Kona and the Ironman

No, neither Chris or I did the Ironman.

We went for 'work'.

There is a Sports Medicine conference that goes on the week before the Ironman that Chris wanted to attend, as well as help out in the medical tent during the race. One of the main medical directors is one of the Kaiser Fontana Sports Medicine staff where Chris did his fellowship this last year. We persuaded my mom and dad to come and help with Emersyn. Jan and Sara decided they didn't want to miss out.

Vacationing with a baby is a different story than going as a couple, or just adults. There are nap times to consider, major diaper bag preparations because you never know what is going to happen, and bedtime should be as regular as possible. Crossing time zones adds to the difficulty of caring for a little one. It was a tremendous help having my parents and Jan and Sara there. Emersyn loved having some regular playmates as well.

The Ironman swim buoys are set up for the week before so racers can practice their swim. My dad, Jan, Chris and I all went out to test the waters. I had so much fun swimming I could have sworn I was meant to be a dolphin. It was amazing how the salt water makes it so much easier to swim - one day I figure I swam close to 2 miles, just over a 1/2 mile short of the actual Ironman swim distance, and with the salt water I would have had no problem swimming longer.

During the week the swell had gotten rather big so we had to be careful to stay close to the buoys to prevent getting swept away. While swimming I would look around to check on my dad to make sure he was close. One time he had gotten caught a little bit by the waves and probably doubled his swim distance after covering the length it took to get back on course. By race day the surge had died down quite a bit.

This boat was about a 1/2 mile out from the shore and was there during the week serving coffee, gatorade and water. Every now and then they threw out a swim cap or goggles. There were a lucky few that earned some free gear by being able to swim to the ocean floor and grab a rock. I'm not sure how deep it was, but I think there were only one or two who could actually do it.

The Kona Hawaii Temple. Closed for cleaning.

For those who have been to the Kona side of the Big Island they know that Kona is not the lush tropical Hawaii most people picture. It is made up of large black lava fields with rocky lava beaches. That is part of what makes the Ironman so tough. We took a day and travelled to Volcano National Park where a flow 10 or so years ago covered the road

The start of the Ironman.

The pros have already gone and the age groupers are lined up for the swim.

Craig Alexander - the men's Ironman World Champion winner

Chrissie Wellington - women's winner

My dad, Chris and I had a great time volunteering in the medical tent. We were star struck by tall the professionals and enjoyed helping them. We were amazed by what the body and mind can accomplish. Finishing the Ironman is truly an amazing feat. Maybe one day...