Kona: Day Five - Thursday

The day started with a 5 mile run on the hotel treadmill again.  I normally would not run this close to the race, but because of the broken foot, I am left with a sore/stiff foot when I don't run on it.  Running breaks up the tissue on the top of my foot and actually makes walking a bit more comfortable.  I am still very hopeful that it will hold up for the 26.2 mile last leg on Saturday.

Got off of the rabbit wheel at about 6:45 and headed out to meet everybody for the "underpants run."  For many people reading this, the underpants run is a pretty essential part of race week here in Kona.  1000's of people basically get together and run in speedos/underwear for a little more than a mile.  We all essentially make fun of ourselves.  This year was great though - Aiden ran the whole thing by himself and was one of the youngest, if not the youngest little dude out there.  He ran the thing in his shark underwear.

Came back to the hotel for yet another killer breakfast and took a nice little nap.  Headed down to meet my parents by the pool and for a little swim with Aiden.  Aiden is an absolute machine in the water - I sat on the side of the pool while he jumped in and swam to the side over and over and over.  Best 2+ year old I have ever seen in the water.  Before I headed up, I took him over to the "big slide" and pushed him down by himself.  He was very scared.  Sorry bud - I'll go down it with you next time. Maybe. 

Had a massage at 3 again to work out any last minute issues, then came back for a beer before heading up to Sam Choy's again for some dinner.  I've had Poké every night and have been loving it.

Hit the bed hard and feel pretty okay about that.  One more day before it's finally on.

Pictures are in reverse chronological order for some reason today

Sunset from dinner

This is how all of the hotel room looks right now.  Absolute disaster area

Mommy and Aden sporting some nice underwear for the run

Post run.  It was hot and the kid needed to rehydrate indeed.

Beth was able to get much of an assignment for grad school done

Beer/wine chill before heading up for food

Aquatic monster Aiden

Elvis came to this years underpants run

Our attire - aiden joined me and took the shirt off

Kona: Day Four - Wednesday

My nerves started to fire up a bit today.  With only 3 more sleeps until the race, I was a little more on edge in the morning than I have been.  It didn't last past breakfast, but the thought of racing in a few days was definitely there.

After another successful breakfast, Mom and Dad took Aiden for the day to leave Beth and myself to have some time.  I started my day at fourish again, so I took a little nap for 15 minutes before the maids woke me up.  I also took the quiet opportunity while our son was gone (don't want the kid to see daddy cleaning a bike in a shower) to smuggle the bike into the shower to clean it.  It was beyond messy.

Beth has a big assignment to get done for grad school, so the plan was for her to take a few hours to get stuff done while I rode today.  That didn't happen.  What did happen was I got on my bike and rode into Kailua Kona town to meet her for a swim.  The water was amazingly clear and we swam together for probably 1,200 yds.  We got out and watched some people for 20 minutes before we went to grab my bike before two.  There is a nice area for athletes to check their bikes while they swim.  Ironman world championship is a truly global event.  The family we were really watching at the beach was a Saudi family.  The Mom had the full cover (think its called an aba) on while the daughter and son had basic bathing suits on.  Dad was ripped as hell in a speedo.

I got the bike back and then we walked for an hour and a half or two around town then down towards the expo.  The expo is located on Ali'i drive about a third mile from the pier.  It's a substantial expo, so I can only take so much of it.  Get my free stuff and get out.  On the way out, I met a guy I have known through social media/slowtwitch since Ironman Florida of last year...  Bruce was an awesome guy to finally meet, and I am sure that I will see him a few more times before the week is over.

Mom, Dad, and Aiden had called and were super close and offered to pick Beth up and I rode the bike the 6 or so miles back down Ali'i drive to the Sheraton.

We had dinner and drinks here again, and all was awesome with that.


Just a few more days till its game on.

No joke - I laughed when I saw this this morning.  Poor little confused 6 month old seal bit some people.  Guess  he knows what October on the Big Island is all about now.

Messy.  I would never, ever, ever do this at my house.

Walking and lugging bike around Kona

I don't see these ones in Maui.

Amazing moth on the crank of a bike.  The trek dudes were cool with it.

The expo is like a lot of this

And this

Andy Potts

Chrissie Wellington

This is a very nice little church that would seat about 10 people.  This is also the first turn-arond spot on the marathon course along Ali'i drive.  I think it's at like mile 4.5 or something.  When you get here, you only have about 22 miles to run... Light at the end of the tunnel.

