My First Kona Part III

THE END.

I couldn't believe that I was eating my breakfast in such a tired state. Just a few hours ago everything was great! I was wide awake and ready to go. Now I just wanted to go back to bed. There wasn’t even any real excitement about what was about to take place.

Luckily I felt a bit more peppy after I got some food in me. My mom, Jess, and Cicely all loaded up in the Jeep and headed to the start. It looked like it was going to be a nice day with light winds. Although, you really never know in Kona.




We had parked at Uncle Billy’s Hotel because my friend’s John and Maggie were staying there without a car so we took their spot. That was KEY. It was nice to not have to take the shuttle and also not drive around forever looking for a place to park.




I got out and decided I would head to T1 and meet them after I was all set up. It seemed like a good idea to do a light jog over there to get a bit warmed up. How in the world did I start having hamstring cramps from that LOL! I mean REALLY! The day hadn’t even started and I felt “twitchy”! That has been my big thing when it comes to races. I have a tendency to get hamstring cramps on the run. I’m not really sure why they happen when they do. Maybe nutrition or maybe they have just had enough? Who knows?




I figured the cramps I was having now was coming from nerves so I stopped running and walked. I got over to the area where they body mark you and got in line. The line had an interesting feel to say the least. Some people were clearly on edge while others where up beat and excited. I was neither. I just stood there by myself waiting and wondering why everyone needed to talk so much that early. There was a volunteer that kept shouting “Pros PLEASE come to the front. Are THERE ANY PROS in line?” She repeated it over and over and over. I wanted to say “Look lady! Pro’s know what to do. That is why they are called pro’s. It‘s not necessary to act like it is 6:42am.” I think she was more excited than any of us LOL. “PROS! I NEED ALL PROS! PROS! PROS!” Dear god would a pro please show up and put this hen to rest! Sheesh.




Anyway, I made it to my two sweet little old ladies that were going to be my body markers. They were a KICK! “Hi sugar. What’s your number?” That made me laugh because it sounded like they were hitting on me. Who knows? There were defiantly a few cougars roaming that island this week! They took there time and put those numbers on me like they were painting the Sistine Chapel. I wish I had remembered their names as they were a highlight of my morning. Probably Margaret or Dolores. Maybe Helen?




I caught up with Marky V and we went over to the bikes. Transition was controlled chaos. People were running around futzing with everything under the sun (that wasn’t really out yet). It made me start to think if there was something I should be doing??? The bike was there, everything was in my bags, bottles were on the bike and I had on what I was swimming in. What the hell was everyone doing? I had to get out of there fast. Denny walked over and we all gave our tires a last check and then I was like “PEACE OUT!” I couldn’t handle being around that many crazy people! So I set off to find a nice “safe haven” of a bathroom. There is ALWAYS a toilet at a race that has NO line. You just have to look hard. But when you find it you have to follow the “Safe Haven Code of Ethics” which is that you can only tell ONE person about it. I’m sure I am breaking a “Safe Haven” rule right now. First rule of “Safe Havens”- You do NOT talk about Safe Havens.




While I was in my SHORT line for the safe haven I noticed some cameras started filming right next to me and they seemed to be filming the porta potty. I wanted to ask them if they were purposely trying to blow the cover of this safe haven! But I kept quiet.




So when the door of the porta that they had been filming opens open’s, Mr. Bachelor Andy Baldwin came out. They were blowing the cover of the safe haven for that tool! Cicely and I have this thing going because I call the bachelor a “tool” and she just keeps saying “why you gotta call him a tool? Leave him alone!” I wanted to look into the camera and say “And the Bachelor poops too!” But again I kept quiet. Rare.


It was a good dump. Always a nice way to start a race. I call it the “Crystal Ball” dump. It’s usually in sync with how the rest of the day will go LOL. I know. TMI, but I am a poop humor guy…




So I met up with my crew outside the Transition area. They were all standing there just looking at me like I was going to explode or something.
“What?”
“Nothing. Are you excited?”
“Sure”
“What’s next?”
“I guess we wait.”
“For what?”
“For me to go in the water.”
“ok”




Then it hit me. I knew I forgot something!! I didn’t have a pre swim Gel! That sent the crew into a tizzy like a pile of ants that got spit on.




“OH MY GOD WE NEED A GEL!!!!!” “GELLLLL! WE NEED A GEL!” It was like that episode of “I Love Lucy” when she finally was going to have Little Ricky. I just stood there while the crew went crazy! (that was gay)




How ironic was it when nobody around had one. Especially since we were standing under a giant two story blow up thing that looked like a Power Gel. That was what I really wanted because I know that my stomach likes them and mentally it is what I use. No luck though. Maybe if I poke a hole in this two story gel I could suck some out LOL!




