...can't seem to fall asleep - can hear the TV through the earplugs, eye mask keeps the light out - wake several times during the night to make sure I didn't miss the alarm... alarm goes off at 4, in the bathroom a few minutes later eating a banana and drinking a protein drink - wonder if it's raining... go through the hotel room to the window trying not to wake anyone - drizzling rain - I wonder how cold it is... get dressed, two layers of sun tan lotion (just in case the sun comes out), lube the hot spots... go outside - rain, wet pavement, but not too cool - no point in getting to transition early - it's 5am sleep another half an hour - yeah that's the ticket - set the alarm, wake at 5:30 - wake Sena to drive me to the start - load the car - Sena drops me off and heads back to the hotel
...music, people, nervousness in the air... I'm starting to wake up - make my way to the transition area - past the volunteers with orange and green clown wigs -my bike and gear at hand... whoa - primo spot - end of the rack - very close to the bike exit and entrance - good start to the day! - towel down, running bag down, wet suit/swim cap/goggles, drinks, gels all in the right place... time for some body marking and gotta get my chip too... short line for the body mark - nice volunteer - old dude... off to the timing chip tent - they tell me I need my race number to get my timing chip (bar code reader)... still in bare feet, I jog back to the transition area, grab my number and timing chip ankle band and head back to get my timing chip... next stop, porta john - relatively short line, meet Bob Hoyt in line - nice guy - 2 time Kona finisher - tells me he is a good swimmer and todays swim is not going to be easy... back to transition, announcer is telling people less than 5 minutes until transition area closes... grab my swim stuff and realize I haven't filled my tires yet... my pump doesn't work - can't figure it out - next bike over has a pump - I use it - no worries... get kicked out of transition area by volunteers with brightly colored clown wigs...
check out the water - wavy, but not too bad - try to figure out the course - it looks so much different from the overview map I saw on-line last week! - I eavesdrop on several conversations where someone is explaining the course to someone else - I eventually think I know what I'm going to be doing out there - following the pack!... I see Sena and Erika - what a sight for sore eyes! Erika keeps me company and helps me put on my wetsuit - Sena goes off to find a cow bell... first wave starts - the announcer calls my wave to move into the water - long walk in the shallow water with a sandy bottom to the swim start - not time to warm up - ouch, I step on zebra mussel - they are sharp, hopefully no cut... put on my goggles, don't get a great suction, but it will have to do as they start my wave... I dolphin dive about 4 or 5 times - I'm in with the first 10 guys in my wave - swim is going well - no problems sighting - going straight - not too many people... I get to the first buoy, then the second - time to turn around, but I'm on the wrong side - will get as close as possible... swimming into the sun - waves are picking up - I'm in a nice rhythm with the waves, sighting occasionally, cool, still going straight - a little water in the goggles, will clear them at the next turn... make the turn, clear the goggles, but now I can't get a good suction - goggles fill with water, I stop to drain them, they fill with water, I stop to re-adjust - damn, losing time - just swim already... swim, swim, swim - drain, sight - damn these are new goggles - should I dump them - no, illegal and not environmentally friendly - oh well, do the best you can on the day - deal with it... swim, swim, swim - drain - "do you need help?" I hear as I almost swim into the canoe - oops "no thanks" - readjust, swim, swim, swim, drain, sight... finally the shore is in sight - other swimmers standing - I stand, dolphin dive, stand, dolphin dive, all the way back to shore - goggles, where are they - lost - look behind - no way to find them - forget it... get on the bike already...
