Race day in Kona!

We were up and headed down to the starting line at 430am. Pat got body marked and then disappeared into transition so I went and found a place to watch the swim. Yes, the sea wall was already packed by then, and it was nuts. I did get a nice spot at the top of the row of bleachers right behind the wall though – and there I stood for the next 2.5 hours watching the crowd stir themselves up into a frenzy (it was hard not to! It was indescribably exciting!). I saw one lady get so excited that she accidentally sat on her baby and almost dumped it off the back of the wall (the little one made an almost alien-like noise as there was a loud collective gasp from the crowd). 

Pat getting bodymarked. She would look MUCH more awake very soon.

I saw the both the Pros and the age groupers start the swim ... it was truly an incredible thing to see in person. My heart rate jacked up sky high last year just watching it online. Watching it in person was unreal, but I have to admit, in spite of the chaos of the mass start I still wished BADLY that I was out there giving it a whirl. It was phenomenal just to be out there doing the training swims this week ... during the race it has to be one of the most memorable triathlon swims on the planet. Pat told me later that she had a GREAT swim, and that one guy saw dolphins swimming near the pack. 

Some of the Pros at the start

The Pros. Lined up and waiting for the gun.

And the Pros are off ....

The age groups start to line up.

You didn't have to work very hard to tread water out there due to the high salt density ... still, not a bad idea.

And the age groupers are off!

There wasn't much to see while they were out on the swim course ... but I hung around to try to catch at least the first Pros out of the water. They started 30min before the age groupers, and considering their swims should be right around 45-50 mins I didn't have to wait for long. It was well worth the wait.

Andy Potts is the first Pro out w/a time of 49:44. The men's record at Kona is 46:41 and belongs to Lars Jorgensen.

The Pros take drafting very seriously

Once the Pros were out I bolted over to where the bikes come out of transition, head down Ali'i for a few moments, before turning up Palani. Of course by the time I got there all the Pros were already out on their bikes, but I did catch the initial mass of age groupers heading out ... including Pat! 

Some of the plethora of age groupers heading out on the bike. This was the turn onto Ali'i out of transition.

Go Pat! I asked her later if she heard me as she was coming out of transition. She said 'Um. Yeah.' Made my sore throat TOTALLY worth it!

Once Pat was out on the bike I ran up Palani (run being a relative term - it's really quite a hill) and caught her twice more - heading out and back on the loop through town before heading out to the Queen K and up to Hawi. After that, Tom and I migrated to a church all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast that totally hit the spot! We hung around and watched some of the Pros come in from the bike and head out on the run, and then until it was time for Pat to finish her ride and head out on the run. She looked good coming in from the bike, even though it was a little later than I'd expected. On her way out of transition she walked past me and lifted the edge of her shorts to reveal a pretty gruesome patch of road rash (sorry if I gasped, Pat - it really looked awful!). All I got out of her in the 5 seconds while she went by was that someone had pulled out in front of her on her bike somewhere near Hawi and they both went down hard. She didn't seem to be limping but did seem to be walking gingerly and I was worried when I didn't see her start to run before she disappeared up Palani. I took off running down Ali'i to try to catch her right before she headed out for the 5mile stretch that goes South on Ali'i before turning back around and back up Ali'i and out to the Energy Lab. I caught her right at the turn and could see she was running! Phew! 

Pat heading into transition.

Craig Alexander, heading out on the run.

Pat, heading out on the run. Banged up from her crash, but still going!

Later, she would explain what happened: She had just gone through a water stop and gotten a fresh bottle, which was still in her hand. Shortly after she started out an older gentleman (80s) for no apparent reason, swerved in front of her, and they both went down. He was sitting up and physically looked okRigsby. You probably know him and just don't know it - he's a double amputee who has done countless Ironmans, and is an inspiration every time you see him. Pat said he asked her how her day was going and she explained not so great, and told him about her accident. He commiserated and said he was having a tough day too, and had already had to stop 3 times to take his legs off. Pat said it gave her some perspective and she thought also gave them both some energy to finish the ride strong. I saw them both come in off the bike - within minutes of each other. 

