Montréal Esprit OD - 2015

[SickBoy]

Where: Montreal - Olympic Basin on Île Notre-Dame

When: 13th September 2015

Distance(s):1.5km swim; 40km bike; 10km run

Marshalling: Good, motobikes on the course, plenty of marshals at turn points etc

Facilities: Good size expo, massage, mechanic, club zone (picnic tables & shelters), showers, toilets, first aid.

Technical: Chip timing

Freebies: t-shirt (not as good as last year), lunch!

Cost: $132.65 CAD (About £65)


My season 'A' race, by virtue of being the only tri I've actually done this year finally rolled around. A fast, flat course and somewhere I like to spend my time cycling. Last year I did 2:17:47 and managed 10th in my AG. That was after making a mistake on the swim, missing a buoy, that cost at least 1 min and being not quite as sharp as I could have been as I'd crashed in a race a few weeks before.


Prep:

This year I've been generally ambling along with respect to training, averaging about 3hrs/week or less for May/June/July. Didn't help that I was off on holiday for the last 2 weeks of July which basically meant 0 training for 20 days.This was also the sort of time I had been planning to start ramping up for the race, but things are what they are and I returned to Canada from my UK visit with 5 weeks to race day and with a miserable cold.


As soon as I got back from holiday I got started on what is more my 'normal' level of training. 3 solid weeks of good training: 4 hours, 4:25 and then 5:12.


Turbo sessions mostly focussed on long intervals close to threshold. This year instead of getting out to the track and riding around I spent more time climbing up and down Mont Royal - I think this has helped boost my leg strength and it's something I'm planning to continue, both by climbing more on the bike and potentially doing some gym work. Although I have new wheels for my bike I think I've made some gains physically too.


4th week I missed my turbo session so did 3:45, including a steady 10km run and a final ride around the track - the final 2 bike sessions were at the circuit, 40km and then 35km around 36km/h avg each time - kind of race simulation, although annoyingly on race day the bike goes in the opposite direction to normal!


Final week before race day was 'tapering', a 30 min turbo, a 30 min steady run a 30 min swim and a final swim quick on Friday to stretch out.


All in all I felt pretty good, running was going OK, bike seemed to be going well and although swimming I had dropped off my normal pace slightly I wasn't expecting too many problems on race day, swim is usually pretty solid for me.


Briefing:

Went to the briefing on Friday night (they do a HIM race on the Saturday, there's also a bunch of duathlon stuff going on too, including Canadian championships, so quite a big event weekend). Aparently the water temp in the basin is 28°C! I am told above 22°C is the level where wetsuits are not allowed (Tri Québec and Tri Canada rules). The race organisers say they will let people race in wetsuits (for safety etc) unless it's too hot on the day - temp level TBD by the official on race morning.


During the briefing I'm told if you wear a suit you will not be eligible for a prize, they say that they will separate non-wetsuit/wetsuit swimmers in the results with all the non-wetsuit swimmers placed at the top.


This gets me thinking, I should have been faster last year - esp. in the swim where I missed a buoy and had to swim back and go around it. I know I am faster in a wetsuit but I can (or used to be able to) average 26:30 for 1500m in the pool, with a fairly steady effort. I figure I will be a bit slower in open water but if it's really warm I'll probably feel better out of the suit (mine is a bit tight in the shoulders) and I'll save time in transition. Plus I'll get the experience of a non-wetsuit swim under my belt.



Race Day:

For some reason it seems this weekend is always rainy, we've been enjoying a late burst of summer here with high temps (and high humidity), probably 25-28 most days, hell it's nearly 30°C again today but on this weekend it seems it's always rainy (apparently for the last 6 years). This year I'm better prepared and pack warm clothes for after inside a plastic bag to keep them dry in transition. I take my wetsuit since I'm not totally decided and the weather on race day looks a little chilly. I don't want to get cold in the swim and cost myself too much on the bike and run as a result.


I take an easy ride down to the track, about 20 mins from my apartment. It's wet but only very light drizzle if anything, hopefully the rain will hold off until the end of my race like the forecast says.


I arrive and first go to get body marked (I have all my no.s and stickers prepared) so it's just this and timing chip that need doing. As I'm getting marked I see the first men's wave set off (we're divided by age-group), most of them are not in wetsuits. I haven't seen an update on the water temp but I decide then to go no suit.


