Kona 2012 Race Report

3:55am Wake up call and Breakfast:
-3 slices of Udi's GF toast with PB and Jelly
-2 cups of coffee with coconut milk and sugar
-18oz of water with 2 scoops of Ultragen
-1/4 peanut butter power bar (at 5am)
-1 cappuchino powergel (20 min before swim start)
-Additional 24 oz of water (3:55am - 6:45am)

Kept the breakfast lighter than my Wisconsin breakfast to avoid a repeat of stomach distress during the swim.  Erin and Jimmy picked up Byers from down the road then came back to grab me to drive us down to transition at 4:45am.  We proceeded to body marking and dropped off special needs bike and run bags.  We loaded up our bike nutrition bottles onto our bikes.  Next I dropped a couple extra gels into my bike and run transition bags, and moved my bib from the bike bag to my run bag, as we didn't need to wear it on the bike.

My old Felt had me paranoid about bars and saddles slipping, so I brought the bike over to the Shimano mechanics in transition just to double check the bolts on the stem and seat post.  Good to go.  Pumped up to  115psi.  Now that everything was set there was about an hour to kill before the cannon sounds at 7am.  Athletes lined the fences inside transition, mostly quiet and focused, not a whole lot of talking it was pretty quiet for having over 2000 athletes and volunteers roaming about like ants.

I went to drop off my morning swim bag, grabbed my Tyr Torque, goggles, and swim cap then headed to the ART tent and laid on the grass for a while. I heard the Cannon for the pro men, the crowd was about 400m away from where I was on the other side of transition, but I could hear them buzz and the helicopter blades chopping as it flew by.  This meant it was 6:30am and time to get my ass in gear.  I loaded up at the sun screen station and added globs and globs of Vaseline to those chafe susceptible parts.

All the blue and pink swim caps were gathering around the narrow entrance down to Digme beach.  As we all filed down the Tyr carpeted steps to the beach I made my way about 100 yards from the beach out to the front line, just left of the center buoy.  The officials kept gliding by  the front lines on their surf boards trying to keep everyone from inching forward.  In all the shuffle I ended up about 3 guys back from the front, then suddenly with no warning we were all off and swimming.

SWIM: I took the first 200y out with the pack and tried to find a nice quick pair of feet to follow.  I relaxed into a nice rythm for most of the first 1.2 miles out to the turn, gradually making my way right.  I may have been out a bit too fast for my own good, as we approached the turn I began to be passed, and had trouble holding onto any bubbles as they went past.  I stayed controlled though, and stuck to my plan easy out, and picked up the stroke rate a bit on the way back to the pier.  The water seemed a bit choppier on the way back.  Here I was able to grab a couple different pairs of feet for a few minutes at a time which helped bring me in.  There was a lot of contact around the first and second turns and a good portion of the way back, as I was swimming right next to each buoy as opposed to angling my way in on the way out.
For a while after the turnaround, I was swimming stroke for stroke next to a woman who breathed opposite myself. So we were face to face about 12 inches apart every other stroke.  Her goggles must have been knocked off... because she had NONE. Now that takes balls (even if you don't have any), to swim (at least) 1.2 miles in the super salty and choppy Pacific with no goggles. Im pretty sure she eventually swim away from me.  Perhaps I took it too easy, but I didn't want to expend too much energy (to possibly gain only a minute or two) in the first hour of a 9+ hour race, only to blow up later. I came out of the water feeling pretty fresh in a time of 1:05:45.

A bit crowded coming out of T1

T1: Ran through the hoses and took an extra 2-3 seconds and rinsed off some of the salt.  Any extra salty crust would not be appreciated on the bike.  Out of the water we nearly run around the outside of the whole transition until reaching the bike gear bag lanes.  Grabbed my bag and stuffed my swim gear in there and grabbed a couple gels, then out to the bike. T1 - 2:58.

BIKE:
Rolling out of T1 I could hear a couple familiar voices yelling.  I looked but couldn't pick anyone out of the crowds until a little further up the hill I saw Jimmy on the left side "GO DANIEL" with the iPhone out!

Got out on the bike feeling pretty well.  I had no idea what time I swam, asked a guy in transition he said we were around 1:05.  I was happy with that, 7 minutes faster than last time here.  Kept the shoes on the bike in T1 chain in the small ring.

