Inaugural IM Mont-Tremblant Recap

Ironman Mont Tremblant might just rank up there as my favorite Ironman that I have done. It was my 10th IM start and a memorable race. I can't wait to be back! Like any Ironman, the day was unpredictable, but in the end I came out with my best finish to date, even with some major race day obstacles thrown my way. 

First Pro Panel

Brandon and I arrived at our home stays John and Cindy Thursday night and were immediately welcomed with an amazing pasta dinner. Friday was jam packed with pro panel, meetings, packet pickups and checking out the town and race course. Everyone seemed so happy and enthusiastic, even the rain couldn't wipe out the good mood. The town of Mont Tremblant put in a tremendous effort to make this first year event as smooth as possible, repaving most of the bike course so we could ride on silky smooth pavement, opening the lake up for pre race swimming, and pretty much welcoming 2000 or so triathletes with open arms. Something I have never seen before at other races.

Swim Start

Although only a small pro field assembled for this race, it was still a competitive one. On race morning Brandon and I walked down the hill from our home stay straight to transition and then another half mile down to the swim start. We arrived early enough to find a quiet spot along the beach and even found some free lawn chairs to relax on. I felt nervous, but I couldn't wait to get started. The water looked calm and clean, the air temperature was comfortable and the forecast called for light winds and moderate temps. It could not have been more perfect.

 SWIM 2.4mi- I made my way down the beach to the swim start and got in a brief warm-up before everyone was called out of the water 15min before the pro start. I lined myself up in what I thought was a pretty good spot (the swim start was a run in start on a wide beach with only about 16 pros total) but as soon as the canon went off,  I ended up by myself. No problem, I knew most of the girls racing would swim around the same speed as me, so I hoped we would all work together. By the first buoy a few of us found our line and there was even some contact here and there. It also didn't help that my goggles fogged up to the point that I couldn't see, having to stop twice to clear them. By the halfway point, I was swimming alone and even got passed by a few of the fastest age groupers who started after us. There was even some slight chop, enough to make me a little dizzy. Finally, I reached the shore, in third place for the women, after what felt like an eternity, and made my way to T1 on the red carpet that was laid out for us for literally at least 1/2mi. 

Swim Time: 1:04

BIKE 112mi- After the longest T1 ever, I got on my bike, opting for my Rudy Project Wingspan and Sportmask glasses and set off for my 112mi journey on two wheels. I really looked forward to this bike course. It had everything: flats and fast descents, rolling hills and climbs that would max out my gears. And everything was on buttersmooth road surfaces. After settling in on my bike and leaving town for the first of two loops, I couldn't shake the slight dizziness. I made sure to drink plenty of electrolytes and get some calories in, but the lightheadedness persisted, accompanied by a headache at times.

On the bike. Thanks for the pic John!

I had started the bike in 3rd place and moved up to second about halfway through the first loop. It felt like we had the road to ourselves (which we pretty much did- an entire side of the highway was closed for the race) and the official motorcycle holding up the board with splits between racers was around me the entire ride. It really made a difference to have that as a guide as to where my competition was. Race leader Rachel Kiers was riding super strong, increasing her lead a little each time I got to see the board. By the time I reached the town of Mont Tremblant again and started the out and back climbs on the toughest part of the course, I  started to feel my energy fade. I knew it was way too early in the race to be feeing this way, so I decided to resort to my emergency boost of Coke, but even drinking a few ounces of that didn't shake my sick feeling.

Although still riding in second place, I was losing more time to Rachel and now third place, Jessie Donavan was getting closer. She ended up passing me in the same fashion she did at St George, going by at a very controlled and powerful pace. I was in damage control and let her go, knowing she would ride the second loop of the course faster than any of the other girls. The crowds on the bike course were spectacular. I have raced many IMs, including IM Frankfurt, and I have to say that the crowds at this venue were more amazing. There was so much genuine excitement and even cars driving by would honk, not out of dislike or annoyance, but because they were so into the race!

