Ironman Kona Nutrition Lessons Learned

Later today, we are boarding a plane to Italy for the Xterra World Championship. It feels a bit strange to fly to Europe when early October has become synonymous with us heading to Kona, Hawaii.

While I'm loving all the Kona spam, I'm really excited for something new and out of my comfort zone. Since our race is on the 1st, this means that on October 6th and 8th, we will be glued to our computers to watch the pros compete at the Ironman World Championship, and to cheer on our 8 athletes who are racing. 

Nutrition is one of the most commonly blamed reasons for a bad race and it's also the most worrisome factor that athletes try to tightly control. 

A lot of learning lessons have occurred after 9 trips to the Big Island for the Ironman World Championship. If you are racing in your first IM Kona or 10th (or somewhere in between), here are a few nutrition tips to keep your body functioning well over 140.6 miles. 

• Carbo-loading should not be confused with overeating. Effective glycogen (stored carbs) loading should result from emphasizing more energy-dense, low fiber carbohydrate sources and reducing fat intake alongside reudcing (not stopping) expenditure (tapering). Two days of carbohydrate loading is sufficient to fuel your muscles for the upcoming event. Aim for ~7g/kg/day of carbohydrates in the 2 days before the Ironman. Opt for a low-residue (low fiber/fat) diet, prioritizing more carbs in the morning hours to allow for more time for digestion. 

• Hydration during the days leading up to the race is crucial. This includes daily hydration as well as staying well hydrated during workouts. Make sure to rehydrate after workouts with a sodium-carb beverage and monitor your urin so it's light yellow (not dark or clear). Proper hydration means having the urge to urinate once every ~2 hours.  
  
  
  

• Sure, you are in Hawaii and there is a lot to see, do and experience. But the more you are outside, the greater the risk for sunburn, dehydration and fatigue. Cover your skin, wear reef-safe sunscreen and minimize your time in the direct sun. Overexposure to the sun may also supress the immune system - putting you at risk for getting sick.
  
  
  
  
  
• With the recent news that there will be less aid stations on the bike and run at the Ironman World Championship, this should not cause you to overhaul what has worked in training. However, it's important to be prepared. The more self-sufficient you are, the easier it will be to stick with a schedule for drinking/fueling throughout the race. To help with this, here are a few tips: 
  -Have at least 3 cages/hydration systems (1 bottle per hour of sport nutrition) on your bike for sport nutrition. When you finish 1 bottle, toss it at the aid station to allow room to store water on your bike. You should start with 3 bottles of sport nutrition and have three prepared bottles of sport nutrition in special needs. 
  -When you get to an aid station on the bike, grab water first and store on your bike to use for sipping/cooling until the next aid station. Then grab water to use for sipping and then cool the body as much as possible by pouring the water on your head, arms, back and legs. If you choose to wear a hydration pack, use it for sport nutrition so you can use your cages for water for sipping/cooling the body. 
  -Avoid carrying a heavy bottle when you run as it can throw off your gait. However, having a small 4-6 ounce flask of water to refill throughout the race can be a game changer between aid stations (you can sip it). If you practiced with a sport drink and plan to wear your nutrition (belt/pack), bring baggies of powder to refill along the way. 
  -Wear an absorbent cooling towel (I use Perfect Cooling Towel) to hold water. This way you can squeeze the towel anytime to cool you off. 
  -Hold ice in your hands and pour down your shorts/top to help keep you cool. Look for body parts that are high blood flow areas. 
  -Be careful running through sprinklers and hoses as wet, soggy shoes are prone to blisters. 
  -Keep your nutrition simple to execute. Well-formulated products digest and absorb the best. Don't overcomplicate your fueling plan. 
  
  
  
  
  
• Swimming in the ocean (or any open water) can result in gulping air (aerophagia), swallowing water or feeling sea sick. This can result in belching, nausea, headache and/or vomiting. Make sure you are well hydrated going into practice swims and on race day. Try to focus on something fixed (not moving) can help settled the brain. Pressure in your ear can make you feel off so you may consider wearing ear plugs. After the swim, take a few sips of water to dilute contents in the gut and wait ~10-15 minutes on the bike before consuming sport nutrition products on the bike. You may also find relief by sucking on a ginger chew or peppermint in the 20 minutes before the event. 
  
  
  
  
  
• If you are properly carbo-loaded, you may feel a little "heavy" from water retention. Or, perhaps you didn't reach your arbitrary "race weight" and you are feeling self-confident. Or maybe you feel like losing a few more lbs will give you the competitive edge. Resist the temptation to make extreme changes in your diet. Respect, fuel and nourish your body as it prepares to take you on a 140.6 mile journey. Don't compare your body to that of another athlete. How someone looks does not mean that athlete is better (or worse) than you. Never stop believing in yourself. 
  
  
  
  
  
• While the sun is hot, humidity is a greater threat to your health and performance. When the air is saturated with water, it's difficult for sweat to evaporate and cool the skin. Also, with the skin being the primary area for blood flow (to avoid overheating), that means less blood to the working muscles to power you forward and the gut becoming extremely slow for digestion. With all this in mind, it's extremely important to pace your own race. Your fastest performance is the one where you minimize a massive slowdown. Be realistic with your effort. Don't fixate on a specific outcome. Power, heart rate and pace can be misleading in the heat and humidity. Listen to your body.  
  
  
  
  
  
• Far too many athletes enter race week in panic mode and begin to change the winning formula. Fear based training or overhauling sport nutrition. Rituals that once helped an athlete build confidence for race day are replaced with worry, fear and self-doubt. Sure, the Ironman World Championship is a big-deal race but if you think about the distance, it's just another Ironman distance triathlon race. While you should certainly respect the distance and the island, don't abort the approach, method or formula that worked for you in the past. While it's ok to change certain aspects of your gear, nutrition or pacing plan to better manage the course or conditions (ex. ventilated helmet, depth size of your wheel, wearing a hydration belt, etc), it's not ok to change your plan because you think you'll be faster, perform better or because you saw that someone else (top age grouper/professional) was doing something similar. Trust yourself. 
  
  
  

Lessons learned from IM Kona - Body Image

Today would have been the start of the Ironman World Championship race week. If you've ever been to Kona at this time of year, it's an incredibly special and inspiring week. Although Karel and I were not planning to race this year, we had a few Trimarnis on the start list. Although it's sad to know that their IM Kona dreams are now on hold, we know the wait will be worth it and they will get their Ironman Kona experience and a one-of-a-kind finish line feeling. 

Around this time in October, I've spent seven of the last 13 years on the big island of Kona, Hawaii. Five of those years as an IM Kona athlete (2007, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2019) and two of those years as a spectator for Karel (2016 and 2018). We have been privileged to call Kona our second home for so many years for at least a week in early October. 

In honor of this week being IM Kona "race week" I will share a few of the lessons I've learned as an Ironman World Championship participant (and spectator). I'll start with a very important topic and one that I am extremely passionate about.....body image. 

BODY IMAGE

I believe in setting a good example for my athletes by always embracing and encouraging a healthy relationship with food and the body. Karel and I do not follow any extreme styles of eating, we don't restrict food/fuel in an effort to change body composition and we do not manipulate our diet in an effort to change our body image for a race (ex. race weight). Food is our fuel and our nourishment and we firmly believe that when the body is well fueled and well nourished, it's healthy. And a healthy body performs well. 

Sadly, we live in a society (and within a triathlon sport bubble) that involves competitive leanness. Rather than taking great care of the incredible vehicle (your body) that gets you from the start to the finish line, many athletes fall victim to chasing a specific weight or body fat percentage, assuming that leanness is a criteria for race day success.

Truth be told, in the sport of triathlon, specifically in the Ironman World Championship, the winner across the finish line is not always the leanest athlete. There is no consistent, conclusive evidence that "leanness" directly correlates with Ironman race day readiness. As a 16x Ironman finisher, I can confidently tell you that there are so many variables  that can affect the body over 140.6 miles.

• Your body image does not make you mentally stronger on race day.
• Your body image does not make you immune to needing sport nutrition on race day.
• Your body image does not mean that you won't fatigue or have low moments on race day.
• Your body image does not mean that you won't have an equipment related issue on race day.
• Your body image does not mean that you will have endless energy on race day.

On race week, you should find your relationship with your body at its strongest. You should be thanking every part of your body every for what it's about to let you do. You receive no athletic benefit in bashing your body, restricting carbohydrates/calories, dehydrating yourself, feeling shame for your body, wishing for a different body image or feeling intense pressure to quickly weigh less.

Manipulating your diet (or taper regime) on race week in an effort to quickly attempt to change your body composition will only put you at risk for a race performance far below your athletic potential.
As it relates to comparing your body to the body of another athlete, never let the body image of another athlete make you to believe that your body isn't ready or good enough for a great race day performance. 

Having a great relationship with your body not only builds your confidence for race day but it also enables you to make good eating and fueling choices on race week, which will help you arrive to your  start line fresh, fueled and mentally ready to race. 

It's normal to feel a little heavier than normal on race week when you are properly fueling and hydrating your body for race day. You may even feel a little uncomfortable at times because of taper and this is ok. I always remind myself that when my body feels a little heavy, it means that I am fully ready for the race.

It's normal to look a little different in the mirror when your body is rejuvinating and repairing itself during taper. Remind yourself that what you look like doesn't determine how your body will perform on race day. Far too many athletes arrive to Kona looking extremely lean and fit but unhealthy and nutritionally unprepared for the necessary fuel/hydration that is required to get the body to the finish line.

Healthy and strong look different on every body. Be proud of your body and how far it has taken you in your training journey. Direct your energy beyond a look and instead, focus on the amazing upcoming race day adventure that you will take your body on. 

Fuel and eat for performance and not for an image. Be honest with yourself - what is it that you want your body to do on race day? Do you want to look strong and fast or do you want your body to be strong and fast? 

When you arrive to a race with plans, hopes and dreams of performing well with your body, don't sabotage your performance by letting your appearance get the best of you. 

Replace the negative self-talk and self-criticism with meaningful statements that reflect a positive appreciation for your amazing body.

