Race Day

Slept surprisingly well Friday night and didn't wake up until the alarm at 4:30.  We had plenty of time as transition didn't officially close.

Breakfast of two bananas and a wrap for Kim and a bowl of polenta porridge for me.

Chips on, swimmers on, clothes over the top, bike computer and odds and ends all in the correct bag.  Five minutes walk to transition, then another 10 minutes walk to the condo and back to transition for Kim to get her water bottles.  While I was waiting for her I realised it had been a mistake to leave the phone (camera).  Bugger.

Lined up for numbering (we weren't allowed to put our own race transfers on and were given strict instructions to leave sunscreen till it was done).  The polite and interested helpfulness just continued with the volunteers.  Even after putting 200 race number on each they were all very chatty wanting to know where you were from, how many races you had done ("That's fantastic.  Are you nervous?") and wishing you a great day - all with smiles and enthusiasm.  And they weren't all from the US.  There were plenty of Australians and English helping out - all bitten by the friendly enthusiasm bug.

Bikes checked in

Then it was out to the bike.  When I changed the flat in transition the day before I was told that even if, in the morning, we had tyre problems after we had gone swimming there would be mechanics there to fix our tyres while we swam.  And we saw it race morning.  Three or four mechanics fixing tyres that had burst with too much pressure.  No problem getting a pump, checked water bottles, computer on the bike, pumped up our tyres then out for a bit of quiet time on a patch of grass out the front of the hotel.  We decided the toilet queue was a good idea while we waited and half way along the gun went for the pro men.  Finally had our turn and by then time was getting a bit tight.  So we did hugs and good lucks and I joined the big crowd of men moving slowly down to the water to get in the narrow entrance to the water.  Kim started 15 minutes after me so it was men only in the crowd.

Lined up before the start, looking from the pier across to the town

Swam gently out to the starting line.  Which end?  It seemed just as crowded along its entire length.  Usually when there is wave starts I get to start with the old men and because of that I get near the front as I tend to be one of the stronger swimmers.  Here, among all ages, and with the best in the world I had decided to sit near the back to try and seed myself with swimmers of my speed.

The start

Big mistake.  I don't think I had a free swimming stroke for 500 metres.  There were slow people in front who I kept running in to, fast people behind swimming over the top of me and when that wasn't happening we were squeezed in so tight that you couldn't take a stroke without hitting someone's arm.  Eventually we reached some sort of agreement where we travelled as a pack but not without almost constant contact.  In the middle of all this I congratulated myself on not buying a speed suit as there was nowhere I could speed - I was stuck in the middle of a group of swimmers and any attempt to go faster or slower just meant more collisions.  I also had the thought that in a long day out like this a minute or two in the swim was not going to matter and that I should try and conserve my energy.

So we swam along like this until about 100 metres from the turn around when it started all over.  Everyone converged onto the buoy and the boat and for the 200 metres of the turn it was just like the start.  After the turn I made an effort to make my way to the seaward edge of the group and for the last k it felt like I was getting into a bit of a rhythm.

(Bike later.  Need breakfast.  And coffee.)

We were mobbed by helpers as we got to our feet at the end of the swim, another volunteer called our number to another volunteer who found our bag and handed it to us.  And into the change room.  Room is an exaggeration.  I found a couple of square feet to change in then ran about 200 metres to get to my bike.  Rolled the bike out of transition with the horrible feeling that I had forgotten something then onto the road.  The first loop took us up the hill south of town then back through town and up onto the Queen K Highway where the real ride began.

It was good to get into the business part of the ride.  A constant stream of cyclists were taking advantage of the good wind blowing us out of town.  I was trying to keep weight on but not overdo it like I did in Port.  Yet there was a constant stream of cyclist coming by and I was passing a few too.  Somehow the draft busters decided, in the long train of cyclists, that I was the one draughting and I was given a blue card, my first ever.  It meant a five minute penalty.  Seemed more than a little unjust and also meant that I didn't have one up on Kim any more as she has a draughting penalty from a couple of years ago that I like to bring up.

The line of bikes on the Queen K.

So it was a five minute break at the penalty tent.  You pull up and they give you a running stop watch, record your number and name, put a horrible red stroke through you helmet number and show great sympathy and politeness for you predicament and count down the seconds then let you go.

Back on the road and back to passing cyclists I'd already passed and still getting passed by faster ones.  Must be pretty poor swimmers is all I can say.  I'm now scared of another penalty so every time someone passes I ease off which is costing me more time but I want to finish the race.

The serious winds don't really hit until we are on the climb to Hawi and they are nothing like the winds we've struck when out there training.  A few drops of rain on the way up the hill turn into heavy rain by Hawi and two bikes down in the town made me very careful at the turnaround.  After the fast (probably averaged over 50) descent for the first 10ks and the road drying out the rolling hills and 20 ks back to Kawaihae were tolerable and I was starting to think I would have a pretty sharp time on the bike.

The crowd on the road had spread out by then, except for an occasional woman and a very slow-swimming man passing but the novelty of the ride had started to wear off and I'd had enough.  The last 50 ks was a pain.  We were riding into a strengthening head wind and since the rain the heat had become oppressive.  I knew I was doing it tougher than others because I was no longer passing many people and the number of people passing me had increased.  Then you think of the poor buggers who are doing it by hand.  There were some hard cases in the handicapped race who were pedalling their bikes along at a fairly brisk rate.  On the hill down into Kawaihae on the way out I was sitting on about 60 and this guy on a hand cycle who I had just passed came screaming by.  Low and aerodynamic, those things are quick down hill.