Anyways, I found myself back in third after getting passed by Jessie and had to now make a conscious effort not to lose more time. I started eating more (Powerbar gels and iron girl and natural energy bars, bananas, as well as gel blasts) and taking in as much fluids as I could to replace whatever deficit I had already accumulated this early on in the race. I needed a strong marathon and needed enough fuel in me to do that. Finally, as I reached the out and back climb for the second time, I started to feel strong again. I felt relieved to have come out of my bonk phase, headache receding and power returning to my legs. However, I was now cramping in my feet, despite my best efforts of topping off my electrolytes. It took a while each time a cramp appeared, to make it go away. Highly annoying when in bike shoes, and nearly impossible to stretch out. Cramps in my feet on the bike was a first for me, and I am not sure why they happened, especially since the day was rather cool. Still, I was in a position to put down a decent bike split, and still holding steady in third place. Transition was oh so near.

Bike Time: 5:14*

A little confused after getting up...

Run 26.2mi- * I rolled into transition, getting my feet out of my shoes, when all of a sudden my front wheel stopped. And when a front wheel stops while you are riding your bike, it is usually not a good outcome. It all happened so fast, I am still trying to wrap my head around it, but as my wheel stopped turning, I catapulted over my bars head first, and found myself on the ground a split second later. Clearly I was in absolute shock, disbelief and thought my day was over. Hundreds of spectators lining the area watched as I flew off my bike. I felt my elbow hurt and my headache was back because I hit my head as I went down. I could make out some volunteers rushing over and checking on me, not allowed to really help as that would disqualify me per race rules. Mike Reilly happened to stand right at the dismount line area (which I had yet to reach) and he came over and asked if I could get up and go on. That turned a switch in my head and I went from feeling utterly sorry for myself and whimpering in pain, to getting myself up and moving. My body seemed fine, although I could feel a burn on my back. I started shuffling through the transition, totally disoriented  and in shock as to what just happened and figured I'd just get to the changing tent and re-evaluate my status where it was quiet. I've been told I probably spent around 2 min on the ground after my fall, which still practically was on the bike course, so all things considered, my bike split would have probably been 2min faster without the spill.

When I ran out of T2 the crowds went wild. I couldn't tell if they saw what had happened, if someone told them, but all of a sudden I got a huge adrenaline rush and I just started running. I also needed to find my family and tell them what had happened, as they were not at the dismount line and had no idea I went down. I yelled to them that I had crashed my bike, but they looked puzzled as I didn't looked scraped up at all and I was clearly well enough to run.

Downtown race/expo area

I ran the first 4 mi through town completely numb. I wanted to know why I went down, what caused my fall, I needed a hug from my family telling me I'd be alright. But instead, I had to push this accident aside, focus on the task at hand and not let it consume me. I was still in contention, only a few min down from first and second. My legs felt like they were moving on their own without much effort, and the crowds cheering me along helped lift my spirits tremendously. With numerous turnarounds and out and backs, I was able to catch glimpses of my competition throughout the entire run. My lead bike girl made sure to rev up the crowds whenever we came by; it helped so so much to have so much support.

About 200m to go. So much pain and joy at once. photo: John Sheppard

I absolutely loved the run course, even with a few nasty little rollers thrown in. The long straight and flat out and back section on crushed gravel was like a dream for Ironman run legs. I could literally feel less impact and pick up my speed there every time. By lap two, things got a little busier but I fed off other runners cheering me on and knew although I was hurting big time now, these folks still had another lap to do, and if they were smiling and having fun out there, I better at least try to smile back. I passed Rachel, who was in second now, with Jessie charging with a sizable lead, shortly after completing the first 13.1mi. We exchanged a quick "good job" and switched lead bikers and pressed on. I felt the cramps in my feet returning (the kind of cramp you really can't run through) but I somehow managed to tell my brain to ignore it and downed as much electrolyte drink at each aid station as I could to keep them at bay. Everything was marked in kilometers, so while racing I was also able to do some math and perhaps take my mind off the pain. At 34k I had 8k to go. 8k is about 5mi. 'OK Uli, how many 5 mile runs have you done? Piece of cake. Then, 4mi to go- that's a 30min jog at 8min mile pace. You got this! Then at last, 5k to go. 5k- 12 laps around the track, 3.1mi, almost home!!' This is how I got myself through the last 40min or so, which are usually the toughest in any marathon.