IMKona '18: 10 & 9 days out

After a surprisingly great night of sleep on Tuesday, we woke up just in time for the sunrise while sitting out on the patio enjoying a pre-workout snack. We wasted no time with our first workout on the island and headed straight to "dig me beach" for a 40-minute open water swim. 

Sadly, the water was a bit more cloudy and there weren't a lot of fish. It was also rather warm. However, it still felt amazing to swim in the ocean with the sun shining down on us. 

Karel and I swam an easy 40 minutes (~20 minutes out and back). We kept it fairly easy throughout but built the effort on the way back. The focus was just to move blood after travel and to have fun in the ocean. 

Even though it's still 10 days out from the 2018 IM World Championship, the swim venue was pretty busy. It was nice to be surrounded with so many triathletes from all different parts of the world. Karel is looking forward to connecting with some of his Czech friends next week. 

As we were walking back to our condo, we spotted a turtle! 

A local walked by and told us that she has a name and it's "Sandy." So now when we see a turtle, we say hi to Sandy.

I was craving a hearty breakfast after a day filled with snacking on Tuesday (travel day) so I made us pancakes (with the help of a box of Kodiak cakes that I bought at Wal-mart), along with scrambled eggs and chopped fresh fruit (banana, papaya, pineapple). 

Karel unpacked our bikes from our Scicon bags and before getting on the bike, we walked to the farmer's market to pick up a few more produce items and then stopped at Daylight mind for fresh bread. 

It was then time to head out to the Queen K (Bike course). We first made a quick stop at Bike Works for Co2s on our way out of town and then made our way North on the Queen K for an hour out and an hour back of easy spinning just to wake-up the body again from all the travel. Although we started our ride just before noon, there were still plenty of cyclists out on the road. There are a few lights/stops for the first 6 miles or so (to the airport) and then it's non-stop riding - just you and the elements. 

It wasn't crazy windy out but it was windy enough to know that you were in Kona. It was also very warm - drinking two bottles was incredibly easy throughout the ride (INFINIT). 

This was the first time that our Ventums traveled to Kona and based on my feedback, the bike rides so well in the wind. As I mentioned in my IMWI race report (it was super windy there), the design of the bike makes it feel like you are slicing through the wind. Of course, I still need to give it the real wind test in Hawi (which I plan to do this weekend) but with the wind that we experienced and the long rolling hills, I felt very controlled, safe and comfortable on my Ventum. I could not be more happy about my decision to switch from my Trek to Ventum just a few months ago. Also, Karel really loves his Ventum. While his back pain isn't 100% gone, it's remarkably improved since switching to the Ventum. 

Here are a few more pics from our ride. 

I lava you Karel! Sorry, I have been wanting to say that :) 

I love my Ventum! This will also likely be my wheel choice for Kona '19 (possibly a deeper rear wheel).

Obligatory bike-lava picture. 

After the ride, we ate a later lunch and then spent the next few hours on the computer getting work done. Karel and I took a short walk in the evening as the sun was setting and finished off the evening by watching a few Talbot Cox videos and Super League triathlon (YouTube) on the ipad before bed. We forced ourselves to stay up as late as possible to help with the jet lag so we made it to about 8:30pm before we were both out. 

Thursday morning....9 hours of sleep! I couldn't believe that we slept until 5:20am! Our daily morning routine back in Greenville is answering emails and spending a little time on Training Peaks before our first workout of the day so we haven't changed the routine, just the view. 

Karel and I both had our typical pre-training snack (Oatmeal for Karel, waffles and yogurt for me) before driving to the Energy Lab for our run. 

With the new changes to the run course, we wanted to check out the new layout in and out of the Energy Lab. It looks like the course may have been changed because there is no longer an entrance to the Energy lab from the Queen K (heading North). The new section means more time on the Queen K and in the Energy lab and less time on Ali'i drive. 

We purposely wanted to start the run early to avoid running in the hot sun and lucky us, we were blessed with a cloudy sky around 8am. It was still warm but for Kona standards, it was not boiling hot. As always, Karel ran with his Naked Running Belt and I had my Nathan Trail Mix Plus belt. We both had two x 10 ounce flasks for the run. I used Clif Hydration in one and Carbo Rocket in the other and Karel had Clif hydration in both of his flasks. 

Karel's run workout was 80-minutes form focused, smooth running. Since I'm not racing, I could suffer a little more so I did my weekly "track" run on the course which was 6 x 1K (.62 miles) w/ 2 minute rest between. I've been doing this workout for the past few weeks and I really enjoy it. I go by feel and run as strong as I can and then review my file when I am finished to see how I did. For this run, I was able to do all 1K's around or under 6:40 min/mile. Karel and I both listened to the latest PPF podcast about conquering Kona. It was a good one and worth listening to. 

Here are a few pics from the run (I took them during my recovery intervals). 

New section in the Energy lab. 

View of the new section in the energy lab from the Queen K. 

Queen K

Back section in the Energy lab. 

After our run, a few pics and a recovery/rehydration drink, we made a quick stop at Wal-mart for a few more items before heading back to our condo. 

We came home to a condo that smelled amazing! Karel's mom made us Vanocka (similar to challah bread) while we were away and I couldn't wait to dig in and have some delicious bread with my breakfast. 

We headed back outside to the patio to refuel before getting back to work on the computer (it's not all play for us here. We still gotta pay for all of Campy's toys!)

Around 1:30pm, I gathered some energy for my swim workout only to find that the pool was closed until 3pm (after I arrived). I grabbed a quick snack and headed to the ocean instead. 

Karel and his mom headed to the beach/swim start for Karel do a casual open water swim while his mom played around in the water and I headed out for an open water workout. 

Holy waves! It was choppy out there! I managed to do a somewhat quality workout but I would have much preferred the pool. My workout was: ~700 warm-up. MS: 3x's: 100 smooth, 100 strong, 100 smooth, 200 strong. I "rested" 10-20 sec between. Rather than swimming out and then back, I used a few buoys as my "course" and swam back and forth along a ~300 yard course. I saw about 5 other people swimming but other than that, it was just me and the fish. 

47 minutes later, I finished up my workout and before getting out of the water, I saw Sandy! She was swimming and I am pretty sure she was smiling. As for the rest of the day, it was pretty low key. The days seem to go by slowly throughout the morning but with an early sunset (~6pm), it's easy to get sleepy for an early bedtime. The island is getting more busy with triathletes and I can feel the energy building as we only have a few more sleeps until race week! As a reminder, I am not racing (only Karel). But as a huge fan of the sport, I am so happy I can be here to enjoy everything on this magical island, along with all of the athletes who are racing. 

Kona '18 - Travel day

Maps not to scale make the Hawaii islands seem so close to California. So deceiving! Well let me tell you, it's not a quick hop over the Pacific ocean. Over the past 11 years (since my first IM Kona in 2007), I've traveled to the Big Island for the IM World Championship a total of 6 times. Four of those times I was an athlete ('07, '11, '13, '15) and now twice as a spectathlete ('16 and '18). While it's a long journey to get to Kona, the first step off the airplane makes it so worth it. There's nothing like seeing the island as the plane is getting closer to landing.  

Our journey to Kona started on Monday afternoon. After a see-you-later to Campy and our cats (they will be well taken care of thanks to my mom and our neighbor Joey), we packed up the car and headed to Atlanta around 3:30pm. With a 9am flight on Tuesday morning and a total of 11ish hours of flying, the thought of leaving our house at 3am on Tues was a bit exhausting and stressful. Since we were leaving our car at the Holiday Inn (Parkway Parking), I booked us a hotel room for the night. It was actually a great deal because we could get 7 nights free parking with a one-night stay at the hotel. Aside from a bit of traffic in Atlanta, the trip was very uneventful to Atlanta. We listed to a few podcasts (loved the recent interviews on Triathlon Taren with Lucy Charles and Cody Beales) to help pass the time by for 2.5 hours (well, 3 hours with traffic). We ate dinner at Moe's (our favorite "fast food" option when we travel) and then checked into the hotel around 7:30pm. It was a quick stay as we got up at 5:20am, ate some food in the hotel at 6am and boarded the complimentary airport shuttle at 6:30am. We arrived to the airport around 6:45am and by 7:30am we were at our gate. Pretty quick for the Atlanta Airport! 

We usually fly Delta but I was able to find very affordable tickets to Kona on United (likely due to the Volcano) and the seat options plus layover options were much better on United versus Delta. We also wanted only one layover to eliminate a lot of plane changes with our bikes, so that is why we decided to leave from Atlanta instead of Greenville. And because Karel's mom is going with us to Kona, I wanted to make sure that this trip was easy for us all but also affordable. 

The first flight to Denver was 3.5 hours. I packed a bagel + PB sandwich for this first flight, along with other snacks (ex. trail mix, pretzels, Amrita bars). I "upgraded" our seats for around $47 each which was well worth it to have the extra leg room (especially for Karel). To pass the time, I watched a movie and skimmed through my book (Essential Sports Nutrition) once again as I am sharing some sneak-peaks for you all on my Facebook page. 

I typically like to give us a layover of 1:45-2 hours when we fly with our bikes so we had time in Denver before heading to Kona, to get some food before our 7.5 hour flight. I found a delicious lunch option of tofu, potatoes, apples, walnuts and goat cheese along with a strawberry whey smoothie. I brought the salad on the plane for later and had the smoothie during our layover. When we travel, I try to eat small meals/snack every few hours as it's easier to acclimate to the new time zone and to help the stomach with digestion (versus eating large meals and then having long hours go by without eating). 

I was very surprised to see that our flight to Kona was nearly half empty! There were so many empty seats. This was a big shock because in the past, the flight has always been filled with people but perhaps with the Volcano, people are choosing not to travel to Kona right now. We did have plenty of triathletes on the plane which was nice to be around so many like-minded people. 

Karel had his own row and extra-leg room up in the front of the plane and his mom and I sat in the middle of the plane (I wasn't able to get us three seats together near the front so I just purchased a seat for Karel so he could stretch out). Karel's mom wrote in her journal throughout the trip and enjoyed looking out the window (we had three seats for two of us so I took the aisle and she took the window). I watched a few movies/TV shows, worked on the computer and took a few short naps (I'm not a very good napper but I tried). 

