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.

Day 13 - Tuesday - Kona

In brief:
Swim Lesson at pier in morning with client - Laura did a fabulous job and is ready to get ugly and kick some ass in the swim!  Saw LOTS of people I know, then NZ Team morning tea with Pam and Bill.

Here's the team and the famous faces!

Jo Lawn

Coach Jon Ackland and I

Cameron Brown

Torenzo Bozone

Home to rest for avo, then back into town, beer with Heaher and Annette (Annette's 50th Birthday - YIPPEEE), and watched the kids splash and dash - what an awesome race - amazing.  So cute!  heather and I were beside ourselves, it just all too cool.  Those kids were very, very serious.  None of this "just for participation" in Kona, I tell ya!

Parade of nations - Pam had a blast and we were very proud to watch her and fellow kiwis march with flag etc.  NZ looked the best in our black uniforms - NICE!  Then dinner at a local Mexican, plying ourselves with Maitais in honour of Annettes birthday - was a great night.  happy birthday Annette! 

The Birthday girl on phone to her husband Alllan - and the obligatory Maitais!

Great day!

Bike bling, ass count and famous people - just a bluuuurrrrrrrrrrr......!

Day12 - Monday - Kona

Day 12 – Monday – Kona

Pam and I agreed we have to get up earlier this week, to get her body clock into race time zone, so we were up and off to the pier before 7am.  It was SOOOO busy, that we couldn’t get a park at our usual spot near the pier, so had to come back to the Car park behind Lava Java.  How Convenient?!  Walked down main street and met up with heather and Annette, so arrived as the ‘awesome foursome’ in a fiesta of bods, all thin, muscular of varying shades of pasty white to golden tans!  Bumped into Chis Ger, the director of the TV programme I was on, and he asked me to look out for Cameron, as they were supposed to be filming him at the pool, but the pool was closed this  morning!  Can you believe that!  So all the pro’s and their entourages had piled on down to the pier and the place was just PUMPING with squillions of athletes and people like me pretending to be an athlete!

So, as you can imagine, I kept bumping into people I know!  Guy and Naomi from Blueseventy NZ, a wonderful lady (76ish) I met in busselton, my South African Friends and their son Kurt, Karlyn the swimmer, Eric, and lots of famous people!  Mark Allen, Cam Brown, etc etc.  I wished Cam good luck, and told him Chris Ger was looking for him, so I felt really important for thirty seconds!  J  It was all

go.  Finally I got into the water, into a lumpy porridge of arms and legs.  I wanted to yell out – get off my beach – but figured that wouldn’t go down well!  It was heaving!  We have had it so good so far!  Very exciting too though I might add! Did my swim and felt very sore from the race I did on Sat – the body is failing me!  Then out and had to walk back to the car, and called in on the Endless Pools Stand at the expo which was under construction – great to catch up with my USA Boss James again, and confirm details of me working on the stand Wed, Thurs.  We hope to film me to make a promotional DVD specific to NZ’ers, so that will be too cool if we can manage that.

On the bike, 40min ride with efforts (in prep for the 120km TT I have to do on Friday), then a run on the soccer fields.  I did 10min, and that was enough.  The leg did not feel great, so called it quits at 10.  Predictably, met Pam, heather and Annette at lava Java, for….coffee!

Afternoon was spent at Sports Authority (shop) where I spent $0 (yesterday's race suit purchase cleaned me out $), and the rest of the Hibiscus coast crew were very impressed with their purchases.  Supermarket (yawn) then I got dropped off at heathers accom so I could visit the South Africans.  They were sadly out, but I made up for the disappointment by chillaxing on heather’s verandah, drinking heather’s beer!

Home, sunset, dinner, chit chat, and soon to bed.  NICE.  Hawaii time…….

Nice Ass Count – about 1800

Nice Bike Bling – about 1800

Famous People – 3 - Cameron Brown, Mark Allen, Patrick Vernay.

Day 11 - Sunday - Kona

Day 11 – Sunday

 Rest day today – not that I am doing much at all, but today was a rest day!  Just mucked about reading, bit of work etc in the morning, then headed out to Kukio beach with Laura Claire Whelan, Belinda Harper and Heather Allison – awesome afternoon – lots of sun – hot as hell and a fun afternoon had by all.  Had a ‘play’ swim in the waves, then headed back into town for the obligatory coffee at lava Java. 

