every 20-25 minutes. Ate 2 Bonk Breakers on the course, one at about hour 3 and the next at hour 4...stomach appreciated something a little more solid...no caffeine at all on the bike. 90 second stop at a portajohn a mile 50 and basically a rolling stop at Special Needs to grab my bonk breakers. Was feeling the urge for another stop around 95-100 but with the last climb to Lac Superior coming I figured I'd just sweat it out. Last climb to Lac Superior is never pretty for anyone...the fact that TJ averaged over 20 mph on second time...serious stud power!!!
Sky was turning grey and got a couple drops of rain on the way down to T2, not even enough to wet the pavement though. Heard it got a little sketchy for later cyclists though.
T2: Nothing special here. Bathroom, bag, change, couple of stretches, and out the door. Opted for no visor and no water bottle on this run. Took with me two caffeinated Roctaines the rest was going to be off the course.
Run: Had a hot spot on my right foot that worried me the last 10 miles of the bike but went away within a half mile! With in the first 100 yards of running I came out with another athlete, very fit looking, had gear on from multiple other IMs and all the tats...he ran out dropped to walk for 10 steps, grabbed the fence and called it a day. I never found out what happened but the guy looked way more fit and experienced than me. Guess you just never know.
Legs were a little sluggish coming out but nothing major. Ran the first mile at an 8:58 and honestly felt pretty good. First climb out of transition was no big deal either, big boost of confidence right there. Basic strategy was to power walk the aid stations and run the rest, walk some uphills if the heart rate spiked. Had four honey stinger gels on the first loop wash done with water. Once or twice I was feeling a little bloated and grabbed a little Perform at the next aid station and felt much better. The occasional ice down the jersey and tri shorts kept the core cool, then the rain took care of that later on.
Second loop I started grabbing coke or red bull at each station, and chicken stock when available. Tried to keep power walking the aid stations but those walks kept becoming longer and longer. There was no physical need for it, just a mental breakdown....I found it harder and harder to rationalize the need to start running again. One stop a the Med tent at the beginning of the trail section to grab some vaseline and two quick potty stops (one portajohn was so destroyed...ugh) and back to business.
I basically kept 9:00-9:05 pace while running and let too much time get away with walking too much later on. I kept the pace very even and did not push too much as I had been dealing with a runner's knee issue since May that would just not clear up and made me very cautious on all the downhills. Honestly I did not feel any worse at mile 24 versus mile 2 so I will take that as a well executed race. There is a lot of low hanging fruit on my run between the mental lapses and being cautious of the knee but my heart rate did not spike once, I felt great with nutrition, and holding off on any caffeine (except for the morning coffee) till mile 14 of the run worked very well!
Note: Even with the warmer temperatures than 2012 I saw a lot more people having issues on the run and dropping this year. Not sure if that was related to pushing too hard on the bike, dehydration from cutting back on fluids too much due to the cooler temps, hypothermia, or all of the above.
Post Race: A fellow tri club member was my catcher at the finish! That was a nice treat. Grabbed my finishers swag, a chocolate milk, and a handful of cookies to start soaking up all the sugary crap in my stomach. After waiting in line for a picture, I grabbed a couple beers and the poutine (mana from heaven). Met my support crew and took the cabriolet back up to Le Sommet des Neiges to clean up. We grabbed some food later on and returned to the finish line to watch the last couple club members finish. My girlfriend and I headed back up to the hotel on the cabriolet, I surprised her with a ring, and she said yes!!! I figure after 3.5 years and 3 ironman races she is good enough to keep. All in all it was a fantastic weekend!
_____________________
Fester from Detroit, Mi
Bike: 5:44:30
Run: 4:24:31
T1: 11:18
T2: 4:34
I am 5' 10" and weighed in at 178.5 lbs fully clothed at check in on Friday. I have more of a wrestlers build than a triathlete so anything under 180 for me and I look dangerously thin. My guess is the lowest I could comfortably go would be 172-174 but I would really struggle to achieve that and would likely start losing power. FTP is 285-290 W range.
Pre race routine: Up at 4:00 am. Breakfast was a PBJ Bonkbreaker, 1 banana, and a cup of coffee. Morning duty, suit up, and down to transition. Got the bike all handled, support crew dropped off special needs bags, and I headed into the tent to double my T1/T2 bags. Opened my T1 bag to add in my sunglasses and was almost knocked over by the smell of my bike shoes...really need to clean these up! Take the cabriolet back up to the hotel for another bathroom run and knew the race was going to be solid!! Forecast the day before was for the morning to be in the upper 40s but upon waking up the temp was in the upper 50s, almost 60, and very comfy compared to the previous couple days.
Swim: I swam a 1:15 in 2012 with similar swim fitness...2 days/week in a pool for an hour and 1 day/week open water...no real structure to the workouts. I am always solidly middle of the pack swimming and have a difficult time justifying additional time. If I have a bad day I swim 1:20 and if I have a good day its a 1:12-1:13. I have to say I liked the mass start in 2012 more than the wave start this year. I had a difficult time keep a rhythm with faster swimmers from later waves barreling through. The actual start in 2012 was a bit rougher but stretched out nicely after 500-1000 meters. Maybe it was just me but I also found the beach to be a little cluttered and narrow for multiple waves.
The wind was coming at us on the outbound leg but I did not feel any resistance or chop till 3/4 of the way to the first turn even then it was coming more across the course than directly at me. Both turns very congested but what can you go. Got smacked hard in the face once on the return trip but nothing unexpected. Return trip felt 1-2 minutes faster but I never where a watch on the swim so who really knows.
