Aloha

The 2011 Kona adventure begins. Shuttle bus in an hour, ferry to Seattle, bag drag through Pioneer Square to the underground light rail station, Sea-Tac and five hours later the magic of the Big Island. I am ready.

With a difference this year. Each October for the last decade I have come to visit Madame Pele and company on assignment. Working for CompuTrainer as rep, media liaison, videographer, event coordinator and/or staffer. It has been fun, exhausting at times, but always interesting. I have had the great privilege to meet and interview hundreds of talented athletes, pro and amateur. I have watched a race-day feats that astound and inspire. I have run in the rain and swam with dolphins. There has been more than one 20-hour work day. This will be the last.

This is my last year on this side of the fence. For next year, I race. I make this bold announcement knowing full well what lies ahead. One doesn't merely waltz in, ante up the entry fee and hop in the water 0600 race day morning. You have to qualify for a World Championship of this caliber. And that means winning my age group next August 28 in Penticton, BC, Canada at Ironman Canada.

And THAT means work. Non-stop, relentless, focused, dedicated, disciplined and successful. There is no margin for error and no time for excuses. I make this public today in the form of a vow. More to me than anyone else, but a commitment that I take very seriously. THAT journey starts today (it actually started yesterday with a 14 mile lsd run with Bob, but for the sake of blog drama, we'll call it today.)

You are invited to join us on the trip as we swim, bike, run, rest, stretch, lift and re-fuel for eleven months. It might get boring at times as we ramp up the mileage and time, posts may be brief as recoveries take priority, rhetoric may become trite, pithy or maudlin, it may sound like a broken record at times, but one thing it will NEVER be (for me anyway), is….

….without passion.

THAT I can guarantee.

It could be a grand adventure. Let's find out. Go.

Pic: Last year at the bike turn at Havi, an art shot off the polished Ford Hybrid of a real Ironman in action. I have seen it enough through my camera's view finder, I now vow to see it through as competitor in 2012.

Next post tonight from Kona after sunset. Aloha.