Kona Thoughts

o Word is Faris Al Sultan and Stadler got the flu a few days ago while training together in San Diego. I don't think Al Sultan started and Stadler dropped out at the turn around point in Hawi.

o I held Jaja of until mile 52!!! He ran a sick marathon, very impressed by his performance.

o Biking 112 after swimming in fresh water - no problem, biking 112 miles after swimming in salt water can lead to major chafing.

o Fewer clif and power bars and more Gu and Powergels worked well for me. Coke tasted soooo good on the bike, but watch out... They put the water and coke in the same water bottles. Coke burns the eyes when accidentally sprayed in the face.

o The weather was manageable, I'd say better that Louisville. Winds were no joke though. Climb to Hawi with the 30 mph head wind is tougher that you can imagine.

o Each leg of the race, you're surrounded by athletes. My friend told me to put myself right in the middle of the swim start, and it worked out really well. A few kicks here and there, but everyone is aware of each other which makes for controlled chaos. The first 10 miles of the bike course are a draft fest, since there are so many people out on the course at the same time. The run is one of the hardest things I've ever done. Surrounded by other runners, but complete silence for 75% of the race. You end up doing a lot of thinking.