Advice: Mont Tremblant or Cedar Point in 2014?

Originally posted by Qua17


1) How difficult or easy is the course(s)?
2) What is there for my kids and wife to do in Mont Tremblant? How can they spend the day? (Having grown up in Cleveland, I know what they would be doing at CP)
3) What is the experience like? How much comradery is there?
4) How well is the event(s) organized?
5) How long would I have to register?

Originally posted by NewfangledDad

I'm in a similar situation now that I'm not doing IMWI like I planned (long story). If I'm doing a 140.6 next season I'm between Cedar Point and Ironman Louisville so I'll be interested to hear how this ends up for you. I've been doing my research and from the race reports I'm reading CP can get a little lonely since it's so small. I've mostly heard positive things though. My whole family would most likely be coming along (2 kids under 4) so the family friendly is an important consideration.

Originally posted by NewfangledDad

I'm in a similar situation now that I'm not doing IMWI like I planned (long story). If I'm doing a 140.6 next season I'm between Cedar Point and Ironman Louisville so I'll be interested to hear how this ends up for you. I've been doing my research and from the race reports I'm reading CP can get a little lonely since it's so small. I've mostly heard positive things though. My whole family would most likely be coming along (2 kids under 4) so the family friendly is an important consideration.

Originally posted by rjrankin83

Have you been to Louisville in August? Cedar Point is on my list

Originally posted by Qua17

I'm trying to figure out which race to do next year for my first IM next year. I've narrowed it down and would love to get feedback from people who have been to either Mont Tremblant or Cedar Point (or maybe in those rare cases both!).

Specifically what I would like to know more about is:

1) How difficult or easy is the course(s)?
2) What is there for my kids and wife to do in Mont Tremblant? How can they spend the day? (Having grown up in Cleveland, I know what they would be doing at CP)
3) What is the experience like? How much comradery is there?
4) How well is the event(s) organized?
5) How long would I have to register?

Any info your could provide would be great!

Thanks,
DQ

I have never done either but I signed up for IMMT 2014 as my first full and I plan to do CP 70.3 at some point in the future due to having family 10miles away and a free place to stay. I did volunteer at IMMT this year and here is what I can tell you FWIW:

1.) The course is hilly but from what I saw driving the course and being out there, its not too bad. What goes up must come down and all the downhills are straight so not a lot of technical turns or descents. They pave the roads prior to the races and they seemed perfect. Tons of crowd support from what I saw and the community gets behind the race so much its not even funny. Swim is in a gorgeous lake and the run portion did not seem bad at all. Very scenic course to occupy your mind. I can guarentee its a much nicer course then CP.

2.) I am not sure how old your kids are but we saw a section between the pedestrian village and swim start that was just full of inflatable games, bounce houses, etc and appeared to be a kids zone. Looked like a fair. All of the hotels and most condo developments have pool, hottubs, etc. Depending on where you stay, some resorts and condos give renters free passes to the lake to get in and enjoy water activities like kayak, canoeing, climbing the rock wall, trampoline, etc. There is shopping, restaurants, the gondola to the top, Mont Tremblant National Park and you are an hour outside of Montreal which could be turned into a long day trip if looking for something a little more grown up and cultural. My family is coming up with me next year and making sure they had plenty of things to do to occupy their time was important to me and it looks like they will have plenty. Obviously at CP, you have the theme park but thats really it. Again, not sure if they give free park passes to competitors or not but it could be pricey for a day or 2 to take a family to the amusement park. Just different things to do since much different locations.

3.) I volunteered this year at IMMT and it was out of this world! I was amazed at how big of a show it was. The whole town was so behind this race. We saw signs and banners on the highway coming into town and all of the condos, restaurants, buildings all had IM stuff or S/B/R signs on their buildings. The streets were flooded with signs and chalked inspiration lined the streets. In the village, it was one big party and they had fireworks the night before. People in MT seemed to really love this race and everyone was so friendly and helpful. This is what I think about when I decided to do my first 140.6 was to have that type of atmosphere and bar none, it was top notch all the way. Everyone speaks english too.I worked in the Athlete Food Tent at the finish and saw lots of people finish. We had tons, tons of food, free beer, and Poutine!! Not sure about CP but being a smaller venue, I would think it might have less volunteers and be less of a spectacle when you finish.

4.) IMMT seemed to be extremely organized. All the hotels and condos had maps to give to people, spectator guides with race week information were handed out to everyone. VOlunteer check in ran smooth. All the buses in the city are free on race day for people to go between bike, run and finish line. I didnt really speak to any other volunteer or person who did not know an answer to a question I had which was very helpful. Again, no comparison to CP but everything I have heard about REV3 would leave me to believe they are extremely well organized.

5.) Not sure about CP but IMMT is still open (cant believe it)

I dont think you can go wrong with either race but it really comes down to what experience you want to have. Also, IMMT might be a closer drive for you then CP if that makes any difference.

Originally posted by Qua17

Newfangleddad - you know it's hot when it's the WTC race that takes the longest to sell out. Hot! Damn hot!