Ironman New Zealand 2011 Race Report

Ironman New Zealand

5 March 2011

Race Report – Ali Boggs

OK – this race report has been delayed in the writing as I simply didn’t know where to start.  In 8 Ironmans, 5 of them have varied from disappointing to devastating.  I am the queen of bad luck and I just can’t believe No. 8 was thwarted with both bad luck and bad management… it never gets easier!  If it wasn’t for the many, many familiar faces along the course, I would have pulled the pin on the race at T2.  Thanks to all the support out there in absolutely atrocious conditions – you guys deserve the medal WAY more than I do.  The appropriate initials beside my name this year should have been DNF, but my stubborn ‘do or die’ attitude made me finish.  The doctors in medical were very surprised that I crossed the line instead of being delivered in an ambulance…that pretty much sums up my day.  About 10mins after crossing the line, I finally mustered the energy to ask ‘what time is it?’ – I had absolutely no idea what my finish time was, I was convinced it must have been about 10.00pm.  I actually laughed out loud when they said it was 7.20pm – I had already been in for about 10mins so I figured I had ‘burgled’ the bloody thing, yet again, in just over 12hrs. 

12hrs 12mins and 10secs was not the goal time, but upon a few days of reflection, I realise now that I indeed did not deserve that ‘respectable’ time given my preparation, injury, illness, atrocious weather conditions and the total mind warp during the race concerning my nutrition.  Special, special thanks and total admiration must go to my Mum, Dad, sister Lois and friends who bunny hopped me in the car on lap 1 of the run, Lois who bunny hopped me on a mountain bike in lap 2, and Laura and the Hibiscus Coast support crew who did the same… I think the ambulance was due at about the 28km mark as the vision had gone, the tank was empty, the pain in my chest immense, and all logic had disappeared…if you guys were not with me I would be owing St John $75 for the ride.  Thanks guys!  I owe ya!

So let’s try to make this quick – yeah, right!  3 weeks prior I did a race simulation in Taupo with Coach Jon Ackland’s team, including the likes of Sam Warriner, Torrenzo Bozzone, Mark Bowstead, (had to drop those in there).  I did the sim holding my insides in, barely, thinking I had a touch of food poisoning.  Two weeks down the track with no improvement I realised my hibernating Giardia bug had reared it’s ugly head again and had my intestines by the balls! So 10 days out from the race, it was off to the Dr to get a course of Flagyl prescribed, and whallop, the energy drained from my muscles and I felt like crap from then on in.  That doubled with the voltarin for my inflamed Achilles, I think my kidneys were doomed from the start….

My running has been doomed since Feb last year, and with diagnosis of tendonopathy in both legs requiring surgery just recently, I resorted to the pool to do hours of aquajogging immediately after Christmas.  I managed 20kms on the road 3 weeks ago, and decided to give the race a go anyway.  Coach Jon wanted me to DNF at 21kms if my pace slowed down or the pain was too intense, so that was the plan for the day….

Wed, Thur Fri requires a certain level of fluid/electrolyte intake, which has worked like a dream for all my races.  I stuck to the plan, but felt really bad during Thurs, and felt that Fri I should cut back, which I did.  Friday came and I was barely peeing – something was up, so I decided to drink some more in the evening, but still no peeing.  It was the first race night that I didn’t get up to pee – not even once – slept like a baby.  I weighed myself in the morning and was surprised to see I was 2kg heavier than 2 days prior, and I still hardly peed.  Things were not looking good.  I think it was at this moment the alarm bells should have gone off, the drugs I had taken obviously had already troubled my kidneys…

So, the energiser bunny trundles off to the race, full of all the joys of spring, in torrential rain, along with 1600 other poor bastards.  I was in good spirits and was ready to rumble – don’t sweat the small stuff, so they say.  I had a secret weapon organised for warmth which worked a treat, and I was suited up and in the water at 6.40 for a planned warm up swim.  I felt TERRIBLE – I tried the ‘all-telling’ butterfly, and I couldn’t even get my arms out of the water.  Oh dear, I thought – tapered, bouncing off walls, ready to race…MY ARSE!  I knew something was wrong, put it to one side and got on with the business as usual.

