Montreal

Last weekend was an awesome experience for our Tribe, and the Toronto running, community. With the support of Canada Running Series (CRS), Run TO Beer and Tribe arranged a bus trip for our crews to have a weekend away racing in Montreal.

All Aboard

At 8am on Friday morning the 40 runners and CRS staff boarded the on route to Montreal. Participants had the option of signing up for bus transportation only, bus and hotel, or bus, hotel, and race. When racing participants could run the 5km or 10km on Saturday and/or the half marathon Sunday. Participants who raced both Saturday and Sunday received a special “spinner” medal (photo at bottom of post). This was the first time CRS had ever created such a medal, and they out did themselves, it’s very cool.

On route we had one stop in Kingston at Sir John’s Public House. Although we had a reservation the pub was not prepared for such a large group (plus they had a second large group booking) which made our lunch for 40 a challenge. We also had many unique dietary requirements which, although the bud said they could accommodate, they put us on a group menu, is the types of foods were limited, which posed another challenge. I ordered a chilly which ended up being delicious. I was very hungry by the time it arrived, so certainly could have used a bigger portion, but it tasted great.

Eventually we were on our way at made it to our hotel, the Novotel Montreal Centre. The hotel processed everyone very quickly and we were all off to our respective rooms for a short break before we reloaded the bus to head over to kit pick up and the shake out run, hosted by Run TO Beer, at the Boutique Endurance.

The Shake Out Run

Boutique Endurance is an amazing running store. Not only do they have all the best names, the varieties of styles, and gadgets and gizmos every runner needs to very extensive. We received our kits and then checked them with the CRS team who shuttled them to the finish location of the shake out run, Ma Brasserie. As always, Run TO Beer had a great team of pacers ensuring that no one was left behind as we ran a simple 5km route through Montreal.

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Ma Brasserie was a large brewery that had plenty of seating, reasonably quick service, considering they were open to the public and we were a group of 50-ish. They also sold food, so while others were sampling some of the local offerings I had a delicious pre-dinner humus.

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After a drink, Tribe exited the party early to get some real dinner in us as some of our crew was racing the next day. We randomly found a place close to the hotel called Cibo & Vino and it was perfect! We arrived and the place was empty, we later came to the conclusion that people in Montreal eat very late, and with our race schedule we were having dinner between 6-7pm both nights. Our group of 12 was split between pizzas and pastas. Everything made fresh and just to order.

After dinner I called it a night. Nanc (my sister) and I had the 5km race the next day and I wanted to get in some good stretching and be in bed before 10pm. This is a typical race routine, so I really wanted to stick with it, even being away.

The 5km

The next morning we were up to catch the bus for 7am. The 10km started at 9 and the 5km started at 11. It was going to be long day of racing and cheering. The bus arrived to the race area in great time, and rather than heading to the start most people stayed warm and cozy on the bus. Eventually we headed to the start. CRS had provided us with VIP passes so we were able to hang out inside an area with seating, drinks, eats, and our own washroom. This was very thoughtful of them and greatly appreciated. They let all the members of our group come in.

After a hour plus of cheering it was mine and Nancy’s turn to race the 5km. We got ready in the VIP area and when we ventured to the start line it started to pour! This wasn’t great, but luckily it eventually let up.

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The 5km used the same route as the ten and turn around at a fun round about, so you literally just ran in a big circle – which was nice compared to the hair-pin turn I was picturing in our minds.The course was very flat and while the terrain became very wet from the rain and run off we still managed to have lots of fun. Plus how could we not with our Tribe cheer station motivating us to the finish!

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This was Nancy’s return to racing this season so we took it easy and had a great time being together. And since I was racing the 21km the next day – and because I love my sister – I didn’t mind.

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After the race we all boarded the bus and returned to the hotel. Everyone took a brief break and around 1:30 reconvened with some of the group joining the Run TO Beer pub crawl that was already in process and the other adventuring through Montreal doing the tourist thing – I did the tourist thing.

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We hit up a great boulangerie for lunch, then went to Simons and eventually made our way to Notre Dame. The walking on top of the mornings race was definitely getting to us, so we changed our dinner plans to this little Italian place across the street from our hotel.We met at 6pm and AGAIN we were the only people in the restaurant. With most people racing the next day it was pastas all around. Again the food was amazing and everyone left happy and ready for a night of chilling and stretching before bed – or at least that’s what I did.

The Half Marathon

Saturday morning came very fast. Breakfast was a repeat of the day before which was Allison going to McDonald’s and getting bagels and juice for Nancy and I, along with her own breakfast. Once we arrived to the start line we made our way again to the VIP room. The team stretched and prepared for the race. The weather was amazing. It was already getting close to double digits when we hit the start line.

file-6 The 21km course take you through almost every area of Parc Jean Drapeau. This included a loop around the amusement park, circling around the rowing basin, and looping along the Indy track. A very cool experience as this was the location of my Half Iron Man in September. It was fun to relive so many of those memories while running through the space. I think this, along with the heat, led me a few times to get distracted and confused with my pace. I thought I was at different km then I actually was, and the pacing math in my head just wasn’t making sense. It was a great run, fun course with awesome sites, and I certainly am not going to complain about the heat. I didn’t come across any great finishing time. I knew with racing the double this was more about fun and time on my feet. I did reach my goal and I did have lots of fun.