Beer number one of the day with some 3 year old to play ukulele 

Looking for manta rays

Kona: Day Three - Tuesday

Ironman week finally feels like it's here!

I started the day out with a five mile run on the treadmill at 6:30ish/open marathon pace to loosen things up.  My plan for a taper is always to keep the intensity around, while substantially decreasing the overall milage that I do both on the run and in the bike.  I followed up that good run with an equally great breakfast again here at the Sheraton.  Huge plate of veggies/eggs.

The second workout of the day was a 21 mile ride from hotel out on the highway, then ending at the pier for the check in and athlete registration.  Registration opened today at 9am and I wanted to get this done in the morning.  I met everyone (family) outside of the King Kemehameha hotel and left the bike with them.

Registration process for the world championship is a bit different than other Ironman races.  They don't let family back with you, and you are assigned a person that will walk through all the papers and stuff.  Many of the volunteers here are people who travel to Kona just to put on a volunteer shirt and help for the week.

When I was done with registration, I was led out to the official ironman store.  Mom was stocking up on shirts/hats/etc and feeding the business that is Ironman.  Went back to hotel and then off for a massage.  A very painful but successful massage.

We had reservations at "fish hopper" restaurant for the parade of nations at 5.  The parade of nations is like an opening ceremony type of parade that athletes can choose to walk in if you want to.  I get the feeling that some countries really encourage athletes to walk (Germany, Australia) while others don't (USA).

Day ended with a visit to the ABC store, walk back to the car, and a crash in the bed.  Just a few more sleeps until the big one.

These signs are everywhere on the highway.  There are also some places to stop and get liquids/foods.  Training aid stations.

The natural energy lab.  This was my favorite part of the course last year.  It's on the last half of the marathon - you go down near the ocean and run along the water for a little bit and catch a nice cooling breeze.

Aiden has started to LOVE chocolate milk - this is pretty cool

Inside registration - checking names off

Sitting down and going over everything

Bib #'s and packets

Posters from every Ironman World Championship race

Ironman plate dude

Ironman store

Green wristbands brand the competitors this year

Cement trucks?

Germany was well represented

I have owed this ukulele to Aiden for a while

Kona: Day Two - Monday

Race week has officially begun here but the whole race/Ironman thing feels pretty far off.  Yeah, there are tons of super fit people all over, but the masses just aren't here yet.  I think this will change over the next two days.

This morning started off great.  I got up around 4am again and hung out with my still not-adjusted kid for a while.  The game plan will be to keep getting up this early, but try and nap every day from here till Saturday.  I normally rise around 4-4:30 back in Boulder as a time to spend by myself (alone time) so this is nothing different.

First thing we did was go down and grab some breakfast at around 8.  I am a huge breakfast fan.

Then, as planned, I got on the bike for a 42 mile ride up the Queen K and back.  I kept the effort at IM pace for 80 percent of this ride and felt okay.  The winds were awesome, and by awesome I mean non-existant.  I was able to hold 22mph avg on about 190w, and that was amazing.  I would absolutely love to have these conditions on race day.  Chances are we will not be this lucky.

I met my family back at the pier for a swim.  I don't know if it was the time or what, but the crowds that usually gather at dig me beach were not there.  Like I said, I think this will all change over the next few days.  For the swim, I just hopped in and swam a mile.  First time swimming with a garmin 910xt so it was very cool to know how far I went.  Water was very rough, but clear.  This is my favorite swim course in the world...  It's a coral reef the whole way.  When I got out far enough, shark week popped into my mind and scared the shit out of me.  I made it back to the pier much faster than on the way out.  Thanks Discovery Channel.

Walked for 30 minutes in Kailua and hit the Rudy Project site for some cheap glasses for Beth and myself then headed back to the hotel to sit until it was time for a luau.

Evening ended with a great dinner/show right downstairs at the Sheraton Luau.  We did this last year and it was a hit with Aiden, so naturally, we ended up doing it again.  What a great way to top off day #2.

Race registration opens tomorrow am - it's about to get real.

Dad and Aiden this morning before breakfast

Lava, lava, and more lava

Out on the Queen K highway.  This is what much of the course looks like.  It makes for some mental challenges

Looking at fish before hopping in for swim

Beth and I posing for the exact same picture as last year

Kailua

Interactive part of the Luau.  Poi balls