Take my bike around to transition, find the assigned racks for my wave and choose a spot near the bike exit to minimise amount of time running with bike shoes on. Fairly straightfoward setup, I leave a hat and water bottle for T2. I am allowed to leave my number off until the run so leave that for T2 also. Have a GU gel on my race belt planned for early in the run. Line everything up, helmet on aerobars which seems to work well for me these days.


Time is running down but I want to stay in warm clothes as long as possible, have a caffeinated GU gel and some Nuun around 30mins before. Eventually time to strip down to tri suit and head to the swim start, collecting my timing chip on the way.


Swim:

It's a little cold out of the water due to lack of sunshine, my AG wave sets off at 09:40. I pick a position at the front, toward the outside edge. I think about 50% of my wave is in wetsuits. I leave it to the last minute to get into the water, just to get acclimatised to the temp rather than warm up. Spend < 1min in there. Start to shiver once out of the water and have to jump up and down to try to keep warm. Turns out the temp has actually dropped to 22 over the last couple of days. Really should have checked!


Not too long to wait, we get the countdown and were're off. A concrete slope down into the water (a rowing lake used in the 76? Olympics - they've put sand down to make it nice. I start right on the waters edge and try to run as far in as I can (not far) before starting to swim.


It's a big mess, I seem to just be caught up in a big group and am getting tapped on the feet and bumped quite a lot from either side. Probably don't go off fast enough and am minus the suit. Start to worry about buoyancy when people are dragging my legs, try to get on someones feet. It takes a while but eventually I come out on the outside edge and try to head back in towards the inside line further ahead.


The buoy for the sprint turn takes an age to come around. I try to swim with good technique but am not feeling it, still getting caught up in a lot of traffic and have trouble correcting my line - can't seem to navigate back tight to the line of the buoys. Try to sight frequently but not too often, get my head down, use my hips. Stroke rate feels low.


On reflection I know I have not been at my best in the pool recently and I think my lack of racing this year has not helped. So, just try to focus on getting the job done, keep going steady. I start to try to up the pace as I find myself caught in a big group again, still can't find a good set of feet to hold onto, thinking I can draft someone in a suit (not aware of many people around me in tri suits). Just can't find someone going at the right pace. Once I reach the top of the route and turn to come back I find myself going a little off course again, just like last year. I've been pushed wide on the turn. It's not too bad, there is not a massive distance between the buoys and the edge of the lane but my corrections don't seem to work. Aim for the swim exit which I can make out ahead and plough onward... think I start to overtake a couple of people.


T1

Eventually out of the water, haul myself up, have to cross a temporary metal bridge that takes us over the run course toward transition - take it easy here but speed up to a reasonable pace toward transition, maybe 100m or so to my rack.


On arrival I discover my helmet is no longer on the bars but at least whoever knocked it off put it by my shoes, no major problems. No wetsuit to get off so no issues there, just helmet, shoes, grab bike and go - the SC has a cool hook on the back of the saddle so there's no messing around getting it under the scaffold (which is handy as it's actually a bit too low to post the bike under!)


Run around to the bike mount line, no flying mount for me, stop, double check bike comp is reset to help count laps and then off - stay in a low gear and spin as I head along a road towards the track, again another 100m or so with some twisty bits before joining the course at the hairpin.


Bike:

Out onto the bike, first impressions it's wet and the raindrops on my visor make visibility a bit poor, once on the track I instantly shift into the big chainring and find the gear I'm happy in for my TT type efforts. Quickly I am up to speed and passing most of the traffic from previous waves. The briefing states to keep left as we circulate anti-clockwise so that faster bikes can come past on the outside but as usual some people just totally forget this. My biggest worry is that someone will take me out cutting a corner through the chicanes. A couple of times I have to slow a little - I give the shouts, "On your right!" / "À droite!" to get people to move/warn them. Before long I am just weaving in and out of people as I come past, just taking the clearest line and then eyeballing people and telling them to keep left when they are sat out on the right - then I decide to not waste the energy anymore.


I know the track well, even backwards, 3 laps goes by really quick, most of the time I seem to be holding a good speed, there's not much elevation change but there is a place I know I can push through a corner, click up a gear and benefit from a little gravity assistance. One faster guy comes past, while I am busy dodging some slower bikes he's trying to dodge me. "À l'intérieur!" he shouts - it takes me a moment to process that's on the inside, especially because I'm not really thinking about French. We're all supposed to be passing on the outside, but luckily there is no problem and he and I both get through without an issue.