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Following the race we had time in the park to relax while the remainder of the bus tour crew who didn’t race or cheer arrived. We lounged in the sun, explored the biodome, and just enjoyed being outdoors in the great weather.

The trip home was also uneventful which is always nice when traveling. We stopped at a plaza filled with lots of different fast food places to meet everyone’s needs and a few hours later we were back in TO.

This trip was a blast. It was my goal when discussing the idea with CRS was that we would bring our elaborate TribeTour race trips to a more accessible price point. And with their help, and our friends at Run TO Beer, I think we did it.

Next Tribe Tour Seawheeze, and then Barbados! Hope you’ll join us!

4.5 months in the making, my goal race, the Montreal Demi-Espirit 70.3, was here on Saturday. It’s a flat course that offers “your best chance you’ll ever get to personal best” and for me, it did!

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I first decided to do this race and my sister and her crew had decided to race it because it is a “bucket list” race. Company on these long distances races is great and once I heard about the unique course I was in.

The race takes place in the Montreal 1976 Summer Olympic Park. Summer in the rowing basin, riding around the Formula One Canadian Grand-Prix track, and running back around the rowing basin. It was amazing for spectators as people were everywhere along the entire course, and as an athlete you were able to see your supporters multiple times on route.

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The Swim

The swim is an out and back in the Olympic rowing basin. This swim is unique in that while it’s open water, it’s a protected current-free basin is similar to a 2 km long, 100-meter wide and 3-meter deep swimming pool. The water has a sandy bottom which I was able to view the entire time and “is considered superior for swimming.”

Because of these conditions I felt very confident on course. There was lots of space in the water and not once was I near another person where we might have touched. Certainly the number of women were less, but we also had a great deal of space. I stuck to my usual plan of a steady effort and during the final few hundred meters set my sights on a few swimmers that I wanted to pass and I did giving myself a third place age group finish for the swim.

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The Bike

The 90 km bike portion of the race consisted of completing 21 laps around the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, which is the site of the Formula One Canadian Grand-Prix. The 4.3 km loops were very smooth and were filled with a combination of winding turns, hair-pin turns, and straight aways. There was one bottle drop/aid station which had it’s own lane and an opportunity to not only grab a bottle while continuing to ride, but also pulling over for a stop.

2016-09-10 | 2016 Triathlon Esprit de Montréal (Samedi)

The Pro-timing chip on your ankle counts your laps, but I also used my Garmin to make sure I was on track. The lap count is shown on a giant screen near the exit lane, and your name and bib number appear on the monitor on lap 5, 10, 15, 19, 20, 21. The race are continuously shares that when you see your name with the number 21, you must exit the course, however I saw at least 5 people who misunderstood and did an extra lap.

My bike experience was one that is most easily described as terrifying. As one of the first few women out of the swim I entered the bike loop, with tired legs, at a measly 25km/hrs pace. I entered into a bike race in progress with many men holding what I could only assume was 40+km/hr paces. I felt like Disney’s Simba during the stampede scene of the Lion King. Men was racing past me on both sides. There was no organization as to where slower riders should be and when I assumed it was to stick the left and pass on the right (which it was) speedy men would cut through almost no spaces nearly taking both of us out to pace. This was my race situation for almost the first 40 minutes until more women entered the course and I can only assume some of the faster men started exiting.

21 loops certainly offered an interesting option as I was able to see my family and receive their coaching and cheers almost every 8 minutes, I will be honest that while 21 laps seemed fun before riding, it was very mentally challenging and required a lot of focus for almost 80% of the time. Although that being said, this mainly flat course was one of my fastest rides, in which I was able to hold my Olympic distance pace during double the distance.

2016-09-10 | 2016 Triathlon Esprit de Montréal (Samedi)

The Run

The 21.1 km run starts at the back of the Transition Area where you will run directly onto the Voie Maritime for a short 2km out on the trails. I entered this area at the exact time the duathlon was starting here. They let me get a few feet ahead before they started and it was certainly motivating to run so closely with others.

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Once back on the basin wall, you circle the Olympic Rowing Basin and complete 4.5 laps. The race almost everywhere including the website states 4 laps, but it’s actually 4.5. I didn’t realize this until I was on course and for over two hours watched racers run across this floating bridge, trying to figure out what they were doing and whether that was my race or another distance.

While heading out on what I (and my family) thought was my final lap I asked a staff what the deal was after a large group ahead of me went across. It was here on course that I learned about the extra half lap. This definitely sucked as I had mentally thought I was nearing the finish, and then having to explain to my family too, while running, that I still had a half lap left. I hadn’t started my Garmin on time, so knew that wasn’t reliable. So when it was finally my turn to cross the bridge – I was jumping for joy.

The course was well fueled with 3 aid stations per loop. They had water, ice, coke, pretzels, and an electrolyte drink. They were well organized and the volunteers did a great job.

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One thing to be aware of is that almost all on race communication on race day is in French. Pretty much the only thing I spoke while on course was the phrase “English please”. This was challenging on the bike, where I felt very unsafe and was unsure of what was happening when people didn’t appear to be following the “rules”. Race communication prior to race day was bilingual.

That begin said, I enjoyed this flat and fast race quite a bit. It gave me personal bests and an awesome spectator experience from my family and friends. I would definitely suggest others give it a try.