Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Race Day from my Dad's point of view....
Coming soon........ My dad basically took all my stories and wrote down little quotes - so if you're interested in what he SAW from me and HEARD come out of my mouth that will be available for you to read at your leisure on Wednesday of this week
Monday, October 15, 2007
Day 5 - RACE DAY!
Alright, so it has been 2 days since I crossed the finish line... but here are all the stories from my day out on the Ironman Hawaii course!
Early Morning
I was originally planning to wake up at 3:45am and be at the body marking tent to get my race number permanently engraved into my arms at the 4:45am opening although I decided that since I was staying at the host hotel and the body marking tent was right outside my room that I really didn't need to get up until 5am and get marked at 5:15 giving me at least an hour before needing to get on my speedsuit and get ready to warm up......... WELL since the body marking tent was full of hundreds of happy and peppy volunteers outside my room (and I can't deal with air conditioning so my sliding door was open) I was awakened by the sounds of body marking instructions over the loudspeaker! What better a way to wake up though - I was SO excited! I jumped out of bed and gazed outside in the darkness watching the volunteers practice painting their race number stamps and giggling... then the early bird athletes starting arriving and began to form a line to be the first to get marked, so I decided I may as well start getting a move on even though it was still only 4:30am.
Check In/Body Marking
I got my race ID number (1839) tatooed on with the coveted Iroman Hawaii race stamps... I had one volunteer checking me in, a second volunteer guiding me to the desk where my number would be stamped, and 2 volunteers stamping me while another volunteer talked to me and made me smile and laugh to get me pumped up - so thats a total of 5 volunteers so far working with me and it was still just 5am... SO MANY AMAZING VOLUNTEERS!!!!! I also dropped off my special foods bags for the bike and the run.
Pre-Swim
I was then guided to the transition area with my bike pump etc - I went to find my parents on the side of the gates to get my double soy latte (necessary must.) HOWEVER lava java was only serving plain coffee and I couldn't get my usual raceday/training day/everyday drink - what was I to do?!? How could I do this race without my usual latte? "Nothing New On Race Day" became - ohhhh welll - nothing I can do about it. Whatever! Didn't sweat it. Got my sunscreen on, met my neighborly transition area people - the lady with her bike next to mine actually wasn't in my age group (they group your race numbers by age group) but she was a crazy, nutty Big Island local who had done the race 3times before and everytime she requests a race number with a "38" in it - so they gave her 1838... she was kissing her bike all over and talking to it when I walked up with my bike pump...! The other girl next to me was from Germany - or maybe she was 2 bikes over, but anyway we were all chit chatting and making friends - much different than Olympic races where you secretly size up the competition - this was like, okay long day ahead we may as well all make friends already! I went to say a last goodbye to my parents who were bursting at the seems with joy... they said my body was so pumped up that it was scary but that my voice and attitude were so laid back and calm that it was scary. I guess that was a good thing.
Swim
I got to the swim start and climbed down the stairs into the water on the early side - and I actually FELL into the water from a 2ft rock because the water all of a sudden swirlled up in the beach cove where you enter the water because a swell came in just as I was about to step down. SPLASH! haha EVERYONE was staring at me as I lay sideways in the water at Ironman Hawaii - hahaha - I just got up and laughed at myself and pointed out that the rock was very slippery and everyone should watch out. HA. The Navy Seals parachuted into the water, we sang the national anthem and then the pros started with a cannon blast. OH MY GOSH. WHAT! I'm about to do an Ironman - Thats when it hit me. Nothing I can do now! I swam out to the start area pretty early on and I saw someone grab onto one of the big tires on the pier bulkhead... Looked at my watch and I had 15min before our start, so I decided hanging onto the pier wasn't such a bad idea! Got a good spot and next thing you know everyone was swimming over to try and get a spot on the tires too. The guy hanging on next to me was from Cape Cod - we started chatting, it was his 3rd Ironman Hawaii - so I asked him for his one best piece of advice for the swim start since i knew it would be crazy. He said to: SWIM CATCH-UP STROKE for the first 10minutes to save my face from being battled by kicking feet --> best piece of advice I've ever had for that swim. I got lots of kicks to the ribs and lots and lots of arms giving me the half nelson around the neck as legs and arms were flailing. At times I would find a big space of unoccupied water to swim in so I got to stretch out my stroke but for the most part it was pretty brutal. Surfboards were lining the course directing us toward the orange buoys but they seemed to create more hazard than anything because they were getting really close to everyone - at one point I had someone's feet in front of my face and the next moment there was a board and fins about to slice into my head - Watch out! At the turn there was a catamaran full of spectators cheering wildly and then the way back was actually great - I got to stretch out much more and saw lots of beautiful fish below. Only problem was the CHAFFING of the speedsuit on both sides of my neck. (Turns out most everyone on the race course had huge rashes from their speedsuits too - probably because the neck of the suits is much different than a regular wetsuit making it seem like there would be much rubbing - WRONG! I still have huge marks on either side of my neck)
T1
All of a sudden (1hr 15min) I was out of the water and running up the stairs from the water toward the transition area. There was a line of volunteers grabbing us and pulling us up the stairs making sure no one slipped - again, amazing volunteers. Ran through the showers, grabbed my T1 bag and got into the changing tent. I was assigned another volunteer who stripped off my speedsuit and next thing I knew I was in my socks and bike shoes and being guided to my bike. My bike was right near the changing tent which happened to be at the other end of the transition area than the bike out exit - which meant that I had to run my bike all the way down the pier to the bike out, but who cares, whats another 2minutes in this race - I was there just to finish!
Bike
PART 1 - To Hawi - Okay, on my bike, on the Queen K, good to go, told myself that my "job" on the bike was to drink as much fluid as possible and get as much nutrition in as I could. Of course I would love to cross with a time I'd be proud of but I was so nervous about the winds etc that I backed off as much as possible on the bike. The Queen K was strung with everyone on their bikes in a huge line - an amazing picture in my mind that I'll have forever. I had a million very competitive looking men and some ladies passing me on the bike - Woosh - Woosh - The olympic/sprinter in me wanted soooooo badly to catch each person in front of me - but I had to remind myself NO - I needed to keep my cool and just cruise. It was going to be a long ride.
