OK....the wait is almost over!

http://ironmanworldchampionship.com/

Less than 2 days till I enter the lovely blue and warm 
waters of Kialua Bay 
in beautiful Kona, Hawaii 

for the Ironman World Championship.  

It has been a fun week hustling around, 
swimming most days, 
biking and running other days.  

Today was a swim with my friends Scott/Mark/Jeff/Kyle.  

We swam out to the Coffee's of Hawaii 

catamaran to enjoy a nice shot of espresso 
about 1/4 mile out in the ocean.  
Fun to hang on the boat 

while sipping coffee!

 It is simply a blast being able to train and be with friends
 on this legendary course.  

I have experienced mild (by Kona standards) weather, 
and I have had some brutally hot runs, with

 one very memorable one in the famed 
Hawaii Natural Energy Lab.  
This is a piece of the run course

where most are suffering mightily.

 This will be Ironman number 11 for me, and my 3rd go at Hawaii.  
My two prior races have been clocked at 11h33' and 11h36'.

We will see if I can improve a little bit on that.  Most important was 

getting her to Kona and being able to race with the pros, 
and some of the fittest if not THE fittest

people on the planet, is a humbling, wonderful, 
and thankful experience for me.

An Ironman ICON!

Fantastic swim-Hawaii Ironman Kailua-Kona

Ironman Hawaii 2 mile swim by ladavidson at Garmin Connect - Detail

KONA HEAT TRAINING COMMENCES!

Kona Kountdown Officially Begins!

About the Ironman World Championship

The inaugural “Hawaiian IRON MAN Triathlon” was conceptualized in 1977 as a way to challenge athletes who had seen success at a local biathlon. San Diego-based John Collins proposed combining the three toughest endurance races in Hawai’i – the 2.4-mile Waikiki Roughwater Swim, 112 miles of the Around-O’ahu Bike Race and the 26.2-mile Honolulu Marathon – into one event.
On Feb. 18, 1978, 15 people came to Waikiki to take on the IRONMAN challenge. Prior to racing, each received three sheets of paper with a few rules and a course description. The last page read: “Swim 2.4 miles! Bike 112 miles! Run 26.2 miles! Brag for the rest of your life!”
In 1981, the race moved from the tranquil shores of Waikiki to the barren lava fields of Kona on the Big Island of Hawai’i. Along the Kona Coast, black lava rock dominates the panorama, and athletes battle the “ho’omumuku” crosswinds of 45 mph, 95 degree temperatures and a scorching sun.
Now in its 34th year, the IRONMAN World Championship centers on the dedication and courage exhibited by participants who demonstrate the Ironman mantra that “ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. ®” On Oct. 13, nearly 1,800 athletes will embark on a 140.6-mile journey that presents the ultimate test of body, mind and spirit to earn the title of “IRONMAN.”

Ironman Canada-A few photos