You can't tell much that's going on on the run, so after grabbing some dinner Tom and I headed to the finish line to watch people coming in. I found a spot literally as close to the finish line as you could get - within feet. We got there right around the 13hr mark ... and I don't think we budged until Pat came in over 3 hours later. This was my first ironman event in person, so to see people, in person, the moment they got to that finish line was extraordinary. I can't tell you how many times I was in tears - out of pure happiness for total strangers. Tani, a good friend, and also the world's number one iron sherpa, had warned me of this - but I really had no idea. The tears just kept coming ... followed by laughter ... followed by more tears. I totally forgot to take any pictures. Spectating is exhausting in more ways than just being on your feet all day. I watched the Biggest Loser girl come in - and after her long day, do a FANTASTIC dance that I wouldn't have had the energy to do right then and I hadn't done anything all day! I watched the lady in stage 4 colon cancer finish - you try not to cry at that one! I heard Mike Reilly LOUD in the microphone saying 'Put the baby down! Put her down! You'll be disqualified! You can't cross the line with the child! PUT HER DOW .... " and then in a much softer and truly sad voice, "Nevermind. It's too late." My heart physically hurt. I saw another guy run through the finish holding a sign 'Will You Marry Me?'. Mike Reilly tried desperately to find his girlfriend for him, but I don't think she could get to the finish through the mob (at least the little girl in me that still believe fairy tales do exist had to believe that's the only thing that was holding her up). And on and on and on. Every person had their own unique story, or dance, or gesture, or signature move, or just that special look in their eyes. I can't say the 3+ hours went by fast - nothing goes by fast when you're watching a giant clock right in front of you - but there was no place else I'd rather have been, and no way I was moving from that spot. Of course it got worse as the night went on - people leaning, people obviously in pain, people collapsing into the arms of the catchers. But it also got better - the crowd support was out of this world, and Mike Reilly got more and more nuts - it truly was if every person there was willing the athletes in with everything they had - me included. If you let it all in - all the support and the pain and the pure good will - it's simply overwhelming ... and for me, it was an experience that will stick with me forever.

Pat came in right around 16h10min. I saw her and tried to take a picture but I was so excited I was shaking and it came out blurry. I gave up and just screamed my fool head off. I saw her come down the ramp on the other side as Chrissie Wellington walked up to her to give her her finishers lei. I couldn't get around the crowd though, and sadly, couldn't get a 'real' picture of this - all I could get was the jumbotron. It was good enough. After she was out of the finishes chute I ran through the crowd to the other side, waited a few minutes for Tom, and we headed over to where families go to meet their athletes. We waited for a while, before checking the medical tent - and found her there. It turns out with her history of cancer the medical folks thought it would be prudent to give her an IV, just to be safe - so she was lying there, looking absolutely fine (except for the road rash from the crash on the bike, which was now horribly bruised in addition to bloodied) talking to the guy next to her (in much worse shape, and oddly, I had met and talked with his wife earlier in the day), while the saline bag was emptying out. We gathered up her gear, and Tom went and got her finishers medal (a beautiful thing, I might add!), and as soon as she was sprung from medical we headed home.  

Pat, at the finish with Chrissie Wellington. Video of this made the highlites reel at the awards banquet. Pat didn't realize it was HER up on the bigscreen until I grabbed her and said 'THAT'S YOU!'. It was beyond priceless.

Almost 22 hours after we started, after feeling like a zombie on my feet for the last several, more than ready to drift off into the sweet oblivion of horizontalness and sleep ... I lay in bed wide awake. It's impossible to have all that energy pulsing through you for that long ... and then just shut it off. At that point, tired as I was, I didn't even want to. It occurred to me that if you can come here and NOT be inspired to do an ironman, then it simply isn't your cup of tea, and nothing on this planet will ever make it so. And that's perfectly ok - it just means your heart belongs in something else, just as important, just as great. No matter what though, you still can't help but marvel at what all ironman athletes do, the infinite number of impossible obstacles they overcome - some they know about going in - like physical handicaps or cancer .... some are surprises along the way - bike crashes or heat exhaustion ... just to get to that finish line. Pat has thanked me a thousand times for going on this trip with her, training with her, and supporting her - I can't find a way to explain that *I* was the one who got the most out of this. 