You feel like you are doing it tough then you see someone on one of these

So I wasn't doing it that tough at all.

And then I was starting to wonder how I was going to run.  Not a marathon but run at all.  I thought of Port and how I just had to start and keep going but I think I was a little more worn down than at Port.  Finally rolled through town and into transition and when I stepped off the bike my legs were able to jog straight away - a good sign.  Grabbed my gear and took my time changing - I had all afternoon and the run would be there when I was ready.

The first part of the run goes south along Alii Drive then returns to the middle of town.  There are people for the whole 8 ks on the side of the road.  Cheering, hosing you down, yelling encouragement and generally helping pass the time.  My usual deal with myself is to not allow walking but the way I was feeling I renegotiated an arrangement to allow walking through the aid stations.  My argument to clinch the deal was that I needed to keep hydrated and it is difficult to get much fluid down while running.

The crowd along Alii Drive

I'd eaten well but needed to keep the water up.  There were aid stations every mile which meant I could walk for about 50 metres every mile.  Sounded good.  Getting to the turnaround point an Alii was taking forever and I didn't feel at all like running   I kept thinking back to Port where I just kept going and after a while the ks would tick by.  And they did.  Every time I stopped at an aid station I wondered how I was going to get going again but I did.  Bodies are amazing.

I had decided that when I made it back into town I would walk up the steep part of Pallani too.  Didn't need much negotiating I just had to remember the last hill in Port where I had run and while I was running thinking if I walked fast I could go the same speed.  I passed a couple of people pretending to run so it seemed to be working.

At the top of Pallani I had about 26 ks to go.  I told myself it was doable.  That wasn't even a seriously long training run.  The next goal was the turnoff to the "energy lab" in about 12 ks.  Out along the gently undulating hot black surface of the Queen K.  Despite me being hours after the first runners the dozens of people at the aid stations were all very positive.  Some had DJs and loud music, some of them were dancing.  Two half cups of water at the start of the aid station and two at the end.  Every second one meant a gel or a half cup of coke, a half cup of energy drink and a half cup of red bull in addition to the water.  I tried a banana at one but the warm mushy brown thing in the skin nearly made me vomit.  The sun was less intense by now, hidden behind some haze so I took my hat off to help keep my head cool.  Didn't feel any different.

Runners on the Queen K

When I finally got to the energy lab turnoff I thought maybe I was a chance to keep the run going.  It was a bit more than half way so I was a chance to finish.  The road down to the coast and the k along the coast was far longer than I had remembered from training which wasn't encouraging.

The hill back up from the energy lab.

Finally climbed back out of the energy lab road and back onto the highway.  My soul destroying runs training out here meant I was well prepared for the 10 ks back to town.  It was a bit early to start thinking about the finish but I started thinking about the finish anyway.  Didn't want to eat or drink just wanted to lie down.

Passed where I'd stashed my training water bottles.  Passed my training run turn around points, walking through aid stations then running again.  By the time I got to the bottom of the last hill, about three ks out,  I was feeling pretty positive about finishing and had actually started to run rather than shuffle; through the aid station half way up the hill without stopping and through the noisy crowd of supporters who were all telling you how good you were and that you were virtually home.  And I was.

Two ks.  Down Pallani trying to keep my knees from buckling turn left up Kuakini, right onto Holualoa then 400 metres to the finish in the middle of town.  I wasn't exactly striding out but was feeling pretty good.

The finishing line - maybe a little more crowded than when I came across but there were a lot of people cheering.

A couple of catchers support you after the finish, walk you to the recovery area check that you are ok then go back to catch someone else.  I lay down.  For about 20 minutes, may even have had a short sleep.

The people beside me asked me was I all right.  Yes.

They had great post race food and even I could eat some of it.  Pizza (not for me) but good ice cream, all sort of cold drinks but the best dish was pulled roast pork and chips.  Nice.

About an hour later Kim came through and went through the same process as I had.  Rest, eat, drink, eat then start thinking about how well she had gone.

Finishers

It wasn't my best race unfortunately.  All three legs were slower than expected and I finished well down in my age group.  But I'd done the Hawaiian Ironman and I had the photo to prove it.

The photo

Countdown

We haven't abandoned serious training but the countdown to race day has started.

I'll keep adding to this as the countdown continues.

We put in a fairly intense (for us) first week when we arrived hoping to make up for the relative lethargy of travel, big cities and racing.  So we've been spending lots on food, then eating the food.  Everything has sugar in it, from bread to rice cakes to sugar.  And you can taste it.  Most food is expensive.  Fruit and veg aren't too bad and meat and fish are reasonable but 3.50 for a packet of rice cakes (reduced salt) works out to be pretty expensive in Australian dollars.  And fruit and nuts to turn breakfast into something wholesome are dear too.  

Breakfast.  Sometimes with pineapple and grapes.  Pineapples are sweet and not as acidic as those at home.

Two lattes (closest we can get to a flat white) with an extra shot - $13.  Rice and corn (ground) is cheap.  So we eat rice and corn too.  Gluten free bread starts at $8 a loaf and goes up from there.  But there is some good quality breads out there.  Tastey and hold together but 10 and $11 a loaf.  The rice bread I recently bought could be the worst gluten free bread ever.  It comes out of the pack dry and any attempt to manipulate it in any way - like carry it over to the toaster - results in bits falling off.  No chance of it lasting till eating time if it was made into a sandwich for a ride.

