Just trying to gather more reviews on this race. I’ve heard nothing but good things about it.
Dev did it and loved it. I have also heard nothing but good things.
I did the Olympic dist and wouldn’t do it again. 9 crowded loops on the bike is boring, fast and a draft fest. Right side passing is common. For the IM I think you do 40 or 42 laps on the bike. There have got to be better options.
I haven’t done it, but did spectate one year - it’s probably the most viewer-friendly race around, as leggett24 said, the IM is 44 laps of a baby’s-butt smooth, flat course. A friend of mine broke the 1-hr mark on the bike there one year in a relay in the Oly. The swim is in the rowing basin, so clean, flitered water, and the run is flat, mixed trails around the basin - again alot of laps.
Now that I’m back in Montreal, I’m considering the Oly or Half for September, as a lead-in to IMFL…for the price, the location, and the similarity in terms of ‘flatness’ to FLA…
Thanks
Would you say the drafting is people riding in packs shamelessly like it’s a crit or are we talking unavoidable draft from always passing people?
i’ve done the 1/2 twice. i think it’s a great race and venue. doing loops for 56 isn’t bad but i imagine it would get old after 112. what’s cool is that with all of the races going on at the same time, you’re usually not lonely out there. and if you get a flat, you’re not far from help.
I did it once and it was a hoot.You can't really take it seriously because of the mad drafting but if you want to p.r an Iron dist race then this is the one.The Iron folk go first followed buy the half iron crowd an hour or so later(my memory is off).Just when you settle into your bike leg the half guys come blasting past and it's a free ride on a crowded course for a while.Then over the next few hours they taper off and the Iron folk are left alone-until,the Olympic guys come charging past at 25MPH+..Then it is just too funny for words!You can't avoid getting sucked along with all the packs devouring the Iron turtles.It was just a fun end of season race for me as part of a trip to visit my sister.I would do it again as a lark but if you have done any of the NAS events or any high end "show" triathlons then you might feel ripped off as it is a pretty bare bones affair by comparison.The organisers are great the spectators are great and the girls in Montreal are worth the trip!!!!
I am doing a 1/2 IM in Ottawa the first weeked in September, and may do the 1/2 IM in Montreal depending on how I feel.
There are 4 races going on at the same time so there are a lot of people coming on and off the course. The IM people and the half people are riding at their pace when the oly (biggest group) and then sprint racers come on. Very different paces. IMO you can always avoid drafting but it’s hard on this course. Part of the problem is there are a lot of people that do this as their one and only race so they don’t know what they’re doing. As a result you get cut off a lot, passing happens all over the place and it just feels dangerous.
A buddy of mine who lives down the street named El was second there a few years back. Said it was a great race but you have to like loop courses.
so will this be your first for the year? 
doing loops for 56 isn’t bad but i imagine it would get old after 112.
Does someone count the laps for you. I can’t imagine having the ability to count 112 laps. I loose count in the pool swimming 200s.
Victor
Apparently the timing folks (sportstats.ca) take care of counting the laps.
You clip a chip to your bike which does the counting for you. They announce your name when you begin your last lap so no need to do anything but ride. I believe they also do the same for the folks doing the half. I was pleasantly surprised that the ride was not at all boring. With all the people coming on and off the course, things are always hopping.
I’ve been there twice. It was definitely an all out, blatant draft fest both times. Drafting IS avoidable, but considering its such a short loop, and that the draft marshals dont do anything but blow whistles at them, I’d say a good 75% of people are in Tour de France type pelotons. Oh, and the faster guys ride to the left, so the “passing on the right” is unavoidable.
I think the run is worse than the bike…because you can see the whooooooole run course. All 26.2 miles. Its a 3 mile loop around the basin the swim is in, and flat as a pancake (except for the short man-made bridge they inserted). I hear its pretty brutal after the first 4 or so laps.
Swim is super weedy, water was pretty cold, but thats expected in late September.
Like everyone else said, definitely a PR course. I thought it was a lot of fun too, good comraderie because you are seeing the same people over and over on the loops and start to recognize them as you go around.
Oh, and for the half and for the IM they give you a one lap warning, using your chip, so you have ample time to know you are exiting the bike course.
-c
Apparently the timing folks (sportstats.ca) take care of counting the laps.
A couple of years ago I had a chance to spectate at this event. After walking around the inside of the track in the opposite direction to cheer on the riders and check out the course, I hung out at the Sportstats lap counting tent and watched them do their thing.
The tent was situated maybe 100m downstream of the timing mat used to count the laps. The rider’s number and lap count immediately flashed up on the computer they had in the tent. If you were starting your last lap, they would yell “Racer X Last Lap!”. If you had missed last call so to speak, they would scream “Racer X your’e done!” or something like that, and there was a last ditch chance to turn through a paved section of the infield such that your mistake cost you a mere 250m instead of 4.2km. It was fun to watch.
Moral of the story is to attend the race briefing so you know the drill, and to keep a rough count of your laps so you know when to listen for the call. A bike computer can obviously help too.
My folks are in Montreal and I have an athlete racing the half, so I hope to be there and maybe jump in myself. Let me know if you need a place to stay and I might be able to help.
Mike
Did it in 2003. Great Ironman. I wouldn’t say it’s the best one but it sure is a fun one.
Swim is nice, you don’t even have to look up since there’s a cable at the bottom.
Bike…I thought it would be boring because of the loops but it was actually quite fun. The rhythm changes enough in it to be entertaining. Like others said, you start almost by yourself, than people from other distance are coming in. For about 3 laps I was literally in a huge pelloton but other than that I manage to stay by myself. As for the other, I don’t have a clue since it’s hard to know who’s allowed to draft or not. Stay at your turtle pace, those rabbit are not doing the same distance! Finally your alone again it’s a good feeling to be there before and after everyone. You can test the course with any Formula 1 game.
Run is flat and ok. Be sure to attend the pre-race meeting to understand the running course. The year I did it, there was a couple of complaint about taking a wrong turn but the people who complaint were not at the meeting.
Feel free to PM me if you have any qst
Ouch, man…that cuts deep. lol
Anyone know of any good races around Montreal and area…?
Hello
Welcome to the area, were in Montreal are you?
Good races check here: http://www.sportriple.com/evenementsA.shtml
St-Agathe has a 1-30-8 and a VERY HARD Half IM
Valleyfield has a Sprint and an Olympic.
love this race. Doing the 1/2 again this year.