Finis!

The crowds were so spectacular, I felt like everyone was on my side, cheering me in to the finish, where I could finally let down my guard, laugh, cry, digest my crash and see my family. The run down the home stretch is something I'll never forget. There were soooo many people, and everyone cheering so loud that I could not hear my foot steps or my own breath. I was filled with joy, gratefulness and relief when I crossed the finish line at long last and hearing Mike call me across the line. Second place- I made it. Best IM finish place yet. Like the saying goes, Ironman is 10% physical, and 90% mental. Could not agree more on this day.

Run Time: 3:17
Overall: 9:42

Women top 6 Pros at Awards

I cannot say enough good things about this race. From the volunteers to the fans to race organization and overall experience, this is a must do if you want a truly great IM experience. I don't know if I would have run the marathon I did without the hundreds of people lining the streets cheering and telling me how "strong, smooth and fast" I looked. My pain from the crash didn't bother me at all during the race, partly because of adrenaline and shock, but mostly because the crowds didn't let me give up at any point. A huge thank you to our home stay, who treated us like family- you really do have a lucky house! They hosted another racer, and both him and I placed second.

Proud home stays Cindy and John and 2nd place female and male Pros

I've been taking it easy since the race,  and have discovered some additional bruising and road rash that didn't make itself known until the excitement wore off. I've also been dealing with some moderate whiplash, so certain movements we take for granted are now super painful. But all this will fade, and I am thankful to not have fared worse. I broke no bones, only snapped my helmet (thank goodness for Rudy Project head protection!) and the fork on my bike.

Big thanks to everyone for their messages of support, IM and the town of Mont Tremblant and race organizers and volunteers, to my family for once again making the trip after their own race at AG Nationals in Vermont the day before, our awesome home stay, and my sponsors and supporters Rudy Project, Powerbar, RockTape, and TriggerPoint. I'll take some downtime and then rev things up one last time for the remainder of the season.

View from the Gondola that goes straight up over downtown, with a view of the mid night finish line to the left.

Thanks for reading and see you out there!

Ironman 70.3 Boulder Recap

Boulder Res race morning

This year marked the 6th time of me racing this event in my own backyard since starting triathlon in 2006 (minus one year due to illness) and the 3rd time as a pro. Going into the race, I knew I had my work cut out for me if I wanted to be in the money (top 6 got paid) as this was the most competitive pro field ever for this race. World champions, Ironman Champions- you name it. With just two weeks out from one of my 'A' races this season, I simply just wanted to put in a good effort and see where my fitness was at. Racing at altitude is always different from racing at sea level, especially on the swim and run.

Having trained the entire summer in temperatures at 90 or above, race day was rather cool, at least to start with. With a wetsuit- legal swim, I found myself in a pack right from the beginning, which was a welcome change to my usual solo swims. However, our little pack was highly disorganized and hands were constantly grabbing and slapping. I tried to stay to the outside of the pack, but had a hard time shaking anyone off. It was probably the most aggressive pro swim I've ever experienced, and I felt like I was 'boxed in' (like on the track) a few times and ended up swimming an easier pace than I usually do. I made it out of the water slightly faster than last year and was right with 5 other women into T1. (But sadly last out of transition in 15th place or so.)

The bike leg at Boulder 70.3 was something I looked forward to because it would be the most non technical bike I have raced all season. With long straights, minimal turns, generally good road surfaces and no rain, it's cut out to be a fast course. In the back of my mind, I had the goal of breaking 2:20 over the 56mi distance (my PR being 2:22 on this course) but with a lot of the road having been chip sealed in the past year, I wasn't sure if that would affect race times. Regardless, I put on a surge right out of T1, and distanced myself from the other women I had come out of the water with. By the time I reached the 5mi marker and the first downhill on the course, I was alone, with only the aid stations and occasional spectators cheering. At the end of the first of 2 laps, I had made a few more passes and moved myself into a decent spot for the run. Lap 2 got busy with age group athletes on their first lap and pros passing, while cars were going by. I had to slow my pace a few times to avoid hitting a car from behind as they too slowed down for bike traffic weaving out of the bike lane. When I finally took a look at my bike computer, I saw that I was within reach of my goal time, so once on the Diagonal Hwy, I put my head down and went for broke into T2 with just a few miles to go. I ended up riding an almost 4-min PR, starting the run in 7th place.