PART 2 - Climb to Hawi - Turned the left from the Queen K to the 270 and saw a sign for Hawi was 18miles to go.... I tried to think back to the altitude map that was in the race program but all I could remember was that the main climb didn't start for another 8-10 miles so I had to keep chilling out and stay with my pace - Told myself time and time again "slow and steady wins the race" - orrrr finishes the race! Up and down, up and down, up - up - up and down - then the pros started coming the other direction - they were coming down from Hawi. Yay! Now I get to see some action. One of the women pro's yelled at another woman pro while cruising downhill. She screamed at the top of her lungs "Don't you fall back on me like that!" All of a sudden I'm going up hill and then BOOM the WIND BEGAN!!!!!!!! I think the pros missed out on the wind that I got because they had already made it to the bottom of the big hill by that point - I was actually moved at least 2-3ft a couple times from the right side of the road to the middle of the lane. I was trying to think of how I was going to explain the winds but I really couldn't think of words to describe it - so I don't have much to say besides the point that it was the hardest wind I've ever been in. The aid stations were blown over - tents were flying - the volunteers were covering their eyes from the wind and just holding their arms out with Gu packets etc - not able to actually look at us as we went by. Anyway, whatever you heard about this year's wind - I promise you, it was there when I was on that climb. Ohhhhhhhh it was there.
PART 3 - Down from Hawi - After making the 1/2 way turn I was excited to fly down the big hill - but first I needed to use one of the porta poties, amazing. Then I jumped back on my bike and 2seconds later was the stop with our special foods bags - I grabbed mine, found the necessary cliff bars, bonk bars, and shot bloks and left the rest of my goodies to be thrown out - I was feeling fine and didn't need my mentos or my pretzels or my fresh socks. I just wanted to get off the bike already and I still had 56miles to go. Started going down the hill and realized the wind was still blowing super hard from the side. So I was still pedaling to get down the hill, almost no coasting ughhhh so annoying. I MUST SAY - I think that the person who invented the AeroBottle should win an award because they saved my life. With all the wind I was barely able to even get my head down to find the straw with my mouth but once I did I was sipping that Orange Gatorade Endurance like it was my J-O-B. Without that bottle I would have been dehydrated. I know it. At each aid station I'd pick up a bottle of the gatorade and squeeze it upside down into my aero bottle and replace the 2 bottles (1 water, 1 gatorade) in the water bottle cages on my bike. I squeezed a lot of ice cold water over my helmet, on my bike, and on my boiling hot butt because the heat of the sun was making my back really, really hot.
PART 4 - Lava fields back to Kona - After getting down the main hill from Hawi it was ups and downs on mini hills on the Queen K. I was excited to just cruise back to Kona - but then it hit me again - the WIND AHHHHHHHH - there were no tailwinds, nope, just more crosswinds - all the way back to Kona. Apparently the since the cloud cover didn't start until much later in the afternoon, the land was heated up more than usual from the hot sun, which then sucked the wind off the ocean, over the lava fields toward the land.... which meant that the ocean winds were coming half way across the lava fields before hitting me on the Queen K which was in the middle of the lava fields - so it was HOT WIND slamming into me all the way back. I was riding with a couple other women - we kept passing one another and then crusing for awhile and so with each time that one of us would catch another we'd all let out a sigh - and each time we'd say "Where is the airport!?!?!" Just kept waiting to see the line of palm trees that meant the airport was ahead - Finally, it came. Then I got to the Natural Energy Lab area and saw the pros/leading age groupers on the run - they were cruising! How impressive it was to be out on this course and able to see the top triathletes - absolutely amazing!!! I turned onto Palani and then was back at the transition. Saw my parents and flashed a huge grin - Bike was DONE! FINALLY! Almost 7hrs, boy oh boy, wish I had done it faster but at the same time I didn't know how hard I could push it - didn't know how the winds would be, didn't know how 112miles down the Queen K would feel - anyway, who cares, I got back.... Then I just had to runnn.
T2
I jumped off my bike and another volunteer (!!!!!!) grabbed my bike for me and walked it back to my bike rack - amazing! And just as I swung my right leg over my bike I got the biggest cramp in my thigh EVER. I had to wait for about 10seconds and then it was over. Okay, now I had to run through the transition area toward the changing tents to get my run gear. I was not running. I decided, you know what, this is Ironman, I am taking my time. Then I saw Matt Simpson! He was in the transition area and gave me a "hurry up!" All I could do was let out a huge sigh and big smile - no words! I had to use the bathroom again so as I passed the porta poties there were a line of volunteers to point me toward the available bathrooms - seriously these volunteers were everywhere! I grabbed my run stuff and put on my socks and shoes with the help of another volunteer who was assigned to me... I said to her, okay I think I'd like to come back next year and be a volunteer - she looked at me like I was crazy and she said, "Well I'd like to come back next year and do what YOU are doing!" True. How lucky I was to be there!
Run
(The rest will have to typed in bullet form because I'm seriously tired but below is a quick run down of what happened)
- Made a best friend for life! George, from Argentina who spoke ZERO english - and we're now best friends. Amazing.
- Saw Monica, my German friend from the Carbo load party - YAY!
- Jogged keeping my heart race super low knowing I'd need to conserve all my energy and walked through all aid stations
- Mile 8/9ish I saw my parents who were at Lava Java (saw them earlier than planned) and I burst out in tears but was still smiling and gave them huge hugs but wow was I overwhelmed....
- Mile 10 turned up Palani toward the Queen K and decided to WALK up the HILL. NO need to push it.
- Queen K.... George and I were still crusing together making sure we were going to make it.
- Mile 13 yesssssss.