run to bike, peel off wetsuit, my chip comes off my ankle -I dig for it and put it back on - grab helmet, sun glasses, bike - go, go, go - I hear Sena and Erika cheering me on - I can do this - faster, faster... ride on some carpet over the grass - strange - hammer bar falls out of the pockets of my new race shirt - damn - I still have to get my feet in the shoes... on the road, feet in shoes, moving well, legs a bit cramped, but still moving fast - passing people - nice - uphill, flat, bike computer says I'm moving well - passing more and more people - getting into the rhythm again - nice... rolling hills, big lake, life is good... someone passes me - hmm - unusual - don't try to chase him - stay steady... I see another rider that I very slowly catch and eventually pass - he passes me back - and again and again all day long - we share some jokes as we pass each other - young guy - tough on the flats - not so strong on the climbs - 686 is his number - I'll look up his results later... coming to the base of the biggest climb of the course - what? water bottles at the base? I don't want to lug a brand new water bottle to the top of the climb, but I need water and take it... I pass several people on the climb and am rewarded with the fastest section of the course over the next 5 miles or more - whee this is fun - I love to go really fast without putting forth an all out effort - I pass more and more people... finally getting to the sharpest decent for the day - be careful - what is this dummy doing in front of me - slowing down way to much - can't pass - too dangerous - he hugs the left - no passing on the right - too dangerous - gets to the bottom, makes the turn and practically stops - I finally pass him - sheez - that cost me at least 30 seconds... fewer passes, still moving well, getting tired, what happend to my electrolytes - fell out of my bento box - damn - not looking forward to the last five miles into the wind with hills... make the turn home and start pushing those last 5 miles - start passing people again - pass Bob Hoyt having some trouble on a hill - a bit too rough for everyone I guess - not easy, but almost done... get to the end of the bike and see Sena, Erika (taking a picture), Rachel! - hey look, my brother-in-law Mike and my nieces and nephew... go, go, go - rack the bike - socks on, shoes on, hat on, race belt in hand - running again - not so bad - stay steady - clip on race belt - run, run, run...
oh man this is hard - stay steady - let the blood get to the right muscles and you'll feel fine - 13 miles to go - look at the beautiful lake - nice breeze - my stomach - I think I'll need a port-a-john stop before the end - maybe, but not yet - follow the Asian dude that just passed you out of transition - you can beat him at least... hey, look at that young guy walking, looks like cramps - not enough water or electrolytes - easy to forget when hammering on the bike - ok start counting how many you can pass on the run and not get passed - 1 - hey here is a guy in my age group - 2 - legs are feeling better - steady - easy does it - what a nice day for a run - there's a port-a-john - should I stop? - wait a while - looks like that guy has to walk too - 3 - and now I'm passing a top woman - 4 - and an older guy - 5 - just keep following the Asian dude - he's got a good pace going... ok, a few miles down, only 10 to go - there is the tunnel they talked about at the pre-race meeting - and up my first hill - not too bad - another big hill through town - I pass another top female runner -6 - and the Asian dude just can't hang on in the hills - down he goes - that's 7 - ok, I don't see anyone in front of me - shade, glorious shade - lots of water stops with HEED, Hammergel and Endurolytes - perfect for me! - a dude with hose spraying runners who want it - I raise my arms to the heavens and get a real nice misting - nice... there's another runner ahead, I can probably catch him if I stay steady - no more port-a-johns around - may need to jump into the woods if things get urgent - stay focused - long, flat stretch and another pass - 8 - no one I can see ahead - just stay steady - another hill, then another - I see another runner and someone in front of him - easy does it, they're a long way off - water, Heed - why did I carry this Hammergel? - oh well, gives me something to hold onto... mile 6 done, sharp turn into a gravel drive - this must be the BIG hill - hmm doesn't look too bad - I can see 2 other runners in the distance - one at a time - up the hill - bongo drums - hot sun - that runner is walking - I should be able to run this thing - oh my legs are tired and sore - keep it up - think of something funny to say to the bongo man - "so when do we get to the big hill?" - he smiles - just a little more to go - at the top I get back to form - ready for the hunt - I hit the downhill and increase my leg turn over - side stitch - ouch - next runner has had it - stops for water, limping - another pass - 9 - I wonder how many people in front of me... I get a glimpse of one guy as I come through the college - mile 9 - he has a good lead - steady - coming through town - ghost town - I see no body except the stray volunteer - not sure exactly where the course goes - get through town and back to the lake runners coming in the opposite direction with a long way to go - only 3 more miles - runner in front has caught another runner - I'm making good time, but they are working against each other, really pushing the pace - not a chance - hold position - stay steady - good day - save something for tonight with the family - no watch - I wonder what time it is - I ask some pedestrians - not a clue - what a laid back place - I'm tired - why am I doing this again? - come on you're almost finished - port-a-john will be at the finish - has it been a mile yet - time is going so slow...