BANG – canon gone, swim start…NICE!  Things were going nicely, hit a wall of blokes that had gone out way to fast at about 500m, got through them, lead a pack to catch the bunch 30m ahead, trucking along nicely. Turned for return leg and tried to wind things up. I knew I was travelling at a good pace, but the effort I wanted to put out was not happening.  Just couldn’t generate any force on my catch and the kick was pathetic.  Popped out of the water 12th age group woman overall, first in age group in 58mins 18sec.  Not too shabby.

The 400m run to T1 was the most exciting part of the race, and better than any other.  The crowd was HUGE! Brollies, rain coats, and a tiny carpet strip like a Tour de France hill climb.  What a HUGE buzz – electrifying!  All I could hear was GO ALI, AWSOME SWIM ALI – I was fizzing, but felt like I was hauling a 10 tonne trout behind me.

Good T1 (fastest in age group) and out on bike.  The rain was horrendous.  Everything was bad.  Can’t say anything good about it apart from being surprised at how the pro race was panning out.  Entertaining stuff.  I felt really bad for first hour, then suddenly came right and smoked the rest of the lap.  Felt great, came through town fizzing and ready to nail lap 2.

Heading for Reporoa in the head wind was not good.  Energy waining, splinters and needles of powerful rain in my eyes at 50+km per hour, I wanted to curl up and die – so the drama unfolds as I started to drink and eat, drink and eat, more and more to get the energy levels up.  I did pee, but not much, so I think this is where the carnage began.  Coming home up the hill, I felt rotten, my Achilles started giving me grief and I was not a happy camper.  Fortunately, I didn’t feel too cold as I had my Blueseventy toe covers on and good clothing on top.

Into town, then thank goodness, I could get off the 180km bike in  5hrs 56mins 36secs – a good 20mins over my goal pace.  Bugger. 

Slick transition, fastest in agegroup yet again, and out on the run.  The rain still poured down, the puddles were huge, my shoes soaked in less than 20secs!  The crowd went wild – what a buzz – if only I could stop and tell them all I was not a happy camper.  Seeing Maddie Dillon screaming for me gave me a huge boost, given I have screamed for her at many races over the last 3 years, so off I went, determined to run a steady Eddie pace and try and secure a podium.  Well, that was the plan.  At 5kms, the wheels fell off.  My chest was screaming, it felt like an elephant was sitting on it and I could not get any air.  My pace slowed dramatically, but I kept running.  At 16kms I decided that things were not good and I would DNF at 21kms, in town, where I could find a warm blanket and go to sleep.  Laura called out that I was still in 5^th place and 2^nd place was walking.  OMG.  I was still in this bloody race so I better harden up and give this thing a nudge.  So that I did, into town, back out again for lap two, determined to keep on.  My garmin was telling me that my pace was declining fast, every kilometre, yet my legs felt fine and I wanted to move them faster, but there was nothing in the tank.  My chest got worse, and I had to start walking up the hills as a power walk was faster than my jog.  By 30kms I was crying, wanted to stop, but knew I would get hypothermia if I stopped so just kept moving forward.  I had been passed by about 3 girls in my age at that point, and I knew it was over.

I decided at the turn around that all the training, all the money, all the pain was simply not worth the initials of DNF, so I had better keep going to get the medal and the t-shirt to commemorate the effort.  So I did.  I just got slower and slower, and drank more and more and more and more as I thought I needed it to keep going.  The mind is a cruel thing.  I thought I was making the right decisions, but clearly it was so, so wrong.  Great to see the hibiscus coasters out on the course, my sister there on the bike and Laura monitoring my progress like a good nurse should.  Her face showed me that she was concerned, so I knew I looked really, really bad. She told me later I was just, ‘YELLOW’.

With 3 k’s to go I thought I was not going to make it.  The temperature had plummeted, I was freezing, I couldn’t get any air at all, my chest was burning….so I drank some more!  More coke and a banana!  That should do it.  Head winds, icy cold, and toast.  That stretch along the waterfront was immense.  Then the finisher’s chute, my friends and family screaming, and it was all worth it.  What an achievement I thought, despite how late in the night it was (or wasn’t as it turned out).