Top 6 minus Leanda in third.

Even though the morning had been cool, things were heating up just in time for the run, as the sun moved into its prime location, giving little to no shade on the 2 loop course. I got some updates from Brandon every few miles of how far ahead other women were, and that I was well within reach to catch them. At the run turn-around of the out and back by Monarch Rd., I saw both Whitney and Mandy up ahead, but with 9 more miles to go, I didn't want to think about making a pass just yet, as I wasn't feeling great at all. I wondered if I had biked too hard for my own good, as I started to feel the fatigue in my legs and lungs. Thankfully, taking it gingerly on the first loop allowed me to hydrate and get fluids in and on me, which helped me feel better on loop 2. By mi 9 I had run myself up to 6th place and had 5th within sight. Brandon told me to go for it and I made my move on the downhill by Coot Lake, right after some inspiration from the Boulder Coaching aid station. I whispered ' good job' to Whitney and  pressed on, unsure of whether she would respond and stay with me. The last two miles seemed to take forever, I was hot and running on fumes. Finally I reached the last downhill into the finish, where Brandon proceeded to tell me to 'hurry up', and in my deranged state of mind, I tried to pick it up one last time- no one was going to beat me in the last 200m! Turns out I had plenty of time, so not sure why B told me to sprint, but it was good practice, should it ever come down to a sprint finish :)

Whitney and I obviously in deep conversation :)

I was happy with how my day turned out, having achieved my goal on the bike, riding my fastest ever bike split, and posting a top 5 finish. The ladies I shared the podium with are no joke, so it felt really good to be in such fast company! Many thanks to all who were out cheering, volunteering and generally just making this race as cool as it is. Nothing like racing at home! Thank you also to Powerbar, Rocktape, TriggerPoint, and Rudy Project!

And finally, I can't believe it's here, race week for Ironman Mont Tremblant. I cannot wait to race there later this week, after having made it a prime focus for most of this season. Laissez les bons temps rouler a Quebec!

Lake Stevens 70.3 Race to the Line Report

After REV3 Portland, I spent the week recovering and soaking in as much oxygen as I could in beautiful Washington State, where I stayed at my family's house. My recovery went well, I felt strong again right away and was able to even throw in a few sharpening runs and rides. With the race just 2 hours away from where I was staying, it was an easy drive the day prior. I had made it a priority to stay hydrated this time around, even if race day was forecast not to be as hot as the week before. I ate well and made sure my engine was ready to go. Once race day grew closer, the forecast for potential rain increased as well. Like REV3's bike course, this one was a toughie too. Lots and lots of hills to go up and down, spiced up with some sharp turns and blind corners.  After driving the course, I noticed that there were far less signs warning riders than there had been the week before in Portland. I tried to take a mental picture of every hairy turn...

Sure enough, we were greeted in transition with mist on race morning. Now, normally this would have been unsettling news, as I do not like riding my bike in the rain, especially not on tricky courses. However, this year's weather has been anything but typical at each and every race I have done, so why would this have been any different? Sure, last year was nice and the year before was hot, so why not throw in some cooler temps and rain this time around?! I had conquered a challenging bike course the week prior, so I had some recent memory to draw on for this one. I set up my lil transition area and put my gear inside a plastic bag *just in case* things decided to get nasty. After my confidence took a slight blow last weekend, I wasn't sure where I'd end up on this day. I knew the competition was there, especially with Rinny in the mix, and several other speedy runners. If I wanted to do well here, I knew I had to get it done without much of a hitch.

