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humbling ride
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rferron
May 16, 03 7:24
Post #1 of 10 (2570 views)
Yesterday I received my new bike, a used (2002) trek 5500 and decided to do a test ride. I've been training hard all winter so I was quite enthousiast about testing my new legs. Here in Montreal, we have a famous cycling course that has one major hill called Camillien-Houde. This hill is 1.7 km long with a 170m climb (a part of it at 9.5%). A cycling magazine once wrote an article on it with some time reference : 5'30'' for a serious sport cyclist, 4'45'' for a good provincial racer, 4'05'' for the national elite and under 4' for the Pro.

So I went with my pro bike(no excuses even if it's not about the bike), beginner leg's and...ouch! I did 5'45'' which was what I thought I would be doing but man...under 4', that's crazy. I can train and shave seconds but more than a minute and a half!!! Wow!

Since I've been training most of my life, I always know there is a big difference with the pros but once in a while, I think it's good to go out on the same route and compare myself with the best...it kinda put my feets back on earth and gives me the motivation to push harder.

You gotta admire the guys(and girls of course!)

Richard

"You're only young once, but you can be immature forever" - Larry Andersen
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Re: humbling ride [rferron] [ In reply to ]
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haennp
May 16, 03 7:40
Post #2 of 10 (2555 views)
rferron-
I see you're from Montreal. I am doing the Esprit Iron Distance tri in Sept. Do you know anything about this race? Any info or insight that you can offer me?

By the way, I can't wait to come to your city. It seems like an awesome place.
Pete
___________________________
And the road gets rocky along the way
But if it gets too smooth, it's time to call it a day
-Kinks
Quote Reply
Re: humbling ride [haennp] [ In reply to ]
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rferron
May 16, 03 8:06
Post #3 of 10 (2533 views)
I'll be there also! I dont have much more info than what the site offers since I never did it nor watched it. The only thing I can tell you is that there are not a lot of participants(maybe because it's not part of the championship and that Kona is close by), which is good, and it's great for the family to watch. They can wath you swim, walk a minute to see you bike (and stay at the same place) and return at the bassin to see all of your run from one point! make a search on this forum, a couple of weeks ago there was on thread on it. here it is :

http://www.slowtwitch.com/...t;guest=263693#22783

in it there is a link to a review an a link to past results.

If you want to visualize the bike course, play Grand Prix 3 on your computer. You'll do it in a formula one but it is the same course!

here's my e-mail if you need more info this summer : richardferron@hotmail.com

Richard

"You're only young once, but you can be immature forever" - Larry Andersen
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Re: humbling ride [rferron] [ In reply to ]
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haennp
May 16, 03 8:27
Post #4 of 10 (2505 views)
That's great news that you are doing it, too.
Are you doing the Iron distance, demi, what?

I am really excited abou this race and coming to Montreal. I picked this course because it sounded like a fun one and one that I would have family support all day long.

Do you know how hard it is to get from the host hotel (delta centre-ville) to the Ile Notre Dame? Also, how easy/hard will it be for spectators to leave the island when they want to go get something to eat, drink etc?

I'm sure I'll be emailing you over the summer when training starts to get really hard. Hope you don't mind.
___________________________
And the road gets rocky along the way
But if it gets too smooth, it's time to call it a day
-Kinks
Quote Reply
Re: humbling ride [haennp] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
rferron
May 16, 03 10:48
Post #5 of 10 (2417 views)
I'm doing the IM distance. From the host hotel it's very easy to get to the Island...the metro gets you there. Your family can either go to the island by metro, car or bike (20 minutes on a bike path) as easily but I guess that the car is not the best option since ther might be parking issue. I guess there might also be a shuttle from the hotel to the site but I'm not sure.

So dont worry, everything will be very easy on your family...easy to move around town and most importantly easy to watch you and find you back!

e-mail me as need be, I give it for that. Ask as many question as you want, I'll answer as best as I can. It will be my first IM and I will be training hard too and talking with people that live a similar experience is always a good motivator.

Keep in touch

Richard

"You're only young once, but you can be immature forever" - Larry Andersen
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Re: humbling ride [haennp] [ In reply to ]
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gord
May 16, 03 11:03
Post #6 of 10 (2394 views)
I did the half there a couple of years ago; the swim might be a little crowded (you're in a narrow baisin), and the year I did it there were no wetsuits (shallow water was v. warm). The bike is very flat - you race on the Formula 1 course, which I think is a little over 4 kms long.... so you do a LOT of laps to get to 180 kms. This does make pacing pretty straightforward - you can tell at once whether you're losing speed or whatever - but the one thing I'd suggest is a bullet proof way to count your laps. There is a screen which is supposed to tell you, but I couldn't read it from the bike, and my bike computer died at either 14 or 15 laps. I literally had to look for someone whom I knew was 1 lap behind me to ask them what they were on before I could figure out where I was.