Opps – then I dropped to the ground on the line and was in a hysterical mess.  I was hauled into the tent by about 3 people to be weighed and I was 5kgs over (although 2 of that would have been water in my shoes and clothes).  Then rushed into medical where I was wrapped up with blankets and  5 hot water bottles and the questions began.  Dr Dan was drop dead gorgeous, but he couldn’t hide his bewilderment that I had finished after he diagnosed the pulmonary oedema (fluid on the lungs), listened to my bradicardia arrhythmia heart rhythm, and juggled the flagyl/voltarin cocktail in his mind.  So I was off to the Army medical area where I was wired up for an ECG, which apparently entertained all in the building!  My oxygen count was too low (that would explain why I had no energy) so I was put on oxygen until the levels increased to normal, and was discharged 3 hrs later after I had peed and warmed up.  They said I would feel better once I had peed and they were right.  I peed all NIGHT!  Felt GREAT in the morning, ready to race again!

So, if by reading this we have learned one thing – feeling like crap does not necessarily mean you need fluid.  Monitor your intake carefully, and make decisions based on your input, heat of the day, and energy output. A simple, simple thing, but when your kidneys are already not working properly (and this usually happens to everyone somewhere during the run), and you are already in la la land, these decisions can be somewhat blurred.  I hope none of you go through what I did, it was not a pleasant experience.  However, as I lay in the sun in my beautiful beach house this week, note that I have 2 arms, 2 legs, adequate vision, wonderful friends, and yet another Ironman Medal, I can feel proud of myself, and grateful of my circumstances.

Life is a wonderful thing, and it’s about trying new things, pushing the limits in everything you do, just to see how far you can go and where it will take you.  Mine took me to a happy place, lying on a beanbag, in the sun with Darcy Dog beside me….BLISS!

Thanks everyone – you totally rock my world – love ya!

·         12hrs 12mins and 10 Second – 9^th in age from 49, 97^th female, 727^th overall

·         Swim 58mins 18 sec – 12^th agegroup woman, 1^st in age

·         T1 – 4mins 58 – 1^st in age

·         Bike 5hrs 56mins 36 sec – 5^th in age

·         T2 2mins 19sec – 1^st in age

·         Run 5hrs 10mins and 01sec – 19 in age

·         View pictures at http://www.asiorders.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=75434&BIB=1023&S=230&PWD=

·        

Ironman  Summary:

2006 – New Zealand – Swim Cancelled, bike and run halved – devastated – 5hrs something – who cares?

2006 – Australia – Brilliant – 12hrs 10

2007 – New Zealand – Brilliant apart from massive deep blood blisters in both feet! – 11hrs 25

2007 – Hawaii – Brilliant but BLOODY hard work – 11hrs 49 – PB marathon!

2008 – New Zealand – Giardia for 3 weeks prior, Wind and rain, puncture, hip injury, agony – 11hrs 42

2009 – Western Australia – 40 degrees, diarrhoea  for 5 days before, Back injury during race – agony – 11hrs 57

2010 – New Zealand – Windy – Torn Achilles week before race – agony – personal worst 12hrs 47

2011 – New Zealand – Bitterly cold, windy torrential rain, Giardia for 3 weeks prior, limited or no running for 12 months prior, aquajogging for 2 months prior – pulmonary oedema (fluid on lungs) due to over hydration – 12hrs 12 – a miracle!

2012 – Break

2013 – A hot Ironman – maybe Malaysia or Australia again……

November 5

Summer has hit us here in Auckland with a bang - the wind is still cold but the burn time has to be about 15mins!  It's as hot as hell in my Natural Energy Lab  the name I have affectionately given my sunny little courtyard to the rear of my house - but the wind has that bite that clearly reminds us all that winter was not long ago.  (Not as hard as the bite of the pod of Orca that were swimming off matakatia Bay earlier this week - what a treat!).

Anyway - the summer brings swimming - and swimming reminds most that they need some more lessons so they can kick some ass come race day.  My weeks have booked out fast, and I seem to be squeezing people in all over the place for there summer swim technique tune ups!  This is good - but you need to get in quick if you want a lesson in the immediate future!  Endless Pools enquiries have also hotted up - the phone and email keeps ringing and pinging alerting me of the latest enquiry into pools and Fastlane Machines - great stuff!

