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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Sort of a rest day tomorrow with only a swim pencilled in. And eat of course.
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.
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| Spacious accommodation - plenty of room for bikes |
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| The Queen K Highway is cut through lava fields and runs sparallel to the coast. Does that look windy? |
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| No serious hills, great surface but serious winds to contend with |
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.
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| 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. |
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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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. |
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.
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| Sunday afternoon Hawaiian style |
Sort of a rest day tomorrow with only a swim pencilled in. And eat of course.
Good read. Was the stashed water hot?
ReplyDeleteNo, I'd put it just off the road in the morning shade. We picked up the bottle this afternoon (just so we weren't leaving our litter out there) and the remaining water was pretty hot from the afternoon sun.
DeleteGood read. Was the stashed water hot?
ReplyDelete