Kona08 - Lee's Race Experience

Just uploaded this video that i edited for the race experience...

I'm coming back - nxt time I'm qualifying -

...it's only a matter of time...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcVbHjNhTrU

Swim Start from south Alii Drive

here's a view of the swim start from the south end of Alii Drive...

you can also view all of the video's here...

http://www.youtube.com/user/cleetri

MACCA

Ironman Venue - Chris McCormack 2007 ironman champion...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7q8H1FFzX8

Last ride out the Queen K

OK - last ride out the Queen K -

windy today - hot - everybody was out there today - Signs like this are all the way out the Queen K Highway - super large shoulders on the road help but pretty cool. I can definitely see how Saturday morning this thing is going to get interesting - it would be EASY to get caught up in the excitement and blast off for the first two hours

and then spend the rest of the day trying not to fall apart...

I'm ready...

Look, there be turtles!!!

October 8, 2008

Wow! What a great swim today! Swimming along yesterday morning on the leeward side of Hawaii out of the Kona coast was AWESOME yesterday. along with seeing Nemo and a few thousand of his cousins - turtles were everywhere. Now if i could only grab one and have it pull me out to the turnaround. Two cruise ships were anchored off the coast and i can only imagine the conversations on board those ships as they watched about 1500 people gather and practice swim the course...

"Hey Marge, come check this out. It looks like strippers spawning out there!!" or "Hey Bubba, why would people want to do that when there are perfectly good boats out there??"

I see fishies!!!

Wow! what a fantastic ocean open water swim today!

I could see for 90 ft during the swim! I saw Nemo or at least several thousand of his cousins. Really cool. Now if I can only do this with 1800 of my other closest friends!

next post - the bike out to Hawi!

Weather for race week...

I meant to update the weather forecast for the week...

TonightOct 5
Partly Cloudy
N/A76°
20%

High not valid after 2pm
MonOct 6
Partly Cloudy
85°76°
20%

85°F
TueOct 7
Scattered Showers
85°76°
30%

85°F
WedOct 8
Scattered Showers
84°75°
30%

84°F
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ThuOct 9
Scattered Showers
83°74°
30%

83°F
FriOct 10
Scattered Showers
83°74°
30%

83°F
SatOct 11
Scattered Showers
83°74°
30%

83°F

Here in Kona - Day 1 - Oct 5th

Sunday - weird - I managed to stay up until 9pm HST (3am EST) - the problem was that i woke up promptly at 12am HST - yep you guessed it - 6am EST. After some tossing and turning i was able to go back to sleep - still tossed for the next 5 hours but got some good rest -
finally got up and went for my 6 mile run at 7:30am - i wanted to wait until the sun was up to get a fell for the heat and humidity early - IT WAS BOTH - hot and humid...

still having trouble holding back - I'm fit - I just now have to be smart...

the town is filling up fast with athletes from all over the world. it's amazing - i see guys flying up and down the road on bikes and running - acting like they are doing speed work - crazy...

I'm ready to get checked in and registered - that doesn't open until Tuesday morning...tomorrow, I'm swimming at 7am and riding right after - we'll see how that goes out here...the water is awesome - clear for 90 ft...

Here in Kona - Arrival Day - Oct 4th

Well - it was a long day...
up at 4am EST - finally in Kona at 2:30pm HST (8:30pm EST)

once arriving here - got settled at the house and put the bike together -
just had to get out on the Queen K Highway...

rode for about 20 miles - I can say that just being here makes you want to go fast - on race day it's going to be a challenge to hold back - but my experience says that holding back will make all of the difference.

It's warm, windy and very humid - think August in Albemarle - or maybe Myrtle Beach...
pics will follow...