The finish line - go - finish - look good for the family - smiling? I didn't think I had a smile left - Cheers - announcer saying my name - crossing the line - nice... little kid trying to hand me a medal - no way - I bend down and let him put it on me - all part of the fun - ice bath at the finish - nice touch...
Family there at the end - good day - good experience - maybe I'll do it again!
...music, people, nervousness in the air... I'm starting to wake up - make my way to the transition area - past the volunteers with orange and green clown wigs -my bike and gear at hand... whoa - primo spot - end of the rack - very close to the bike exit and entrance - good start to the day! - towel down, running bag down, wet suit/swim cap/goggles, drinks, gels all in the right place... time for some body marking and gotta get my chip too... short line for the body mark - nice volunteer - old dude... off to the timing chip tent - they tell me I need my race number to get my timing chip (bar code reader)... still in bare feet, I jog back to the transition area, grab my number and timing chip ankle band and head back to get my timing chip... next stop, porta john - relatively short line, meet Bob Hoyt in line - nice guy - 2 time Kona finisher - tells me he is a good swimmer and todays swim is not going to be easy... back to transition, announcer is telling people less than 5 minutes until transition area closes... grab my swim stuff and realize I haven't filled my tires yet... my pump doesn't work - can't figure it out - next bike over has a pump - I use it - no worries... get kicked out of transition area by volunteers with brightly colored clown wigs...
check out the water - wavy, but not too bad - try to figure out the course - it looks so much different from the overview map I saw on-line last week! - I eavesdrop on several conversations where someone is explaining the course to someone else - I eventually think I know what I'm going to be doing out there - following the pack!... I see Sena and Erika - what a sight for sore eyes! Erika keeps me company and helps me put on my wetsuit - Sena goes off to find a cow bell... first wave starts - the announcer calls my wave to move into the water - long walk in the shallow water with a sandy bottom to the swim start - not time to warm up - ouch, I step on zebra mussel - they are sharp, hopefully no cut... put on my goggles, don't get a great suction, but it will have to do as they start my wave... I dolphin dive about 4 or 5 times - I'm in with the first 10 guys in my wave - swim is going well - no problems sighting - going straight - not too many people... I get to the first buoy, then the second - time to turn around, but I'm on the wrong side - will get as close as possible... swimming into the sun - waves are picking up - I'm in a nice rhythm with the waves, sighting occasionally, cool, still going straight - a little water in the goggles, will clear them at the next turn... make the turn, clear the goggles, but now I can't get a good suction - goggles fill with water, I stop to drain them, they fill with water, I stop to re-adjust - damn, losing time - just swim already... swim, swim, swim - drain, sight - damn these are new goggles - should I dump them - no, illegal and not environmentally friendly - oh well, do the best you can on the day - deal with it... swim, swim, swim - drain - "do you need help?" I hear as I almost swim into the canoe - oops "no thanks" - readjust, swim, swim, swim, drain, sight... finally the shore is in sight - other swimmers standing - I stand, dolphin dive, stand, dolphin dive, all the way back to shore - goggles, where are they - lost - look behind - no way to find them - forget it... get on the bike already...