- Mile 14/15 = HUGE PAINS: left knee and left hip, had to WALK A TON. Sun started to set.
- Mile 16 I entered the Natural Energy Lab just as the light from the sky went from dusk to pitch black.... I was still run/walking a bunch because my left leg was really bothering me. Also, the bottoms of my feet were KILLING.
- Mile 17 turn around at the Natural Energy Lab. AHHHHHH.
- Mile 18 we got our special foods bags - the only things I took were: 1. ADVIL 2. FRESH SOCKS
- Mile 19 drank COCA COLA!!!!!!
- Mile 19-20 AMAZING! I felt 100% better! Advil + Coca Cola = UNBELIEVABLE!
- Mile 20-22 So dark on the Queen K, all you could see were halos of the light sticks that we had to wear - everyone put them on their heads or around their necks. The moon was a tiny sliver providing no light.
- Mile 22-24 - CRUISING!!!!!!!!!! SO excited. Saw Scott Rigsby (the double amputee) starting his run as I was coming in and I gave him a double high 5 - I was so excited to see him!
- Mile 24-25 EVEN BETTER!
- Mile 26 SPRINTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Palani to Kuakini to Ali'i Drive - WOW! I was the happiest I've ever been!
(P.S. WHO POSTED A MSG FOR ME ON THE BOARD IN THE NATURAL ENERGY LAB!?!?!?!??!! IT SAID "1839 K.Eckhart Go Team!" - Its a Mystery! TELL ME! You are amazing whoever it was!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU! - it was posted right at mile 18/19 where I went from pain to no-pain!)
Finish Line!
You've gotta see my finish! (I'm about 2min. into the video - the 2nd person to cross is me) http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/ironman/video/2007/kona/2007finish.wvx?starttime=5:20:11.00&endtime=01:00:00.00
Post-Race
- Cheered people in all night!
- Celebrating with my parents (who were sooooo happy!) with Kona Longboard Beers and fried calamari and clam chowder at one of the restaurants over looking the finish! YUM!
- Midnight = all over, wow.
- I can't explain the energy on Ali'i Drive - it is something that I hope you can experience one day.
****************************
WHO WANTS TO COME BACK WITH ME NEXT YEAR!?!?! (As a spectator!?)
By the way, I'll definitely try to get in again one day.... and sure I'll do another Ironman or maybe many Ironman races........... as long as my training schedule doesn't change!! : ) haha
Early Morning
I was originally planning to wake up at 3:45am and be at the body marking tent to get my race number permanently engraved into my arms at the 4:45am opening although I decided that since I was staying at the host hotel and the body marking tent was right outside my room that I really didn't need to get up until 5am and get marked at 5:15 giving me at least an hour before needing to get on my speedsuit and get ready to warm up......... WELL since the body marking tent was full of hundreds of happy and peppy volunteers outside my room (and I can't deal with air conditioning so my sliding door was open) I was awakened by the sounds of body marking instructions over the loudspeaker! What better a way to wake up though - I was SO excited! I jumped out of bed and gazed outside in the darkness watching the volunteers practice painting their race number stamps and giggling... then the early bird athletes starting arriving and began to form a line to be the first to get marked, so I decided I may as well start getting a move on even though it was still only 4:30am.
Check In/Body Marking
I got my race ID number (1839) tatooed on with the coveted Iroman Hawaii race stamps... I had one volunteer checking me in, a second volunteer guiding me to the desk where my number would be stamped, and 2 volunteers stamping me while another volunteer talked to me and made me smile and laugh to get me pumped up - so thats a total of 5 volunteers so far working with me and it was still just 5am... SO MANY AMAZING VOLUNTEERS!!!!! I also dropped off my special foods bags for the bike and the run.
Pre-Swim
I was then guided to the transition area with my bike pump etc - I went to find my parents on the side of the gates to get my double soy latte (necessary must.) HOWEVER lava java was only serving plain coffee and I couldn't get my usual raceday/training day/everyday drink - what was I to do?!? How could I do this race without my usual latte? "Nothing New On Race Day" became - ohhhh welll - nothing I can do about it. Whatever! Didn't sweat it. Got my sunscreen on, met my neighborly transition area people - the lady with her bike next to mine actually wasn't in my age group (they group your race numbers by age group) but she was a crazy, nutty Big Island local who had done the race 3times before and everytime she requests a race number with a "38" in it - so they gave her 1838... she was kissing her bike all over and talking to it when I walked up with my bike pump...! The other girl next to me was from Germany - or maybe she was 2 bikes over, but anyway we were all chit chatting and making friends - much different than Olympic races where you secretly size up the competition - this was like, okay long day ahead we may as well all make friends already! I went to say a last goodbye to my parents who were bursting at the seems with joy... they said my body was so pumped up that it was scary but that my voice and attitude were so laid back and calm that it was scary. I guess that was a good thing.