The run is also dead flat (come to think of it, this rivals IMFL as THE course for vertically challenged athletes) - a lot of times around the rowing baisin, so 2kms in a straight line, turn right for 500m, turn right for 2kms, turn right for 500m, and so on.

The really cool thing is that you're never far away from spectators - and there was a lot of really loud cheering when I was there - big boost when you're getting tired.
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Re: humbling ride [rferron] [ In reply to ]
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M----n
May 16, 03 11:15
Post #7 of 10 (2379 views)
Hey there,

I'm doing it too. I've done the half and Olympic on the same course in the past, and volunteered at the IM one year.
  • Metro does not start early enough to get you to the island in tie for the race, so you will need a car or taxi. No parking problems for athletes, especially if you get there in time for the IM start (6 am).
  • If it's a hot day (like 2001), it's DAMN hot, because there is no shade on course at all.
  • Swim is fast because you can follow the rope on the bottom of the basin - no excuses for going off course.
  • Road surface is awesome and course is a pancake but the wind can affect the bike. As can the pack of 80 cyclists that develops in the half IM. Just float off the back - you have a long day ahead of you.
  • No joke - rent a PS2 and an F1 game and follow the ghost car around the circuit. The racing line on a bike is very similar and will save you seconds per lap, which add up after 40 laps...
  • It's fun to make F1 race car noises or pretend you're Schumacher as you swoop through chicanes. (It's ok - everybody does it).
  • Make sure your computer works and is calibrated. You WILL lose track of your laps after 30 or so...
  • There will be huge packs on the bike this year because the Olympic is the same day, I think.
  • If you're a strong swimmer and take advantage of the lenient drafting rules (no flames please - this race permits drafting for the purpose of "communication" - and sanity preservation on the 40 loop course - in groups of up to 3, but no pacelines) you're gonna love this course.
  • As a volunteer it was a lot of fun watching people go through good laps and unholy, terrible laps on the run. I learned a lot about IM racing this day.
  • If you are not 110% motivated, it's not a great race because you are never more than 4k from your car/subway station. Easy to step off and call it a day.


rferron - where is that hill? I mostly ride on the river (Verdun-West Island stretch) or at the track, with occasional rides up/around the mountain. I've only been here a year so not familiar with all the loops yet. Long rides in Bromont or Covey Hill mostly - less traffic than the Laurentians IMHO.
Quote Reply
Re: humbling ride [Marlin] [ In reply to ]
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rferron
May 16, 03 11:43
Post #8 of 10 (2355 views)
Great info Marlin! Thank's

Camillien-Houde goes up to the summit of Mt Royal.

Here is the 9.3 km circuit :

The start is at the bottom of Camillien-Houde (East of Mt Royal) intersection blv mt-Royal near the triangular "terre- plein".

There is a white finish line at the end of what is considered the top of the 1.7 km hill (top chrono)

go down Chemin Remembrance

right Cote-des-neiges

700m

right on Decelles

next on the Universite de montreal site rigth Decelles / Queen-Mary

300m

keep right on la montée de la Polytechnique (closed at the moment...construction)***

First left, at the top

go down ***if you go straight because of the construction at the poly you turn left at the hill to go down

Right on Edouard Montpetit

at the end turn right on Vincent d'Indy

next blv Mont-Royal (keep your right twice)

back at the bottom of Camillien-Houde

The racers usually do it 11 times!!!



Have fun, it's a Mtl classic

Richard

"You're only young once, but you can be immature forever" - Larry Andersen
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Re: humbling ride [Marlin] [ In reply to ]
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rferron
May 16, 03 11:52
Post #9 of 10 (2344 views)
check this out on Camillien-Houde :

http://english.montrealplus.ca/feature/8536/2.4.html

When Eddy Mercks did it, it was 21 times...

Richard

"You're only young once, but you can be immature forever" - Larry Andersen
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Re: humbling ride [Marlin] [ In reply to ]
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haennp
May 16, 03 12:48
Post #10 of 10 (2307 views)
Hey Marlin-
Thanks for the info. I am getting excited.
I'd like to get in touch with you guys over the summer to see how training is going.
My email is haennp@christina.k12.de.us

Richard-
I have your email address and will definitely get in touch with you since you are a hometown kid.

Marlin -
Where are you from?
___________________________
And the road gets rocky along the way
But if it gets too smooth, it's time to call it a day
-Kinks
Quote Reply
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