I keep going round, feel like I'm working at a pretty good level, I've been working on lower cadence higher gear on the last few rides, so around 85 PM instead of 90-95. I'm not really sure what cadence I'm hitting, going on feel other than having the speed/distance on my computer but I know that the discomfort is going to settle down and I'll be able to maintain this based on my previous rides around the track. Probably means I could work a bit hard but I decide to save that for the later laps. Not thinking about the run just good work on the bike. Before this race I decided my goals would be process based instead of outcome based. So instead of trying to beat last years time (because of the variables affecting that) I wanted to swim efficiently, bike strong and run fast and relaxed and try to negative split. Basically put out good technical performance in each leg - although swim was out the window already. Have a gel while I'm on the bike, I think around mid-way or just after. Make sure I take on some liquid with it from my Speedfil. Plan was a gel before, a gel fairly early on the bike and a gel fairly early on the run, so slightly behind schedule.


This year a new addition is a display board at the end of the lap, for the OD race it will show your number, name and lap count from 5 onward. I am keeping an eye on my bike computer too since I don't know how easy the board will be to use. I am counting in my head too obviously but I find it's easy to doubt myself. Lap 5 comes around and sure enough, there's my name. What's that? It has avg. speed and lap time too! I've been lapping in just under 7 mins which I know from experience is fast for me and puts my average around 38km/h - this is faster than I expected!


The rest of the bike goes well, I am holding a good rhythm and effort level. The circuit is a joy to ride around, even in the wet and the traffic (other riders) is not too much of an issue. Eventually some really fast guys come past - one day I will have to get that quick. The winners bike split was 54:01 which has him averaging 44.4km/h on the bike. The top 10 to 15 were closer to 58 mins to 1:00 which makes my bike split look pretty good I think, I need to work out how to order the results by s/b/r if possible to get a better idea how I stacked up.


The last laps of the bike come around fast and I pull off the circuit and ride up toward the dismount line. Pop my feel out of my shoes before the line, still find this awkward on the TT bike because I haven't practiced and it's hard to reach with my position I think. Start to run toward my transition area, my hips/glutes/hamstrings all start complaining. Oh dear I think, I might have overdone it on the bike. Flashback to the Blenheim tri in 2010 where my calves cramped totally as I got off the bike and I had a horrible 'run' after. Luckily as I jog the bike toward my rack the discomfort goes away and I'm left with that odd floaty leg feeling.


Rack my bike, number belt on, minor fumbling, shoes on and cap on to keep water out of my eyes. It's not raining, just wet but there is the threat of rain later - and it's a BCTTT cap so I feel like I should wear it. Take a swig from my water bottle left in transition and head out to the run.


Run:

The run is 2 laps of the rowing lake, on the first out it's like a gravel track and at the top end of that you join onto the concrete/footpath around the basin. There are lots of volunteer marshals doing aid stations and making sure people don't miss the turn - they're really cheerful despite the weather. There are lots of people strung out ahead of me - every time I pass someone I check their calf for their AG. I look ahead for people doing what I consider a good pace, keep looking for the next person to close down. Although I'm passing people I don't feel like I set off at a great pace but I plan to increase as I go.


Get to the top end of the basin, feels like it's going quick. My lunchtime run route has a 2km out and back section so it matches up quite nicely to this course and I get a good idea of where I am. I work on staying relaxed, decide against the gel, don't really feel like it - don't take anything on at aid stations. Feel surprisingly good after the swim and bike, probably a sign again that I am not working hard enough.


No idea how I'm doing for time now but hoping that since my bike was good I should be on to break last years time, remind myself this is not the goal but since the run course seems to be going by quick I tell myself to work harder.


High five the guys cheering at the aid stations as I pass, high 5 some kids spectating, feel like I am doing my bit to inspire future generations. Most of the time I'm passing people from earlier waves, feel good, try to go faster bit by bit. Eventually, on the first part of the second lap I pick up a guy ahead who I am reeling in slowly, keep my sights on him - that's my goal - go past him. Sounds like I have someone behind me chasing too but I don't look back. Once we get to the top of the basin and head down again I try to increase pace again, I manage to get past him. With about a mile to go some fast guy comes past. I can't manage his pace but I get past the bloke I was chasing, although he's coming with me. Maybe about 400m to go he comes back past me, try to go with him - fail to do so. Focus on making it to the line.


Shake hands with him at the end as I collect some water and gatorade. Feel tired but recover quickly. Off to get changed into some warm clothes and go collect my lunch. Which is really good by the way - Subway, pasta and bean salads, fruit, juice box etc!