Anyway, Jessica, I think, found a gel but it wasn’t a Power Gel. It was some nasty flavor of one of the other kinds out there. I wasn’t going to take it until I exhausted all my resources in the Power Gel hunt. At least now I had something to trade up.




The people that I found that actually had a Power Gel looked at me like “You’re not getting my Power Gel! You better step back from the Gel Blondie!” But then I realized I could just go back to my bike and take a chug form my gel bottle and then I could grab a Power Gel on the course if I came up short.




The pro race was off already so transition was now closed. It was time to turn on the charm and get to my bike. Luckily I got some woman volunteer that was over excited to help out. “What’s the issue? Mhhmmm. Okay. Okay. Lets remain calm. We need to get you to your bike! Lets go. Hustle! Hustle!”




She escorted me to my bike and I took a quick chug from the bottle and felt much better. But now the line to get into the water was really long. I think she saw my distress so she grabbed me and off we went. She took me through the transition area and then around by the hoses and opened a gate that let me jump right into the water. That was pretty sweet because it seemed that it was taking everyone FOREVER to get in.




It was official now. I was in the water for my first Kona! I started my swim out to the start line and figured I should take Denny’s advice and go over to the far left. There was a “Ford” buoy in the water and I figured I might run into him over there. Truthfully I didn’t want to see anyone I knew before the race because I really wanted this to be my swim and do it alone (so to speak).




When I got to the front we had to tread water for about 7 min. It seemed like 20 min and this dude kept grabbing me and kicking me. I thought we were all doing that and then I realized no, I am not touching anyone. So I turned around and kindly asked him to try and stop. “JESUS CHRIST! STOP GRABBING ME!!!!” Well that came out wrong. Luckily the gun went off shortly after that. I was ready to be in the washer that is the Ironman swim.




To my surprise it was the calmest swim I had ever been in! For the first 10 min it was ass if it was myself and about 4 other people swimming. I had to look up because that might be a sign that we are way off course but we weren’t. It started to bunch up a little bit here and there as people tried to upgrade the feet they were on. Some chick pushed me off the feet I was on so I just moved over to another pair. I tried to get right on the hips rather than on the feet and as I did that I saw that I was now drafting off the bachelor. I knew it was him because I saw him in the safe haven area and knew what he had on. Plus he has a funny looking chest that is very recognizable. Anyway, I started laughing in my head about drafting off the bachelor. I could just hear Cicely “Who’s the tool now!” I was laughing internally all the way to the body glove boat at the turn around.




My laughter was interrupted when we made the turn because all of a sudden EVERYONE lost their manors. I don’t know what happened but that washing machine I was expecting at the start was happening now. I was getting grabbed, kicked, pulled ,pushed under, you name it! I had to pull my head up at one point and give this guy a look! You know the look. The “If you do that one more time I’m gonna kick your ass” look.




When we turned again to head back to the pier it seemed to be less crazy. I say less because it was still crazy and would be all the way back in. Where all these people came from I don’t know???? It was so pleasant on the way out…..sigh.




I just kept swimming on feet. I was kinda bored at one point because we were going as fast as I could go in the mess of people that I was in. I tired a few times to get around and try and move up but it was way too crowded so I just stayed where I was. At least it felt really easy.




When I saw the pier as I took my breaths I got excited. Not just because it was about to be over but because I felt so good! I was a little worried that my legs would cramp as I exited but there was no sign of that. I grabbed a quick rinse and headed into the tent. I checked my watch and saw that I swam exactly one hour. I thought I would be a bit quicker than that but whatever.
As I sat down in the change tent the volunteer took all my stuff out and was helping me get ready. Then I got a tap on the shoulder. I look over and Denny is sitting right next to me LOL…“Hey Buddy“ Again I get more proof to my theory that I can get out of the water at the same time as many of the people that swim way faster than me in the pool. Not sure how I do that?…But I do.




Denny ran out of the tent before I did but it motivated me to hurry my ass up and get on the bike. I know that I can ride with Deny if I want so it would be cool to have him in sight. I put the helmet on and headed for my bike trying not to slip in my bike shoes. I wear mine rather than have them attached to the bike. I would say only about 1% of the people that put their shoes on the bike are good enough at getting in them where they actually save time. I usually pass about 5 people that are swerving trying to get their feet in. At Honu it was crazy because we started the ride on a hill and nobody could do it. I counted 15 people that time LOL.




