Let's Race

Friday night in Kona. The work has been done, fitness in the jar. All that is left is to go out in the morning and 'au 'au kai 2.4, paikikala 112 and holo holo 26.2 amongst and against the best age groupers, elites, neo-pros and Professionals that this planet can produce. They call it appropriately, the Ironman World Championships. In less than 15 hours, a cannon will ceremoniously sound sending a smoke ring into the Kailua Bay leaving no doubt that this grand event has officially begun. From the frothy mayhem of the swim to the heartbreaking finish at Midnight, 1,800 athletes will remember this one day among their best. It's found somewhere between 8 and 18 hours of all you got. Hot, humid, treacherous and long. Add it all up and it is 140.6 miles of a test the likes of which you get maybe once or twice per lifetime. There are tears, there is sweat, there is pain and there is a joyous epiphany that comes from both the competition and the completion. Some won't make it back. Madame Pele can be that way. She plays no favorites. It is work, play, life, death all rolled into one journey in the web of magic known as The Big Island.

All week we have mixed it up with the best of the best. I have had the great pleasure to watch this spectacle for ten times now and I am always awed and amazed at the complex mix of personalities assembled. We spent the week filming some of the fittest people, the smartest coaches and the happiest amateurs. This is my job.

Here then is that last pre-race installment of CompuTrainer TV Live form Kona, Episode 5. We wish to extend a huge mahalo to Simon Ward for his untiring efforts in front of the RCVman camera all week. If you have been following you know how good he is and how naturally the talented group of British athletes take to his questions and leads. It was a blast getting up and down Alii Dr. all week conducting these interviews and I think the end result, the audio quality and overall value to you, our viewers, was obvious.

Thanks to all the gals who gave us their race-week time to talk about CompuTrainer. Thanks to Chuck and Kurt for holding down the Expo fort in our absence and thanks to all the athletes who stopped by the booth to say hi and exchange notes. Thanks for your comments on the Real Course Videos and thanks to those who swore to sign up for the Mexico Cruise as soon as bags get unpacked.

Thanks to WTC for their partnership and thank you for watching.

Now let's go race.

Pix: Simon and Leanda Cave. Everything is AOK, and we are Good-to-Go.

We start tomorrow at 0400 and I will try to get up some commentary and stills after the Champions are crowned. I saw Chrissie running tonight and she looked as if on a mission. But, (and that is a BIG BUT) I am going to bet with my heart on this one and predict an upset in BOTH races. You saw 'em here this week folks, you looked into their eyes and souls. 2010 Men: Fraser Cartmell. Women: Julie Dibens.

(It's why we race)