Swim
I got to the swim start and climbed down the stairs into the water on the early side - and I actually FELL into the water from a 2ft rock because the water all of a sudden swirlled up in the beach cove where you enter the water because a swell came in just as I was about to step down. SPLASH! haha EVERYONE was staring at me as I lay sideways in the water at Ironman Hawaii - hahaha - I just got up and laughed at myself and pointed out that the rock was very slippery and everyone should watch out. HA. The Navy Seals parachuted into the water, we sang the national anthem and then the pros started with a cannon blast. OH MY GOSH. WHAT! I'm about to do an Ironman - Thats when it hit me. Nothing I can do now! I swam out to the start area pretty early on and I saw someone grab onto one of the big tires on the pier bulkhead... Looked at my watch and I had 15min before our start, so I decided hanging onto the pier wasn't such a bad idea! Got a good spot and next thing you know everyone was swimming over to try and get a spot on the tires too. The guy hanging on next to me was from Cape Cod - we started chatting, it was his 3rd Ironman Hawaii - so I asked him for his one best piece of advice for the swim start since i knew it would be crazy. He said to: SWIM CATCH-UP STROKE for the first 10minutes to save my face from being battled by kicking feet --> best piece of advice I've ever had for that swim. I got lots of kicks to the ribs and lots and lots of arms giving me the half nelson around the neck as legs and arms were flailing. At times I would find a big space of unoccupied water to swim in so I got to stretch out my stroke but for the most part it was pretty brutal. Surfboards were lining the course directing us toward the orange buoys but they seemed to create more hazard than anything because they were getting really close to everyone - at one point I had someone's feet in front of my face and the next moment there was a board and fins about to slice into my head - Watch out! At the turn there was a catamaran full of spectators cheering wildly and then the way back was actually great - I got to stretch out much more and saw lots of beautiful fish below. Only problem was the CHAFFING of the speedsuit on both sides of my neck. (Turns out most everyone on the race course had huge rashes from their speedsuits too - probably because the neck of the suits is much different than a regular wetsuit making it seem like there would be much rubbing - WRONG! I still have huge marks on either side of my neck)
T1
All of a sudden (1hr 15min) I was out of the water and running up the stairs from the water toward the transition area. There was a line of volunteers grabbing us and pulling us up the stairs making sure no one slipped - again, amazing volunteers. Ran through the showers, grabbed my T1 bag and got into the changing tent. I was assigned another volunteer who stripped off my speedsuit and next thing I knew I was in my socks and bike shoes and being guided to my bike. My bike was right near the changing tent which happened to be at the other end of the transition area than the bike out exit - which meant that I had to run my bike all the way down the pier to the bike out, but who cares, whats another 2minutes in this race - I was there just to finish!
Bike
PART 1 - To Hawi - Okay, on my bike, on the Queen K, good to go, told myself that my "job" on the bike was to drink as much fluid as possible and get as much nutrition in as I could. Of course I would love to cross with a time I'd be proud of but I was so nervous about the winds etc that I backed off as much as possible on the bike. The Queen K was strung with everyone on their bikes in a huge line - an amazing picture in my mind that I'll have forever. I had a million very competitive looking men and some ladies passing me on the bike - Woosh - Woosh - The olympic/sprinter in me wanted soooooo badly to catch each person in front of me - but I had to remind myself NO - I needed to keep my cool and just cruise. It was going to be a long ride.
PART 2 - Climb to Hawi - Turned the left from the Queen K to the 270 and saw a sign for Hawi was 18miles to go.... I tried to think back to the altitude map that was in the race program but all I could remember was that the main climb didn't start for another 8-10 miles so I had to keep chilling out and stay with my pace - Told myself time and time again "slow and steady wins the race" - orrrr finishes the race! Up and down, up and down, up - up - up and down - then the pros started coming the other direction - they were coming down from Hawi. Yay! Now I get to see some action. One of the women pro's yelled at another woman pro while cruising downhill. She screamed at the top of her lungs "Don't you fall back on me like that!" All of a sudden I'm going up hill and then BOOM the WIND BEGAN!!!!!!!! I think the pros missed out on the wind that I got because they had already made it to the bottom of the big hill by that point - I was actually moved at least 2-3ft a couple times from the right side of the road to the middle of the lane. I was trying to think of how I was going to explain the winds but I really couldn't think of words to describe it - so I don't have much to say besides the point that it was the hardest wind I've ever been in. The aid stations were blown over - tents were flying - the volunteers were covering their eyes from the wind and just holding their arms out with Gu packets etc - not able to actually look at us as we went by. Anyway, whatever you heard about this year's wind - I promise you, it was there when I was on that climb. Ohhhhhhhh it was there.
PART 3 - Down from Hawi - After making the 1/2 way turn I was excited to fly down the big hill - but first I needed to use one of the porta poties, amazing. Then I jumped back on my bike and 2seconds later was the stop with our special foods bags - I grabbed mine, found the necessary cliff bars, bonk bars, and shot bloks and left the rest of my goodies to be thrown out - I was feeling fine and didn't need my mentos or my pretzels or my fresh socks. I just wanted to get off the bike already and I still had 56miles to go. Started going down the hill and realized the wind was still blowing super hard from the side. So I was still pedaling to get down the hill, almost no coasting ughhhh so annoying. I MUST SAY - I think that the person who invented the AeroBottle should win an award because they saved my life. With all the wind I was barely able to even get my head down to find the straw with my mouth but once I did I was sipping that Orange Gatorade Endurance like it was my J-O-B. Without that bottle I would have been dehydrated. I know it. At each aid station I'd pick up a bottle of the gatorade and squeeze it upside down into my aero bottle and replace the 2 bottles (1 water, 1 gatorade) in the water bottle cages on my bike. I squeezed a lot of ice cold water over my helmet, on my bike, and on my boiling hot butt because the heat of the sun was making my back really, really hot.
PART 4 - Lava fields back to Kona - After getting down the main hill from Hawi it was ups and downs on mini hills on the Queen K. I was excited to just cruise back to Kona - but then it hit me again - the WIND AHHHHHHHH - there were no tailwinds, nope, just more crosswinds - all the way back to Kona. Apparently the since the cloud cover didn't start until much later in the afternoon, the land was heated up more than usual from the hot sun, which then sucked the wind off the ocean, over the lava fields toward the land.... which meant that the ocean winds were coming half way across the lava fields before hitting me on the Queen K which was in the middle of the lava fields - so it was HOT WIND slamming into me all the way back. I was riding with a couple other women - we kept passing one another and then crusing for awhile and so with each time that one of us would catch another we'd all let out a sigh - and each time we'd say "Where is the airport!?!?!" Just kept waiting to see the line of palm trees that meant the airport was ahead - Finally, it came. Then I got to the Natural Energy Lab area and saw the pros/leading age groupers on the run - they were cruising! How impressive it was to be out on this course and able to see the top triathletes - absolutely amazing!!! I turned onto Palani and then was back at the transition. Saw my parents and flashed a huge grin - Bike was DONE! FINALLY! Almost 7hrs, boy oh boy, wish I had done it faster but at the same time I didn't know how hard I could push it - didn't know how the winds would be, didn't know how 112miles down the Queen K would feel - anyway, who cares, I got back.... Then I just had to runnn.
