Wow. What a summer! Nothing like spending a couple of months in Europe and then turning around to travel to Canada for another Ironman! Mont Tremblant and the surrounding area was fantastic but rainy weather all week was less than ideal for this sunshine lover.

Recovery from IM Nice (France) 

Recovery and getting back into training went very well, I would say, despite two full travel days and coming back to the States. I am very pleased with how quickly and easily I came around and found a groove again. It wasn’t all smooth sailing but no major issues and I was able to let go of the few workouts that didn’t go so well. In the end, I think IM Nice was just the right amount of effort to be able to pull off this summer. I did what I came for but I didn’t dig myself into a big hole. Yes, I was a bit miffed about my marathon effort for a minute but now – looking back and at the whole picture – I am ok with it.

Lead-up to MT

Only major hiccup: the right HIP. I still argue that the massage therapist really triggered this. Of course, something wasn’t perfect to begin with but I had NO issues whatsoever until that massage. We dealt with it well and I was able to get in all key runs and even crushed most of them but it wasn’t fun. I stayed mostly calm about it, tried to take care of it the best I could and didn’t let it affect me too much. Another massage by my trusted MT and seeing the chiropractor were key. The hip improved slightly even before the taper and once we reduced running volume/intensity, it calmed down more. Thank you to coach Liz for not pulling me back too much despite this issue. That was also KEY!

I was able to complete and execute basically all workouts as prescribed. Despite the fact that I had raced an IM only two weeks earlier, I was also able to set a new/higher FTP during a 30 minute ‘best effort’ TT at the end of the day’s 2^nd ride. I’d say that indicates pretty good recovery and fitness! I was going to Canada confident that I could pull off another decent race, maybe even a good one.

Pre-race

The travel to MT sucked. I wasn’t ready to travel across the country after having just come back from Europe. I don’t like traveling!! Especially not via airplane with my bike! The only highlight: Doing so with my good friend, Karen, who wanted to celebrate her 50th birthday by doing this race! The red-eye flight was a mistake. But we made up for it by listening to our bodies and taking naps when we needed to and adjusted to the time change fairly easily. But Thursday before the race was a rough day. The weather didn’t help. It was grey and rainy all 3 days before the race and I need sunshine to be happy and excited! Some smaller bike issues, a trip to the bike shop, two decent rides, two pretty nice swims, one ok run, one not-so-good run. The last run before the race I was actually getting very worried about my right low back which started to suddenly act up. Taper bug? I tried to forget about it and it wasn’t an issue on race day. I wasn’t worried about my hip anymore. Not that I didn’t think it would hurt but worrying doesn’t help a thing. I packed some paracetamol just in case.

Overall, I was in a good place. Two IM races four weeks apart works very well for me in some ways. I knew what to do, what works and what doesn’t, had worked out a few kinks, etc. I didn’t know how I was going to feel on race day but I did know that I was going to leave it all out there on the race course. No excuses, no holding back, no regrets. That’s what came for. It helped that I had told the world (ok, the small little Breakfast with Bob world but still…) what my issues are with the IM distance and what I wanted to do on race day. Nothing like a little added pressure. I work well under pressure!

The weather was shaping up well. No rain predicted on race day, temps in high 70s/low 80s, wetsuit swim. No worries there.

The highlight before the race was NO DOUBT the interview with Bob Babbitt. You can check it out here.

SWIM – course

One loop

Temp ~65 (most likely wetsuit legal)

300m to T1 – long but carpeted

Can be windy, wavy, and rough

Warm-up allowed

BIKE – course

2 loops

Elevation: 800-1150 feet

Gain: 1800m

some no passing zones

5 aid stations (per loop) = 10 total

no bib # needed

Chemin Duplessis (end) = punchy and tough (15 miles)

Rolling hills throughout

Not technical

4 sections:

Montee Ryan (6 miles) – 2 roundabouts, rolling hills, net downhill (out)

117 (miles 7-30) – easy to moderate rollers, not technical, windy, sunny

Through Town (mile 30-36) – spectators

Duplessis (miles 41-56) – hardest part, out = net uphill, aid station at turn, one longer climb

RUN – course

2 loops

Elevation: 230-255m

Gain: 476m

Hills at the beginning of each loop

At 5k – trail starts (clay, dirt, gravel) for 5k out and 5k back (slight downhill on way out)

Turn-off to finish: Only 100 yards left!

EXECUTION + MIND

SWIM

Find feet. Go out hard to be with a group.

Don’t burn too many matches. Swim comfortably HARD.

Turn-over. Strong pull.

Don’t sight every stroke. Not necessary.

Run

Go out at goal pace! Hold on as long as you can! One mile at a time!

Running faster does NOT hurt more. Take a CHANCE.

Get comfortable being UNCOMFORTABLE.

MAKE IT HURT on the last 6 miles.

You can endure the pain. You are strong enough. You WILL survive.

Magic happens OUTSIDE of your COMFORT zone. Go there!!!

GOAL: Top 6 – in the money!

Reaching for the stars here but there can be no other goal!

It’s not over until it’s over!

Don’t give anything up out there on the course/run!