My swim kids from Coast Swim Club are breaking Personal Best times at each meet they attend which is really exciting - they are training well and hard and the technique work and race strategy pep talks I give them are helping them race intelligently...!  Yay!  It is a real buzz to see them acheiving results - they swim so hard and deserve the recognition.

That's what happens in my world once I settle back into life at the beach.  My work becomes my life again - which is all great, let me tell you - and swaying palm trees and athletic bodies become distant memories, and fuel for positive visualisation.  Which brings me to my training progress...I seem to have finally slipped back into the groove, and am feeling good heading out 5 days a week to do something resembling a swim or a bike or a wee run.  I ran 25mins on Tuesday this week - YAY!  Archiles and associated muscle groups were tight, reminding me of their potential to have me laying low for yet another 6 weeks, but I managed to hold some form resembling a relaxed running style, and ticked over a few K's at a plod, averaging about 6'10min per km.  Not too far off my IM Marathon race pace! Ha!  Just got to get to a point of running something close to 30kms before 5March, so one has to cross ones fingers and hope like hell the rate of improvement picks up drastically!  I was asked yesterday if this injury has upset me, and to tell you the truth, I think I only got upset on 3 occations - the rest of the time (9 months) I have lived in a happy bubble of denial that all will be well in my world!  First time was the moment the tearing began - ouch - IM over / the second time was DURING IM whilst holding myself up off the ground on my hands and knees at the 2.5km mark and willing myself to continue / and the third time would have to be day after IM when I saw the results to see that a 4hr30m marathon would have given me a Kona spot!  And that's it - ha - those 3 times are tragic enough I guess, why dwell on it and prolong the misery.

So the happy little camper that I am, I continue to celebrate each new milestone as I acheive them.  IM this year will be a HUGE acheivement - so here we go....bring it on!

Day 18 & 19 - Post race - Kona

Was too busy to write the blog - so apologies for the delay.  Sunday was spent with pams brother and sister in law for lunch, then Heather, Annette and I went to the snorkeling beach 7kms down Ali'i to sit in overcast weather and talk about the race day.  Then the prize giving dinner which was fabulous as always - just enough to motivate Pam to want the podium next time, I think!  YEEHAAR!

Monday - busy day for me again - swim at the peir and several hours spent with local friend Christine, at lava Java with Heather.  Then we killed the late avo by the pool and caught up with South African frineds there too.  Sadly Viv was withdrawn from the course under the assumption he would not have made the bike cut off - and at the time he was travelling at 50kmph with a howling tail wind!  Go figure!  So he will be back next year!  yay Viv - he'll only be 77, so why not!

Back to base camp to do some work and catch up with the blog!  Pam and Bill out to dinner with frends.  I'm about to pack up the bike - ready for a day at the beach tomorrow before flying out Wed.

Hawaii 2010 Blog ends - sad but true.

Stay tuned for more  - don't forget to vote in the right hand column for what you want me to write about!

Signing out from Hawaii.  Thanks so much for staying tuned.
Ali babes!

Mahalo!

Day 17 - Race Day - World Ironman Champs - Kona - Sat Oct 9

Macca came flying down Hulalalai Road like a man possessed.  His face was like steel and he was on a mission.  I thought, hello, there is someone on his tail, and sure enough then next guy turned up, then the next guy, and so on.  What a race. Chris McCormac took out the men’s title for the second time, 3 years after his first win. It was obvious from the minute Macca started the run in pursuit of Lieto, that the race was his.  He looked so fresh, and his run form by far superior to anyone else before him.  It was simply incredible.  Then about 9 minutes later, Craig Alexander followed looking equally as threatening.  This was going to be a huge day at the pointy end for the pro men.  I was stationed o Kuakini H’way at the start of the run, then moved down into Hualalai for the next 3-4 hours.  What a day…. (Race report for the mens can be viewed here: http://ironman.com/events/ironman/worldchampionship/kona2010/kevin-mackinnon-recaps-the-mens-race-at-the-ford-ironman-world-championship#axzz127ZRc6sq)

Pam and I got up and went through the usual Ironman pre-race routine (well, I didn’t, I just pretended!).  Pam was calm, and managed to eat her breakfast and keep it down – all good so far.  I dropped her off about 300m from transition, along with 3 Dutch athletes we have met at the condo….and that was my job done.  Pam was awesome.  Like Bjorn Borg – cool on the court.  Parked car at strategic getaway position then walked back to mark my territory on the sea wall at the Palace gardens.  Got soaked as the HUGE swells kept us all entertained from 5.15am to the pro start at 6.30.  Met a German guy called Thorston who was obviously alone, and chatted merrily to while away the hour of wait.