T2
I jumped off my bike and another volunteer (!!!!!!) grabbed my bike for me and walked it back to my bike rack - amazing! And just as I swung my right leg over my bike I got the biggest cramp in my thigh EVER. I had to wait for about 10seconds and then it was over. Okay, now I had to run through the transition area toward the changing tents to get my run gear. I was not running. I decided, you know what, this is Ironman, I am taking my time. Then I saw Matt Simpson! He was in the transition area and gave me a "hurry up!" All I could do was let out a huge sigh and big smile - no words! I had to use the bathroom again so as I passed the porta poties there were a line of volunteers to point me toward the available bathrooms - seriously these volunteers were everywhere! I grabbed my run stuff and put on my socks and shoes with the help of another volunteer who was assigned to me... I said to her, okay I think I'd like to come back next year and be a volunteer - she looked at me like I was crazy and she said, "Well I'd like to come back next year and do what YOU are doing!" True. How lucky I was to be there!
Run
(The rest will have to typed in bullet form because I'm seriously tired but below is a quick run down of what happened)
- Made a best friend for life! George, from Argentina who spoke ZERO english - and we're now best friends. Amazing.
- Saw Monica, my German friend from the Carbo load party - YAY!
- Jogged keeping my heart race super low knowing I'd need to conserve all my energy and walked through all aid stations
- Mile 8/9ish I saw my parents who were at Lava Java (saw them earlier than planned) and I burst out in tears but was still smiling and gave them huge hugs but wow was I overwhelmed....
- Mile 10 turned up Palani toward the Queen K and decided to WALK up the HILL. NO need to push it.
- Queen K.... George and I were still crusing together making sure we were going to make it.
- Mile 13 yesssssss.
- Mile 14/15 = HUGE PAINS: left knee and left hip, had to WALK A TON. Sun started to set.
- Mile 16 I entered the Natural Energy Lab just as the light from the sky went from dusk to pitch black.... I was still run/walking a bunch because my left leg was really bothering me. Also, the bottoms of my feet were KILLING.
- Mile 17 turn around at the Natural Energy Lab. AHHHHHH.
- Mile 18 we got our special foods bags - the only things I took were: 1. ADVIL 2. FRESH SOCKS
- Mile 19 drank COCA COLA!!!!!!
- Mile 19-20 AMAZING! I felt 100% better! Advil + Coca Cola = UNBELIEVABLE!
- Mile 20-22 So dark on the Queen K, all you could see were halos of the light sticks that we had to wear - everyone put them on their heads or around their necks. The moon was a tiny sliver providing no light.
- Mile 22-24 - CRUISING!!!!!!!!!! SO excited. Saw Scott Rigsby (the double amputee) starting his run as I was coming in and I gave him a double high 5 - I was so excited to see him!
- Mile 24-25 EVEN BETTER!
- Mile 26 SPRINTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Palani to Kuakini to Ali'i Drive - WOW! I was the happiest I've ever been!
(P.S. WHO POSTED A MSG FOR ME ON THE BOARD IN THE NATURAL ENERGY LAB!?!?!?!??!! IT SAID "1839 K.Eckhart Go Team!" - Its a Mystery! TELL ME! You are amazing whoever it was!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU! - it was posted right at mile 18/19 where I went from pain to no-pain!)
Finish Line!
You've gotta see my finish! (I'm about 2min. into the video - the 2nd person to cross is me) http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/ironman/video/2007/kona/2007finish.wvx?starttime=5:20:11.00&endtime=01:00:00.00
Post-Race
- Cheered people in all night!
- Celebrating with my parents (who were sooooo happy!) with Kona Longboard Beers and fried calamari and clam chowder at one of the restaurants over looking the finish! YUM!
- Midnight = all over, wow.
- I can't explain the energy on Ali'i Drive - it is something that I hope you can experience one day.
****************************
WHO WANTS TO COME BACK WITH ME NEXT YEAR!?!?! (As a spectator!?)
By the way, I'll definitely try to get in again one day.... and sure I'll do another Ironman or maybe many Ironman races........... as long as my training schedule doesn't change!! : ) haha
Friday, October 12, 2007
Day 4 - Chillllllllllllllllin
So I was supposed to get up but I decided to stay in bed later than expected... slept and layed in bed trying to think about how my day was going to go....
I called my parents room, my dad had already been up for hours doing work and having conference calls, so I decided he was in need of something good to do for me - I sent him to Lava Java to pick up my latte and banana/soy shake. He's too good.
We sat on the sea wall and watched people swim - I decided to hang out and not get in the water today because 1. Not like today will do anything and I'm really not that worried about the water tomorrow and 2. Because my stupid speedsuit already has a hole!! That would have been the only reason for me to get in today, to swim with it on again, oh well, over it.
Went back inside and layed on my bed and decided it was going to be a long day of chilling out. I sent my parents on an excursion to drive the bike course and check out the town of Hawi and told my mom about a really cute store I found the other day up there with some little presents she should look at - so they took off for a day of exploring and left me with a room full of exploded triathlon gear all over the place.
I've spent most of the day doing the following:
1. cutting up cliff bars and bonk bars and shot bloks and fig newtons into lil pieces
2. counting out electrolyte pills
3. devouring an amazing crossaint sandwich that I would never eat on a normal day yumm
Anyway parents are almost back and now I've got to go check my bike in along with my bike gear bag, bike special foods bag for the turn around, run gear and run special foods bag for the turn around.
In case you're wondering my special foods bags contain amazing things but the thing I'm most excited about are MINT MENTOS! Why? Because I love them and because they are perfect to slip into the side pockets of my top and they come perfectly packaged in tin foil so they won't get all wet!
My back is super tight and I got some work on it this morning by the aid people but tonight I'll be stretching it out a lot.