Wandered into a Tri-gear shop next door and purchased the new, go-fast tri suit for NZ Ironman 2011!  Yehaar!  Looks GOOD and FAST!

Home for the evening, dinner, then thought I should skype Coach Jon Ackland to see where he is staying – and low and behold – he is here at the Kona Isle, about 50m away from me!  HA! What a hoot. I said – OK then, I’ll see you in 5!  Got round to his digs, and Torrenzo and girlfriend were visiting, along with Richard Baley, a very very fast age grouper that I have helped with swimming.  Great fun and laughs.  We all sat comparing 80km TT times.  I won the slowest prize, with my average of 31.9.  Richard came second with 38.7kph and Torenzo came third with 41kph.  Then the truth came out, that I had done mine on Friday, and they graciously informed me that Friday was indeed windier than Saturday when they did theirs, so really, it wasn’t a fair contest!  Torenzo is also staying here, but I hadn’t seen him around and didn’t realise. Then home, to bed, to sleep.

Nice Ass Count:  I guess I’ll have to say 2 – Torenzo and Richard!.

Nice Bike Bling:  Oh my God – Scott have installed MORE bikes at Lava Java – haven’t taken pics yet but will.  All too flash!  Gotta see it all to believe it all!

Famous People:  2 – Torrenzo Bozone & Jon Ackland J

The Monster Truck, outside Bike Works, Kona

The closest I will come to even looking as though I'm racing this year!



Day 10 - Kona - Saturday

Hey Everyone! - While I think of it, please see my survey on the righthand column and cast your vote!  Anyway.....

Up at sparrows' sparrows fart fart today to get to the Kukio Swim race - a beautiful beach north of Kona, opp the Veterans Cemetary.  I have done this race before and loved it, so was back again to give it a nudge without any specific training!  Pam's brief was to practice race starts, fight the fear and do it anyway.  At US$50 entry fee, it was a bg call on my part to have her race it, incase it went belly-up for her and her confidence was shattered.  Fortuneately, she did really well, and smoked the 1.2mile race in 42mins averaging 2mins 11s per 100m - no wetsuit!  that is what she has been training towards and she did it!  We are both stoked, and her confidence has been boosted. The swim on Ironman day is not the main concern now, as she knows she can do a tidy job of it!

I took off at the start like a scalded cat, but sadly watched everybody fly passed me.  I rounded the first buoy to head north up the coast, and suddenly realised that i was passing people like they were going backwards!  Worked my way through to the front of a large pack and stayed there until the last buoy, where we turned into a cove to the finish line.  At this point I thought the after burners had burned out and fallen off into orbit, but on reflection, I think we all just hit a huge current swirling back the other way.  I held my ground and managed to beat a girl that I swam neck and neck with most of the way by 10s.  Sad but true, only managed 5th place in my age group, but had I been aged 30-34 or 35-39 would have won!  Managed 21st out of 120 women, so can't complain - given how slow I have been since my wee hospital visit.  Averaged 1min26s per 100m and finished in 27 mins 48s.  I think the currents up the coast were helpful - I really don't belive I could swim that quick!

It was a magic morning - stunning in fact.  had a la de da breakfast at the venue then chillaxed on the beach until noon when it was time to collect heather and Annette from the Airport!  How cool was that!  Pulling up in the big monster truck like we are locals, throwing the gear in the back and heading off into town.  Checked into their condo, then the four girlies headed off the Lava Java for coffee and lunch.  At this point I must say, there are plenty of other places to eat her in Kona, but Lava Java serves the best coffee, and is basically waterfrontage, and prime real estate for tri-talent spotting.

Dropped the girls up to Borders so Annette could do business on her Epic camp DVD, 'Going Hard, Going Strong', and came home.  Pam did a bike/run and I did a 12 minute run along Alii Drive.  Didn't go so well - the pavement vs archillies equation was not brilliant, so will rest up for a few days, then tackle another 12 min run on grass on Tuesday.