Results:

Swim: 29:50.7
T1: 1:30
Bike: 1:03:16.6
T2 + Run: 43:23.1

Total: 2:18:00.1

9/91 M35-39
60/595 Men
63/881 Overall


Almost exactly the same as last year which was 2:17:47. Really disappointed with the swim time to start as I did 25:25 last year, but pleased with the result overall, especially the bike time. Given the amount of training I did and the fact that I swam minus suit I'm pretty happy. At least 4 of the guys ahead of me in my AG wore wetsuits as far as I can see from the finisher photos. Maybe the top 2 guys wore them too - I think the winner of my group was a Canadian age grouper and I don't remember seeing a red tri suit at the start. I think the level of competition was a bit higher this year with some faster times being set at the top so pleased to finish top 10 AG.

[jonathon.e]

Great race David, well done.
I couldn't quite make out in you in depth report whether it was a wetsuit free swim, or not. I am sure Si will put me right on that fact

Super report too, does it not get a bit repetitive with the laps of the circuit, and does the MD race also stay on the circuit?

[IanM]

Nicely done

motobikes on the course

Surely that's cheating?!

does it not get a bit repetitive with the laps of the circuit, and does the MD race also stay on the circuit?

Having spoken with a few people who've raced and trained around circuits, they find it really good for getting into a rhythm. It does appeal to me - Mallory open the track for bikes on some weekday evenings, and I'm determined to get over there at some point this autumn.

[SickBoy]

Thanks both, re riding loops of the track it's about 4.4km a lap, 9 for the OD. The HIM stays on the circuit,.must be about 20 laps. They used to do a full IM there. I imagine that would get a bit dull.

For me on race day the laps went by really quick, the thing is in comparison to the city the surface is so nice (rest of the roads are fucked) it offsets the repetitiveness for me. It's not totally dull because if the chicanes, hairpin etc. And in the race if you're familiar with the track you get a good idea of how far to go etc.


I think having spent a lot of time on a wide track may have contributed to my crash last year though, not used to going fast around bends on a narrower road.

Normally I don't really like lots of laps, for a longer race I'd definitely want to do it somewhere scenic.

Still toying with that idea, IM is yet to be checked off the list!

[Worrying Will]

A cracker of races and report

Sent from my C5303 using Tapatalk

[Jack Hughes]

There's a world of difference between wetsuit and non-wetsuit. Like going from a mountain bike to a road bike. So I can't see how you can be disappointed with that result! Just wish there were a few more races you could do

[ris]

sounds like you had a good event, SB. i found the wetsuit choice interesting as i think a lot of us would go for it thinking the time savings in t1 would be worth it!

[CCS]

Great effort!
Have to admit that I would always go for the wetsuit option given the slightest inkling of a chance to wear one - so good on you for having a go without. Result looks pretty solid to me overall - especially as you say training has been a bit on and off.
Know just what you mean about it being great not having to try and squeeze your bike under the scaffolding - the saddle hook thingy is a brilliant invention for tall people (though interestingly, I find that in the south of the UK, racking is usually an adequate height for tall people's bikes.... whereas oop north, it always seems to be built for shorties...)

[SickBoy]

Thanks all, I'll admit I was disappointed with the swim time initially but on reflection it's not miles behind what I would expect. So I'm glad I have a non wetsuit swim under my belt now. Apart from being slower it wasn't as bad as I thought it might be. As far as the tine saving in T1, I guess it depends on how much wetsuit advantage you get. From my experiments in the pool I'm quicker and more relaxed with a pullbuoy, by around 1 sec per 25m. I know I'm not that quick at getting the suit off but I reckon based on previous 1500 OW times I would have been 4 mins quicker. Maybe more would have gone for it if it stayed warmer. I'm a fairly confident swimmer and I was daunted by not having the wetsuit safety net!

Thinking about next year I kind of have 2 options. Tri and do more of the races in Québec, Sprint and STD. Was kind of the plan this year though spring kind of surprised me and I wasn't organised when the season seemed to start as soon as the snow had cleared

Option 2 is IM Mont Tremblant which is probably a suicide mission but with all the recent IM news from people it remind s me that I have one on my doorstep here that Is like to do!

[King Sad]

As ever a very detailed report Would be pleased with that swim. The bike sounds like Holme Pierrpont (minus the chicane) so know what you mean about getting into a rhythm ... and no traffic ... bonus Well done, cracking result