The next evening we went to the awards ceremony. As you might have guessed it was overflowing with emotion. They had a show complete with dancers (male and female). And a ukelele player who was just incredible (her hands moved so fast you couldn't see them). 

For my male friends who I know are dying to know. Yes, there were hula dancers. And Yes, they were beautiful and talented! I have no idea how they move their hips that fast, but wish I could figure it out - it looked fun!

And for the girls. A little hard to see but those are male dancers in front. Their moves were slightly more manly, and they all (male and female) looked fantastic.

After some more pomp and circumstance, and totally unbeknownst to him, they inducted Mike Reilly into the Ironman hall of fame. Here's a guy, as most people know, who was totally overflowing with energy the night before, as he is at every Ironman finishline - with more energy than any human should be able to contain in one body - and now he's standing up there, totally surprised and overwhelmed, fighting tears (and losing). I can't imagine there was a dry eye in the entire place by now. He literally couldn't find the words for several minutes (hard to imagine, isn't it?). He gave his speech and then Diane, the race director, apparently hugged him and said something along the lines of 'Ok, now pull it together and do your job.' He did. They went through all the age group awards, finishing up with the 80+ age group which contained the infamous Lew Hollander. Lew took first place, less than 5 minutes ahead of 2nd place, who finished less than 1 minute ahead of 3rd place. The race with the race this time, was amongst the 80-84yr old men! Mike Reilly took a moment to talk to them, and we all got the privilege to hear some of the priceless wisdom that comes with age. The 2nd place finisher, France Cokan, said he fell 7 times, for 'various unjustifiable reasons'. The medical crew tried to convince him he should quit and he told them he's a Dr, he should know when it's time to quit ... and he kept going (he said he was going to talk to them about the benefits of the Polish diet, but decided it was probably not the best time). Lew offered a couple tidbits as to how he's still out there doing this race year after year. First, he said, go anaerobic every day. Not just aerobic, AN-aerobic. I'm not sure about that one, but it certainly seems to be working for Lew! He also said, if you're training and you're comfortable .... you should speed up. More than anything else I found myself hoping that I was in as good of shape at 80 as they are ... and that I find a way to retain that sense of humor that I think keeps you young.    

Mike Reilly, Ironman finishline announcer, being inducted into the Ironman Hall of Fame. He was totally surprised, and unbelievably, speechless.

One of the many sets of top 5 male and top 5 female age group finishers.

The oldest athletes in the race. They had their own race within the race and were in great spirits at the awards ceremony.

And then the Pros. Chrissie Wellington's speech had everyone teary-eyed ... again. What she says and how she says it is so obviously from her heart and she doesn't care how she sounds or how she looks, she just wants to share things with you and express how she feels. She talked about how it's 50% physical, and 50% mental out there .... and how it's not easy but she hates the ***damn easy route anyway. She said to never ever ever give up .... and always smile. Craig Alexander's speech was much the same, thanking his wife and kids before anything else, then choking up and trying hard to hold it together. It was an emotion-filled evening, after an emotion-filled previous 17hour+ day, after an emotion-filled previous week. 

Top 10 Pro Females

Top 10 Pro Males

Craig Alexander giving his speech

The Champions! You simply can't help but smile at (and for) them. What incredible athletes.

I've struggled with blogging this trip Outside the Radius, because for me it has really been an experience beyond words, and almost beyond thoughts. Words and pictures simply don't do any of it justice. You can't capture true and pure energy. So much of it is felt so deep inside yourself that you barely even know how to explain it to your own brain ... much less to anyone else.

The only thing I can think of that would possibly be harder to express ... would be being on the OTHER side of that start line ... and hopefully, sometime less than 17 hours later ... the other side of that finish line.