Agegroup race start lineup - 9 Oct 2010 - Kona Hawaii

BANG – the pro’s set off at a rate of knots that defied logic.  I was several hundred metres from the start line and could not believe the speed they were travelling!  Then the agegroupers turn 30mins later – BANG – and they were off.  At this point the tears welled up in my eyes as I thought of Pam embarking on the biggest day of her life, and the utter pain she was about to put herself through.  For about 2mins I thought “that could be me”, and thankfully that’s as long as it lasted.  The relief was immense.  My memories of that swim, that bike, and that run are simply of excruciating pain and my body is just not in any condition to take that punishment right now so the reality was bliss!  So as the experience Ironman junkie, I adopted Thorston for the day and showed him how to watch an ironman!  Heather and Annette had volunteered so we all did our own thing.  Up Palani road we went – coffee at Starbucks and at the Queen K intersection in time to see Andy Potts fly down the hill as first man out.  Yeehaar – it was all on!  How cool was this!  Had a blast.  Really interesting to see how on their return UP Palani, the pro men looked comfortable, took in the crowds and enjoyed the attention – it would be a long time befor they see the crowds again, so they milked it.  Cheered for Torenzo and Cam as they came passed in the same bunch (drafting allowed on Palani).  Then the girls – cheered on Gina and Jo – it was all great fun.  Bike bling and ass count lookin’ mighty fine right now…..

Saw lots of kiwis and Ben the Englishman, so my spotting skills were honed nicely. Then came Pam in the infamous Karatane yellow aero helmet – what a find that helmet is – look at me, look at me!  She looked great – really comfortable and ready to kick some serious butt.  15mins or so later, up she came again to receive much yelling and bell ringing from myself, Thorston and Dan (Ben’s partner).  Huge fun – we had a ‘tour de france’ line up at the top of palani, a nice narrow strip and Mexican waves and the lot going.  The agegroupers were loving it.  Whilst yelling at Pam, heather heard and saw us from her posie just a little further up on the Queen K, so joined us.  We watched the last cyclist leave (Vivian, my South African friend who is 76 years young) then headed off to Lava Java, of course!  A quick dip in the pool, then on to Hot corner to see Chris Leito round the hay bales to start the run.  He lloked as though his hammies were attached to his shoulder blades, so I figured he was going to have a tough day at the office.  He did well all the same!  Then they started piling through!  Cameron looked awesome also – as far as form goes, Cam, Macca and Craig A looked superb. Torenzo looked as though he really really wanted whatever was in his stomach to eject itself, so was quite distressing to see that knowing he had 42k’s to go.

So we set up camp on Hualalai in a nice clear spot so we could see runners in both directions.  The pace was incredible.  We had a fabulous time there, and stayed there to watch the winners in both mens and womens races to return for the 3^rd time to turn right onto Ali’I drive.  Fantastic.  Mirinda Cafrae was a machine.  It was frightening to see how fast she runs in real life – TV is one thing, but the reality was gob smacking.  If only, huh…?  Yeah, right. 

Watching so many people I know race was so much fun and a real challenge but I managed it.  I don’t think I missed anyone.  Laura was having a bad day at the office with a Haemoglobin count of 103 at the start, and finishing at 80.  How the human body can function at those levels is amazing – total proof that ironman is 99% mental.  And Laura has all of that 99% in tune.  Amazing and inspirational stuff.

And then came Pam – now she was FLYIN’ down Hualalai, let me tell you!  She looked amazing!  And on cue, with text updates from wayne giving me feeds on her mins per km pace, I was ready and waiting at the precise time she turned back to head out to the Queen K.  She looked great!  I told her she was in 15^th place and that at this pace she could run herself into a podium position.  The look on her face told me everything I needed to know…..it was a big ask.