THINK OF ME TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I NEED ALL THE HELP I CAN GET!!!!!!!!!!!
I called my parents room, my dad had already been up for hours doing work and having conference calls, so I decided he was in need of something good to do for me - I sent him to Lava Java to pick up my latte and banana/soy shake. He's too good.
We sat on the sea wall and watched people swim - I decided to hang out and not get in the water today because 1. Not like today will do anything and I'm really not that worried about the water tomorrow and 2. Because my stupid speedsuit already has a hole!! That would have been the only reason for me to get in today, to swim with it on again, oh well, over it.
Went back inside and layed on my bed and decided it was going to be a long day of chilling out. I sent my parents on an excursion to drive the bike course and check out the town of Hawi and told my mom about a really cute store I found the other day up there with some little presents she should look at - so they took off for a day of exploring and left me with a room full of exploded triathlon gear all over the place.
I've spent most of the day doing the following:
1. cutting up cliff bars and bonk bars and shot bloks and fig newtons into lil pieces
2. counting out electrolyte pills
3. devouring an amazing crossaint sandwich that I would never eat on a normal day yumm
Anyway parents are almost back and now I've got to go check my bike in along with my bike gear bag, bike special foods bag for the turn around, run gear and run special foods bag for the turn around.
In case you're wondering my special foods bags contain amazing things but the thing I'm most excited about are MINT MENTOS! Why? Because I love them and because they are perfect to slip into the side pockets of my top and they come perfectly packaged in tin foil so they won't get all wet!
My back is super tight and I got some work on it this morning by the aid people but tonight I'll be stretching it out a lot.
THINK OF ME TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I NEED ALL THE HELP I CAN GET!!!!!!!!!!!
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Day 3 - Wow
So as the first time blogger I forgot to put up my update yesterday (thurs)....... but here is how it went...
Morning
- Got up early
- Met a Navy Seal in my elevator on my way down who told me they are here to parachute down into the race start prior to the cannon! Love it.
- Went down to the swim start to try out my new Xterra Speedsuit - works great
- Took off my new Speedsuit and ripped a little hole by the zipper - of course - oh well it'll hold up, I hope. There goes 150bucks
- GOFFY UNDERPANTS RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Met up with Karen (who I tried to meet the day before at the swim) and we did the goffy underpants run along side of Chris McCormick and that other dude who might win (I'm horrible and really bad with this whole celeb tri world). Anyway, they were super hot. Hundreds of people in their undies (or less) running down Ali'i Drive. SO FUN! AND SO HOT OUTSIDE!!!! I wore these XL men's white underwear that they were handing out - others were in everything you can imagine... we stopped for a minute at the swim start to do some stretches and the cameras came in and filmed us all being silly. I was sweating a ton just jogging down the block.... Saturday is gonna be sweaty.
- Lava Java for delish breakfast obviously
Afternoon
- Picked up my parents from the airport YAY!!!!!
- Walked down the street to get them a bite to eat... but ended up at the Newton Running Shoe tent first..... yay for parents in town to help me buy some new bright yellow shoes to take home! (Madd Marty you're not the only one with Newtons anymore... SDRI should start carrying them they are pretty awesome)
- Food
- Got on my bike for a spin around the block to make sure gears were doin well - and I got the bracket for my aerobottle because I'm nervous the winds will make it juggle around.
Evening:
CARBO LOADING PARTY - NOW I FEEL IT: I am SOOOOOOOOO Fortunate to be here - I can't tell you amazing this place is!!!!!
- The stories we heard were unbelievable - winners, repeat winners, challenged athletes etc
- All repeat Ironman Hawaii competitors stood up - then the 5yr+ kept standing - then the 10yr - then the 15yr - then the 20yrs+ were remaining - there is a guy who has competed in over 20 Ironman Hawaii Championships! Unreal.
- Then all first timers stood up - I stood up and so did almost the whole place - WOW! I'd guess about 1700 of the 1850 participants were standing with me - so that means we are all in it together.... the winds, the heat... scary thoughts in all our minds.
- We had a 10min show of how the Big Island of Hawaii is an Ironman too - how it is the FIRE and TORMENT etc etc........ AHHHHH... the video was of people passing out, falling over, puking, getting IVs in their arms, falling off their bikes, crashing into things, laying flat on the side of the road... I'm not sure if that was made to make us all aware of the dangers of this race or what but it was quite terrifying.
- Then a funny little spoof of Ironman with the "Ironman Professors" was shown to make everyone laugh and get excited again.
- The night ended with a required meeting with all the swim/bike/run directors, nutritionists, aid station directors and the head refs etc to go over rules and details on the race course
I went to bed with chills, this CRAZY place has turned into an unbelievably sacred spot - I am so, so lucky to be here amongst the top athletes from around the world - 250 germans competing, about 200 aussies, 150 japanese and on and on..... Amazing people. Amazing place. I'm ready for an amazing day. (And I'm ready for it to be OVER!)
Goal: Cross the finish line. Cross the finish line. CROSS THE FINISH LINE!
Morning
- Got up early
- Met a Navy Seal in my elevator on my way down who told me they are here to parachute down into the race start prior to the cannon! Love it.
- Went down to the swim start to try out my new Xterra Speedsuit - works great
- Took off my new Speedsuit and ripped a little hole by the zipper - of course - oh well it'll hold up, I hope. There goes 150bucks
- GOFFY UNDERPANTS RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Met up with Karen (who I tried to meet the day before at the swim) and we did the goffy underpants run along side of Chris McCormick and that other dude who might win (I'm horrible and really bad with this whole celeb tri world). Anyway, they were super hot. Hundreds of people in their undies (or less) running down Ali'i Drive. SO FUN! AND SO HOT OUTSIDE!!!! I wore these XL men's white underwear that they were handing out - others were in everything you can imagine... we stopped for a minute at the swim start to do some stretches and the cameras came in and filmed us all being silly. I was sweating a ton just jogging down the block.... Saturday is gonna be sweaty.