So the bike begins and it was as exciting as all the hype about it. People were everywhere and there were lots of cyclists around me. I found myself passing quite a few on that first section. I was a tad bit nervous making the turn on the “hot corner” because of all the people. It only takes one loopy rider to take us out. Of course there was no issue and we rode on by. I heard the crew yell out a few times. It is really hard to miss Jessica’s voice. And now low and behold we have a new tri groupie in Miss Maggie! She was now officially Jessica’s side kick. The two of them know how to get their cheer on!




I used the first out and back section to get a look and see where everyone was. I wanted to see how far away the top women were because they might be a nice target to try and go after. Denny was in sight and I rolled up next to Mark Pietrofessa and a few other people I knew. The pace I was going seemed really easy but it was kinda hard to tell because everything was so bunched up. I had no computer on the bike and no heart rate monitor. I was going 100% on feel. I had an Ergomo Pro Power Meter but it went down and they couldn’t get me one to use before the race. I will use it next year in training but only to help me push harder in a workout. I know how to ride steady on feel.




Once we got out on the queen K we were one giant pelliton. I was trying my best to stay legal or at least off to the side in a stagger to be as fair as possible. Every time I put the 7 meter gap in some schmuck would pop in and push me back further. It was pissing me off a bit.




I rolled up to Denny. He was sitting up and looked like he was on a coffee shop ride. I asked him what was going on and he said he had been vomiting since the swim. Not a good sign but also nothing to get too alarmed about. He was doing the right thing by taking it easy and letting things settle. It is such a long day that a little barf in the beginning might just be salt water.




Denny and I talked about the drafting problem that was at hand. A few other guys were being vocal too trying to find a way to break it up. I just pulled back and rode at the very end for a while to see what they were going to do. I knew that if I just hammered it for a while to try and gap them that I could be throwing my whole race away. Not to mention these guys would just sit on my wheel and draft. Very few people were trying to be fair.




Denny did what I had thought about and went off the front. I watched him pull the entire pack with him. Looking back on it I should have just gone with them. The drafting was so ridiculous that it seemed as if getting a 4 min penalty would still be a better way to go. I wanted to ride fair though and I think ultimately it put me a bit further back in the end….I later heard that there were only 2 qualified draft marshals on the course and that the rest were just volunteers. That is not a confirmed statement but it would make sense because many times there was a ref near the pack and they just looked at everyone. I guess that is just the way it goes.




So my ride went very well. I was alone a good majority of the time. I passed a ton of riders on the climb up to Hawi. I saw Albert Boyce and had a quick chat. He seemed like he was really rocking it. It was also odd to see Normans Kuota sitting on the side of the road. I couldn’t believe he was out of it now. In fact, when I saw the top guys on the way back there seemed to be many of the top players missing. I knew Macca was gonna win the race when he went by.




I had made the right decision to put the Aero bottle on the bike. I was sucking down Gatorade bottles like never before. I was also getting in a good amount of water and by the end of the ride I had taken all 12 of my gels that I had in my water bottle. I mixed them with a bit of water so it would be easy to drink. I also had 20 of Jonathin Toker’s Salt stick salt pills. I would say that I nailed the nutrition that day on the bike. I had zero solid food.




Once back on the Queen K. I thought I would just try and hold my pace the whole way in. I was moving just fine and if I maintained it, I would have a great ride. I was never passed from that point and only over took people. I came up to Lisa Bently just before Blue Hawaiian and I had to laugh because I passed her and then about 30 seconds later she passed me back. I never slowed down and was moving considerably faster than her. Not to mention that I had to catch up to her from the separate start. So I waited a min as she slowed back down and then went around and made another pass but this time I turned it up a little because I didn’t want’ her to keep doing that. After 5 min I looked back and she was gone as well as the few other guys that were with her.




It was just me and the occasional clump that I would pass. I don’t think I passed one person riding by themselves. At one point I came up to two guys and I just looked at them and said “Maybe next time you would like to do it on a tandem bike” and then speed off.




I had just passed the four seasons and was now on my way to the airport. In the distance I could see a female pro that was in all black. She looked like Hillary but I couldn’t tell for sure. When I got up closer it was in fact her. I pulled up next to her and had a quick chat. It was so cool to be having that moment because it was only a little over two years ago that she had dragged me into the Ironman distance and started coaching me. And now here we were rolling down the Queen K! Very cool.




We talked for all of 20 seconds and then I kept plugging away. I came up to JZ as well and was concerned about how her day was going. She gets out of the water at the front and she can ride well so I was surprised to see her back where she was. She had a positive attitude going so I guess it was all good. I made the comment that she had some guy sucking her wheel and she laughed. I asked him how he felt sucking a chicks wheel that is riding a pink bike? Then I speed off.