11th day out

So after a day off (swam the course) and deciding it was time to ease off with 11 days to go we had a relatively easy cycle, in much more reasonable winds, to Waikoloa and back.

"Reasonable" winds at Waikoloa turnoff - 30kph in your face

Kept a solid average then stayed on the Queen K up the hill, rolled down Alii Drive, nearly got cleaned up by a car then ran a bit over five.  Dunno how I'm going to run a marathon.

10th day out

Ran a solid 15 then swam three.  Glad we don't have to swim after running or riding, takes a long time to get some rhythm going.  Some people have been training in the pool.  We might be missing out on some quality but the ocean swim is much more interesting - coral, fish, well marked out course, water the perfect temperature and the occasional dolphin to accompany you.

9th day out

Rode to Kawaihae and back.  Wanted to do more than the 80 we rode the other day and to make it a last longish ride before the race.  I was out of bread so bought some sustenance at the service station at the bottom of the turnoff to Hawi.  The range of takeaways is great.  There were three machines with coffee of sorts and 24 ounces was 1.90 with 99c refill.  I gambled on one machine and it was so sickly sweet I couldn't drink it.  With that and the gluten free marshmallow syrup rice cake I had enough sugar to get me back to Kailua with change.  Wind was much kinder today.  Still there but only strong in a few places.

Breakfast on the run (ride) at Kawaihae. Sugar disguised as rice cake and marshmallow washed down with 2/3 litre of sugar disguised as coffee. When in Rome...

We ran for about 40 minutes this afternoon.  Kim so she was not sitting around too much today and me so I can justify not running 25 tomorrow.  We timed it so we arrived at the swim start at about 5:45, just in time to swim a few hundred metres to cool off before sunset.

Downtime

Mostly we've been getting our serious exercising over in the morning (or morning and early afternoon for the long sessions).  Not sleeping as much as I thought.  By the time we train, recover from exercise and eat a lot of the day is gone.  

Downtime

Kim has been going down to the odd accessible beaches and enjoying watching the world go by.  I've been blogging.  In the afternoons we've been going for short rides or swims around five.  We usually have something needed from the supermarket.So outside of training we've had a pretty relaxing time.

8th day out

Finished my long run this morning.  Ran out to the energy lab and back, giving 23ks to add to the 7.5 I did last night.  Drank from one of my water stashes on the way back.  I planted them before I knew what there is out there in the way of water.  The bubblers at some of the public toilets at the beaches and national parks have refrigerated water and there's one about 7 ks from our digs and another at the beachfront on the energy lab road.  Which is convenient for runners in training - its a long hot jog back to town if you are dehydrated.  Still, the water I left out there is going down well.  Its a tough run - long and straightish with the road gradually going up or down.  The run back into town has a tough climb in it and will be the 41st k of the race so it's good to get into it - at least for the mind.  Kim did similar but off in a different direction and we met down at the swim start.

Give-away time has officially started.

When we arrive at the swim start there was a tent set up.  Ironman have started giving away gatorade and water.  Not only that many of the traders selling merchandise and promoting their products are constructing their diplays.

We had a swim in an "endless pool".  For our efforts we were given a small towel and a bag containing goodies including goggle anti fog.  And a voucher for a coffee at the good coffee shop next door.  Not a bad start.

Give-aways have officially started.

Rudy project are offering their latest aero helmet for $99 - an alleged discount of 200.  US and Canadians could have had theirs posted free while everyone else will have to join the rush to buy one on Monday morning before they run out.  I'll be in the rush. 

There are athletes everywhere.  Every second shop has a sign up welcoming ironman athletes and is selling ironman merchandise - some of which is leftovers from previous years and discounted.

These signs are on Alii Drive where everyone runs and out on the highway where everyone rides.

Seventh day out

The practice swim was on the smorning so we went down to watch the start at seven then, like many others, jumped in behind them and swam the course.  We didn't get a t shirt or a time deciding we'd rather spend the $100 on food.

While we were getting ready to get in the water we picked up two quality silicon swimming caps - being given away by a tri travel company and as we got out were given another hand towel each and filled up on gatorade.  This is before official giveaway time which starts on Monday.

We don't seem to be able to escape the supermarket.  Every time we think we have enough food for the next day or two we realise we are short of something.  The local bananas on the island are fat and reasonably priced and provide food before, during and after training.  We had a pile of the them this morning which looked like it would last for days but it seems to have disappeared.  So it was back to the supermarket again this afternoon for that and a bit more fruit.  The pineapples and pawpaws are sweet and cheap too but they are cheaper at the markets than the supermarket.

The start of taper week.  Dinner and two days supply of bananas.  We hope.

So this afternoon's exercise was a trek up the hill to Wallmart.  S'posed to be a day off.  Its hard to know how we will back off on the eating to match the easing off in training.  Cruisy ride to Waikoloa and back in the morning.  Wonder whether there will be water and gatorade out there yet.

6th day out

Instead of feeling refreshed from our (relative) day off yesterday we dragged ourselves out of bed for what we decided would be a leisurely ride to Waikoloa, coffee and a leisurely ride home - with a few efforts when we felt like it.  We rolled out of town, through some newly smashed glass (we decided it was a result of Saturday night last night or malicious ironman haters) which was so sharp looking and spread around the road that we were sure we must have 20 punctures each so we stopped to brush our tyres.  Passed a few hardy souls running back from the energy lab already dripping from the morning heat.  Its going to be a tough 25ks of the run out there and back on race day.  Rolling along comfortably with Kim on my wheel for a while and the legendary wind holding off we made good time to Waikoloa - averaging well into the 34s.  Considering that included picking our way through town it was a pretty flash average.  We lined up for half an hour at starbucks for a cup of milky liquid with a vague coffee taste to it - sporting an extra shot it still tasted pretty dilute.  Everyone else there seemed to be buying drinks with whipped cream on top and sausage and cheese sandwiches.  The buttered croissants had sold out.  We did them a favour and took our sweaty bodies outside. 