Lovely barbeque dinner as usual, then idle chit chat as usual, and night time falls to allow several tired wee pixies to rest their weary heads!  My body knows it has done 2 high intensity workouts in 2 days - I haven't swam that hard for a very, very long time.

Nice Ass count - possibly should drop this one from the blog as it really is rather predictable 1 week out from race day!

Nice Bike Bling - sorry Wayne, just DROOOOL over these puppies!  (Taken at lava Java)

The Scott Plasma 2 - in Matt Black and Grey

The Scott Plasma 2 - in Shiny White and baby Blue

Famous People Count - Sorry, no famous people today.  I think they have gone into hiding, alothough Bill says he saw Erin Baker today.  Scott Molina is racing as usual.

Kona - Day 9 - Friday

Up at sparrows fart today to hit the highway - plan - to beat the winds on the Queen K in my 80km Time trial.  Plan B wasn't formulatted, so I had nothing to revert to, when I got the friggin winds on the Queen K - at 7am in the morning!  I started off really well, heart rate was high, and things were looking good - then hit the wind that seemed to twist and turn it's way around me the entire time - it was almost laughing at me!  I was not laughing when I was travelling downhill, and had to slip it into the small chain ring, just to hold 23kph.  looking at my stats which aren't pretty, my heart rate lowered at about the hour mark, and I struggled to elevate it again - a by product of yesterday's dicky ticker episode I should imagine. I was grovelling, cursing, thinking I was really slow, when about 10km from the end I realised that my bike computer's TIME was actully 15mins over, as it took me 15mins to ride to my start point!  I was well pleased at this point, and managed to sneak in on 2hrs 29, averaging 31.9kph with average cadence of 89.  Stats can be viewd here: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/51304336.  It was overcast and quite chilly even when I started, and was still overcast by the time I finished - not hot at all!  if they get a day like today on race day, we can expect to see some fast times.  I am sure Pam still thinks I am making it up when i said how hot it was in 2007!  It certainly is NOT hot at the moment!

After my ride, I bumped into Pam and Bill en route to Lava Java, so had some pictures taken!

More than happy to be finished!

In true Hibiscus Coast Tri Club style - analysing the Stats at the pier - you'll love this one Nicka and Wayne!  How's THAT for bike bling - a NICE scott plasma!

So I tooyled up to Lava Java to chillax and consume a well earned 16oz lava Java latte, and WHO should I see running by, but Chris McCormac, Torenzo, and the crowd that appeared on my blog 2 days ago (images stollen from Torenzo's Facebook page).  NICE!  What more can I say.  Then they returned going the other way - they were flying!.  I had finished my drink, so jumped onto the Plasma, and rode along Ali'i Drive to my Condo, thinking they would have long since gone beyond that point, but was happy that i was mistaken.  Rode alongside them for a few minutes, chatting to T, and advised him to get some good Mother Lovin when she arrives and EAT a huge roast, lots of gravy and some yorkshire puddings - because, MAN - there is nothing to him!  They all look so tanned, fast and, and, and...... you know!

So I rode ahead, parked the trusty stead at my condo block and applauded them as they went by.  And to add enhancement to today's blog, I called out "NICE ASS!".  They all cheered and I heard Macca saying 'that was for me', and someone else said, 'no, must have been for me'!  You gotta love it!  And I guess, you just had to be there!

 relaxed by the pool, did 30min aqua jogging, then retired to the loungers under the cocoanut trees and spent some time with the neighbours.  Then visited Laura at her very flash condo - wow - it is FLASH!  Ours is right on the water, so I can't complain!

Dinner - then this.  Off to bed as have to get up REALLY early to do a swim race at Kukio.  have done this before, so as long as I am not too trashed from today's ride, hope to have a good swim.  A good practice run for Pam!  Over and Out.

Nice Ass Count - can't count!

Nice Bike Bling - LOTS AND LOTS!

Most Aero poition observed to date.

Brand, Spanking New. 

Look bike ex Atens Olympics - owned by a young English bloke who qualified in Taupo.  It has a sneaky brake lever on the left underneath the shifter - look closely.