Dan and I wandered down Ali’I towards the hubbub of the finish ready to see Ben come through in 10hrs 20 something – so exciting to see given that in 2007 I ran passed him on palani with only 1km to go.  He gave Hawaii a nudge this year and did the business!  Yay Ben.

So now I was on my own as heather was in the finishers chute handing out Leis (as a volunteer), so I watched heaps of kiwis, and people of all shapes and sizes zoom in under 11 hours.  How they do it is beyond me, and I sat there ringing my TIMEX cow bell with such vigor, wondering what they had that I didn’t.  So motivating – their faces showing such elation and excitement.  YES, I thought.  That’s gotta be me next year.  Oh hell, it’s in print – gotta do it now!  (not sure about the sun 11, but I can do the elation and excitement!)

Pam and I were hoping for a finish somewhere between 11.30 and 12.00, so at 6.30pm I positioned myself in the chute ready to high five her as she came in.  The minutes ticked by.  Her splits wayne had texted me told me she could be in any minute, and I was sitting there willing the next person to resemble Pam, then the next, then the next.  Then there she was – with a clean view of the chute, with no one in front of her, she had the whole show to herself.  I high fived her and watched with HUGE satisfaction and plenty of tears as she ran up under the finishing arch to be greeted by heather with her lei.  I watched it on the big screen until she was no longer visible, then made a bee-line out the back to see her. 12hours 15mins and 6secs in 16^th place in her age group.

Heather and her catcher led her into the chaos out the back, then I took over and helped her to massage.  We talked about her day, and the words she used to express how she felt and what she was feeling said it all.  The total amazement of how tough it is out there.  No matter how much somebody tells you it is tough, you can never be mentally prepared for just how hard it really is.  She could not believe the pain in her legs, and how the race ‘got her’ at about the 21k mark.  She was done. But mentally, she pulled herself together and toughed it out till the end.  It surely is one hell day – and now Pam has done it.  Yay you pam!

Our Hawaii Ironman Finisher - Pam Morris - 16th Place 50-54 Female

Pam and her support crew from Hibiscus Coast tri Club - Heather, Annette and ME!

The four of us partied till midnight at the finish line accompanied by Pam's brother and sister-in-law.  A huge day at the office for me to - standing from 5.15am till 00.30am the next day (apart from 30mins or so at Lava Java!).  And for those who want the full low down on Chrissy wellington's race withdrawal, visit : http://www.chrissiewellington.org/blog/looking-forward/

Day 16 - Friday - Kona

120km TT day for me.
Bike racking Day for Pam.

Up at 5.15am and on the bike at 6.00am.  Rode 15mins or so to the Queen K, then hit start on the GPS and I was off.  Crap, crap, crap.  The best part of the ride was that i finished it6.  The 2nd best part was that at that hour of the morning at least the wind had cooling properties.  I battled a constant head wind all the way to the Waimea intersection, (52km), then Uturned and had a good tail wind for about 30k's.  Then head wind back into Kona, then turn around and back out again to the Energy Lab wiith a tail wind, then home again into a head wind.

I lied.  The BEST part of the day was when a French Dude pulled up beside me and wished me luck for the race.  When I said I wasn't racing he said, (now, you must read this with a very, very strong, Frwench ac-cent!), "why not?  You are a very good riderrrr"  I wanted to reply "wha wha wha", but thought I shoudn't!  Ha.  Then he took off like I was going backwards - actually, I was going backwards!

I averaged 30.9 - disappointing as I was trying to ave 32.7, but really, I just couldn't go any quicker, the wind was relentless today, and by 10.00am it was getting really hot.  I drank 1 bottle per hour on average.  Actually, one of the bottles was consumed in about 30mins I think!  Stats can be found on http://connect.garmin.com/activity/52190335.  I can say i felt strong the whole way, and could have gone further (but won't tell Coach jon that bit), so I guess I can't complain.