I was so EXCITED when I saw town. I felt so amazing right now and thought “I am going to have a good race!” I wasn’t sure what my bike time was going to be but I knew it wasn’t going to suck so now all I have to do is back it up with a good run.




I took my feet out of the shoes for the last ½ mile or so to cool them off. I never do that but I wanted to make sure I didn’t have “hot foot” going into the run. I really wanted to hit a sub 3:05 run not just for myself but also to win the bet with Macca and get some free food LOL. He said if I go sub 3:05 food is on him for the rest of the trip! I was in shape to do it. I can run way faster than that pace normally so it was really a matter of just executing it.




When I rolled into T2 they took my bike and I made the longer run around to the transition tent. My stuff was waiting in the hands of a volunteer and he squated down and began taking the bag out. He saw that I had running shorts in it and started to ask me if I wanted a towel but as he looked up I was already standing there naked haha. I grabbed the shorts from him and put them on as fast as I could, sat down to put my shoes on and the next thing I know I was peeing in the chair. I tried to stop it but I couldn’t LOL! I looked at the dude and was like “I’m sorry but I am peeing all over the place” He laughed and got a towel for under the chair. It sure felt good though and I think was a sign that I am nice and hydrated. When it finally stopped, (It went on forever!) I headed out.




They had giant exterminator cans filled with sunscreen and was spraying it on everyone. That was pretty smart of them. I got screened up in both transitions and avoided getting any burns from the race. I literally had no tan lines when it was said and done. I think not getting torched by the sun is a big part of that race.




When I began the run I felt so good from the first step. There was no awkwardness phase for me. That made me feel even more pressure to hit that run. I passes by Jessica and gave here a quick hello. Within 2 min of the run I was passed by some dude and this is possibly where the downfall of my run came. I am not used to being passed on a run. I think it has happened twice since I started triathlon and both those times were when I felt like crap. Now I felt great and I was getting passed. Then I got passed some more. At some point I decided to pick it up and run with someone. Mistake! I should have run a pace that felt ridiculously slow for that first 10 miles.




I came through 5K at 19:25. That was WAY too fast! Did I slow down and adjust my pace? NO! Why? I felt good and was acting CRAZY! I really did feel great. So I just kept rolling. I think the “logic” that went through my head at the time was “well I feel good and I know I will slow down at some point but maybe I will slow down to 7 min miles?” That would be an awesome run of around 2:54 or so. The other problem that backed up my logic at the time was that I truly feel I could run that.




Lets just say it was dumb logic that was heat induced haha. HOWEVER, I do think there is one other thing that happened in the first 10 miles that might have changed things. I had grabbed a gel and saw that it had caffeine in it. I didn’t want caffeine at the time and rarely use it in the first place so I ditched it and just had Gatorade. This happened twice in that segment so I missed out on about 200 calories. When my run went “Sour” it felt similar to a bonk which makes me think that the missed calories might have had something to do with that. You hear all the time of people not getting their special needs bag on the bike because it wasn’t ready and then having a crappy race because they don‘t go back for it. What I did on the run was similar.





Had that not happened and I ran a non crazy pace I think I would have been okay.
The reason I think I would have been okay comes from what happened from the exit of the energy lab to the finish. Basically I bounced back and was running fast again. But lets talk about that bonk section first.




Once I hit Palani I noticed that getting up it was a bit rough. I figured it was just because it was a hill. So I went up it a bit slower and then as I crested and turned onto the queen K I found the feeling wasn’t going to go away. Jessica had told me that Denny was about 8 min up and that Marky V was closer and not having a fun time. It is always nice to know where your training buddies are. It seemed like Denny was having a great race but I would be seeing Marky V very soon. Although, my run was going into shut down mode so there was a chance I might be seeing Hillary again. I really didn’t want that to happen.




I was able to keep a decent pace through the construction section on the Queen K but then I hit an aid station and just stopped. I grabbed Gatorade and sponges. My head was really hot and I felt like my legs were done. I didn’t get that discouraged for some reason and it didn’t really cross my mind at the time that it could end up being a VERY long day. I just kept shuffling along thinking that the Energy Lab would pop up at any moment. It didn’t and the strips of road just seemed like 100’s of miles. I only walked when I was at an aid station but the running I was doing felt oh so similar to my run at Honu this year. Not a pleasant feeling.