The course goes right up Palani Drive, which is quite the climb right out of transition, so you had better be in your shoes soon after pushing off from T1.  Half way up the hill the course takes a right headed South on the Kaukini Hwy where we make a quick couple mile out and back before turning again onto Palani and finishing the climb up to the Queen K Highway.

Glad to be out of the water and onto the bike, a sport where I can actually begin making up the ground (water) that was forfeited in the swim being swum over, grabbed, passed, and serving as a human punching bag in the ocean.

Congestion

I used the couple minutes out and back on Kaukini to settle in, get my shoes right, and allow my heart rate to drop into what I felt was low 140s (may have been way off, but have yet to race with a computer).  The legs were feeling fresh.  Once on the Queen K it was time to find my race pace.  The surface is immaculate and the course is filled with long gradual rolling hills.  These first 20-30 miles were pretty congested, the official was riding along side us handing out penalties like they were candy on Halloween.  Per usual I could take advantage of the long climbs, as weight, compact cranks, and aerodynamics are on my side going up.  I was passing people at a pretty good rate.  The down hills I would either hold my own or a couple monster European's built like muscular Clydesdale horses would hammer past me.

Saw my support crew on the way up Palani. Thanks!

Aware of the official making his rounds I was careful to drop back when passed.  On the uphills I would even warn a couple guys to be careful where they ride and that the official was making his way up the field.  However, I don't know if it is a European thing, or just smart tactical racing, but on several occasions little groups of 4-5 riders would pass me, each of them immediately cutting over during their pass as opposed to gradually cutting back in to the right.  Each time this would happen I would be literally 2 inches from the guy's rear wheel and forced to drop back, soft pedal and often times breaking, or moving left towards the center of the road to stay out of the draft zone, but then risking "blocking".  Frustrating to say the least.

All of a sudden I hear "1862, next penalty tent".  I look over and there is the motorcycle with the official showing me a red card.  I was in disbelief, and totally pissed at myself.  I knew he was there and was being careful to be 7 meters back.  I didn't drop far enough back, or pass within 15 seconds, so guilty as charged.  I didn't say a word.  I just put my head down and picked up the cadence.  Right then and there I instantly thought, great, now I have to make up this time.  It was probably about 15-20 miles to the first penalty tent.

Palani climb

As we approached I started riding on the shoulder, and about 5 guys ahead of me cut over too.  There were at least 30 riders in the tent, and probably another 20-30 came in behind me as I spent my 4 minutes in timeout.  With about a minute to go on the stopwatch Byers rode by.  These were the longest 4 minutes ever.  I had a flash back to Wisconsin when I flatted.  Wisconsin turned out alright, but this is field is filled with a different caliber of athlete who won't be pulled back in as easily, or at all. You're just standing there watching all the work you've just done re-pass you.  I had my work cut out for me.   I took advantage of this time to take a pee in the lava field, in a row of 10 other guys.  A female official threatened to give us all another penalty for this unsanctioned bathroom break.  Finally the watched showed 4 minutes and I pushed off.

I told myself to remain calm and stick to the game plan, but that is easier said than done.  I gradually started making my way up the field, frustrated with the official, but mostly at myself.

Bike Course Profile.  Climb to Hawi at about mile 55.

By this time it was getting pretty damn hot!  I started with two 24oz bottles of EFS on the bike, 200 calories in each bottle.  The first bottle was gone in the first 30 minutes.  I saved the second one for later in the race, and started alternating between Perform and water at aid stations.  I would grab one Perform for the bottle cage and douse arms, neck, face, head, groin with a water bottle to stay as cool as possible.

The cross and head winds didn't feel terribly bad, but they certainly were noticeable.  This all changed once making the turn to Hawi.  The winds seemed to be coming at us in all directions.  An angled head and cross wind was coming off the ocean to the left/North East of us.  Pace slowed here, I just focused on staying small and turning the pedals.  It was often difficult just to take a drink, as the change in body position would catch the wind and all 140lb of myself would be tossed across the road.

I was looking for the leaders on their way back from the turn around.  I saw Pete Jacobs riding solo a couple minutes off the front.  This must have been just about the time Kienle flatted.  I hit the turn feeling alright, had half a Larabar and was looking forward to the long descent.  Those happy feelings of descent anticipation quickly went away.  The compact crank was useless here, I might as well have taken my pedals off to save some weight.  I could pedal at about 110rpm for 10 seconds, then I could do nothing more than tuck in and soar down the hill with a nice tail wind.