Famous People - well, i have said it all already!  :)

Day 8 - Kona

Thursday - the day that was.  Not a great day for me helath wise - it seemed that 3 nights of no sleep put me back into a state of fatigue, and come exercise time, the old heart rate said - 'no way jose!'  Did a 40min swim in the morning at the peir and really struggled - the surge was huge, the worse I have ever seen, and really dangerous at the beach entry point - so bad that Pam got swept away towards the rock wall (along with numerous others) and I had to help her get her feet back to terra firma.  Not a pleasant experience.  Then on the bike for a quick 20min spin with 2 x efforts, ready for my 80km TT tomorrow.  I felt awful!  Pam continued on down the Queen K highway to complete her 60km TT (which she did really well, ave 30.8kph!!!), as I headed off to my favourite soccer ground for the infamous laps around the field!  I did 10minutes!  YAY!  Negatively split them too!  very exciting, but I think my ground speed would have narrowly beaten a tortoise, but none the less, i can run 10mins without pain!

Came home and was actually comatosed for the remainder of the afternoon.  We had labourers trimming the coconut palms, waves crashing, renovations on neighbouring condo's, Pam coming and going, and I slept through it all.  I think I can put that down to another dicky ticker episode.  Not looking good for TT tomorrow!

When I recovered, we had a late latte at lava Java with laura Claire Whelan (swim client and good mate!), then I tootled up the mountain to have dinner with local friends Karlyn and Adrienne Pipes.  I have stayed with them on previous visits, so really nice to catch up and see their wonderful landscaping around their outdoor Endless Pool.  Karlyn is a multi World Record holder in Masters swimming and is a top, top swim coach running clinics all over the world, so was wonderful to chat about coaching and have her share her successes with me.  Dinner was fab too!  Thanks Adrienne!

Nice ass count - it's getting out of control now, but given that i have discovered the memory card slot in my new lap top, I have downloaded some samples!

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

NIce Bike Bling: That is equally out of contol!

Specialised and Cervelo at Bike Workds - note the fairing over front brakes on the specialised

A 3yr old Cannondale - Outside Lava Java

Famous People
None today but check this out :

You really know you've made it in the world when your photo appears alongside that of lance Armstrong with a product endorsement - well doene Torenzo!

Day 7 -Kona

You wanted photos - you got 'em!


So tell me - do these images fit the nice ass count, or famous people count!  HA!  You gotta believe this!

OK

Nice Bike Bling - Saw a Felt, and a new Giant today - these are what really stood out from the crowd.  They are all looking so space ship like now!

So, the day that was - just another day in triathlon paradise.  Did an easy 40min swim with Pam, her confidence ios improving, but the sea is still really surgy and rough.  Pretty bad in fact.  Dropped Pam off at the Energy Lab so she could run her last long run of 17km and deal with some heat - and she did really well!  While she was out there sloggin'it with the bodies above, I was devouring yet more waffles at lava Java with a local, Eric, whom I have known since 2004 on my first visit here.

Easy afternoon browsing the shops with Pam, but overcast and even rain preventing time by the pool.  Read book, chatted to neighbours here at the condo and basically chilled out!  NICE.  next week the news and gossip will get hotter, so stay tuned!

Ali babes

Day 6 - Kona

Hey everyone - sorry about the typos yesterday, but in a hurry and didn't check it - I'm on holiday, so who cares anyway?

At the pier again this morning and belted out another hour on the course - man was it rough!  Huge swells, nearly ended up on the rocks, or better still, plopped at a table at Lava Java! Did a sudden 90 degree turn and swam like hell towards Japan to avoid getting blended on the Lava!  Then struggled to get back into the pier the rip was so strong - lets hope it's not like this for Pam on race day!  loved every minute of it though i might add.

Then 40min bike ride out to Energy Lab and back with some big gear efforts with Pam.  Sent her on her merry way to do 4 x hill repeats up Palani Road while I scooted around to the soccer fields to do a 7.5minute run on grass!  YES! and the best bit, I did the first 2 laps 30s quicker than Monday without trying!  ha - oh to get so excited about improvements and even splitting a 3 lap, 7.5minute run!  Hillarious!

Lava Java next stop for waffles, maple syrup, eggs over hard and portugese sausage and a latte - superb, could eat it again a second time straight after.