Queen K on the Queen K

When we started back there still wasn't much wind but it became stronger and more in our faces the closer we got to Kailua.  I thought I had the wind worked out but the direction today was definitely different to the other days we've been out.  There was something in the weather about a cyclone nearby and the guy at the bike shop at Waikoloa was saying this was the reason for the different wind today.  He then went on to say that the hurricane would have move on by race day and that usually the winds howled after a cyclone moved off.  We didn't want to hear that.

Disappearing into the distance about 20ks north of Kailua heading south.

So the wind in our faces put a big dent in our average speed on the way back, mine well under 30 and Kim's well under mine.  Just to rub salt into the wound she scored a crevaison (tour de france talk for puncture) near our digs and walked her bike back.  Not glass but a small piece of wire.  Dumb thing to say but considering the amount of glass about it is a wonder we haven't had more punctures.  Now that I've said that we will have to make sure we have plenty of spares on race day.

A five k run to get the hang of it (again), a short swim with the coral and reef fish then a big breakfast.  Good pace on the run but oh so hot!  Did I say I'm not looking forward to the run on race day?

After breakfast we went down to visit the increasing number of merchandising tents.  I bought an aero helmet then immediately regretted my decision.  I swore I would never get one - preferring to go for the more sedate looking modern rounded ones but after days of internet research which suggested that aero helmets were worth having and that some of the rounded ones I had in mind were no better than a "normal" helmet I bought one anyway.  

US99 plus tax - a discount of over 200 (so we were told).  It should result in about 110 seconds advantage next Saturday.  Roughly $1 per second.  I'm hoping the time savings are relative to my reasonably streamlined, sweat caked road helmet.  Some reviews have dismissed the claimed time savings.  We'll probably never know but on Saturday I'll line up with hundreds of others wearing exactly the same helmet, bought just days before the race, hoping the great deal offered results in time savings for them too.  But if everyone has one we're all back on level ground again.  I need something that no one else has.  Drugs?

We also bought a new tyre for Kim's back wheel.  I'd been doing a coin toss several times a day in my head about the need for it but the puncture was enough to make the decision easy.  Tyres are expensive here, even compared to Australia.

Fifth day out (Monday).  Race day is Saturday.  

I took the helmet back today.  

The helmet

Short run this morning followed by 2.5 ks in the water.  I wanted to run down Alii Drive in the week before the race.  I'd been purposely going out along the Queen K Highway because it would be the most soul destroying part of the run and I wanted my soul destroyed before race day.  The logic was that on race day, when I was 30ks into the run and a long way out of town, I would be used to the feeling.  I'll know whether it has worked on Saturday.  About 5pm if things go to plan.

 But this week it would be Alii for the run.  I wanted to make sure I hadn't imagined all the tents along Alii and all their give aways when I was here two years ago.  So I went about three ks up Alli and back and only managed some (allegedly) gluten free bonk bars.  No water bottles, no chocolate milk, no energy drink, no gels.  Maybe it was too early in the week.  Which means I'll have to plan another run, or cruise up on my bike with a back pack.

As far as speed went I put a little effort in but I think my mind is starting to get the idea of taper and my body wasn't that pleased with the exertion - I suspect I really need to rest up before Saturday.  So in honour of resting up I joined the hundreds of people around the pier at the swim start and set off at a quiet pace with other swimmers.  It was hardly relaxing because they were going in every direction for the first few hundred metres.  Worse than a swim start in a race because in a race your collisions are side to side not head on.  It seemed to take forever to get to the one k mark which helped reinforce the feeling I need to get some rest this week.  Not only that but wearing my Australia tri suit in an effort to mimic the effect of a "speed" suit I got pretty chaffed under my arm.  Its not a great fit - too tight around the legs and too short in the legs.  And the chaffing.  The swim back was much clearer but I purposely swam 50 metres closer to shore than everyone else was.

Got back to the pier and filled up on free water and sports drink and took a couple home as well.  Don't know what I will do with them, its just hard not to take them when they are being given away.   The promotion of the product is serious business.  The endless pool people are giving away small white towels by the hundred - to everyone getting out of the water.  There were two girls offering sport shampoo to the long queue of people waiting to shower in fresh water after their ocean swim.

So having overcome the need for the helmet - I'd looked at myself in it - and gone back to the reviews - I decided I would rather spend my money on something else that may or may not give me free speed.  The Rudy people were quite happy to refund my money so I went in search of the profile people and the fizik people so we could talk business about wheels and bike seats.  There were still plenty of people setting up but we managed to come home with a pretty good looking speed swim suit for Kim (Kona price 79, normal price 300), a race belt (free with the speed suit) enough free lube for a years cycling and some chain wash.  And just tonight we came away from the Aloha feed with an Ironman cap and upmarket race bag.  Profile and Fizik will have to wait till Wednesday.

We've hired a car for the next few days.  Partly to get out of Kona a little and also because we have more time in the day with nothing to do now training has eased to an hour or so a day.  A Nissan something.  It looks like it was styled by Americans and has all the poor fit and finish of a car produced in USA.  But is has air conditioning and plenty of room.  