- Lava Java for delish breakfast obviously
Afternoon
- Picked up my parents from the airport YAY!!!!!
- Walked down the street to get them a bite to eat... but ended up at the Newton Running Shoe tent first..... yay for parents in town to help me buy some new bright yellow shoes to take home! (Madd Marty you're not the only one with Newtons anymore... SDRI should start carrying them they are pretty awesome)
- Food
- Got on my bike for a spin around the block to make sure gears were doin well - and I got the bracket for my aerobottle because I'm nervous the winds will make it juggle around.
Evening:
CARBO LOADING PARTY - NOW I FEEL IT: I am SOOOOOOOOO Fortunate to be here - I can't tell you amazing this place is!!!!!
- The stories we heard were unbelievable - winners, repeat winners, challenged athletes etc
- All repeat Ironman Hawaii competitors stood up - then the 5yr+ kept standing - then the 10yr - then the 15yr - then the 20yrs+ were remaining - there is a guy who has competed in over 20 Ironman Hawaii Championships! Unreal.
- Then all first timers stood up - I stood up and so did almost the whole place - WOW! I'd guess about 1700 of the 1850 participants were standing with me - so that means we are all in it together.... the winds, the heat... scary thoughts in all our minds.
- We had a 10min show of how the Big Island of Hawaii is an Ironman too - how it is the FIRE and TORMENT etc etc........ AHHHHH... the video was of people passing out, falling over, puking, getting IVs in their arms, falling off their bikes, crashing into things, laying flat on the side of the road... I'm not sure if that was made to make us all aware of the dangers of this race or what but it was quite terrifying.
- Then a funny little spoof of Ironman with the "Ironman Professors" was shown to make everyone laugh and get excited again.
- The night ended with a required meeting with all the swim/bike/run directors, nutritionists, aid station directors and the head refs etc to go over rules and details on the race course
I went to bed with chills, this CRAZY place has turned into an unbelievably sacred spot - I am so, so lucky to be here amongst the top athletes from around the world - 250 germans competing, about 200 aussies, 150 japanese and on and on..... Amazing people. Amazing place. I'm ready for an amazing day. (And I'm ready for it to be OVER!)
Goal: Cross the finish line. Cross the finish line. CROSS THE FINISH LINE!
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Day 2 - Scoping the Scene
Today I woke up at 5am (which is actually 8am San Diego time) and started to unpack my bike although Matt is putting it together for me at Bike Works. I was going to get a latte at Lava Java and check out the swim but didn't plan to swim today although I got a call from Karen (who I met at the Mission Bay Tri) who got in through the lottery and she said she was swimming at 7:30am so I decided I may as well just do it too.
I had about an hour before swimming so went down the Ali'i Dr and I got my latte at Lava Java and made best friends with the manager who promised she'd probably be opening very early on Saturday - confirming that I'll be able to get my double tall soy latte on the morning of the race. Yessssss. The surf was hitting the sea walls in town and splashing over above people's heads on the sidewalk which made walking through town feel like I was walking through an amusement park.
Went back to the hotel and got in at the swim start even though I couldn't find Karen in the MADNESS... Athletes, tri-geek-wannabes, photographers, kids etc where EVERYWHERE.... Crazy town.
The swim was GREAT! Although lots of people were freaking out about the surf - there was some wave action and lots of rocking and rolling on the swim - but I like that. The water was super warm and felt good. Didn't have my speedsuit yet though to try out... I'll have to try it tomorrow.
Then I got a great free massage to work the knots out of my shoulders from traveling all day yesterday. Perfect.
Next, I was at Bike Works at 9am to drop off my Bike for cleaning and tuning a'la Matt Simpson who is my savior (hopefully everything is good to go even though he still has my bike at this point).
I was on my way to drive the bike course when I got a call from the Xterra pro/rep who had my speedsuit and he asked me to come pick it up at Lava Java.......... 3rd time to Lava Java in less than 24hrs.... Score.
In line at Lava Java all these people were saying hello to the guy behind me and everyone was offering to pay for his brunch or whatever he wanted - I was like WHO is behind me?! (And also, why doesn't anyone want to pay for MY brunch hah I'm sooo not popular around here) I think it was Mark Allen because everyone was like OH MARK OH MARK. And then he touched my shoulder and was like, you go ahead of me - please, even though there wasn't a cash register available so I looked at him like, are you somebody special? He probably thought I was sooo rude not being star struck but it took me about 3min to figure out who he was and I still don't even know if it was actually him.
Got my speedsuit but haven't tried it on. Decided to check my email again since I'm here at Lava Java and thats when I decided I may as well start this BLOG by the NON-BLOGGER because since my parent's don't arrive until tomorrow I really have nobody to share all these silly stories with.
Bike is ready to be picked up.........
.......... So the rest of my day went like this:
Registration: The woman in front of me at the security check point of the registration room was ____ (have to look up her name) she is the Swiss woman who has won this race 6 times.... Anyway, I am behind her as all the Security people start yelling how she is NUMBER 1 LADY and all want to take a picture with her - while I am standing behind all of them - twice in one day - why doesn't anyone want a picture with MOI?!?! kidding... Then we had to weigh in (so they can tell if you're extremely dehydrated on the course), and sign your life away with at least 3 different officials.
Drove the Bike Course: AHHHHHHHHH. Okay, now I'm scared. LONG. HUGE CLIMB TO HAWI. WIND!!!!!! HOT SUN!!!!! Okay, back to happy thoughts.....
Jogged the In's & Out's of the Run: I needed to cool my nerves after driving the bike.... so I decided to throw on my running shoes and get out for a bit. It felt GREAT to sweat, relax and chill while jogging down Ali'i Drive. Next time I'm running down this road won't feel so good....