Annette also set out on the course today, but we didn't see each other at all, because as we worked out leter, she stopped at Waikoloa for coffee and a phone call to Alan, just as I was passing the resort!  HA!  I rode straight to the expo and did an easy 15min warm down in an Endless Pool, worked till 12.00noon, then headed home for lunch shower, then Ironman Duties.!  Took pam to bake Racking!  very exciting.  So much Bling.  So many asses!  Saw kate Major and Torenzo Bozone - only famous people besides Pam that I saw!  Left Annette and heather to do the drooling, as pam and i slunk back to Lava Jave for the obligatory daily ritual, then home.  She is quietly doing her emails, soon to have dinner, then an early night ready for the HUGE DAY tomorrow.  She looks fantastic - very tanned, very fit, very strong.  I am very very proud of her.  She will be awesome!

Pam in the cue to rack her bike!

Bike Bling Carnage

Signing out till sunday when i shall log the full report.

Bike Bling, Ass Count, Famous people: already said.

Day 15 - Thursday - Kona

Another day at the office - well I lie - it was just a half day.  Given I have a 120km bike TT tomorrow, I suggested I just do half a day, and Karlyn, the local hawaii resident swim coach did the afternoon.  No great gossip to report on the expo.  It is just way to big, too comercial, to much really really expensive bling.  Nothing like when Heather and I were here.  It looks like brighton on a summer day - just too much.  Heather commented that it is almost tacky.  it just makes the sport to glitzy, when really, we just come here to see what we are made of....well that's what kiwis think anyway.

Oh - there is ONE piece of important gossip.  I do solemly declare, with much embarrassment, that i think I might just be the first person in the Hibiscus Coast tri club to invest in....wait for it....COMPRESSION SOCKS!  But they are Lime Green - not the german uniform white, or the kiwi black.  The calf is struggling to come right, so I am in a state of "I'll try anything".  Thus the socks!

had lunch with English Ben (tall guy who has come out to do IMNZ and stayed with me) and his lovely lady Dan.  Had a lovely time with them both.  ben seems really relaxed and in control (sadly, I beat him here in Kona as he endured a 30km walk) and I really belive he will have a blinder!

Then the PASTA PARTY!  Was very typical of all Pasta Party's with Mike Reilly doing his stuff.  So nice to be included as Pam shouted me a ticket, and I was able to stand up when they asked for Hawaii finishers - pretty proud moment for me, but so much better to see Tiare Lund stay standing until they got to the "Stay standing if your have finsihed 20 hawaii Ironmans".  Tiare has done 16 hawaii's, but qualified for 18.  She will be on the start line in taupo in 2011 after a serious illness, so I am so proud of her and want to be just like her when i grow up...(not 39 IM"s though - trust me!).

Pam had a rest day, but is feeling like she's at an Ironman though - it's all coming together for her.  Yay Pam!

No idea who this is but thought the girls would like him!

Day 14 - Wednesday - Kona

Expo Started today - so I was on deck earning a living working for Endless Pools.  What a shock!  To hear the whine of the Endless Pool power units buzzing away lurched me from my holiday calm, and propelled me at full force into swim coach/pool sales person in a milli second.  We ahve a NEW pool, called the Elite Endless Pool which is 10HP (mine is 6). The current is smoother, softer, but goes like the clappers!  Apparently I managed 85% of full power, and I did not gently get blown backwards, i was anialated, sent sprawling into the back of the pool when the muscles went out on strike.  I looked like a bubmlebee at point of impact on windscreen!  (No, I wasn't wearing yellow and black stiped togs!)  Did a bit of filming, so i can have a kiwi intro piece on the promotional DVD's they send me to distribute to potential clients, so that was a giggle!

Long day at the office, then out to dinner at HUMPY's (which was Hard Rock Cafe for Kona buffs) and had mahi Mahi coated in Macadamia nuts.  SUPERB!  Just had to throw that in there.  hawaiin Mac nuts are the BEST!  Was a late one, getting to know some of the employees at Endless Pools - lots of laughs, and the evening ended finally after lengthy discussion comparing the rules of grid Iron to Rugby union.  I now have a much better understanding of what seems to be the most rediculous game on the planet!

Great Day.  Pam spent the day in peaceful bliss after some light training.  She's getting ready!

Sunset taken from outside our Condo at Kona Isle.