So we headed off to see some turtles at a national park immediately north of Kailua and then onto Kilolo Bay, where we were assured by a neighbour there would be a spectacular fresh water stream running through a lava tube to the sea.

The turtle beach.  All the turtles were in the water feeding.  A dozen within 20 metres of the shore.

The drive down was marginal for a rental car but we took it pretty steady.  There's not much soil anywhere, the road has been chopped through lava flows which have occurred over the last few hundred years.  There is not much grows on them except acacia trees and tufted grass.  When you get down to the seaside the shore is rocky with occasional patches of black sandy beach.  Certainly not picnic stuff but we ate bread and chicken anyway and wandered down to find the lava tube.

And there it was.  Beautiful clear, cool, fresh water that didn't seem to be flowing.  Fish casually swimming up and down and accessible by a couple of holes about 10 metres apart.  You could swim through the tube between the holes and head further inland for at least 10 more metres.  Although I took a bike light to see where I was going I ran out of game after about 10 metres where the ceiling was higher above my head and the water was too deep to stand in.  Thank you neighbour.

Black sand.  With white bits of shell.

Last time we were here we went to a Lu-au on the Tuesday night before the race.  They had some ironman legends, some local dancers and singers to entertain us, a range of local artisans demonstrating traditional handicraft, painting, food preparation, basket weaving and more.  The unexpected bonus was a fantastic feed of baked pork, tasty salads, poke (raw fish) and fresh pineapple and a tasty

Entertaining dancers.

Seriously good triathletes including Paula Newby Fraser and course record holder Craig Alexander

banana salad.  It was a good night and we couldn't understand why there were so few athletes and their families there.  And it was the same tonight.  Same format, same great feed and hardly anyone there.  Fantastic.  Not telling anyone in case it is crowded out next time.

And we got to meet Crowie.

Craig Alexander.  And two wannabes

Fourth day out (Tuesday)
Having hired the car to get out of town, we got out of town.  But not after going for a morning bike ride as part of the taper.  We both, as slightly different times, went around the first loop of the bike course (around town) then headed up the Kuakini Highway and onto the Queen K.  The glass index on that first loop is pretty high so we didn't want to risk the return journey down Kuakini.  So we flew down the hill towards the airport and were almost brought to a halt by ferocious headwinds - less than 5 ks out.  Its the first time we'd struck them that close to town.  Usually there is a fairly gentle first 20 ks before the winds hit you - we hadn't struck them before, bringing a new possibility for race day - total disillusionment before we even get to the airport.

I battled into it until the airport turnoff.  After the tunaround, with the wind at my back, I was quickly cheered up by the 55 ks and more registering on the Garmin.  Some time on race day, even if the wind is strong, we will have it behind us and it will be fun.  Sometime.  I'll have to remember that when I'm doing less than 20 into it.

The windy 40 was not quite what we needed for our confidence.  So we got in the car and headed for a reliable espresso machine, one we'd found in a fruit plantation on the way to Captain Cook.  It was still there so we bought a coffee and headed for the "beach".

The Beach at Kealakekua Bay.  The rocks wash in and out with the waves making getting in and out a matter of timing.

Kim had bought her new "speed" suit with her so we headed across the bay, in the clear water towards the site where Captain Cook was murdered in 1779.  We made it as far as the steep cliffs that drop into the ocean.  The snorkelling there is fantastic with clear water, diverse coral and lots of fish.  We made the long hot walk down to the best snorkelling last time but didn't want to wear ourselves out this time.

The bay at two steps.  Too bad for those houses if the tide comes in or if there is a tsunami.

From there we drove along the coast to a bay called two steps which is famous for its picnics, ease of entry to the water, turtles and dolphins.  We spotted a few turtles then headed back up to the belt road and south to find a national park with, supposedly, several layers of lava flow.  

We found it.  It had been planted during the 1930s and onwards with local species and exotics and either side of the track through it was so well covered with plants that any chance of identifying different lava flows was impossible for us.  

A very healthy exotic.  Doesn't seem to mind being in the wrong country.

The start of the trail

But we had a pleasant picnic, a half hour walk and managed to avoid falling into a dangerous crater.

The dangerous crater

We drove back north and headed down for the parade of nations.  

The arrangements were fairly loose with the team - but eventually some t shirts, a flag and a blow up kangaroo were found and about 100 of the 250 of us here walked down Alii Drive near the front of the march and were cheered on by a fair crowd along the way.  A band was playing good covers and it was give-away heaven.  Not as many t shirts and biddens as last time but we haven't go Penny with us.

Most of the collection of give-aways so far.  Not including the stuff in our race bag.

We've collected countless gels, bars and exercise food; a couple of pairs of socks each, a really cool lace system for my shoes that makes laces and elastic obsolete; a bidden, some bike lube and chain wash, chamois cream, sunglasses, sunscreen, chocolate milk, hand towels, swim caps and more.  So much that we've stopped collecting unless it has serious value.

We were going to go see the manta rays but I had left my shoes with the lace replacing people and had to hang around for an hours or so to collect them - and all we wanted to do was go to bed then.  Busy day when we were supposed to be taking it easy.  While I was waiting, Kim went home to cook fish and I had my legs massaged by machine, checked out serious race tactics with a couple of pros, including Michellie Jones.

Michellie saw us and demanded to have her photo taken.