Queen K on 10/10

 I conserved some energy here and took advantage of the tailwind to fuel up. It was smooth sailing until we made the left turn back towards Kona.  A couple significant climbs (that I really didn't remember going down on the way out, or coming up in 2008) put a damper on the fun real quick.  Small ring it was for a couple of these suckers.

I started grabbing Coke at a couple aid stations. and using as much water to cool myself as possible.  I could feel my arms burning more and more as time went by.  At about mile 95 I started to pay for my surges in wattage trying to make up lost ground.  Finally got to the Airport and the Energy Lab and knew transition was only 7 miles away.  Made the turn down to T2, took on some extra fuel and fluids, spun the legs out a bit and got the feet out of the shoes for the last minute.  Bike Split ended up 5:13:59, 32 minutes faster than 2008 on a slower day, so I was alright with that.

T2- Came off the bike and was glad to finally be on my feet. Grabbed my bag and ran into the change tent.  It was packed, I ran all the way to the end and got my shoes on and a volunteer gave me a nice sloppy layer of sunscreen.  Put on my hat and bib and I was off.  T2- 2:50

RUN:
I felt 100% better than last time in Kona coming off the bike.  In 2008 people were passing me left and right.  This time around I was able to settle into a comfortable pace right out of the gates.
The first 10 miles felt comfortable and relaxed headed south on Ali'i and then back north past the finish line.

mile 1 - 7:03
mile 2 - 7:02
mile 3 - 6:52
mile 4 - 7:02
mile 5 - 7:00
mile 6 - 7:16
mile 7 - 7:13
mile 8 - 7:21
mile 9 - 7:08
mile 10 - 7:11

I starting going shopping at each aid station right off the bat.  Water, Perform, Ice, Coke, Ice, Water.  Ice in the cap and down the back, water on the head.  Mile 11 includes the long hill up to the Queen K to finish the  next 16 miles of the marathon.  Every time I run hills I think of my 800 coach at Iowa, P.A.T. McGhee, "don't hit like a bitch", head down and hit your arms back.

mile 11 - 7:52
mile 12 - 7:23
mile 13 - 7:09
mile 14 - 7:36
mile 15 - 7:39
mile 16 - 7:44
mile 17 - 7:30
mile 18 - 7:38
mile 19 - 8:21
mile 20 - 8:05
mile 21 - 8:23
mile 22 - 7:35
mile 23 - 8:01
mile 24 - 7:54
mile 25 - 7:57
mile 26 - 7:10

Marathon Profile

Mile 19 and 24 are some rough climbs with fatigue accumulating and coming out of a hot Energy Lab and back on the Queen K.  At Wisconsin I hit every aid station except for the last one, and that last mile was the longest I've ever run.  So I made sure to take in calories and fluid every single aid station up until the last one.  After the last climb its pretty much all down hill to the finish.

All in all I was (pretty) happy with the my race.  While racing 9 hours 41 minutes there were sure to be some glitches.  I've yet to have that perfect Ironman... one day maybe.  Talking to Andy Potts in transition after the race he said it was a slow tough day all across the board.  Compared to previous years times were about 15 minutes slower.  I nearly cut off an hour from my last race in Kona, but I still feel like I need to redeem myself on that bike course. We will take a year of some much needed shorter races and shoot for Kona in 2014.

Swim: 1:05:45
Bike: 5:13:59
Run: 3:16:04
Total: 9:41:36

193rd Overall
29th Overall American AG
24th 25-29

The Group: Becky, Jimmy, my Mom, myself, Erin, Ashley, Dan, Todd, Taylor, (Don- not pictured)

Kona 2012: Day 5

Less than 24 hours until the cannon goes off tomorrow morning at 7am.  Like clockwork since I've been on the island, wake up at 7, and get in the water at Digme beach by 8am.  Erin came down today for the swim.

Dirk Bockel, suiting up for the morning swim.  He will race tomorrow with a fractured hand.  Notice the contraption on his right hand.

Race crew rolled out the transition mat as we were getting in the water.

After a brief swim, it was back to the condo for some breakfast and suit up for a little shake out on the bike.  I noticed a nice gash in my rear tire only an hour before bike check in.  But there was no need to panic, Cervelo has been awesome all week with race tune ups and adjustments.  They threw on a new tire, and tuned up the P3 again free of charge.  As if you even needed one... its just one more reason to ride Cervelo.

At bike check in the paparazzi were out.  Here is Justin Bieber... I mean Macca stopping by the Lava Magazine banner for a quick photo shoot before bringing his Specalized into transition.

