Tales of an Ironman Triathlete - Adventures in Traversing 140.6

  I was fortunate to be able to do a training block in Kona in August. It was in the high 80s and much hotter than the actual race day, although race day was hotter than usual for October. My oldest daughter was not happy that she couldn’t go to Kona for the race (college) so the training block, in part, was her consolation prize, and it was also just what my coach, Jason McFaul, had ordered. This training block was so helpful for my mental health on race day. Knowing that crosswinds would pick up at mile marker 14.5 on 270, memorizing the rolling terrain back from Waikoloa, and running in the energy lab was helpful even though the winds on race day ended up being relatively calm.    I got to Kona again in October the Friday before the race. During ace week I participated in a few choice activities – the TriDot lunch with Michelie Jones and Mark Allen, the underwear run with Kathy Harris (a fellow Zooter and friend who came to spectate – we had fun), and a Zoot lunch fo...

I am getting in the last of my off season between Christmas and New Year's & now have plenty of extra fuel to burn during my base period. I'm trying to get motivated to up my hours & start that long road to getting back into race shape, so I figured what better way than to recap Kona? Just a warning - it's gonna be a long one! I had forgotten to mention in my CDA report that a complete stranger paid me $20 for a relatively small piece of kinesiotape the day before the race. No, he had never used it before, but after I explained how it had helped me qualify in Arizona, he was handing over cash (that I was trying to refuse). Mike and I mused how if someone could get the Ironman logo on that stuff, it would be a cash cow. When I got back to town I realized that Rock Tape had already beat me to it (not that I would've followed through). Mike then had the brilliant idea to get my hands on some white kinesiotape so that the kids could draw on it & I could carry th...