Kona was beautiful!!!!! The open water swimming was GREAT, sea turtles (see picture below) , lots of fish, clear, warm beautiful water. One can see 40 feet down. The open water swims had 400 people and free coffee on the boat at the ½ way point, how nice is that. It is circus like, every day it builds more and more. The fitness is amazing (I would be considered FAT).The underwear run was very funny (see the last 3 pictures in this blog entry) this is part of the circus, Bike check in is part of the circus, there are people counting the types of bikes, wheels, shoes, and etc.
Race Day: The anticipation of my 3rd IM in 11 months and in Kona, my head was spinning. 4 AM and I am up having some Kona coffee (that is much Better than Starbuck’s any day), and stuffing some food in me for the day ahead.
The swim was Fantastic, you start a few 100 yards out, so I was treading water by the Ford sign, when we started it was amazing 2000+ off to do a really BIG group open water swim. The fish and turtles all ran away when they saw this group of crazies coming!
I work through T1, taking time to spread on plenty of sun screen to avoid ending up like an old French fry left under the heat lamps at Micky D’s. (Here's one of those famous Kona sea turtles -- just like swimming at West Neck Beach -- Eh?).
After a loop in town on the bike we head out on the Queen K and the Lava Fields which looks just like the surface of the moon, only a lot hotter. (I thought I saw Neal Armstrong and Sam Shepard at a water stop.) I heard that it was about 120 degrees out on the Queen K, although it doesn’t feel it, because the wind is blowing so hard, you don’t notice it.
The winds are blowing about 25-30 mph in my face all the way up to Havii, it was tough. Add in the cross wind gusts of 35-45 mph, & the hills, and I’m just hanging on for dear life. I kept thinking what a great tail wind & how FAST heading back will be, WRONG!
The wind turns around just about the same time I do & it’s back in my face all the way back. It makes for a long ride when you are into the wind for 6 hours. But I had a Big Smile & learned to respect the Kona bike course.
Off for a run. Did you every have one of those days ….. While I started to run, by mile 2 I remember that I did not change into my running legs in T2, a boy!!!! I had a tough run, let’s leave it at that. I prefer to remember the sunset, which I had the opportunity to watch as I was in the “Energy Lab”, and the a truly magical mile down Alii Dr. Magical !!! This was the hardest race I have done, but my favorite. I hope to have the opportunity to race Kona again, I feel like I’m not done on the course!
A special thanks to Simon and his wife, Nancy, Danielle Sullivan, Barbara Stagnari, & Nadine Crane. They are all vets of Kona and their smiling faces were a big help.
(ABOVE) Harry offers a prayer BEFORE the race... (BELOW) the rest of the pictures from the Underwear Run really don't need any captions -- sometimes pictures do speak louder than words. Thanks again to Harry for these great pictures, a great narrative and now becoming the third Huntington Master's Swim Team member to successfully complete the Ironman in Kona. Way to go Harry!
