Ironman Race Report - Bienvenue Mont Tremblant!

Vicky T

One of my most favorite things about running (and swimming and biking…) is that it provides the opportunity to travel to a ton of great places and see them from a different vantage point.  To me there is something really amazing, in a world filled with increasing amounts of technology, to be able to power your own body across the land – a marvelous perspective.

So my latest adventure took me to Mont Tremblant, Canada for the inaugural Ironman Mt Tremblant. 

Note:  This is not a traditional race report but more of my take on the course and area for those that may be interested in doing the race in the future.

PRE-RACE

Mont Tremblant is a quaint, French-speaking city about 130K northwest of Montreal nestled in the Laurentian mountains of Quebec, Canada.  It’s part of the second largest national park in Quebec, aptly named, Mont Tremblant National Park.  The area is most widely known for its skiing; however the rolling terrain with hundreds of lakes and rivers makes it a nature lover’s paradise.

The pedestrian village proper is at the base of Mt Tremblant which is located next to one large lake, Lac Tremblant.  The city also consists of the Village of Mt Tremblant (on an adjacent lake) and Saint Jovite.   With an abundance of beaches, trails, running and bike paths, it’s a triathlete paradise.

Village of Mont Tremblant  –  So Picturesque, Oui Oui

I stayed nearby at the Village of Mt Tremblant, about 5K from the transition area.  This allowed for a condo with a kitchen and laundry, which are high on the requirements list.   My one gripe with the logistics is that if you do not stay on the ski mountain, you must hunt for convenient places to park, most of which have hourly rates similar to the streets of Manhattan.  The days leading up to the race were beautiful – chilly mornings with sunny afternoons in the 70’s.  This was a huge change to get used to after leaving the humidity of NYC and had me a bit worried that it would be difficult to warm up on race morning.  But with bikes and gear bags checked, along with a good night sleep, I was set to start the race and had everything in order.

SWIM
  

The 2.4 mi swim was one loop in a lake with a ton of room and a wide beach start.   The practice swims provided clean, smooth water that was a pleasure to swim in and race day did not disappoint.    There was the usual craziness that surrounds a mass start so I did have some difficulty getting clear water and finding my rhythm, but once I did the swim went off without a hitch.

Mont Tremblant's Crowded Race Start

Upon exiting the swim, there was a 400 yd run to transition, which felt so nice after being horizontal for a bit of time, but it made for a long T1 (first transition).

BIKE

I had a feeling that Mt Tremblant was going to be a supportive venue, and as I exited transition my suspicions were confirmed.   The roads were lined with enthusiastic spectators for miles.  Overall, this was an amazing bike course.  The roads were super-smooth with fresh pavement in some areas.  I even saw some sections of the bike course being power-washed in the days leading up to the race.  It’s amazing what a huge difference fresh pavement makes – it’s so much more forgiving on the body and quite speedy – very needed for a long 112 mi day.

The bike course is two loops and can be thought of in five sections per loop.  The first section is down Montee Ryan to 117 (about 10K).  The section has a few decent rollers but easy enough to get momentum to take you from one to the next.   It also contains the first ‘no pass’ zone as it crosses over a narrow bridge.   It’s well marked and I never had to worry about overtaking another rider.  The next stretch is from 177 out to Labelle and back (38K total).   This is a wonderful section of freshly paved road with an extra wide shoulder.   This is where you can dial in your aero position and get in your groove.   There are one or two larger climbs where you do have to get out of aero but nothing significant.  This is where I really found my pace and was just loving the scenery.    

The next section takes you through an out-and-back on the main street of Saint Jovite, a lovely village that has the best restaurants and grocery stores.  This stretch of the course is quite narrow and lined with spectators.  The turnaround has a short steep climb, but then has a good downside to hammer.   There is also another no-pass section in this stretch.

Main Street, Saint Jovite

After finishing up in Saint Jovite, the bike heads back from 177 to Monte Ryan towards transition, the opposite of the way out.  However, once hitting transition, there is one last out-and-back of about 20K, the Lac Superieur loop, which is arguably the most difficult part of the course.  It’s a continuous series of short, tough climbs that require the use of every single gear.   For those who bike in the NYC area, it’s very similar to the climbs that head out to the apple orchard.  The out portion is a bit more uphill in steps and the return is some great downhill.  This section is pretty tough on the second loop but I was happy to have paced well and felt pretty good.  My nutrition plan was spot on and the aid station placements were just right.  One fun note is that the aid stations had hockey nets to throw your empty bottles – after all it’s Canada, eh? Next stop was T2 and I was eager to get out on the run.

RUN

Similar to the bike, the run is a fair course.  A mix of rolling climbs and flats but nothing crazy.   The run is also two loops with out-and-backs and turnarounds. The first 5K portion is a bit hilly with a decent climb, short but steep, just out of transition. Then the rollers take you out to the packed dirt rail trail.   It’s a 10K out-and-back, which is a great surface but a bit narrow.  This is where I hit my groove and began to knock off some steady miles.

It also was a nice opportunity to say a hello to my buddies who were racing.  The end of each loop wraps through the ski village and the last 1K is completely lined with spectators cheering so loud that you can barely hear yourself think!  It made for an amazing finish!!  My run pace tapered a bit at the end and although not a PR, I was happy with my effort and in hindsight I know that I have a bit of work still to do on my biking.

RESULTS

• Swim - 1:13:22
• T1 - 7:13
• Bike - 5:53:57
• T2 - 3:34
• Run - 3:45:54
• Total - 11:03:58

POST-RACE

Poutine, Anyone?  –  Yum!

Not to be outdone by the finishing chute, the post race food area was first rate.   There were subs, pizza, beer and the Canadian specially, poutine – French fries covered in gravy and cheese curd.   A must try if you visit…  Then to top off the evening, a fireworks display lit up the sky.   A perfect ending to a great day!!

-Vicky T