Then I hung out with the team from the lace replacement people.  About a dozen of them working on everyone's horrible smelly shoes replacing laces with thin stainless steel chord and a ratchet winder.  It automatically spreads the load up and down the shoe.  I was so pleased with my training shoes that I took my races shoes there too.

Three days.

Kim bought a speed suit.  I can't really see how they can be much of an advantage as they don't float you.  But I had to try one.  Got up at six and went down to the pier and grabbed a trial speed suit. Swam about a k in it then went back to my race swimmers and swam a k in them.  

7:30 Wednesday morning at the Kailua pier.  You'd think it was race day.

Couldn't really feel much difference, many of our swims in Australia are in a wet suit so it wouldn't be used much, certainly not the couple of minutes advantage that a wet suit gives and the few seconds saved are spent getting it off.  But they were offering at super discount prices, compared to normal retail.

I didn't buy a speed suit.  

I Got dressed then went to the Aussie team breakfast and met up with Kim, who'd been for a run.  It was a good feed with about half the team there.  Some pros spoke about their experiences, some others spoke and talked up the way Australia punches above its weight in the sporting world.  All very positive.  And we had the obligatory team photo.

Some of the team.  Can you spot Kim and me?

We had a couple of serious shopping tasks left.  Kim didn't want the deep race wheel which we had bought for her because of the powerful cross winds, so had been using the cheap aluminium mavic we'd bought second hand in Italy.  We were hoping that Profile would be there and we could buy a cheap one from them but so far we haven't found them.  I was close to buying a Zipp 303 or 202, a couple of which were highly discounted but, although good wheels, were not a good match for our three profiles.  Went to the enve tent to enter a competition and came away with a good pair of cycling socks, a biden and the offer of a free wheel to borrow today (Wednesday) and return after the race on Sunday.  Half an hour later we wheeled Kim's bike out of the bike shop with a brand new 38mm enve wheel with a brand new tyre for her to use till Sunday.  Problem solved.

Somewhere during all that I took the car back and registered for the race.  There was more volunteers than participants and although Kim and I had planned to meet there it was going to be impossible.  So we brought our flash new Ironman bags, weighed down with goodies back to the condo and checked out the load.

Not your normal race bag but surprisingly no bidden.

Last time we came we had Penny to share the load and only one bike bag.  This time, although we came short of water bottles and t shirts, it was still going to be a costly and difficult exercise to fit two new backpacks, towels and other goodies in and still be within weight limits.  We've already started eating the exercise food.

Latish this afternoon Kim went for a swim while I ran out along the Queen K to get the idea of the conditions in the mid to late afternoon.  I hadn't been swimming and riding for the previous seven hours and it was overcast so the heat was bearable.  I hope my legs feel as good on Saturday as they did this afternoon.

Leftovers for dinner (we are starting to run the pantry down) and no rush to get up in the morning.  Not long to go.

Its Friday

We thought we would have plenty of "down" time with training down to a pleasant outing each morning and or afternoon and no car.  But that's not been the case.  I've certainly been spending a fair bit of time being nervous but we've poked around putting race gear into piles, eating, few work emails, trips to the expo (where we are becoming much more selective) and drinking coffee.

Two days

Thursday is a bit of blur.  Thought we'd have a sleep in and that worked until it was light at about 6:30.  On the bike for the first loop of the bike course and out to the airport.  It was reassuring to see the wind was back to normal - light and across rather than blasting in our faces as it was two days ago.  They are putting an extra lane in between the town and airport.  Constructing anything like this is pretty tough going.  They've got to break up the lava into rocks, break up the rocks, break up the smaller rocks, cart them away to be crushed then they are bought back for road base.  Noisy and very bumpy for the guys on the machines.  It also explains why there are no underground power and telephone lines here - you have to dig into rock to bury them and its quite like a new lava flow will destroy them in the next 50 years.

Breaking up big rocks into smaller rocks.

Back down to the expo.  Finally got some bidens, a good hat, t shirt, a battery backup for my phone, more sunglasses, sunscreen and its hard not to collect another bag full of energy bars when they are giving them away.  

One of the give-aways was: we take your photo and put you onto the cover of Lava magazine and email it to you.  And for the pleasure of that they give you a water bottle containing some chalk so you can write your name on the road somewhere.  And try to remember who they were.  EA sport nutrition.

Finally famous

But the best thing of all is the Boa lace replacement.  They have a team of about 10 who fit a thin stainless steel lace and ratchet wheel tightener to your existing shoes.  Takes about 20 minutes per pair and they do it for free.  The idea is that I now contact asics and tell them that they need this system for their shoes and the asics people then buy the patent from Boa.  I was so enthusiastic about how good they were they recorded an interview with me and one of the company owners.  When you put them on you just turn the dial to tighten them and because there is so little friction in the lace the tension evens out up and down the shoe as you walk the next few paces.  Which means you can leave them open enough to get on easily in transition and tighten them in seconds - beats the hell out of laces and trying to drag your shoes on with elastic laces - then having to straighten out the tongue.  Great crew of people too.

Neat eh

And I will be able to move the closure to my new shoes.

We managed to while away the rest of the day putting more things on our piles then readjusting them then sorting food for the race, went down for a late swim then went to the pre-race dinner and briefing.  Good feed considering there were 3000 people there.  Some local dancing and singing, some stories about disabled athletes and people doing it tough who have completed ironman, interviews with the youngest (both 19) and oldest (he was 85 and she was 76) athletes in the race and some ex champ interviews to get you all enthusiastic and positive about the day.  Worked for me.

