When you come to Kona you undoubtedly will spend some time at the pier. That is where it all happens. The swim start and the run finish are within yards of each other. The race organizers set up buoys on the ocean so that the athletes can practice their swimming. They also set up an information booth. As a result you find many athletes chatting prior to the swim session and since all these people are so fit looking the small beach became known over the years as dig-me beach. I must be one of the fattest persons around this beach. I don’t mind really. I have learned over the years that many of these very fit looking people are actually not that fast. Surely some are. But fortunately this is not a beauty pageant. At my first Ironman in Japan 1990 all the foreign athletes had a party and there was one guy that was so ripped we thought he was going to win the race. Then there was one Australian that had a bigger pot belly than I and was drinking beer. On race day he ran me down at mile 10 and the fit looking guy was 2 hours behind. Looks count for nothing.
Today I got s small movie for you. It is of dg-me beach, check it out. After I made the movie I went and swam the entire course. It was very choppy but I managed. Toward the turnaround I was one of the few people there so the kayaker in charge of the area decided to guide me around. He led me for about a mile. That was neat and very comforting.
In the afternoon I rode the bike easy for 90 minutes and tested my race wheels. They felt fast. Later Mark Allen and Rick cooked dinner. Those single guys can be good cooks. They were giving me all kinds of crap because I did not want to raise a finger. Hey I am working I said. I have to email all my athletes. That is actually the same thing I say at home. I told my wife the story and she got a big kick out of it. She said “tell them that now they know how I feel”.
I also did an interview for a couple of guys in New Zealand. If you have iTunes or an ipod you can download it. Or go to www.ironmantalk.com to hear it and learn more about it. I listened to their podcasts before and Bevan James does a great job.
Mark Allen is here in town now so it was good to see him. Hopefully I will get some good words of advice. He always manages to put you at ease. Those guys are now sleeping as I write this and it is raining cats and dogs outside.
Talk to you soon. Tomorrow is a training day off but I plan on registering for the race and start our expo booth. Stay tuned.