Spent the avo back at base camp and had a visit from English Ben and girlfriend Dani!  A lot cooler today - just off to watch the sunset then dinner at Thai with the neighbours!

Nice Ass count - 5 - Awesome - Mr Brisbane was met at the showers at the pier,  10 points.

Nice bike bling - Scott Plasma's ruled today, the odd P4 and some average cannondales!  Ha!

Famous People - O today. Sorry.  They were all in hiding or in disguise. But you just have to check this out from Terrenzo-Cam!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHmrbvtnnQ8&feature=player_embedded

Kona Day 5 (I think, it's all a blur....)

At the pier this morning for a swim lesson with Laura Lou - she thinks I killed her, but I killed myself as I was trying to simulate race white water by thrashing my kick action and getting her to draft!  i was buggered after only 100metres and suddenly had an epiphany - he who swims inefficiently gets buggered really quickly.  So my advice to everyone still remains the same - just feel the water and push it behind you....gracefully!

Then Lava Jave with Oam and Bill as it was Pam's rest day today - spot of grocery shipping and then lying like a lizard by the pool.  Then to a local beach with Laura and chatted the remainder of the afternoon till the sun nearly set.
The day that was - bliss!

Nice Ass Count - OMG - Sensational - the town is filling fast with, with,....words can not do it justice.  Bit like the winds here I guess - you gotta see it to believe it!  Lets think, about 15 memorable asses today!

Nice Bike Bling - new Specialised set up at Bike Works with a feiring over headset and front brake mechanism - sexy, but plonk me on top and all elements of aerodynamics will be eliminated!  Also nice Cervelo P4 there too - what's with the aerobottle near the shank - when it's empty, let's see how many unsponsored athletes toss that bottle at an aid station target!  Also saw very nice ASS on the NEW SCOTT PLASMA - YES!

Famous people count - YES - Craig Alexander, only feet away.  Jo and Armondo, hugs and chats - great stuff to see them.

Day 4 Kona

Hi eveyone!
Started the day with a one hour up tempo swim - nearly did the whole course , so am stoked - I felt good, not sure how fast I was going, but was surprised managed to hold a good effort for so long!  heaps of fish and a Manta Ray was observed from my surface viewpoint!  Then a 40min ride with pam around the 'start/finish' loops around town, then my first run in about 6 weeks - yippee!  i did 2 laps around 2 soccer fields, very slowly, in the almighty time of 5mins 35seconds!  Wow - unbeliveable - I haven't run without pain since the week before ironman NZ !  That was February!.

Then lava Java, then swim in pool, lie in sun by pool, then read book in shade, then work emails, now this.  Life's a beach!

Nice ass Count - 2 very, very nice asses ran by like poetry in motion whilst ralaxing at lava jave.  What a sight!
Nice Bike Bling - A few nice set ups observed, but nothing seen so far worthy of a photo.

Kona - Days 1, 2 and 3

Day 3 Kona

Day 2’s blog got deleted just as I tried to click save  - my online connection was dumped, so this time I am writing in MS word then will cut and paste!  DOH!

So, in summary – weather not as hot as usual.  My need for heat has not been fulfilled, with temps around 84 which is approx. 27.  You know me – has to be over 30 before I feel I have my money’s worth!  Winds mild aroujnd Kona, as usual, but even out at airport not too bad, so Pam thought I was overselling the place for heat and wind!

Day 1 – Arrived, picked up rental and got upgraded (for free) to a big American tank, so feeling very much the part here on the big Island.  Just need to raise the chasis, put huge wheels on the thing, some spotlights and a few surf boards and we will really look like locals!  Pam and I put bikes together and were on the road by 4pm for a recy ride around Kona, and out to the Energy lab.  There was even a chill in the air can you believe it!  What a contrast to the first time I went in there with Heather and it was about 50 degrees!  This ride brought back amazing memories from the my race day in 2007 – every feeling and thought.  I was almost crying grovelling back into town on the bike into a head on wind at about 25kph – this time with Pam, we had a tail wind and were cruising at about 40kph!  Dinner at Lava Java, then spent US$311 at the supermarket to get supplies in for our 3 week stay.

Nice Ass count – 1  - didn’t know who he was, but he looked amazing!