Briefing was: there is food, water, bike spares, medical people, toilets, draft busters, soup if you are out there long enough and 4000 volunteers to help.  So basically if you don't finish its not like we haven't done everything we could to get you over the line.

The setup for the pre race dinner.

So we don't forget

One day

Reasonable nights sleep.  Did I say I was shitting myself?

Went down for a short dip.  Out to the coffee barge and back - about 500 metres total.  People everywhere and the structure (huge finishing chute, grandstands, barriers etc) is mostly up.  

Building the finishing chute

Which meant that this morning there was no-one minding your gear and giving out suncreen and energy drink and more importantly no-one giving out chocolate milk.

Breakfast, rearrange piles of gear and food, update blog, walk down to the expo then come back and sort stuff for the bike check-in in a couple of hours.

Checking in.  Me with a flat front tyre already.

Well we've checked in, walked town in the heat, had lunch and now we can continue using up our adrenaline.  I have to go back down to my bike in a minute to replace the tube in my spares kit.  We are carrying two tubes each and Kim has some leak sealant.  I used one of my tubes already to repair a flat that I picked up in the 500 metres between our condo and transition.  So much glass and shit on the side of the road.  I've used nine patches in repairs in the two and a half weeks we've been here.  Not a great start but good to discover today rather than in the morning when my nerves will be rattling more.

Going for a walk.

Continued on the "Race Day" post.

Hawaii - Six days of Training

I couldn't wait to get here.

After Zell am see and Riccione the part of the trip between there and Hawii was always going to be just a fill in.  Not that we didn't enjoy Rome or Chicago.  And we were all very pleased with our races but we couldn't relax and we couldn't train easily.

We'd get off the plane in Kona and get into some serious training for two weeks, taper for a week, cruise around the ironman course then go home happy.

That was until we stepped off the plane.  It was hot.  And every local who we spoke to commented on how it had been hot for weeks - hotter than normal.

Kim found great accommodation.  Spacious condo five minutes walk from transition and the centre of town, flow through ventilation, short walk to a good coffee shop and the supermarket, air conditioned, good kitchen, pool.

Spacious accommodation - plenty of room for bikes

We couldn't wait to start training so on Tuesday we woke up, threw down a little breakfast, filled up our pockets with food and spares then headed out on the bike course to Hawi.  When we had been ploughing into the head wind (which I experienced last visit but in my excitement forgotton) for 20 minutes from about 30ks out of Kailua I was wondering why I thought it would be a good idea to get here and train.  I'd run 34 ks two days before, raced hard for well over two hours three days before and spent a long day travelling across a lot of time zones the day before.  I used all this to excuse my lack of enthusiasm and "go".  The good side was that the coffee in Hawi was every bit as good as I remembered but it was hard work earning it and we still had nearly 90ks to get home.  On the way back down the hill the wind was strong behind at the start but as we rounded the island became cross and dangerous.  When I stopped to fix a flat Kim caught up and took my low profile aluminium rim as she was getting blown across the road.  The wind was present but not a major problem for the rest of the ride.  Just the legs.

The Queen K Highway is cut through lava fields and runs sparallel to the coast.  Does that look windy?

No serious hills, great surface but serious winds to contend with

Wednesday was a swim and a 15k run.  The swim was great - water the right temperature, coral and fish to entertain you, a convenient safe place to leave your gear, cool fresh shower at the end and the swim course marked out and safe.  But the run was hot and my legs hadn't forgotton the work they'd done over the last few days (or maybe my mind).  I ran up the east side of the road to maximise the shade and drank litres of water on the way but I could still feel the front of my thighs from my efforts in Chicago.

Despite all that its a great place to hang out.  Each day means more people arriving for the race.  The Queen K was almost deserted the first day but now, five days later, there is a constant stream of bikes and runners from daylight to dusk.  We've got a good pantry happening - got to eat right.  Although we've been getting through the food.  And the buzz in the town gradually gets louder.  There are more people training down at the swim start, last year's ironman banners and t shirts are out on the footpath at reduced prices, moped hire has gone from $50 a day to 100 and there's fit looking bodies about.

The second ride on Thursday, 80 ks to Waikoloa and back, was pretty quick and much less windy.  Legs felt good, spun along sweetly to average 32 then ran 5ks off the bike.  That wasn't so much fun but its got to be done.  Although it was hot I think I'm getting used to it.  We've run into a crew from Melbourne, all from the same training club.  There's about a dozen of them competing and they seem to be everywhere.  Its good to see them about and they are positive and chatty.  Not only that but when out on the bike you are always catching people or they catch you and there's friendly chat about where you are from, how many times you been here, are you enjoying the wind and more depending on how long they draught you or you draught them.  It was good to be part of it last time but now that I'm racing its even better.

Thursday was meant to be a little easier in preparation for a couple of big days planned.  The 12k Run and a 3k swim felt normal training wise and it was good to feel the legs back to normal - tired but not sore.  In our down time we've been wandering around the shops, ever hopeful of finding some decent coffee and the odd bargain.  Even buying ground coffee for the Mr Coffee is difficult.  There are all sorts of blends on the supermarket shelves that are pretty different to the mellow brew we get back home.  They brag about the Kona coffee but its really expensive and still doesn't taste that good - at least to us.

Thursday afternoon I rode out the Queen K for about 8ks and planted four litres of water for our Sunday run out to the Energy Lab and back.  I put it where I thought it would be in the shade in the morning when we were going to run and hoped no-one would find it.  Relaxing ride out with a gentle tailwind and an easy spin back into the decreasing headwind was a great way to finish the day.  Well not exactly finish.  Ate a huge meal and shared a pair of headphones while we watched a streamed movie on the computer.  I could write a blog on TV in the US but there's be too many swear words.  "Romantic" night in front of the computer.

