Kona - World Championships October 2009

The Wife and I landed in Kona around 1pm after a rather uneventful flight on The Tuesday before the race on Saturday. This is me getting some pre-race hydration. Natasha Badmann was sitting at a table across from us. Much to my friend Haroon's dismay, I did not pass on his number to her.
Team Wheelbuilder fed-ex'd the bike in a TriAll3 Sports bike box. It wasn't humid or hot when we got through the airport--yeah right. We took a cab to King Kamehameha hotel, the host hotel for the Ironman World Championships. Rooms were updated but the common grounds needed a total makeover, which I guess is going to happen and be done by next year. We checked in, picked up the bike box from the operations department and then the Wife went in and registered for the race.
In the late afternoon we went for a little loosen up jog/run. Wednesday morning we swam out to the Coffees of Hawaii boat for a little expresso. The water was beautiful, clear, warm and calm. Around noon, we took the bike out for a little spin. We took a cab out to the Queen K highway just before Waikoloa at a rest stop in the middle of the lava fields. I sat in the sun -- there was no shade other than my shadow -- while Johnna went out for an hour ride. It was friggin' hot, but I didn't mention it when she returned.
Thursday was another swim (we ran into Beautiful Body Alan - the BBA), and this time I won a pair of blue seventy goggles by nearly splitting my ear drums diving to the bottom. After the swim, we hooked up with the Wife's bro and wife, and the Wife's parents. We went out on a drive of the bike course. 56 miles out and 56 miles back. Over 90 degrees out, but I didn't say anything. We drove by the Energy Lab.

Friday was a nice rest day. A little swim and the Wife prepared her gear and bike for check in. I took the inlaws on a little tour of Kona with a stop at the famous coffee eatery Lava Java on Ali'i Drive. I bought a TShirt.. Great coffee, sandwiches, salads, baked goods and lots of healthy eats. A lot of pros hanging out the day before the race. Lots of compression socks. Too many compression socks. Picked up the Wife some dinner and she headed to be at 8pm.
RACE DAY. A close friend sent over his Easy Button.

The Wife had a 2am for big feeding. We then got up at 4:30am and headed downstairs to the body marking at 5:15. The Wife got bodymarked, loaded up the bike with drinks and nutrition, and then we headed back to the room to relax and take a few deep breaths. It was at least 72 degrees out around 6am. The hotel lobby was filled with triathletes resting on the carpet waiting to head to the swim start. I kissed the Wife goodluck and she headed off to the water. I joined the in laws on the seawall around 615 and waited for the start. The pre start festivities were pretty cool with Navy Seals landing in surf. The cannon went off and the mayhem began.
Well, the WIFE should write her own race report. Maybe I'll paste it in if she ever writes one. She had a great race, but here's a list of all the things we did while she was racing.
--Watched the pros come out of the water.
-- Watched the pros and the first age groupers come out of T1 until we saw the WIFE.
--Watched the last 30 minutes of the swim. Watched a hearbreaker when the heart transplant guy missed the swim cut-off by mere seconds.
--Watched all the pros come in off the bike and head out onto the run.
--Watched the pros at the hot corner which intersects mile 10 and mile 25ish.
--Watched the WIFE come off the bike and then ran over to see the Pro men and women finish.
-- Watched Chrissie Wellington win and break the record.
--When the pros were finishing, it must have been 95-100 degrees and humid humid humid.
--Hit the hot corner again to see the WIFE at mile 10 of the Run. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbyJjrmc7Lg
--Had some beers right along the run start out of T2.
--Had some mai tais along the run finish
-- Watched the WIFE finish!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPzyvDnhFJU
-- Helped her get medal and helped her visit the old medical tent.
--The medal pick up and the food for the finishers is a long walk for the athletes--not a good idea in that heat.
--Went back to the finishing chute and watched the last 30 minutes.

About the finish--well it was like a cult ceremony. The lighting and shadows were surreal. The music was poinding. ACDC ThunderStruck. We watched some of the old biscuits finish. 75-80 year old men and women crossing the finish line before the midnight cut off. The winner of the biggest loser, however, did not make it. I've uploaded a video of the last minutes of the race. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cb-MZ7EzjLQ

Here's a link to all the Kona Pictures I took during the week. Also a link to the pro pictures. Craig Alexander looked amazing. His running style is so effortless. I would like to run like that but without that thing stuck in my mouth. He must have big nostrils.

Awesome time. I joined the Wife in the room after midnite, and we got up early the next day and went for a run. We then stayed up in Waikoloa, where the Wife stayed for a few days with her parents, and I returned home, back to non-ironman reality.