Although a long flight, it was great to touch down in Kona. The view, smell and feeling of stepping off the plane is priceless and I always look forward to that moment. Karel's mom cried when she got off the plane for she never thought she'd ever travel to an island. Thanks to triathlon, we have been able to share so many of our races with Karel's mom and it's given us an excuse to travel and see the world. 

There's something about the outside airport of Kona that says "welcome, you are on an island." 

Karel picked up the rental car (mini van) and I collected our luggage (yay - everything arrived!) and then we headed off to Wal-mart for groceries and then to the Kona Plaza - our home away from home for the next two weeks. 

Karel and I went for a ~30 min jog along Ali'i drive and it was so nice to move blood and smell the salty air along the ocean. When the sun went down, it got very dark so I used my phone as a light to keep us running safely along the road. We ran just after 6pm - it gets dark early here but the sun rises super early, which makes it easy to get the day started early and to wind down quickly at night. After a light snack, we answered a few emails (work stuff) and then went to sleep around 8:30pm. We were quick to fall asleep and surprisingly, we slept until 3am (forced ourselves to go back to sleep until 5am).

Stay tuned for more of my updates as I will try to blog each day of our daily activities/workouts on the Big Island. 

IM Kona '16: Day 7

IM Kona race week is nuts.
Until you are here in Kona to experience the craziness in which athletes from all over the world take-over Ali'i drive, it's really hard to describe what it is like here in Kona during this week.
Seeing that triathletes are extremely passionate about swim/bike/run and ALL gear and products related to the sport, this island feeds any triathlon addiction and you simply feel "normal" all week as you are surrounded by thousands of other like-minded individuals. 

I say all of this as a 4x Ironman World Championship finisher but also as a first time spectator.
I'm overwhelmed by all the stuff going on and I'm not even racing! :)

There's really no other way to describe this week as it's filled with so many to-do's.....funny enough, many of which have nothing to do with race day! There is no much hype going on with the Ironman World Championship and it's so easy to be busy all day, every day.

Our athletes are sticking to their training while still making a little time to experience everything going on here in Kona.

On Tuesday morning, we planned a 40-45 minute run at the energy lab for Justine and Leigh Ann to see the 4 miles that they will cover from mile 16-20 of the marathon run of the Ironman but first we made a stop at the Levelen house for sweat testing.

I have always wanted to get a sweat test for more concrete analysis of how much fluid and electrolytes I (and my athletes) loose during training. I have had great success in working with athletes and adjusting their sodium and fluids based on things like urination, weight loss, etc. but this takes away the guessing. Oddly enough, my athletes and Karel were almost spot-on with replacing their electrolytes per my recommendations of how much salt I have them add to their drinks.

Certainly, here in Kona, fluid loss is extreme so most athletes will drink at least 1/2 - 1 full bottle of water per hour in addition to a bottle of sport nutrition.

I'm hoping to incorporate sweat testing into my nutrition services where I can use a system to test my athletes so stay tuned.
Thank you Levelen for introducing us to a great system of dialing in sport nutrition to optimize performance!

The method of sweat testing:
-Get naked and weigh yourself
-Weigh all bottles that you will use during training (and fluids)
-Put on the patch to collect sweat (fluids and electrolytes)
-Go workout
-Weigh yourself for fluids lost
-Remove patch, get it analyzed
-Get your results
-Adjust your nutrition protocol as needed

My results below.

After we left Levelen, we drove to the energy lab (6 miles from Palani drive) and we parked at the parking lot at the end of the main road of the energy lab). 

It was nearing 8:30am and it was warm and a little windy. Certainly not extreme conditions for the "natural energy" portion of the island.

After a dynamic warm-up, we went off for our run workout:
10 min EZ jog

Stretch it out

MS: 3 x 6 min build to strong effort w/ 4 min EZ jog/walk in between
CD
Total 45 minutes

The energy lab has a slight net decline for about a mile off Queen K (which occurs at mile 16 of the IM run course) and then it veers to the right to finish up the out section of the energy lab. Special needs is at mile 18. Then it's a slight incline back up to mile 20 to exit the energy lab for the last 6 miles of the IM run course on the Queen K, to Palani and back into town to the finish. 

It's been very special to share this all with my athletes (and Karel) as everything is so new to Justine and Leigh Ann so we are trying to give them every tip and trick and suggestion for the best race performance, execution and experience possible. 

Leigh Ann's athlete (she is also a coach) Mike ran with Karel - two speedsters!

After a hot and sweaty run, it was time to return back to Levelen to turn in our sweat samples. 

After we returned back to our condo (Kona Plaza) we walked to the pier for Justine and Leigh Ann to see the main stage (start/finish area) of the IM World Championship for the first time. 

With SO many triathletes everywhere, it's hard not to bump into familiar faces. It was great to see Trimarni campers Alex and Angie who are here in Kona to spectate. 

Since this was the first time for our athletes to be in the ocean, we let them play around for a 15-20 minute "splash" to see the fishes and to experience the beauty of swimming in the Kona ocean. 

Yay pink.....

After getting some food into our bellies, I accompanied Karel to registration until I was no longer allowed to cross the line "Athletes only". 

In the mean time, I snapped some pics. 

Official!!! 

Karel is now officially an IM World Championship participant for the 2nd year in a row. 

Around 5pm, it was time for the Parade of Nations where we watched athletes from all over the world walk down Ali'i drive. 

Go CZECH! :) 

Mike Reilly cheering on the athletes

GO USA!

For dinner, we made edamame and plain pasta w/ veggies which was delicious.
It was a long day so we were asleep by 9:30pm in order to get a good night of rest before another exciting day in Kona. 

IM Kona '16: Day 6

With race week finally here, I couldn't wait for my first race week workout. Yeah yeah, I know I am not racing but you can't take the athlete out of me. With this being my 5th time in Kona but first time not racing, I'm full of energy and loving every opportunity to train on the big island, while being surrounded by so many fit and inspiring athletes.

As you may know, Matt Dixon has been a long time mentor of ours and a coach to Karel for the past 2 years. We have learned so much from him and over the past year, we have had a few opportunities to train under his one-on-one guidance. Learning from a coach like Matt, who has so much experience, makes us better coaches. And we are incredibly grateful for the opportunities that he has given us. 

 Being able to participate in group workouts on the big island, open to the IM Kona PPF athletes and friends/family, makes being here a lot more fun. 

With Trimarni athletes Leigh Ann and Justine excited to participate in a PPF group swim workout, lead under the coaching of Matt at the Kona pool, we had planned to meet at the Kona pool at 7:45am for the 8am swim.

Last minute, Karel told me that he had received an email update that there would be a swim at 7:15am at the pool for "fast" swimmers. 

Karel told me I should participate so I figured, why not.

Well, when I showed up, Matt directed me (and PPF age group athlete Philip) to the middle lane where he told me "You will swim with the professionals".

After warm-up, I noticed that I was sharing a lane with Sarah Piampiano, Tim Reed and Jesse Thomas. What a highlight as a triathlete who loves to swim. I was in my happy place with some incredibly talented and fast athletes! 

After my 3600 yard swim workout, I cooled down a bit before joining Karel, Leigh Ann and Justine. I stayed in the back of the lane as I was just swimming just to swim.

Yes, I really do love swimming that much :) 

5700 yards later, I was officially done with my double swim workout and we snapped a quick pick with Matt (thank goodness he wasn't charging yet for pictures - hehe :). 

After our swim, we biked back to our condo (just a few minutes down the road), dropped off our swim stuff in our condo and headed out on Ali'i drive for a preview of the run course and start of the bike course. 

This race course is really unique in that you can actually train or see every mile of the 140.6 mile race course. 

 

After our morning workout, it was time to eat, make a few phone calls and then relax for a short time before heading out to Ali'i drive to check out some vendors before the official IM Kona expo opening tomorrow. 

With tomorrow as the first day for the athletes to check in and the opening of the IM Kona expo, I am excited to see familiar faces and to view some new products/gear in the expo.
I have no doubt that the expo will be all the buzz around town with the latest and greatest in triathlon "stuff".



Like BlueSeventy with their new short sleeve swim skin.



And Ceramic Speed, who offers the only 17-tooth pulley wheel system on the market with the oover sized pulley wheel system (OSPW) and UFO chains.

Karel is like a kid in the candy store here in Kona. He loves talking "bikes".

IM Kona '16: Day 5

With our Trimarni athletes in town (both first time IM Kona athletes), we planned their first workout on the big island with a ride to Hawi. 

Justine and Leigh Ann both wanted to experience the winds in Hawi, which we really appreciated as they want to be as physically and mentally prepared for the many elements that they will encounter on race day.

We drove to the Mauna Lani shops to park the car, before making our way out on the Queen K before turning off, on to Kawaihae. 

We love our Alto Cycling wheels! 

Before heading out on the ride, Karel gave our athletes a bit of a refresher for how to ride in the winds. 

No, you do not lean your bike against the wind. You let your bike go with the wind direction and then you counteract the wind by shifting your weight toward the wind while counter-steering to keep your bike riding straight without feeling like you are getting blown off the road with your bike. 

Thinking that we would get some strong winds when we hit Hawi, we actually had some nasty winds right when we started the bike. Even with drafting off Karel, the winds were blowing.

We recollected ourselves before turning toward Hawi and then enjoyed a mile of flying downhill (without wind) before making the turn off to start the "official" climb to Hawi. 

Oh Kona....you are so unpredictable! 

After a few miles of very calm conditions, Karel went off on his own while Justine and Leigh Ann took mental notes of the 18 mile climb up to Hawi. 

It's not a true uphill climb but you feel like you are going "up" to Hawi. 

We enjoyed about 8 miles or so of very calm conditions with no white caps to spot in the ocean (indicating calm winds), until the wind started to pick up.

Here are a few pics of our climb up to Hawi before my hands needed to stay on my handlebars while navigating the windy conditions. 

With around 7 miles to go, the rain started to fall and it was very refreshing to cool down our body temp. Perhaps in any other Ironman, athletes may dread rain on the bike course but in Hawi, it is very welcomed as it helps reduce core body temp before the hottest part of the course is reached in the mile before turning back on to the Queen K.

