<3 IRONMAN Kona =LOVE <3
Photo by Ken Chin via Twitter/Instagram
more of Ken's great photos from that day in Kona available here :
Ken is also a former Ironman...and has a great blog @http://daRevoluCHIN.com/
Who watched Ironman Kona last weekend?
I DID!!!!!
Last Saturday, October 13th, 2012, Triathlete Geeks Globally tuned in as all eyes were on Kona for The World Championships "The BIG Kahuna" Ironman Kona.
Triathlete's from all over the World having qualified for the Laborginis' of all Triathlon's, desended on the Hawaiian Island of >>>for an opportunity of a Lifetime to reach their dreams of becoming an Ironman in Kona.
Whether you were a triathlete, with a love for the sport. A loved one supporting an athlete. Or simply a spectator that appreciated the tremendous dedictation to not one,but three, profinicancies tied up into one amazing sport that we all love, you were watching Ironman.
The day did not disapoint. We were all treated to live coverage with fantastic, informative commentating of Ironman Kona. Personally I livestreamed via http://kona.ironman.com/ . and to be honest it was the first time I had really sat and watched for hours on end.
I tuned in late however. Missing the start of the race , as well as the whole coverage of the swim. No matter. I was still excited to be tuning in.
I pulled up to my regular haunt Sbuxs. Sat in my regular seat at the bar, on the stool that I always sit in . I opened my trusty laptop. Pugged in my ubber cool blue Skull Candy headphones (one of the best Christmas presents I have ever been blessed to receive. Thank you again Daughter #1), and happily tuned out the rest of the world . Including the raging storm outside...BAMM I was transported to the warm breeze of the Island and the comforts of it's shores....the camera was just zooming in to Sebastian Kienle, 1/3 of the way in to his ride. I do love how that man rides in areo!
I was in my happy place. Not Starbucks, but Triathlete Heaven. For me that alwasy occurs whenever I am watching, or participating in a Triathlon.....
If you are a Tri Geek, like myself, there really is no happier place on earth. Sorry Walt; but it is true. Ironman; especially Kona, as anyone who knows anything about Tri, is the pinicale of one's training, efforts, and career. One is tested ,tried (no pun indeded), and pushed to their limits. To achieve the ultimate goal & aclaim. To be an Ironman!
If you have ever competed in Kona, or supported, spectated during the race, then you know. In 1995 I had the priveledge of not only watching IMK for the first time, but it was also the very first Triathlon I had ever seen; EVER!....
I remember that moment clearly. <smiling>
My brother Normon (Thibault) was competing. Now a long time Ironman Vetran Norm had only been racing for a few years at the time and his goal had always been to qualify for Kona via Iroman Canada in Penticton. He had made many attempts, and come very close...this time he had done it...and I was beyond excited and happy for him.
The morning of the race I woke up at 4 a.m. ...with no alarm ,or wake up call. My heart was racing....and the sun hadn't even rose yet. From what I could tell absolutely noone in my hotel was awake but the desk clerk. My brother up the road from my hotel, on the same road and location as the T2/Bike Rack section of the race, in a townhouse with 4 other friends who were also competing that day . None of whom were awake either. Having never been to Ironman Kona, or for that matter never even seen one single Triathlon I was at a huge loss as to what the protical or procedure was for the 'Day of Race', for a specating loved one.
So naturally I picked up the phone, and I called home. Well not my home. I called Norm's (then) girlfriend Karen. Yep, you guessed it. I woke her up. AS her voice cracked she predictably said, "Who is this?" Clearly at 7 a.m. in the morning Pacific Standard Time (PST) and being half awake she didn't recognize my voice. After I told her it was me she then laughed, and asked, "Why are you up so early" . Having absolutely no reference point for how a race goes I replied neively, "It's race day. Aren't you suppose to wake up this early? I could literally hear her shaking her head..and she paused . Probably thinking of a nice way to put it for having just woken her up on a weekend, and then she said, "You rookie". We both laughed then. I wasn't offened at all. I was pumped...and what a day it was. I have never forgotten that time at IM Kona. Infaticaly an unforgetable moment.
Fast forward to Saturday, October 13th,2012. Not much has changed in Kona. During the coverage of IMK two giggly young girls were being interviewed as they where watching the race, and I immediatly recognized the spot they were sitting in. It was the exact spot I to had sat in sixteen years ago, as I waited and watched the athletes come out of the water compeletly entranced by this strange spectical of a sport.