Friday.  I've been forcing myself to get up when there is light - rather than roll over and go back to sleep.  Although we've got all day to train its nice to get into it early, when the temperature is still under 30 and the wind hasn't built up too much.  That's the plan.  So, half awake, we shovelled food in, packed our sandwiches and head out on the Queen K for our second trip to Hawi.  As usual, the gentle tailwind for the first 20ks lulls you into thinking today's ride would be less windy than Tuesday's.  By the time we'd ploughed into the headwind for 10ks into Waikoloa (where we refill our water) we realised it was going to be a hard day.  I'd already swapped wheels with Kim so she wasn't being blown about as much on the lower profile front.  There was a Brazilian guy passed me with a moped in tow about 15ks from Waikoloa.  He had four other hangers on in his slipstream.  Although I'm training for the ride on my own already I was looking for an easy way out of the wind.  Initially I thought he must have been with others but no-one else was doing turns.  One by one they dropped out of his slipstream until it was just me, him and the moped.  He was holding about 30 into a 40kph headwind which was gusting from the side.  It was so strong that it didn't seem like I was in his slipstream despite there being just millimetres between my front tyre and his rear.  He was strong.  Guilt made me think of dropping off a couple of times but each time I thought of the wind the guilt wasn't a factor.  Eventually I just couldn't keep up.  Close as I was to his back wheel the wind was blowing me around so much I wasn't getting much relief, so I thanked him, dropped back to well under 20 and rolled into Waikoloa to wait for Kim.

One of the higher spots on the Queen K about 30 ks north of Kailua.  In the race you ride
around the left hand side of the lump in the background.

Kim is more determined than me.  So I was surprised when she suggested going back because of the wind.  I'd signed up for a day of hard riding and a great coffee in Hawi so I was pretty keen to keep on.  The wind came from around the front to the side and eased a little between Waikoloa and Kawaikae and by the time we had climbed the hill out of Kawaikae and were onto the rolling highway before the climb to Hawi it was almost bearable.  But the further we went around to the north the wind came back.  So strong from the side that I was being blown a metre sideways by the gusts, sure that one of them would rip the bike out from under me.  It was far stronger than Tuesday.  As usual it was on the nose for the last 10ks to Hawi and we crawled up the hill into it.  Straight to the little supermarket to get a litre of coke which I had downed before Kim arrived.

At coffee time we met up with an older Aussie on his 5th trip.  He wins his age group sometimes and was all positive and happy.  Yes the wind was the strongest he'd ever know but not much you could do about it.  Nice guy.  Nice coffee.  Now about that ride back.

We rolled out of Hawi, gradually picking up speed with the hill and the wind, knowing the wind would be coming from the side.  I'm usually  confident on the bike but I was  bracing myself for every bit of open road where I was sure I would get blown into the armco or the bike would go out from under me.  So it was brakes on and not an enjoyable descent like it should have been.  Kim stopped with a puncture as she was leaving Kawaikae and almost had it fixed by the time I had missed her and come back.  I cleverly let all the air out of the tyre as I took over the pump so I had to start pumping from scratch.

Whenever you get down near the coast you pass one of these signs.  This road descends into Kawaikae the port town.

From about 10 ks out of Waikoloa the wind came around behind us.  We were doing well into the 60s on gradual downhills with little wind in our faces.  From my gps the times for two 5k laps were way under six minutes.  I did two lots of 5ks yesterday in way under six minutes (a 5:24 and 5:36).  Gentle downhill smooth hotmix and howling tailwind.  Great fun but nothing less than we deserved after we had fought our way into it earlier in the day where one of my 5k splits was over 16.5 minutes.

Kona has been unusually hot over the last few weeks and there has been much more rain than normal.  Water running down the gullies in the lava flows is not common.

Watered it up at Waikoloa then rolled home, wind up our back wheel for the first 15ks then coming round to a steady headwind for the run home.  Tough day at the office.

Sunday.  Couldn't wait to jump out of bed and go check whether my stashed water was still 8ks out on the Queen K.  Although I could be lying.  It was more like dragged myself out of bed and wondered how I was going to get my legs going for 26 ks.

Didn't feel much in the way of energy unfortunately.  Sorry about the hat - it was turned around to keep the morning sun off my face.  True.

And then hoping that the water wasn't there because if it wasn't I would turn around after eight ks.  Unfortunately it was there so I swallowed my gel and drank a litre of water hoping the gel might perk me up.  By the time I made it to the energy lab turnoff about 10ks out I was feeling ok.  Ran with and Australian lady, Jody Gilchrist who sounds like a regular here.  She was full of ironman talk and positive thoughts about ironman which helped the run go by.  We went out to the turn around point then we parted company about six ks out when she stopped for water.  The last six was tough.  The day was heating up and my legs were feeling fatigued after a hard few days.  Finished off at the swim start, showered, swam a few strokes, dragged myself up the hill to our condo, ate a hearty breakfast, slept for two hours, cooked up a hearty lunch then went shopping.

At five we decided to cruise up Alii Drive on the bikes to get some lactate out.  It was an easy spin and coming up to dusk there were still plenty of locals out on the beach.  They do pretty good picnics here.

Sunday afternoon Hawaiian style

Sort of a rest day tomorrow with only a swim pencilled in.  And eat of course.