The ride back down from Hawi was fast but it did include a few strong gusts of wind. I wasn't the windiest conditions that I have ever experienced but it's always a bit of a shock to the mind/body to ride through the Hawi winds, while descending down a hill. 

Karel and I were extremely impressed with Justine and Leigh Ann who learned a lot about this section of the IM Kona course, but also how they performed during their first ride in Kona. Well done ladies! All those variable cadence workouts are now paying off!

The pink crew! 

Coach Karel.....who is always happy on two wheels. 

Yay - tail wind heading back to our car. 

After the ride, it was time for a run.
15 minutes of 5 min EZ, 5 min steady, 5 min build.

Karel and I talked about the course for the 28 miles back home (on the Queen K). 

Karel made himself a delicious mashed potato, chicken and salad meal for the middle of the afternoon, which totally hit the spot after his 3 hour bike + 15 min run. 

Most of the afternoon for Karel is spent indoor, in the AC, relaxing but we do try to get out sometime in the evening to enjoy the Kona sunset. 

You never know who you will bump into on Ali'i drive....hello Sarah Piampiano. 

And Natascha Badmann! Her first Kona was in 1996! So sad that this will be her last IM Kona. She is a bright light in this sport who always brings a smile to race day. 

The town is really coming together to let everyone know IM World Championship race week is almost here! 

There is Karel! 

Waiting for the sunset. 

Getting some puppy love. 

Almost time.

There it is! 

So beautiful.

Until tomorrow Kona. 

IM Kona '16 - day 3 and 4

Friday couldn't come fast enough as it was our first ocean swim since last year, when we both participated in the 2015 IM World Championship.

If you have never been to Kona, it's hard to describe what it's like to swim here but my best description is that it's like swimming in a fish tank.

The water is crystal clear. 

You can see the bottom of the ocean floor. 

And there are no shortage of colors fishes.

I encourage anyone who is afraid to swim in open water to come to Kona as the perfect way to get comfortable swimming in open water. It's SO fun to swim here!

Staying at the Kona Plaza Condos (for the 3rd time) makes it so easy to get around. Since we don't have a car for this trip, we can easily walk everywhere. 

Just a few minutes later from leaving our condo, we made our way to the pier (aka "dig me beach").

Because of our very late night (and not getting to bed until around 11:30pm Kona time), we slept in until 7am and didn't make it to the pier until around 8:30am. 

However, there were no shortage of swimmers in the ocean.

Every day there are more athletes on the island and the energy builds every hour. I am so excited to connect with my Clif Bar family next week and see lots of familiar athlete/friend faces. 

Loving my Splish custom Trimarni two piece swim suit (thanks Trimarni Kona bound athlete Justine for designing them!) 

After the swim, Karel walked back to the condo and I hung out at the beach for another 30 minutes....just relaxing. 

It's funny because I often find myself resorting to athlete-mode and wanting to stay inside with Karel but then I remind myself that I am not racing and I am allowed to be outside and I can be as active as I want here. 

I brought a pop of color to Kona with my Forehand Oakley sunglasses. 

After a productive afternoon on the computer (yep, there's no vacation from being a small business owner), I walked up to the Sack N Save grocery store to fill in some empty spots in our refrigerator.

After paying for all my groceries, it dawned on me that I would be carrying home 4 heavy bags of food items 0.7 miles back to our condo.

I guess you could say that was my 2nd workout of the day.

I then spent some time chopping fruit (see bottom shelf of fridge) for easy snacking. 

Karel made himself a great dinner of chicken, white rice, stir fry veggies and fresh bread (from Daylight Mind Cafe) while I went out for my typical Friday night (clear the mind) evening run. 

I ran up Kuakini hwy (which is the "in town" section of the start of the IM bike course) just so that I could catch an uphill view of the sunset.

I'm sure if you are following anyone on social media, you have seen no shortage of sunset pictures from Kona :) 

After a 40 minute run (+ an additional 30 minutes of chatting with Elyse on Ali'i drive for her first workout in Kona after landing just a short time prior to when I spotted her in our condo parking lot), she is first time IM Kona athlete, wahoo!), it was time to eat.

After my run, I had a similar dinner to Karel, except hard boiled eggs instead of chicken and then we relaxed for a little bit before an early 8:30pm bedtime. 

With my main event happening on Saturday October 1st (just one week out from the IM World Championship), I was super excited to be an athlete for a morning race.

I made sure to fuel smart the night prior and race day morning and my Trimarni pre-workout pancakes are really hitting the spot before my workouts. Then again, when do pancakes not hit the spot???

Karel and I participated in the Ho'ala Ironman Training swim last year and found it extremely valuable to be in a mass start, in the ocean and to swim 2.4 miles on the IM swim course. We couldn't pass up the opportunity again this year. We registered a few weeks ago as there were no sign-ups on race day. 

We walked over to the pier with Elyse to get our packet for the race around 6am, for the 7am (which turned into 7:15am) swim start. 

The swim was just like any other open water race swim - anticipation for when the gun would go off, treading water for what felt like forever, the chaos of swimming with a bunch of fast/strong swimmers and then trying to navigate through the ocean to sight just a few buoys which made up a 2.4 mile swim course.

I swam really strong from start to finish, saving nothing and leaving it all out in the water. I found myself getting off course a few times but then also, swimming alone on purpose as I was trying to swim in the straightest line possible. Swimming in open water, in the ocean, certainly has it's challenges as you have to be very strong to fight whatever conditions come your way.

Surprisingly, I felt good and never felt tired. I managed to pick up the effort on the way back and passed a lot of people. I was really proud of myself and I felt determined to get as close to an hour as possible (my fastest IM Kona swim time has been 1:06 - I think) as the water was semi-calm so it made for a fast swim day. 

Karel and I both had great swims and we were both really happy with how the morning turned out in the deep blue sea. Karel has come very far with his swimming in the past year and I'm always so proud of him when he knocks of time as it's not necessarily a sign that he is getting faster but that he is able to swim more efficient in open water with better form, without getting too fatigued. 

There was a nice showing of age group athletes, mixed in with some professionals (results here) and a few familiar faces like the one and only, Bob Babbitt. 

No, Karel did not get that off course on the swim. His Garmin always shows a longer distance in open water. 

After our swim, we went back to the condo to check on our athletes at IM Maryland (who both finished after a very challenging day of racing - emotionally and physically) and then headed out for a 50-60 minute easy run.

As I mentioned prior, I have been doing all of Karel's workouts this week, which is great because I am able to maintain great fitness but I can also spend some quality time with Karel as he gears up for his 2nd IM World Championship (and 3rd IM since June). 

We headed up Palani, from our condo on Kuakini, and then turned on to the Queen K hwy. The heat was mighty strong at 9:30am! 

Running back on the Queen K hwy up the never ending looooongg incline before making a right on to Palani drive. 

It's not that often that you have the opportunity to train on every mile of an IM race course before race day but in Kona, you certainly have that opportunity.

Karel and I finished our run just as if he was finishing the IM but we stopped just shy of the "finish line" to head back to our condo after 55 minutes of easy running (well, for one of us :) 

After our run, I made Karel an awesome breakfast of French toast, scrambled eggs and fresh fruit.

Karel rested for a little bit before we headed out on Ali'i drive for a croissant run. As you know, Karel loves croissants and he likes to eat one on race day morning so we ventured out to find some...and luckily, Lava Java had some in stock. Of course, Karel needs to "test" the croissants ahead of time :)

Around 3pm, Karel and I sat down with Stephen Black of Rocky Mountain Human Performance outside our condo at the Kope Lani coffee, as we had recently connected via social media. We, at Trimarni, are always looking for great resources for our athletes and for us, and we were really excited to learn about Stephen and his many years of triathlon experience, working with challenged athletes and his extensive career in working with injured athletes.

Around 4pm, Karel and I made our way down to Tri Bike Transport (behind the IM Expo - which will open on Monday) to meet up with Trimarni athletes Justine and Leigh Ann who just arrived to Kona...for the first time.



We are so excited to share this IM World Championship experience with these two hard working Trimarni athletes who earned their spot on the IM Kona start line.

After sending Leigh Ann and Justine off for a 20-30 minute shake-out run after a long day of traveling, Karel went back to the condo and I made another trip to the grocery for a few more items (and coffee) to last us the next few days.

I'm excited to be back on my bike tomorrow as we make our way north on the island to see what the Hawi winds have in store for us as we ride the back half of the IM Kona race course.

IM Kona '16 - day 2

After a great night of sleeping, I woke up around 5:30am (Karel woke up at 5am) and started the day with a cup of coffee and a pre-workout snack of my pre-workout pancakes (I made a big batch to save some for after the workout).

We headed out for our run around 7am, which felt like the middle of the morning as it was already warm. It wasn't too long before we were sweating along Ali'i drive. 

Since my training is based on Karel's training right now, I modified his workout as follows:

Karel:

MS: 2 x 15 min Z3+ w/ 10 min EZ in between

Total: 70 minutes

Marni:

MS 2x's: (3 x 5 min at strong effort w/ 30 sec walk in between) w/ 5 min EZ between rounds

Total: 65 minutes

Karel started the run a few minutes before me, as if he was running out of T2 on race day whereas I started the run from our condo to Hualalai to Ali'i drive. Karel eventually passed me as he was finishing up his easy section of the main set and I was about to start my 2nd round of 3 x 5 minutes. 

We both finished around the same time, by the Royal Kona resort and jogged home together to our condo. 

Thank goodness for hydration belts to keep us well hydrated when running in the Kona heat!

Here's my video on why you should wear a hydration belt.

It was a quick change out of sweaty running clothes, into cycling clothes. 

We headed out on the bike course, via Makala blvd and made a left onto the Queen K hwy for a smooth effort, 1:45 spin. 

The winds were not as gusty at this time of the day compared to yesterday which made for an easier all around effort compared to our/my workout yesterday. 

After officially cleaning up from almost 3 hours of training, it was finally time to eat!

Brunch with a view. I just love eating outside on our patio while overlooking the ocean (which is also the Ironman swim course).

The next few hours went by fast as we had some work to get done but then it was time for a 7+ hour tour to the Observatory at Mauna Kea. 