run to bike, peel off wetsuit, my chip comes off my ankle -I dig for it and put it back on - grab helmet, sun glasses, bike - go, go, go - I hear Sena and Erika cheering me on - I can do this - faster, faster... ride on some carpet over the grass - strange - hammer bar falls out of the pockets of my new race shirt - damn - I still have to get my feet in the shoes... on the road, feet in shoes, moving well, legs a bit cramped, but still moving fast - passing people - nice - uphill, flat, bike computer says I'm moving well - passing more and more people - getting into the rhythm again - nice... rolling hills, big lake, life is good... someone passes me - hmm - unusual - don't try to chase him - stay steady... I see another rider that I very slowly catch and eventually pass - he passes me back - and again and again all day long - we share some jokes as we pass each other - young guy - tough on the flats - not so strong on the climbs - 686 is his number - I'll look up his results later... coming to the base of the biggest climb of the course - what? water bottles at the base? I don't want to lug a brand new water bottle to the top of the climb, but I need water and take it... I pass several people on the climb and am rewarded with the fastest section of the course over the next 5 miles or more - whee this is fun - I love to go really fast without putting forth an all out effort - I pass more and more people... finally getting to the sharpest decent for the day - be careful - what is this dummy doing in front of me - slowing down way to much - can't pass - too dangerous - he hugs the left - no passing on the right - too dangerous - gets to the bottom, makes the turn and practically stops - I finally pass him - sheez - that cost me at least 30 seconds... fewer passes, still moving well, getting tired, what happend to my electrolytes - fell out of my bento box - damn - not looking forward to the last five miles into the wind with hills... make the turn home and start pushing those last 5 miles - start passing people again - pass Bob Hoyt having some trouble on a hill - a bit too rough for everyone I guess - not easy, but almost done... get to the end of the bike and see Sena, Erika (taking a picture), Rachel! - hey look, my brother-in-law Mike and my nieces and nephew... go, go, go - rack the bike - socks on, shoes on, hat on, race belt in hand - running again - not so bad - stay steady - clip on race belt - run, run, run...oh man this is hard - stay steady - let the blood get to the right muscles and you'll feel fine - 13 miles to go - look at the beautiful lake - nice breeze - my stomach - I think I'll need a port-a-john stop before the end - maybe, but not yet - follow the Asian dude that just passed you out of transition - you can beat him at least... hey, look at that young guy walking, looks like cramps - not enough water or electrolytes - easy to forget when hammering on the bike - ok start counting how many you can pass on the run and not get passed - 1 - hey here is a guy in my age group - 2 - legs are feeling better - steady - easy does it - what a nice day for a run - there's a port-a-john - should I stop? - wait a while - looks like that guy has to walk too - 3 - and now I'm passing a top woman - 4 - and an older guy - 5 - just keep following the Asian dude - he's got a good pace going... ok, a few miles down, only 10 to go - there is the tunnel they talked about at the pre-race meeting - and up my first hill - not too bad - another big hill through town - I pass another top female runner -6 - and the Asian dude just can't hang on in the hills - down he goes - that's 7 - ok, I don't see anyone in front of me - shade, glorious shade - lots of water stops with HEED, Hammergel and Endurolytes - perfect for me! - a dude with hose spraying runners who want it - I raise my arms to the heavens and get a real nice misting - nice... there's another runner ahead, I can probably catch him if I stay steady - no more port-a-johns around - may need to jump into the woods if things get urgent - stay focused - long, flat stretch and another pass - 8 - no one I can see ahead - just stay steady - another hill, then another - I see another runner and someone in front of him - easy does it, they're a long way off - water, Heed - why did I carry this Hammergel? - oh well, gives me something to hold onto... mile 6 done, sharp turn into a gravel drive - this must be the BIG hill - hmm doesn't look too bad - I can see 2 other runners in the distance - one at a time - up the hill - bongo drums - hot sun - that runner is walking - I should be able to run this thing - oh my legs are tired and sore - keep it up - think of something funny to say to the bongo man - "so when do we get to the big hill?" - he smiles - just a little more to go - at the top I get back to form - ready for the hunt - I hit the downhill and increase my leg turn over - side stitch - ouch - next runner has had it - stops for water, limping - another pass - 9 - I wonder how many people in front of me... I get a glimpse of one guy as I come through the college - mile 9 - he has a good lead - steady - coming through town - ghost town - I see no body except the stray volunteer - not sure exactly where the course goes - get through town and back to the lake runners coming in the opposite direction with a long way to go - only 3 more miles - runner in front has caught another runner - I'm making good time, but they are working against each other, really pushing the pace - not a chance - hold position - stay steady - good day - save something for tonight with the family - no watch - I wonder what time it is - I ask some pedestrians - not a clue - what a laid back place - I'm tired - why am I doing this again? - come on you're almost finished - port-a-john will be at the finish - has it been a mile yet - time is going so slow...
The finish line - go - finish - look good for the family - smiling? I didn't think I had a smile left - Cheers - announcer saying my name - crossing the line - nice... little kid trying to hand me a medal - no way - I bend down and let him put it on me - all part of the fun - ice bath at the finish - nice touch...
Family there at the end - good day - good experience - maybe I'll do it again!
1 comment:
Cool story and excellent result! Way to go!
I could feel the excitement of the race. Reminded me of many of my races.
Thanks!
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