Water is very clean and in the mid 60s. Swam with a full sleeve Xterra Vortex suit, perfectly comfortable the entire time.
T1: No carpeting with the run up to T1, this a surprise compared to 2012 and my feet were not happy! Quick stop a portajohn to take care of business, into the tent, grab my bag and got done to work. T1 was more crowded this year than 2012, also seemed like fewer volunteers, but that was not a big deal. Completely toweled off, bike gear on, lubed up, and out the door. Game time decision to go without the arm warmers and that was a good call, living in Michigan I have done much colder early season races and never had an issue with the cold. Definitely saw some smaller racers struggling a little with the cooler temps though.
Good thing I always keep sunscreen in my transition bags, there did not appear to be a drop found anywhere in the changing tent in Mont Tremblant.
Bike: Bike is a 2012 Felt B12, front wheel Zipp 808, rear is a Reynolds 90 with a PowerTap, and Conti 4000 GP whatever tires that everyone is using now. I rode a 6:03 in 2012 and felt the course was significantly more difficult this year with the wind out of the NW. It was a real mental drain on the second loop on both the outbound trip on the 117 and the return on the Montee Ryan. Normalized power was 190 W and all my long rides had been between 190-196 NP so I executed the ride just fine. Power could have been a little higher but I was struggling mentally on the 117 to keep the power up going into the wind, no real explanation for why other than it seemed incredibly distracting. Legs felt fine the entire ride and I had no issues maintaining power on descents or climbing, really lost focus into the wind today for some reason. Basic approach for Tremblant was easy up and hammer down. Feeling the wind 10 miles into the bike I knew my goal time would not be achieved so I focused on my plan and it worked fairly well.
The biggest observations I made on the course were the shear number of people riding too hard into the wind...clearly trying to maintain a average speed...and those same people out of the saddle grinding it out on the climb to Lac Superior on the first loop....not a good sign for the run ahead. Never saw these people again on the second loop
Had about 600 calories in my Speedfill of my own blend of maltodextrin, electrolytes, and protein powder...refilled with water as I ran out and one bottle of gatorade between the aero bars. Started off with Roctaine GUs every 20-25 minutes. Ate 2 Bonk Breakers on the course, one at about hour 3 and the next at hour 4...stomach appreciated something a little more solid...no caffeine at all on the bike. 90 second stop at a portajohn a mile 50 and basically a rolling stop at Special Needs to grab my bonk breakers. Was feeling the urge for another stop around 95-100 but with the last climb to Lac Superior coming I figured I'd just sweat it out. Last climb to Lac Superior is never pretty for anyone...the fact that TJ averaged over 20 mph on second time...serious stud power!!!
Sky was turning grey and got a couple drops of rain on the way down to T2, not even enough to wet the pavement though. Heard it got a little sketchy for later cyclists though.
T2: Nothing special here. Bathroom, bag, change, couple of stretches, and out the door. Opted for no visor and no water bottle on this run. Took with me two caffeinated Roctaines the rest was going to be off the course.
Run: Had a hot spot on my right foot that worried me the last 10 miles of the bike but went away within a half mile! With in the first 100 yards of running I came out with another athlete, very fit looking, had gear on from multiple other IMs and all the tats...he ran out dropped to walk for 10 steps, grabbed the fence and called it a day. I never found out what happened but the guy looked way more fit and experienced than me. Guess you just never know.
Legs were a little sluggish coming out but nothing major. Ran the first mile at an 8:58 and honestly felt pretty good. First climb out of transition was no big deal either, big boost of confidence right there. Basic strategy was to power walk the aid stations and run the rest, walk some uphills if the heart rate spiked. Had four honey stinger gels on the first loop wash done with water. Once or twice I was feeling a little bloated and grabbed a little Perform at the next aid station and felt much better. The occasional ice down the jersey and tri shorts kept the core cool, then the rain took care of that later on.
Second loop I started grabbing coke or red bull at each station, and chicken stock when available. Tried to keep power walking the aid stations but those walks kept becoming longer and longer. There was no physical need for it, just a mental breakdown....I found it harder and harder to rationalize the need to start running again. One stop a the Med tent at the beginning of the trail section to grab some vaseline and two quick potty stops (one portajohn was so destroyed...ugh) and back to business.
I basically kept 9:00-9:05 pace while running and let too much time get away with walking too much later on. I kept the pace very even and did not push too much as I had been dealing with a runner's knee issue since May that would just not clear up and made me very cautious on all the downhills. Honestly I did not feel any worse at mile 24 versus mile 2 so I will take that as a well executed race. There is a lot of low hanging fruit on my run between the mental lapses and being cautious of the knee but my heart rate did not spike once, I felt great with nutrition, and holding off on any caffeine (except for the morning coffee) till mile 14 of the run worked very well!
Note: Even with the warmer temperatures than 2012 I saw a lot more people having issues on the run and dropping this year. Not sure if that was related to pushing too hard on the bike, dehydration from cutting back on fluids too much due to the cooler temps, hypothermia, or all of the above.
Post Race: A fellow tri club member was my catcher at the finish! That was a nice treat. Grabbed my finishers swag, a chocolate milk, and a handful of cookies to start soaking up all the sugary crap in my stomach. After waiting in line for a picture, I grabbed a couple beers and the poutine (mana from heaven). Met my support crew and took the cabriolet back up to Le Sommet des Neiges to clean up. We grabbed some food later on and returned to the finish line to watch the last couple club members finish. My girlfriend and I headed back up to the hotel on the cabriolet, I surprised her with a ring, and she said yes!!! I figure after 3.5 years and 3 ironman races she is good enough to keep. All in all it was a fantastic weekend!
_____________________
Fester from Detroit, Mi