Tonight after the carbo load dinner Rick asked me if I thought all the first time Hawaii participants though the carbo load function was cool. My answer was a resounding yes. I thought it was cool and I have been here too many times to count. The announcers have a few jokes used every year so I no longer laugh at them. But the videos they make are just great. The sound and images of this race are just unreal when they are shown on a big screen like they do here. I also like the Hawaiian and Polynesian dancing show. Fire dancers are just great. I love the drums too.

Also just like they do at the NBC show they always have some human interest stories. Two of them this year are a young man that is paralyzed yet he races dirt bikes and trucks with able body people. But via a friend who mentioned the sport and the Challenged Athlete Foundation that helps these athletes he will be trying to finish the Ironman. Another cool story are two navy seals that will parachute to the start line and then compete in the race. I talked to them yesterday in fact. They are funny. Apparently they are using old parachutes that are used here in Hawaii. They said the chutes will be put away after this jump because they are too old. What if the jump was one jump too many is my question. They said that the local navy guys said and I quote. ‘’ Sir these parachutes will do just fine’’. I was cracking up.

Another part of the carbo dinner is when they bring the defending age group champions on stage. Our own Kelly Lear Kaul was up there.

Earlier in the day it was business as usual. Cervelo who is our partner is going to shoot some videos. That will be fun. We were going to try to get some of our Kona athletes riding Cervelo but they are a little busy. So Mark Allen will have to do it himself.

Peter Reid, remember him? He came by the booth to say hello. He is now a pilot of small planes. He was asked when he was going to race again. ‘’I’ll race if Mark races’’ he said. Mark replied ‘’that is pretty safe bet’’.

One more day of expo lies ahead and then the race. It has gone very fast indeed. I still have to look for that scooter and come up with my predictions for the race.
Aloha.