Mauna Kea sits in the middle of the island so it took our 14-passenger tour bus around 1:45 to get to 9,000 feet, at the visitor center. 

It was really neat to see different sights of the island, with no shortage of ohhs and awws. 

As we entered into the clouds, you could feel the temperature drop through the windows.

It was a shock to feel the sudden drop of temps (around 45-50 degrees) at the visitor center. 

Our tour gave us vegetarian lasagna and brownies for a dinner around 5pm - both were delicious and very filling. 

The rare Silversword plant.

After hanging out at our "base camp" for an hour. We made our way up a gravel road (which eventually turned to pavement) and after 30 minutes of driving, we were almost to the top. 

Getting colder!

At just over 13,000 feet, the air was crisp, it was SO cold and it was a little tough to breath. But the sights of sunset were amazing. 

A view of all the telescopes. 

I'll let the next few pictures speak for themselves. After the sunset, we gazed at the stars through some technology advanced telescopes - which was unreal.

Around 10:45pm, we arrived back at the Kona International Market to end our  tour. 

What an adventure! 

IM Kona '16 - Day 1

With my day starting at 3am on Wednesday, I had to wait a few hours before the sun to rise so I made myself useful by working on the computer until Karel woke-up around 5am.

My body was confused on the time zone so I had a few snacks between 3-5am before an official pre-workout snack. 

With a strong swim at the aquatic center on the schedule, I had a bowl of oatmeal w/ chopped figs and a drizzle of nut butter as a pre-workout snack. 

Karel and I rode to the aquatic center on our bikes (around a mile) and managed to find a lane to share. The pool wasn't packed but it was still busy with both pools having all lanes occupied.
We also spotted our friend Jana (Czech chick) who arrived about 30 minutes after us. It was nice to see a familiar face. 

The pool was not cold so it was easy to get in but it sure got warm as our workout continued. 

After a warm-up and two pre-sets, we had some fun with our main set (which we have done a few times - it's a great set for working on pacing, finding a rhythm and giving a hard effort when asked):

100 at 70%

100 at 80%

100 at 90%

100 at 70%

100 at 80%

2x100 at 90%

100 at 70%

100 at 80%

3x100 at 90%

100 at 70%

100 at 80%

4x100 at 90%

All 10 seconds rest

1 minute rest

400 paddles - strong effort

4500 yards total

Karel, how do you really feel about that swim workout? 

I like being a spectathlete - I get to train and I don't have to stress about saving anything for race day. But lucky me, I have Karel as a training partner so my butt will be kicked with some upcoming bike and run workouts. But for now, I get to kick Karel's butt in the pool :) 

After our 7:15 am swim workout, we returned home to our condo and I made a delicious papaya and banana whey protein smoothie which hit the spot.

We both got some work done while eating breakfast and around 10:30am, we made our way toward the Farmer's market and Daylight Mind coffee company for some fresh produce and bread. 

Decisions, decisions. 

So much fruit! 

Around 11:30am, we got ourselves ready for workout #2 which included 2 hours of intervals (6 x 8 minutes build by 2 to Z3/Z4) w/ 5 min EZ in between) on the Queen K hwy. We made a quick stop at Bike Works to purchase a few CO2s. 

I was able to take some pictures during our warm-up as we had a nice strong tailwind to push us along (fast!) with easy effort on the pedals. 

Tail wind out....means a strong headwind coming back! 

The rest of the ride included me trying to stay on Karel's wheel. I was semi successful for a few of his efforts. 

Drafting off Karel's wheel is hard enough but now with my road bike in Kona, I was certainly at an aero disadvantage. 

But I came here to work on my bike handling skills and to become a better rider in Kona - thanks to Karel being supportive and letting me join him (and soft pedaling for me in the 5 minute recovery between intervals). 

It was an incredible experience to be able to push hard in Kona as I have been here 4 times prior and have never been able to go hard here, except on race day. 

Karel said he felt good - better as the ride went on compared to when he started. 

We had a lot of headwind coming back but with a few miles left before we got into town, we finally got a little help as the wind died down.....a little. 

After our ride, we had a few things to get done with our coaching athletes and then I got busy in the  kitchen to prep some food (fruit salad and veggie salad). 

This is a mega pineapple and SO juicy!

Karel and I made our way downtown in the evening before another quick grocery store stop and then it was time to finally relax for the rest of the evening. 

Ironman World Championship finishers!

Thank you everyone for the support yesterday. We needed it!

We are so proud to now be 2015 Ironman World Championship finishers!!
It was a very hot, challenging day with a lot to overcome in order for us to get to the finish line. 

With now 10 Ironman races behind me, including 4 Ironman World Championship finishes, I can honestly say that there has never been a race when I felt great from start to finish, everything went perfect or I felt like I was able to execute my plan....and that the thought of never doing another Ironman didn't cross my mind.
When it comes to racing for 140.6 miles, there is always something to challenge us on race day.
THIS is what makes the Ironman so extreme in that you never ever know what race day will bring or what your body will do on race day. 

I never overlook an Ironman finish and every medal is earned - not given.
It was an extremely tough day for both of us (but mostly for me as Karel was able to race so strong from start to finish for his first Kona) but I am incredibly grateful that Karel was on the course with me as it was a very special experience to compete in the Ironman World Championship together. Absolutely, a dream come true for both of us. 

Race results:

Karel
2.4 mile swim: 1:13:47
112 mile bike: 5:06:50
26.2 mile run: 3:27:12
Total: 9:55.29

Marni
2.4 mile swim: 1:08:06
112 mile bike: 5:44:08
26.2 mile run: 4:29:26
(many miles of walking from the energy lab back to town due to pain in my neck, ribs and side - I felt defeated but not hopeless - if I can't run, I can walk). 
Total: 11:30.37

Quick video race recap of my race. 

Stay tuned for my IM Kona 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run blog race recaps later this week. 

IM Kona '15 - Thank you and race coverage

Karel and I would like to send a big THANK YOU to everyone who has supported us here in Kona (and over the past 13 months since we qualified) through your kind words, comments, emails, texts and calls.

This dream-come-true was more than a year in the making so it has been very special to be able to share this journey to the IM World Championship start line together as husband and wife. 

I am not sure how many times we will cross paths on race day and see each other but I already know that it will be very emotional to be on the course together. I am already excited to meet up with Karel after we each cross the finish line and share our war stories to one another and then bring in the final hour of finishers together. 

Over the past 10 days, I have used social media as a way for Karel and I to have memories for post race but I am so happy that so many of you have enjoyed following along during our race-cation.

It brings me great joy to share our behind the scene moments with you as we gear-up for the biggest triathlon race of our life.

I want to send a big thank you to my mom, family and close friends who provide Karel and I with unconditional support when it comes to our training and racing.
This will be my first IM World Championship (and third Ironman) without my dad but I know he would be so proud that I am here and even more proud of Karel who went from cyclist turned triathlete to IM World Championship qualified athlete. 

We miss you dad. We hope you enjoy the race with the best seat in the house. 

My first Kona in 2007 - what a special moment when my dad was body marking me before the race. 

My second Kona in 2011 - Karel, my dad and my mom were on the sidelines cheering me on.
My parents loved volunteering at the race. 

Although Campy can't read, I hope he knows how much we love him and how he makes our days 100x's better. Every morning is more fun with Campy as every day is not just another day - to Campy, every day is a new day for exploring, loving, playing and sharing lots of furry love. We just love Campy's love for life and his ability to make every day a lottery-winning day. 

We want to send a HUGE thank you to the 2015 Trimarni sponsors who have supported us in so man ways. Thank you, thank you, thank you for believing in us, supporting us and for being there for us!

And last but certainly not least - to the Trimarni coaching team, to all of my nutrition athletes, to all of the athletes who have received a RETUL fit from Karel, to our Jacksonville "family" and to our Greenville "family"......and to all of our Trimarni followers and fans. 

Thank you.
We realize that there are many blogs, social media outlets, professionals and other athletes that you could be following, believing in, trusting and supporting and we thank you for bringing us and Trimarni into your daily life and into your lifestyle. 

Tomorrow will be a challenging day. 

No Ironman is easy but racing on the big island of Kona brings a certain level of difficulty that is not felt in any other Ironman race.

The best of the best endurance triathletes are all racing at the same race venue together, on the same race course for the past 37-years but always with unpredictable weather conditions. 

We will be faced with waves in the ocean, wind on the bike and heat on the run.
As you track us and many other athletes out there on race day, always keep in mind that we are bringing a certain level of fitness to the race but in order to get to the finish line, we must all respect the island.

There will be times when we are faced with an obstacle which may require us to slow down and maybe even stop. But we will not give up.
We are bringing a smart mindset to the race, not excuses.

As you follow our journey as we swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles and run 26.2 miles, we will be experience great moments but also very dark, lonely and low moments.

It is in the low moments that we will channel your energy.  Remember, a great race is the ability to finish what you started. Quitting is not an option.
That the best race result is told by the athlete - not by times on a piece of paper (or online). 

We are not out to chase a time goal tomorrow but instead, our goal is to execute the best we can, with the conditions that we are given, all while focusing on how we can keep our body in the best health possible throughout the day. And with all that in mind, we can then focus on getting to the finish line in the "fastest" time possible.

Also - I didn't talk about this much but Karel suffered from a partial tear in his plantar fascia in early June. It is a very slow healing injury. Thanks to a fantastic PT (Kent - Proaxis therapy), Karel was able to get in some run training but it was certainly limited. But on the bright side - he had huge improvements with his swimming. There are still some limiters with his running so we just want to let you know that if you track Karel and he is walking or if you see paces/times that are slower than normal for Karel, he is going to do what he can to finish the race in the safest way possible.
Despite this setback, Karel has really enjoyed his time here in Kona for his first (but hopefully not last) World Championship.
But then again - he may be running off endorphins and may have an amazing race!