Somehow I made it to the entrance to the Energy Lab. It seemed like the down hill helped because I was able to pick my pace up a bit. Then my mind started to clear a bit and I think that all the calories I had taken in on my bad patch were kicking in. I could see Marky V in the distance and then I saw Denny pass me in the other direction. He looked really good. Even in my despair I thought “hmmm? I am starting to feel good again. Maybe I can still run him down.”
I passed Marky V right near special needs. We chatted for a second and I tried to get him to run with me. He was having serious issues with his lower back. I felt bad for him because it is one thing to be tired but another to have actual pain. It sucks. So I had to leave him and try and get things rolling again if I was going to try and catch Denny.




When I turned out of the Lab it was as if I was back in my first 10 miles of the run. I was moving again and probably doing 7 min miles. Not as fast but it felt like it. I began to pass people back and thought “If I can just keep this up I will have a really good day even with the bad section”. My PT Bob Cranny told me “Remember, it doesn’t always get worse”. He was right. Things went from great to good to bad to horrible to good and now we were great again.




Part of the challenge now was to continue to get the proper calories in. I decided that I would gel up at the aid stations in an effort to not bonk again. This did help me from going into a calorie issue but it created a small stomach one. I got a side stitch just as I was heading back into the construction area. I can run through them but they are not comfortable to say the least. I just kept the breathing nice and shallow and tried to relax the area. It ultimately slowed me down but I think the water I took in helped it work it self out.




As I ran back up towards Palani it felt hard again. But I was able to run through the “hard’ feeling” and knew I was getting close. As I crested and turned down Palani I heard someone yell “Go Heather”….Oh HELL NO! I am not about to get run down by a girl at the end of my first Hawaii LOL. It was Heather Golnick and I know that she can run fast. I watchered her run down JZ this year at IM AZ. She was going to make me work for it.




I saw Amy (one of the race directors at Vineman) and gave a quick groan at her. I really had to get my legs moving because Golnick was not taking prisnors. I couldn’t believe I was going to have to work this freaking hard at the end of my Ironman. I really wanted to casually run to the finish. But NO! We were now running close to 6 min mile pace and at that point in the race it felt like 5 min miles.




Heather was clearly going for 4th as the there was a chick in sight. I mumbled something to her and then she surged and passed me. That got another “HELL NO!” from me. I had no shame and I sprinted right past her and kept it up. So for my first Hawaii I will always get to remember out kicking Heather Golnick (who I was 15 min ahead of to begin with LOL)




Apparantly as I made my way to the finish line my mother found her “Boston Marathon Legs” and took of running. Cicely and Jessica laughed because one min she was standing there and the next she was already in the tent area. She used to run fast in her day. Her day would still be here if running didn’t completely cripple her feet (an issue I am trying to ward off!).




I got up that stupid ramp they have at the finish line and just stood there bent over for a min. The ramp isn’t stupid unless you are in the race. Otherwise it is a great idea! But at that moment it was stupid. The fact that I had to think about how I was going to get back down it is the reason it is stupid.




I took my time after the race an layed out on the lawn for a while. I was tired. I was happy and excited but at the same time I felt dissapointment. I went 9:26 which is my fastest IM to date, yet it left a sour taste in my mouth. Granted you really can’t be upset when you PR but my run was such a downer. 3:16. I know for some that is a great run, but for me it just plain sucks. HOWEVER, I feel I learned so much from this race that I can nail a 3 hour run next time I give it a go.




So enough with the Debbie Downer talk. WOO! HOO! Hawaii #1 is done. I think writing this report was harder than the race. With that said I won’t promise to write about the after race partying that took place or how Denny broke my shoulder on the last day! Meeker, you are a lucky man that we have cortisone shots!




Congrats to everyone that raced. Our Boulder Crew did awesome with Denny having a stellar day and Marky V getting a PR too. Billy had another consistant race. I think that was 3 IM’s for him this year??? Of course Macca won! Teresa pulled off a second in her age only to a former pro! GO COUGAR! Albert Boyce, Mark Petriofesa (sp?) Mitch Gold and Big E all did great (Epic vets) but I think the race of the day goes to Scott Davis who went 9:40. We think that he was getting extra hypoxic training on his rides because he talks so much!!! Linnea pulled off her FIRST IM ever. That’s got to be hard in Hawaii. And Lori was turning heads out there on the bike and run!



THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH TO EVERYONE THAT CAME TO KONA TO HANG AND SUPPORT! The entire experience would have been nothing without you!



I really also want to thank Jane Scott for being there for all of us throughout the year. None of our swiming would have been where it was without you. And also to Gordo for helping bring us all together for one of the best summers ever!




Well there it is…..KONA. Everything and nothing what I expected.