Kona - Take #2

It's Friday around noon here in Kona.  I can see Ali'i and the expo from my balcony where I'm sitting.  There has been a steady stream of people out anxiety exercising all day - generally riding and running as if their race tomorrow depends on it.  They haven't mastered the mental aspect of racing yet.  I certainly haven't either but I have a pretty good grasp on the days leading up to a race and understand that "training" now is much more likely to hurt me than help.  I got a 90min ride out the Queen K on Wednesday and ran an easy 5 miles up Ali'i yesterday morning to keep my legs loose but today was nothing more than a casual swim.  I'm as ready as I can be at this point - I don't have any choice because the time to prepare is gone.  Come race day all you can do is accept what you bring even if it's not as much as you had hoped.

The machine ready for a relaxing 112 mile ride to Hawi and back

I really have no solid feel for how the day is going to go for me tomorrow.  My only reference is 2012 when I experienced Kona for the first time coming off my qualification race 60 days prior and having very little motivation to do another IM that season.  I cruised the swim, rode pretty conservatively, and forced myself through the marathon with plenty of walking.  I just had no desire to run, it was brutally hot and humid, and I didn't have anything to motivate me to hurt.  This year isn't really much different. I don't feel like I have anything to prove to myself but I'd like to knock a chunk of time off my previous 11:30:34.  I assume I'll swim roughly the same 1:10-1:12 but can probably improve my bike 10-15min depending on how the conditions play out.  The run is where I have the most opportunity in theory.  I "ran" a 4:28 in 2012 but all my other IM marathons have been sub 3:30.  I don't know if 3:30 is realistic tomorrow or not - it will mostly come down to how much I care when I get to that point in the day.  Overall I'd consider finishing in 10:30 a successful day but there is a lot I can't control and we'll just see how the day treats me.

I'm getting ready to do one last check of my gear bags before I head down to rack my bike.  After that there isn't much left to do but relax and wait.  A nice sampler at Kona Brewery might be in my very near future for lunch :)

Pre-Kona lunch of champions