To follow us on race day (and any other athletes/professionals): 

CLICK HERE - to access Ironman live for tracking.
Marni bib number - 2129 (30-34 AG)
Karel bib number - 1739 (35-39 AG)

CLICK HERE - for LIVE footage of the race
(any problems - you can post on the Trimarni facebook page and it's likely that another Trimarni follower will be able to help you out) 

Race day live coverage start time: 6:00 a.m.(Hawaiian time) - 12pm EST

Pro men race start time: Saturday, 6:25 a.m.
Pro women race start time: Saturday, 6:30 a.m
Age group men: 6:55 am (Karel)
Age group women: 7:10 am (Marni)

IM Kona '15 - Day 10

The day we have been waiting for is finally here - one more sleep until race day!!!

Karel went to swim with Purple Patch/Matt Dixon at the pool at 7:30am (he biked there) and I headed out on my bike at 8am for our pre-race warm-up.

I rode for about 50 minutes (to the airport and back) and included a few pick ups to wake up the legs. Karel also rode after his swim and I spotted him on the other side of the Queen K hwy. 

After my bike, I went back to the condo to grab my run shoes and watch-free, headed out for a short run with a few pick-ups. 

After my workout, it was time to eat. I had made pancakes before my workout so they were all ready for when I got home. I had 3 large pancakes with lots of syrup and chopped dates, two hardboiled eggs (one whole, one white) and lots of fruit. 

After the workout it was time to re-pack the transition bags for bike/bag check-in at 2:30pm.

With so much time between our workout and when we had to check in our bikes, I walked down to the expo to say hi to my go-to contact at Clif Bar. We chatted for a while and then walked back to my condo to hang out a little more in the AC. 

Around 2:30pm, my athlete Kristin came over so that we could chat about the race and then it was finally time to head to the race venue to check in our gear. 

I just love the pre-race hype of any Ironman but at the IM World Championship, it is quite special.

First we stood in a long line - helmets had to be out of our  bags. 

Still waiting.....

Still waiting....

There were several bike companies handing out shirts and hats to athletes who had related gear (I received a Stages visor since I ride with Stages Power). 

We then approach the bike check where a volunteer checked everything on our bike to make sure all the numbers were on and everything was race ready. 

Next, we received an M-dot sticker on our bike that we had "passed" the bike check. 

Next - it was time for a picture...of our bike. 

Getting closer.....

Next - it was time to wait for a volunteer to take our gear bags and walk us to our bike rack. 

Fancy carpet before the notorious "green" carpet in Kona. 

With 2367 registered athletes, the pier was covered with bikes! 

I put my bike into it's spot with the helmet on top (required).

I'll bring all of my liquid nutrition in the morning. 

It's always a mystery as to what Madame Pele will give us on race day for weather but regardless, I'm looking forward to 112 miles with my bike and my body tomorrow. 

The hoses to rinse us off out of the water. 

After I dropped off my bike, I hung my run bag and then walked through the women's changing tent. Then I dropped off my bike bag.
This is all reverse of what we will do on race day.
Get out of water - hose off - grab bike bag - go into women's change tent - change, put wet clothes into bag and drop off into a bin - run to bike - roll bike to mount line - get on bike to ride 112 miles.
Return back from bike - hand bike off to volunteer - run all the way around the pier to run bag - go to women's change tent - change - put bike gear into run bag - run out of transition and run 26.2 miles to finish. 

A backside view of the big screen at the finish line. 

Karel and his Czech friend. 

All of the buoys are out - every 100 meters or so is a buoy for a straight out and back 2.4 mile swim course. 

Our start and finish for tomorrow. 

Thank you for the support! 

IM Kona '15: Day 9

Thursday morning in Kona - that only means one thing.

Put on your best "undie" outfit (aka as little clothes as possible) and run 1.5 miles on Ali'i drive for charity).

The Underpants run (UPR Kona) serves as a great ice breaker for athletes who are racing but also for friends, family, kids and locals to have some fun before the race. 

I shared a few videos on my Trimarni facebook page if you want to see all the fun (and almost naked bodies of all beautiful shapes and sizes)

There were so many people that we filled up the parking lot behind the King K hotel!

I told ya - all shapes and sizes.
Be proud of your body and don't be afraid to show it off!

Love Jesse Thomas! One amazing athlete who writes awesome/funny/oh-so-true articles for Triathlete magazine. 

Bumped into Instagram friend Carolyn who is a plant-strong dietitian and athlete. She liked my custom-made triathlon "Fueled by Plants" shorts from Funnyshirts.org.

Oh Karel :) A little too comfortable walking around in his underwear. 

The undie run isn't just for humans. 

After the undie run (which started at 7:30am), Karel and I went back to our condo to quickly change before our 2-hour private session with Paul Buick (Purple Patch Fitness cycling expert).

Paul offers so much experience with cycling but also with a great understanding of how to ride on the IM Kona bike course with the rolling hills and strong winds. 

Now you may think "why doesn't she just listen to her husband Karel who is a bike expert?"...

Well, we can all learn something new and it's not always about how much experience someone has but also how someone explains the information. 

This was a valuable lesson for both Karel and I as I took away so many new skills and tips to help me on Saturday but also for the future. 

I've constantly been telling myself that the IM Kona course is not "my type of course" because of the gusty winds that make me feel uncomfortable and tense as well as the layout of the course. But Paul gave me the confidence (and skills) that I need to feel as if I can ride smart and strong for 112 miles in Kona.

The great thing about the IM bike course is not knowing what the weather will be like which makes for a day of not chasing power or time goals but instead, being smart with execution, tactics and being patient (aka not racing with an ego). 

Thank you Paul for the great session!
I'm finally looking forward to race day - especially the bike!

Because we were attending the athlete opening ceremony in the evening, I had my ritual pizza dinner (two nights before an Ironman) for lunch - it was a late lunch around 2:30pm since my breakfast was around 11am (pre-workout snack before the undie run/session with Paul) but it was still delicious and totally hit the spot. Pizza is my comfort food and I always feel good when I eat it and after.
This was a frozen Digiorno pizza with spinach and mushrooms. 

This week seems like it is rushing by but we are still making sure to stay inside and off our feet as much as possible and resting as much as we can.

After running an errand to the grocery store for more food/water, we drove a few miles up the road to the Purple Patch Fitness house for a team pre-race course talk.

Matt gave an exceptional pre-race talk which not only calmed our pre-race nerves/anxieties/jitters but also talked about how to race a great race. 

I took a few notes:
-Be task oriented, not outcome driven. The moment you start to do mathmatics on the course (figuring out what you need to hold to finish in x-time or that you won't meet your time goal), you are done. Focus on what you can control and erase time goals. Time goals get you out of bed when you are training but on race day, you want to get to point A to point B as quick as possible. 

-You will get into very dark places on this course, on race day. Only you can get yourself to the finish line. Don't give up. Break down the course so your only goals are to get to the next destination.
-You love to train and you love to race. This is nothing more than a long training day. Manage your resources - never miss a feeding or hydration station.
-Never give in. Maximize YOUR day.
-Focus only on what you can control and look only after yourself. 

After our 4:30-5:30pm meeting with Matt, it was time to head to the welcome ceremony behind the King K hotel. 

The finish line area is now closed to traffic as the transition area and finish line chute is beginning to come together. 

It's truly amazing how this town transforms from a touristy island to the home of the Ironman World Championship. 

The finish line chute minus the carpet, barricades and cheering fans!

The finish line doesn't look too fancy but it will be amazing on Saturday!!

Time to eat! Lots of Vegetarian Marni-friendly options. 

You can check out my Trimarni Facebook page  for some videos from the evening. 

It is quite the performance/show at the Ironman World Championship - certainly not the "normal" Ironman opening ceremony. 

So many people!

So happy to share the evening with Trimarni nutrition athlete turned coaching athlete Kristin (qualified at Boulder) who is racing her first Ironman World Championship on Saturday. 

And finally....the waiting is over.
Just one more full day until race day.

It's such an honor to have this number on my bike and be one of the 20% of females who will be racing in the 2015 Ironman World Championship. 

IM Kona '15: Day 8

Well, the "vacationing" is over as it's race week.
Aside from getting our workouts done in the morning, we are spending most of our time indoors (in the AC) and off our feet.
For athletes who love to work out, all this waiting around and eating is exhausting - is it race day yet???
There is a lot going on on race week in Kona and it's really easy to get wrapped-up in all there is to do. Also, if anyone needs motivation to workout - come to Kona during race week. There is no shortage of people swimming in the ocean or in the pool, riding their bikes or running at all hours of the day. We see people swimming in the ocean just after 6am and running on Ali'i drive after 7pm in the dark.
We are just a few more sleeps away from a 140.6 mile adventure on the big island.
Saturday will be a day that most of us have dreamed about for many weeks, months or even a year (or more). It's hard to believe that the big day is almost here!

Karel went for an ocean swim with Purple Patch Fitness at 7am and then went for a bike ride with Paul Buick (bike guru with  Purple Patch) and at 7:30am I went for a ride on the Queen K with my friend Laura. 

The wind was blowing at us and to our side heading north on the Queen K which is not the "typical" wind direction for Kona race day but that's what's so crazy (or should I say "magical") about Kona - the winds change all day long and so does the weather. 

Laura and I wanted to ride 2 hours so we headed out an hour and each took a pull for 5 minutes so that we wouldn't exhaust our legs. We kept the effort really easy and comfortable.

We then turned around and flew home. Sometimes, not even pushing on the pedals and seeing 30+ mph!

We did our main set coming home: 2 x 10 minutes at IM pace w/ 5 min EZ spin in between.

Then it was EZ spin on the way home. 

After our spin, I went back to the condo and met up with Karel (he only rode about an hour after his 20 min ocean swim) and then it was time for breakfast.

Karel and I had some work to do on Training Peaks for our athletes so we spent a few hours working before we decided to get some fresh air. 

It was super windy out but with a little cloud cover, it was not as hot. 

We met Cal (cupcakes with Cal) which was a lot of fun. Not sure if it is just selective with the professionals that we have met but every pro we speak with is so nice and personable!

Karel trying to get some speed from Olympic Gold medalist and 2015 Ironman 70.3 World Champion, Jan Frodeno's bike. 

A cruise ship in the distance from the expo. 

What an honor to participate in this historic event. 

Need a Garmin?

After our short visit at the expo, we walked back to our condo (just two blocks) and Karel was itching to get on his bike again (since the morning ride was not his typical ride warm-up but instead an opportunity to learn from Paul Buick) so he went for a 90 minute ride and I went to the grocery store (Wal-Mart) to get more water and a few other things. 