When the start gun went off I managed to stay on bubbles/ feet for about 10 seconds before my body seized up and I felt like I was going to have a panic attack. (yes I warmed up running and swimming, but apparently not enough?!) I went into survival mode and also discovered I could just follow the line at the bottom of the lake for direction of the buoys. Handy, since other swimmers were long gone, but unfortunate too because I apparently missed the pro meeting detail that swimming directly along the line would lead you directly into a buoy. This happened. More than once. After some additional sighting, I finally found a steady line, but was passed by three speedy age groupers on my way back to shore, not boosting my morale much. My thoughts began to wander and my mind went negative as to why yet again, I was out there swimming alone, giving up so much time to others, who I have managed to stay with in the past. With my labored breathing, I was surprised the kayakers didn't want to pull me out.

Finally I reached the beach, with just one more swimmer directly behind me, ran a very gravely path to my bike and knew then that the day would come down to a chase again. Just depended how badly I wanted it. Officially last out of T1, I finally made it on the bike course, and although my seat felt off, I managed to get off to a strong start and clip off a few riders along the way. The forest again grew deep and dark and I found myself wishing my bike had headlights so I could see better. Then the rain began. At first I thought I'd be able to pull off leaving my sunglasses on, even if just for eye protection. After about 5 min, they were stowed in my top, with my eyeballs now exposed to every rain drop. While most descents were OK to make out, there were a few sketchy ones that had me crossing my fingers and tapping my brakes like crazy, telling myself it would be OK! Which oddly made me think of this:

Safety was my number one concern, but not losing valuable time to others was my second. Each time I bombed down a blinding descent, I blinked really fast as to dry my eyes real quick before the next rain drop entered. This technique proved a little useless as it let me see even less. So half blind, I held my breath and pleaded with my bike to let me arrive safely in T2.

First time riding without eye protection.

I finally did, having no idea what place I was in, but knowing I did make quite a few passes out on that freezing, gloomy and wet bike loop. After trying my best to be quick and swift, knowing every second counts, I made my way back out into the cheering crowds, who immediately lifted my spirits up, even if I looked like a pig that had just taken a mud bath. That's when I heard Dave, the announcer, say something about what place I was in, but I could not quite make it out. I did however hear him say that I was a "good runner, and would I be able to run myself into another spot on this run?!" Was I in contention? Sometimes, after a tough race, this is exactly what you need to hear to get going again, and with that I (attempted) to throw the hammer down. Maybe a little too hard because as I reached the one mile marker, my mind was in a different place than race management, and I followed some random orange cones down a side street, completely off course, ahhhhh. This cost me some valuable seconds, as I would later learn.

The run course consisted of two loops with a long hill in the second half of each loop that had to be run up and down 2x. Otherwise, there were some shorter hills and some nice long downhill stretches and flats. I liked this course. The rain had now ceased (naturally) and the weather was perfect for running. I came up on Christine on my first loop and made the pass, not knowing if this would haunt me later. Upon coming up on Dave the announcer, again, in town, he said I was now in 4th. My spirits were lifted yet again and although the pain was setting in for having probably run the first loop too fast, my mind wanted this and I wasn't giving up chasing. I also had the threat of those fast speedy ladies behind me throwing in a surprise so I knew I wasn't off the hook at all. It wasn't until 2mi to go that I could see the back of Mackenzie, and like a slow motion dream, she wasn't getting any closer, it seemed. I tried to make up time on the downhills, but she seemed to have the same idea. People coming the other way told me I could catch her; if only it was that easy! Every inch of my body was in pain and seizing up. I was starting to fight that old foot cramp yet again, but tricked my mind into ignoring it, which ultimately helped me not to stop for it. With a quarter mile to go, I finally lost sight of her in all the foot traffic going on around us, and she would see the finish line 21sec before me. Here is a good photo of what I looked like seconds after crossing the line. 

OMG, that hurt like a track 10k...

Was I a tad disappointed I couldn't catch 3rd place? Sure I was. What if I hadn't taken that wrong turn? But I also knew that I gave it everything and for the first time in a long time, I actually had a race going! Knowing I went from last out of T1 to 4th with some great competition was a nice redemption from the week before, reaffirming my abilities and giving me a boost as I head into my last training block before IM Mont Tremblant in August. Thanks to all you fellow racers, volunteers, spectators, IM, and my sponsors (Powerbar, Rudy Project, TriggerPoint, RockTape) for making this one a memorable one. I might just be back for more next year!