Nice Bike bling – 2 – Pam’s Cervelo P3 and my Scott Plasma.

Day 2

At the pier at 8am for a lesson with a client – ha – gotta work to justify the expense to the IRD!  Then I swam for an hour at Pam’s side.  She was pretty nervous, the swells unsettling her, so I felt like a good pixie/coach swimming along enjoying the scenery – the corals looked fab, and saw heaps of fish.  Even saw dolphins playing about 200m away, but they didn’t come over to us.  Swam back in to the pier and then to Lava Java for coffee as Pam ran past – gave her loud applause as I sat, looking out to sea, watching the world go by!.  Then clothes shopping in the afternoon, barbe dinner at home, and the day was done.

Nice Ass count – 0  - Sad but true!

Nice Bike bling – 1 – Saw Jo Lawn ride passed Lava Java as I sat, watching the world go by.

Day 3

Up, out the door, and easily piled the 2 bikes into our big monster truck and headed off to Waikaloa.  Dropped Pam off and said Ta ta!  She was off, into a head wind towards Hawi.  Poor bugger I thought, she is going to get the shock of her life.  Wind was really getting up, white caps emerging in the channel between us and Maui – the true indicator of a hell ride to Hawi and back.  I continued on to Hapuna Beach in the truck, unloaded the bike, then I was off into a world of pain, big hurt box, blah blah blah to do a 60km TT with a goal time of 32.7 to 33.7ave.  The winds were really getting up, and at one point on a straight piece of road I was zooming along at 45kph, then with a bat of an eyelid I was grovelling at 25kph…then up a hill at 16kph….ARGH!  And do you know what I was thinking?..”Why, why, would I want to come back and do this god forsaken race.  This sucks! Thank goodness I am NOT doing it!”  Then I really started to worry about Pam on her own coming down from Hawi – I really wanted to ride with her, but it would not have worked in with my programme.  Anyway, I worked really hard, hit an all-time max Heart rate of 163 and managed to pull out the prescribed 33.7kph ave (1hr 46).  My legs were screaming but I felt OK.  GPS data can be viewed http://connect.garmin.com/activity/50513122.

I had a swim and read a book in the sun for a few more hours, then Pam returned to the beach slightly ahead of time – she was buggered.  We shared a moment together.  This is not a nice place to race.  She had her eyes opened to how horrible, and how utterly soul destroying it is.  This is what makes this race what it is – it is SO tough, words can never describe what it’s about.  We do it for the honour and glory alone of saying we qualified, and we finished. The bit in between is a total mind F*** and race day is worse.  ‘And that’s all I have to say about that’.

Home again, did 30mins aquajogging in our pool here, some exercises, yummy meal, waves crashing against the rocks, what more could one ask for?  Nice bottle of New Zealand Pinot Noir would have gone down nicely I think.  Night night!

Nice Ass count – Numerous – lots of athletes out on the course today!

Nice Bike bling – Numerous – Concentrating so hard on keeping bike on the road I couldn’t look!

Getting Started

Hi Everyone!

Just getting Ali Bogg's Blogsite blogged!
Is it Ally or Ali?
Is it Boggs or Bloggs?

Ali gets spelled Ellie, Elle. Ele, Ali, Ally...any way you like.  It's atually Ali (short for Alison), but for business correspondence I always recorded my name as ALLY, specifically to avoid being called ARLEE as in Mohamad Ali, and to offer some suggestion as to my race and gender!

So Ali Boggs it is!

With the advent of everybody 'blogging', texting, face booking, twittering, skyping etc, I receive an increased amount of correspondence under the name of BLOGGS.  Save yourself typing extra letters, skip the L and just write BOGGS!  Gotta Laugh!

Time to get on with the BLOG!

Just getting all geared up for the trip to Hawaii to support friends and fellow Kiwis in the Ironman World Champs - so thought I'd use a blog instead of email - add this to your favourites and visit every so often to check out what I am up to, and the famous faces I bump into along the way.  Looking forward to coffee at Lava Java, lying in the sun, riding the Queen K Highway, listening to the waves crashing on the rocks below my room, and just chillin'.

Happy days
Ali babes!