Since I am so fortunate to be staying at the host hotel - and my room over looks the huge area where the Welcome Banquet and Awards Banquets are taking place, I got to see the LOUD dress rehearsal of the Luau that Ironman has planned for us all - WHILE TRYING TO GET TO SLEEP! Took some Nyquil and passed out...... Day 2 done and done. I know whats going on. I've been in the water, seen the bike course, and I've jogged/drove the run.
Ready for day 3.
I had about an hour before swimming so went down the Ali'i Dr and I got my latte at Lava Java and made best friends with the manager who promised she'd probably be opening very early on Saturday - confirming that I'll be able to get my double tall soy latte on the morning of the race. Yessssss. The surf was hitting the sea walls in town and splashing over above people's heads on the sidewalk which made walking through town feel like I was walking through an amusement park.
Went back to the hotel and got in at the swim start even though I couldn't find Karen in the MADNESS... Athletes, tri-geek-wannabes, photographers, kids etc where EVERYWHERE.... Crazy town.
The swim was GREAT! Although lots of people were freaking out about the surf - there was some wave action and lots of rocking and rolling on the swim - but I like that. The water was super warm and felt good. Didn't have my speedsuit yet though to try out... I'll have to try it tomorrow.
Then I got a great free massage to work the knots out of my shoulders from traveling all day yesterday. Perfect.
Next, I was at Bike Works at 9am to drop off my Bike for cleaning and tuning a'la Matt Simpson who is my savior (hopefully everything is good to go even though he still has my bike at this point).
I was on my way to drive the bike course when I got a call from the Xterra pro/rep who had my speedsuit and he asked me to come pick it up at Lava Java.......... 3rd time to Lava Java in less than 24hrs.... Score.
In line at Lava Java all these people were saying hello to the guy behind me and everyone was offering to pay for his brunch or whatever he wanted - I was like WHO is behind me?! (And also, why doesn't anyone want to pay for MY brunch hah I'm sooo not popular around here) I think it was Mark Allen because everyone was like OH MARK OH MARK. And then he touched my shoulder and was like, you go ahead of me - please, even though there wasn't a cash register available so I looked at him like, are you somebody special? He probably thought I was sooo rude not being star struck but it took me about 3min to figure out who he was and I still don't even know if it was actually him.
Got my speedsuit but haven't tried it on. Decided to check my email again since I'm here at Lava Java and thats when I decided I may as well start this BLOG by the NON-BLOGGER because since my parent's don't arrive until tomorrow I really have nobody to share all these silly stories with.
Bike is ready to be picked up.........
.......... So the rest of my day went like this:
Registration: The woman in front of me at the security check point of the registration room was ____ (have to look up her name) she is the Swiss woman who has won this race 6 times.... Anyway, I am behind her as all the Security people start yelling how she is NUMBER 1 LADY and all want to take a picture with her - while I am standing behind all of them - twice in one day - why doesn't anyone want a picture with MOI?!?! kidding... Then we had to weigh in (so they can tell if you're extremely dehydrated on the course), and sign your life away with at least 3 different officials.
Drove the Bike Course: AHHHHHHHHH. Okay, now I'm scared. LONG. HUGE CLIMB TO HAWI. WIND!!!!!! HOT SUN!!!!! Okay, back to happy thoughts.....
Jogged the In's & Out's of the Run: I needed to cool my nerves after driving the bike.... so I decided to throw on my running shoes and get out for a bit. It felt GREAT to sweat, relax and chill while jogging down Ali'i Drive. Next time I'm running down this road won't feel so good....
Since I am so fortunate to be staying at the host hotel - and my room over looks the huge area where the Welcome Banquet and Awards Banquets are taking place, I got to see the LOUD dress rehearsal of the Luau that Ironman has planned for us all - WHILE TRYING TO GET TO SLEEP! Took some Nyquil and passed out...... Day 2 done and done. I know whats going on. I've been in the water, seen the bike course, and I've jogged/drove the run.
Ready for day 3.
Day 1 - Checked In
So yesterday I arrived at the Kona airport and got all my luggage - Yesssss - my first fear of the trip was that my bike box would not arrive or that my huge suitcase would be lost in Hawaiian Airline land. Got the rental car at Hertz and made it to my hotel right around sunset.
Checked In.
Made it to my room........ Why didn't anyone warn me that the host hotel, King Kamehameha Hotel, is from pre-1970!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As a Hotelie I spend my time critiquing things like gross hotels and restaurants in my spare time with Emily - AHHHHH! NIGHTMARE! My parents are not arriving until Thursday so I really had no one to share this info with and was freaking out. Then I realized there was nothing I could do about it so I may as well chill. Its a good thing I'm staying there anyway because EVERYTHING is right there including the swim start, transition, race check in, Ironman store, welcome/awards banquets.... everything.
Anyway, I stripped the bed, put down my own sweatshirt blanket and my own pillow (I had heard it was crummy but not SICK) and went into town to chill out and get a bite to eat.
Found Lava Java.
Ate delish food and checked email while pros walked around in their gear even though it was after dark and they obviously were no longer training... just looking the part. This place is crazzzzzy!
Went back to my lovely hotel for a good sleep. Yay.
Checked In.
Made it to my room........ Why didn't anyone warn me that the host hotel, King Kamehameha Hotel, is from pre-1970!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As a Hotelie I spend my time critiquing things like gross hotels and restaurants in my spare time with Emily - AHHHHH! NIGHTMARE! My parents are not arriving until Thursday so I really had no one to share this info with and was freaking out. Then I realized there was nothing I could do about it so I may as well chill. Its a good thing I'm staying there anyway because EVERYTHING is right there including the swim start, transition, race check in, Ironman store, welcome/awards banquets.... everything.
Anyway, I stripped the bed, put down my own sweatshirt blanket and my own pillow (I had heard it was crummy but not SICK) and went into town to chill out and get a bite to eat.
Found Lava Java.
Ate delish food and checked email while pros walked around in their gear even though it was after dark and they obviously were no longer training... just looking the part. This place is crazzzzzy!
Went back to my lovely hotel for a good sleep. Yay.
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