Macca seemed pretty loose and ready.  Hang loose.

Another World Champ, checking in.

Transition filling up.  Byers and I are racked only a few bikes away in the second to last row.

Gear bag isles.

TB makes a last minute adjustment waiting in bike check line.

The passage to transition for bike check.  The gates are lined with press and all the triathlon industry guys and their checklist for the offical "Kona Count" of all things triathlon.  Notice Herbert (slowtwitch) snapping a couple photos.

Winners:
Bike: Cervelo - 483
Shoes: Asics - 300
Wheels: Zipp - 2041
Aerobars: 551
Saddle: Fizik - 507
Helmet: Rudy Project - 354

Big thanks to my support crew. My Mom, Jimmy, Erin, Becky, and Don.  Early to bed tonight.  Goodnight.

Kona 2012: Day 4

These past two days the island seemed to have calmed down a bit.  Perhaps the is the calm before the storm.  The beach is still backed in the morning with everyone getting their swim in.  Howerver, Ali'i and the Queen K are both noticeably less crowded with athletes.  

Thursday, the penultimate day before 'race day' is usually a complete rest day.  However, the annual underwear run takes place at 8am this day.  I missed it in 2008, so had to see what it was all about this time around.

Jimmy prepared a delicious egg scramble today, then drove Todd, Taylor, Erin and myself the mile down to town. The Underwear run was certainly one of the highlights of the trip.  Easily 1000+ people participated in this little jog.

 Triathlete.com photos.

 The Asian invasion.

 Dobesh looks pretty excited, rocking the limited edition Tyr goggles and coconut bra.  Nice form.

 Wattie Girls.... Gorilla... Banana...

 Erin and Taylor again.  The coconut bras were a hit.
Here is another one that made Triathlete.com.

Just some of the runners.

Kona 2012: Day 3

Woke up the the aroma of Jimmy Bean brewing us some strong coffee.  (puns kind of intended... Bean is his real last name and Strong, his fiances').  The standard pre-swim meal of Udi's gluten free toast with some PB, coffee, coconut milk, and Ultragen was consumed.  Once again Taylor played the role of our personal sherpa, riding her mountain bike down to the beach with a backpack loaded with our swim gear while Jimmy, Todd, and myself ran.

Cleaning the goggles... No fog for us.  Thanks SBR Sports for the Foggle wipes.

Digme Beach.  A bit shorter of a swim today, just out to the Coffee boat, then one buoy out and back.  "I feel like I just ate an entire box of Saltines." - Jimmy Bean.  The water is a bit salty to say the least... saltier than FF John Ledenbach.

We ran a bit longer today, 5 miles total out and Back on Ali'i Drive.  Legs felt nice and fresh.  After our run we headed back up to the Queen K, just a quick 45 minute spin up to the Natural Energy lab where GU was stationed with some fluids and bottles.  No pictures on the bike today, Kenny B said to play it safe.  No crashes.  Keeping the rubber down.  We will try to avoid NBC's crash highlight montage.

On the way back from our ride we dropped in to pick up our race packets.  Powerbar is kind enough to offer a bike valet all week! Thanks.

Next it was time to get our final race tune up.  Traveling 4,000 miles can be rough on a bike. But not to worry, thank to Cervelo.  They have pro mechanics working on bikes round the clock at their expo booth.

If you ride a cervelo, Phil White's name is on your bike.  We chatted briefly with Phil after our tune ups were complete.  Phil told us a little known fact. The fork on the 2012 P3 is actually the P4 fork, "super fast".  Nice to have that little extra confidence on race day.

More Than Sport lounge.  The MTS crew is all over Kona, headed by Chris Lieto, they are raising money for various charities. More Than Sport. 

Banana: Help, Help
Gorilla: Grrrrrr


As we walked down Ali'i to the Slowtwitch gathering a banana was running for his life.

Muscle Milk / Cyto Max was kind enough to host the Slowtwitch party at their ocean side digs.  Beer, Margaritas on tap... Muscle Milk and Cytomax bottle service.

A couple familiar faces showed up.  You may have heard of Chrissie Wellington, Herbert (like Cher or Madonna) Julie Dibens, Mat Steinmetz, to name a few. Finally got to see what Dev-Paul looks like too.

Byers and I fared well in the ST raffle.  Xlab carbon rear mount and cage for TB and some Rotor chain rings for myself.