After hours of sitting on my bar stool at Starbucks it was nearing closing time, 10:00 p.m. PST. I, like everyone, had truly enjoyed every minute of IMK this year. All afternoon and evening I was enthrauled and gleefully posted status related updates on the Cycle Cafe facebook page, as well as tweeted with the hashtag #IMKona on Twitter.
As the minutes ticket away on the timer above the finish line. I like all the other thousands of fans watched on as we were all treated to an Inspiring day full of triumphs, wedding proposals, John Blaze rolls over the finish line and miles of smiles as each competitor finished their Ironman greeted with an "Aloha"
as well as a lie (it's Hawaii's version of a finishers medal ;) ).
It was 10, and the Barista hesitently approached me to say they were closing. I smiled back at her. I couldn;t go home yet. My friend Jackie hadn;t finished her Ironman. I simply couldn't miss it. So, I put my jacket on. I gathered my things...and I went out on to the patio in the rain. I pulled up a wet chair
(I had completely forgotten about the horid weather)...and tried to take some cover under the overhang so as to protect my computer from getting wet...... I watched & waited. I wasn't going anywhere till she finished. I mean come on; she, and all the other athletes had done all the hard work that day the least I could do was watch her finish.
As the minutes ticked away, and more and more Ironmen finished their race I became increasingly anxious. I remembered that feeling when I was waiting for my brother that year. My eyes would fixated on each and every moving body aproaching, as well as every lingering person at the finish line. ..and as my eyes would zoom in, focus, and then readjust on each individual discovering with great disapointment that they were not my brother time passing became very overwhelming. My brother had told me his times for each prtion of the race from the swim, bike, and run...as well as what his finishtime should be. So ,I had a rough idea of when he would finish...and it was way past that time of 10 hours 30 minutes...so I paniced.
< That was the year that unfortunately Norm wasn't one of those that reached their Ironman KOna dreams. His body had let him down. It was his knees. An issue he had suffered from in the past. It was a very dispointing gutt renching dispaointment for him, but he still managed to pull it together for his friends who had finished that year....and we all had a blast at the after party Loo ow....good-times>
Thankfully Jackie came along soon after ten. Thanks to the great announcer who calls out the athletes name as they approach the finish line, I was able to scrabble for my camera captureing a very grainy photo of my laptop screen as Jackie crossed the finish-line.
Jackie, unfortunetly (and as some races go) had had a difficult day as a result of being really ill the night before vomitting. It had really drained her. But she persivered managing to finish with an impressive strong 12:14, and a smile....
The next day she posted on her facebook page that her inspiration was "Gratitude". Fitting.
After an event like Ironman Kona you can't help but be inspired. How could you not?
From the youngest competitor of 19 years old to the oldest of 82 yrs, who was also the last finisher of the race the individual stories of each of the athletes moves you. This year Ironman Kona implemented a program called "The Inspirtaion Program" Self explanitory enough, right? It gave athletes that normally would not have an oppotunity to compete at Kona a possiblity to win one of 100 slots up for grabs with a very simple proviso :
"Tell us what inspires you?"
Those stories were shared with all of us throughout the day during the race. If watching the race wasn't enough, these individuals made it very real . Driving home the point that "the moments" are all there really is...and those are everything!
Rod was one of those people chosen in the lottery that I gravitated to. You can read more about Rod, his campaign, his son, family, and his racing here; http://blog.rodsracing.org/
Pete Jacobs, the Autrailian 1st place finisher at this years IMKona, was asked during his post race interview "What was your inspiration?"
He smiled, took a brief moment.....and just when you fully expected him to get long winded, because, let's be real here, he is Spnsored! lol
said, "Love."
source:Tumblr
Congratulations to all Ironman Kona Finishers. Thank you for all your hard work, for an amazing day of racing, and for sharing your inspiration with us.
I for one can not wait till next year.
Walk Tall & Proud!
Cheers.
A huge Thank you to Ken for kindly allowing me to use his photo on the blog.
Cheers Ken.
~CC
~
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http://kona.ironman.com/
http://daRevoluCHIN.com/
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.473720662649238.103047.113308308690477&type=3
http://rodsracing.org/
http://triathlon.competitor.com/2012/10/features/video-sebastian-kienles-kona-comeback_64731
http://www.sebastiankienle.de/wp/en
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