When Karel returned home around 5:15pm, we got ready and back on our bikes to ride just under 4 miles down the road to the Clif Bar house for the Clif Bar party. 

It was great to literally "run" into my athlete Colleen and to see her getting her run workout in after a long day of working at the Wattie booth.

(Yes - I was riding my tri bike in a dress ;) 

A few professionals were at the Clif Bar house - Tio (Tim O'Donnell), Terenzo Bozzone and Linsey Corbin.
We could have talked with Linsey and her hubby Chris for hours - so nice!
I met Linsey in Austria when she dominated the course last summer but this was my first time having a conversation with her. 

What a beautiful sunset!

Thanks Clif Bar!

IM Kona '15: Day 7

The coffee boat is out - that must mean it's officially race week.
Yes - you can actually go swim to a boat that is handing out free coffee. 

Karel and I were so excited about Tuesday on race week - our first workout with Purplepatch Fitness. and coach Matt Dixon. 

Karel has been coached by Matt since last October but since Karel and I do a lot of workouts together, I also consider Matt as a coach to both of us. He has been a great mentor to us, as coaches, as well. I firmly believe that every coach, who is also an athlete, needs a coach.
I have respected Matt ever since I read an article from him in Triathlete Magazine (not sure which one but I am sure it was about training smarter or recovering more) and consider him the best coach out there for triathletes. It is a great honor to learn from him.

Anyways - a few Purple Patch athletes (racing and not racing in Kona) as well as the Everyman Jack Team arrived to the pool before 7:30am for a morning swim at the aquatic center. This was our first time meeting Matt so we were super excited for our workout.

Our swim workout:
10 min warm-up

Pre set;
200, 175, 150, 125, 100, 75, 50, 25 w/ 10 sec rest (increase effort as the set goes on)

MS: 

6 x 125's w/ 20 sec rest (increase effort in sets of 2)
150 EZ
6 x 50's - increase effort in sets of 3 (75-95%) w/ 20 sec rest
150 EZ/cool down 

After the swim workout, we had about 20 minutes before a group run so we changed and then did a few warm-ups (Karel and I) in the parking lot.

One of the celebrity athletes participating in IM Kona this year is Sean Astin (who is being coached by Matt Dixon). Sean was super nice and he seems excited to be here. I'm sure any triathlete would be eager to get a free entry to race IM Kona but not sure how many "normal" folks would jump at the opportunity to cover 140.6 miles on a very difficulty race course. 

Our run workout was just under 40 minutes - we ran from the pool up Makala blvd and then went north on the Queen K. The effort was light and conversational for most of the run but Matt said we could include a few pick-ups for 6 minutes. I choose 4 minutes since it was super hot and didn't want to exhaust myself (even with 20 ounce of Clif Bar hydration with me) with 90 min walk in between. It was nice to wake up the legs a little and to run 6:45ish pace with a nice tail wind pushing me along on the way back (that will NOT be near my race pace on race day :). Matt said it was ok to run a little faster to help the legs wake up but for the rest of the run, we were instructed to not run with a big ego. 

After the workout and a nice recovery meal (oatmeal, fruit and eggs for me), we rested a little and then walked down to the King K hotel for athlete registration (which opened Tues morning at 9am - closes Thurs afternoon at 4pm).

After we picked up our stuff and walked through the Ironman gear tent, it was off to the expo and then to the market to buy some fruit. 

Here are a few pictures from the registration and expo. 

My first IM Kona. 

My 2nd IM Kona. 

My 3rd IM Kona. 

My 4th IM Kona and Karel's first IM Kona!

Awesome gear bags - I think I can fit into mine.

Can't wait to suffer together on Saturday. 

It was SO windy today but it made the water super blue. 

More than Sport has a booth on Ali'i drive near the pier and they are building 120 bikes to provide to local kids on the island (who can't afford bikes) to be handed out on Sunday.
Karel put his expert mechanic skills to good use and in less than 10 minutes, he build a bike. 

It's not that often that Karel builds a bike with training wheels but he had a lot of fun doing it - all for a great cause. 

LOVE my run hydration from Clif Bar!

After an hour or so in the hot sun, we cooled off in our condo for about 2 hours (and had some lunch) and then it was time for the Parade of Nations at 5pm. 

With 18 athletes from Czech Republic, Karel was in good company with a large group who all spoke Czech. 

There were so many people on the side of the road for the parade - it was a really cool experience and I am so glad that we did it - and Karel could represent his home country. 

Representing South Carolina in the USA and Czech. 

And to conclude our day......

A peak inside our gear bags......

Clear gear bags (for safety, we are not allowed to bring in anything else into the transition area on race day), swim cap, 2 bib numbers (One to be worn on run, the other for keepsake), timing chip, plastic bike number, media tag, frame bib number, bike helmet number.

Extra swag. 

A nice towel. 

Race guide. 

3 more days til race day!!!

IM Kona '15: Day 5

If you know anything about IM Kona you probably know about two iconic places on the race course: The winds in Hawi and the Natural Energy Lab 

We all know that Kona is hot and windy but when it comes to the energy lab - it's really not that bad when you run in it.....in training. 

But training is not race day.
On race day, we enter the energy lab after 2.4 miles of swimming in the ocean, 112 windy and hot miles of biking (with not a single tree to provide even an inch of shade) and then after ~16 miles of running.

So, with 10 miles left in the final leg of the Ironman, we have 4 miles in the natural energy lab.

At this point in the Ironman, this is the place where dreams are made...or crushed. After a steady 1 mile climb out of the energy lab, it's 6 long (and mostly lonely) miles on the Queen K Hwy, back to town, before the finish. 

Karel and I decided to do our Sunday run (scheduled for 60-75 minutes) in the energy lab. Because race day will feel completely different than any other training day, it's really nice that we have had so many opportunities to feel and see the race course.

Even with this being my 4th IM Kona, it's really hard to remember what happens on race day - especially if it was a year or years ago. 

We parked at Kona Mountain Coffee, off the Queen K hwy and did a bit of warming up (dynamic stretching) before our run. We both had our Nathan hydration belts with Clif hydration as well as some Clif blocks if needed. I can't believe how many athletes I see out running with no hydration! Silly athletes - don't put all that training to waste and go into the race dehydrated! 

Karel ran ahead of me as he is faster than me but we both kept the pace easy and comfortable.
It was about 1.2 miles from the coffee shop before we hit the energy lab. 

The first mile is slightly downhill and then the road curves to the right and it is flat, hot and a little windy. Actually, the windy feels good in that it offers a little breeze.
I got excited to see a little gravel on the side of the road which I will absolutely be jumping on to if I can, on race day, as my legs love running on gravel. 

A quick smile/picture break before running back out of the energy lab. 

I'm really glad that we took advantage of this training run because unlike race day when we may be a bit "out of it" and using all mental focus to keep one leg moving in front of the other, the views are incredible. 

I'm sure my legs won't like it on race day but I did enjoy the small gentle inclines on the way out of the energy lab. 

Not sure if this sign is a good or bad thing...
Yay - only 7 more miles before the finish line
Ouch - 7 more miles before the finish line

After the run - it was time to cool off! It's crazy how cold water on the body dries so quickly!
I finished with 7.78 miles in 1 hour at a nice and comfortable pace w/ a few walk breaks. 

After we cleaned up, ate and rested for a little, it was time to join our friends Jana and her coach, for lunch at Lava Java.

Karel got a fish sandwich and I got the mushroom and zucchini sandwich with sweet potato fries - yum! 

As for the rest of the day - Karel and I had booked massages at Club Fitness for 4pm and 5pm so after we were nicely relaxed after our massages, it was time for dinner and early to bed by 8:30pm. 

It's hard to believe that it is race week!!! 

IM Kona '15: Day 4

When Karel and I qualified for Kona last September (2014) at IMWI, we had a lot of time to plan our trip out to Kona. We decided that it would be great to spend a little bit of time on the island before race week so that we could explore and really enjoy our vacation  - before the race week madness begins. 

With us being on the island 5 full days before race week, we also wanted to take advantage of as much race-day prep as possible. Any opportunity we had to see or be on the course, would be extremely beneficial.

Everyone is different when it comes to getting to know the race course. For many athletes, seeing or training on the course can be comforting and may provide some confidence. But for other athletes, there can be great concern, worry and anxiety about the course, especially when viewing it from the car or by training on the course. 

Karel and I knew that we wanted to take advantage of the Ho'ala 2.4 mile Ironman training swim which was taking place 1 week out from race day.

We didn't need to validate our fitness or readiness for race day but rather just for experience to swim 2.4 miles in the ocean (without a wetsuit). This would be Karel's second time swimming this long in the ocean (first time was a Jacksonville open water swim event) so for him, it was almost necessary for him to use it as a confidence booster to reduce any nerves of hyperventilating or anxiety when swimming with so many other athletes.  

We woke up around 5am (which has been our normal no-alarm wake-up with us typically going to bed around 8:30pm) and had a large pre-workout snack, similar to race day (our swim was not our only workout of the day) and around 6am, we walked to the pier. 

We picked up our packet since we pre-registered, checked in our gear bags and got ready for the swim. 

With over 400 participants, there were a lot more people there than we had anticipated.
With  no pressure for Karel and I, this was a great way to get out some pre-race jitters. 

Unlike the race day swim, the practice swim had us finishing on the other side of the pier. 

The swim went great. Karel and I were both surprised that we managed to swim 31 minutes and 30 minutes (respectively) to the 2nd turn buoy. There was a lot of chop coming home and it was hard to stay on course (with only kayaks being our "buoys" on the way back) which made it a little more tiring to swim back home. But nevertheless, we both felt good endurance-wise and I was really happy that my upper right back didn't bother me as it has been affecting my swim training for the past 1.5 months (if it began to hurt, I was going to take it really really easy). 

Karel and I didn't swim together but it was really fun to share this practice swim together. I am just so proud of Karel to see how he is swimming these days (with his fitness) but also to see how much more comfortable he is in the open water, especially around other swimmers. I know race day will be a different experience for him but this practice swim was exactly what he (and I) needed. 

We all received medals at the finish and had a nice selection of fresh fruit to enjoy post race.
Per the Garmin, the swim was 2.63 miles and I swam it in 1:06.37 (chip time), 8th place AG (30-34) and 26th female and Karel finished in 1:10:26 (which he was so happy about), 19th AG (35-39) and 126th male.
There were a few professional triathletes at the event too - full results HERE. 

Karel had been in touch with a fellow Czech triathlete (also racing in Kona) who was putting together a personalized order of Czech t-shirts for the Parade of Nations and Karel bumped into him post race and they shared a conversation in Czech together. 

Being at a World Championship event is extra special for anyone who is from another country but lives in the US. In just a few days, I think Karel has spoken more Czech in Kona than he has in several months (aside from talking to his parents who live in Czech, via Skype). 

After the swim, Karel and I walked back to our condo, had a quick change and then packed up our bags to make the drive to Mauna Lani resort to start our bike.
Oh - one more thing about the swim - I wore exactly what I would be wearing on race day as I wanted to experience what it would feel like. My goggles got extra tight on my face around 40 minutes so I need to loosen them a little. Also, I chaffed a little around my neck so I need more body glide for race day. All good things to experience pre-race and not on race day!

Just like on race day, it is hard to predict what the winds will be like on race day or how hot it will feel out there on the black pavement, surrounded by lava fields. 

It's funny how even after 3 times racing Kona, it's easy to forget what racing in Kona feels like.
This was my first time training on the course, so far from town and thank goodness I had Karel there with me as he is my safety net when I need him (but then again - most of our "fights" happen on the bike with me freaking out and getting emotional and Karel trying to calm me down). 

I drafted behind Karel until we started our 18-mile climb to Hawi. We both said "the winds are so calm today"......a bit too soon. 

Karel said he has never ridden on a course with the gusty winds that he felt while riding up to Hawi.
Thankfully, wheel choice is critical and I am so happy that Karel put on 44 mm wheels on my bike for Kona. It was still a challenge to feel comfortable with the winds but with my wheels, I at least found it easier to ride in a straight line. Riding in the Hawi winds is something else - but I am glad that we experienced it before the race as it can be scary but after a few gusts you begin to learn how to better hold yourself in the wind.
Karel has 70mm in the front and 90mm in the back but Karel said next time, he will put lower profile wheels in the front. Even for Karel, he said the gusts were a bit too strong on his front wheel for him to be comfortable on the bike. 

Here is a video that I took in a "calm" section of Hawi. I actually ended up getting a flat tire in my rear wheel with about 6 miles left to the turn around in Hawi so I decided that I would take a video while on the side of the road and then wait for Karel to change my tubular tire.

But then I thought about it and told myself "Silly Marni - Karel is not going to change it for you on race day!"

So then I brought myself back to reality that I can't depend on my awesome bike mechanic/hubby for everything so I changed it myself.

Karel has taught me well about changing tubular tires and even without a tire lever, I had a quick change of the rear tubular tire (Karel is a master when it comes to gluing tires so that they are safe to ride but also come off easily) and then pumped it up with my CO2. I then kept climbing until I saw Karel and then turned around.
And for anyone wondering - I ride 700 wheels (not 650).

The ride down from Hawi started off ok as I was flying down over 30 mph and not even pushing on my pedals. But then the cross winds hit and it was a bit more scary and I was not going to take any risks pre-race (nor will I on race day in Hawi) so I just focused on not getting blown away. 

I was so happy to be back on the Queen K again and even more happy to put my feet on the ground after my 2:42/48 mile ride.

Riding down from Hawi. This is a rare moment that I was aero and not holding on to my base bars. 

After the ride, it was nearing 1:30pm and time for a quick 15 minute transition run. 

So how hot is it? Well, when you are running by lava, you know it's hotter than hot.
I always say that my body likes racing in the heat but let's be honest, it is not the most ideal temperature (and humidity) to race in when it comes to making sure all systems are go - digestive tract, muscles and the mind. 

After our last long workout, it was time to refuel, rehydrate and relax.

I had made pancakes the night prior which meant that they would be ready when we returned home from our workout. It's like fast food but in your own kitchen!

Thanks to Aunt Jemima, I had a stack of pancakes to devour (I added oats to make them a Trimarni creation) topped with syrup, butter and a side of fresh fruit.   

Karel and I went to Bike Works so that he could get some tubular glue (he brought several extra tires for me) and we ran a few more errands around town. By 6:30pm, it was time for dinner and a little work on the computer and then another early night as we were passed out  by 8:30pm.

So excited - it's almost IM Kona race week!!! 

IM Kona '15 - Day 3

With our last long taper workout on Saturday (1 week out from race race), Friday was super light. A 75- minute spin and that was it for training...for the day!

We started our morning with a pre-workout snack (waffle w/ PB, syrup, cinnamon and banana slices for me), coffee and water and did a little work while we waited for the sun to rise (typically the sun rises around 6:10am).

Around 7am, we got ourselves ready for our bike ride and headed out soon after 7:30am. 

We rode the in-town section of the IM Kona course, starting from the pier. We then continued on the Queen K to the airport (7 miles from town) and then headed back home.
There was a bit of traffic so we didn't do any intervals or sets but instead, just kept it really easy, light on the pedals for around 75 minutes. 

After the spin, we stopped by the pier and bumped into our friends Laura and Duran and chatted for a bit. 

After our spin, it was time for breakfast. 

Bagel, egg and cheese sandwich for Karel (all homemade - except the bagel). 

Oats, dates, peaches, banana, syrup, walnuts and milk for me.
Enjoyed with a great view of the ocean.

For the next few hours, I had some work (and phone calls) to get done and Karel did some work as well but by 1:30pm, we were ready for our afternoon race-cation exploring. 

With this being my 4th IM Kona, I have experience on the race course...on race day. But with this being my first IM Kona with Karel, this experience has been the best Kona trip for me. Not only is it great to make memories together but I am seeing much more of the island, race and non-race related, with Karel here with me. 

We took a drive, about 31 miles, down the Queen K hwy in the direction of Kawaihae  - all part of the IM Kona race course...doesn't it look fun?
No trees, long stretches of rolling hills, super hot pavement, lots of wind and lava fields..you have to have a special mindset to enjoy racing in Kona. 

We finally ended up at Hapuna Beach and we did a little swimming and looking at fishes (no sea turtles :( and a little relaxing. Karel and I aren't ones for laying around so after about 20 minutes of laying around, we were ready to get out of the sun. 

Look at that blue water!!

Next up on our to-do list for the afternoon, was a visit with professional triathlete, the amazing and super nice, Meredith Kessler. who was staying just a few miles down the road.
My only interaction with Meredith was racing on the same course as her at Challenge Williamsburg back in June, when the heat index was over 120 degress, where she won the professional female division and I won the female amateur division. 

Thanks to Vector 450, I was connected to Meredith for us sit down and talk about gut health and immunity. We did a short interview together (on video) which I will share shortly.

What an awesome hour spent with Meredith and her husband Aaron.
Karel and I could have talked to them for hours! 

Nearing 5pm, it was time to head back to Kailua Kona.

We finished off the evening with a delicious meal, light in the belly, to cap off a full day of eating, relaxing and light activity before our last big workout before race day. 

I had a big bowl of Minestrone soup with jasmine rice, pasta noodles, saltine crackers and a little cheese. 

Stay tuned for my next blog post - it was a big day of training, filled with swimming, biking and running! 

IM Kona '15: Day 2

4:45am - time to start the day! Although we woke up early without an alarm, it was a restful night with 8 hours of good sleep.

The great part about waking up early here in Kona and being on Hawaiin time (6 hours behind EST) is being able to get some work done before the sun comes up.

After a little bit of work on the computer, a phone call to an athlete and a pre-workout snack (and coffee), Karel and I were ready for our morning workout.



We first started with a 45 minute very EZ spin on the run course so that Karel could see the out and back section on Ali'i drive and then we grabbed our run gear in the condo and dropped off our bikes and did a short dynamic warm-up in our parking lot. We walked to Ali'i drive and started our run. 

We warmed up together (well kinda together - me running a bit behind Karel) with 30 minutes of running w/ 30 sec walk each mile. After the warm-up, we turned around and started the main set.

MS:
4 x 5 min (desc 1-4) w/ 15 sec walk in between

Then cool down

After the run workout, it was time to take a few pictures and enjoy our view.

We finished at the pier and Karel snapped a pic with 2014 Ironman World Champion Sebatian Kienle. 

After our run workout, we had a recovery drink in the condo, then breakfast and chillaxed for a little before heading out to the Kona Aquatic Center around 1pm for a short swim. 

My upper back was feeling a little off (it mostly bothers me when I swim) so I shorted the swim to a 2000 and didn't do our entire main set but Karel swam awesome in the water and finished with 3200 yards.
It was so great to swim (for free) at the aquatic center but nothing beats swimming in the ocean (aka Kona fish bowl). 

We have been enjoying our home cooked meals but local bread is a necessity for us - Daylight Mind coffee shop had fresh sourdough bread, just perfect for our carb loving diet. 

After our post workout meal/lunch at our condo, we got ready for a trip 9 miles up the mountain to visit Mountain Thunder for a coffee tour. We tasted fresh local organic coffee and walked away with two bags (we couldn't resist!).

After our 4pm tour, we headed back to the condo and made some dinner around 6pm. 

Karel made this delicious cabbage salad with carrots, tomatoes, onions, dates and avocado dressing  as well as pasta (with chicken for Karel). 

It was a busy day but we are really enjoying our race-cation and trying to make the most of this awesome experience together. 

Oh, and one more thing...

Happy World Vegetarian Day / Vegetarian Awareness Month to all my vegetarian followers and friends!!!!

For over 2/3rds of my life, since the age of 10, I have thrived, survived, fueled, nourished and enjoyed a plant-strong diet.

For 23 years, I have always been proud to call myself a vegetarian and plant strong athlete.

In honor of World Vegetarian Day, I invite you to make some swaps and/or additions in your meal and snack options and incorporate more real, wholesome and nutrient dense options into your diet. Your body will thank you now and in the future.