Travel to Honolulu and Race Logistics This unique race spans across Oahu, starting at Alamoana Beach Park and finishing at Aikahi Elementary School in Kailua. Participants typically fly into Honolulu International Airport and can choose accommodations in Honolulu, Waikiki, or Kailua. On race morning, there are no shuttles to the beach park, but ample parking is available, unlike previous years when passes were required.

Pre-Race Activities The pre-race setup was straightforward. Packet pickup took place at BOCA Hawaii, with athlete briefings provided. Parking at BOCA is limited, so arriving early is recommended. Notably, participants had to submit their run bags during packet pickup due to the two-transition nature of the race.

Race Morning Experience The morning focused on the bike ride over the H3 Freeway. The transition area, located a 10-minute walk from parking, lacked clear signage, typical for a local race. After setting up and a quick swim to warm up, I unfortunately hit my foot on the coral reef, a downside of the new race start location.

Swim Start The race began with a water start. The swim course was slightly longer than planned, but overall, I was content with my performance despite the rocky start.

The Bike Segment The bike route was enjoyable and challenging, with a mix of flat sections and a climb up the mountain. Despite potholes on the road, the experience was exhilarating, especially with the downhill segments. I managed to catch up with several competitors, exiting the bike segment in a good position.

Transition Challenges A minor hiccup occurred in transition due to a tightly tied run bag, costing me some time.

Running to the Finish The run, my strongest segment, started with some cramps, but I persevered. I managed to overtake several competitors, finishing the run in 5th place. The encouragement I offered to other runners was a highlight of my experience.

Post-Race Reflections At the finish line, it was a pleasant surprise to be greeted by Janell with my medal. Post-race, we enjoyed local snacks and awaited the award ceremony. The race offers shuttle services for participants and their bikes back to the start line.

Overall Impressions I found the Race to Base triathlon to be a fun and unique local event with ample support and a course that never feels overcrowded. My performance improved significantly compared to two years ago, showing progress in my fitness. I hope this race continues for its great cause and unique experience.

The post Race To The Base H3 Olympic Triathlon Race Report 2019 appeared first on Aj in the Life.

Claiming the Bed During these mornings, I’ve mastered the art of bed-claiming, using my buddy Stitch as a comfy pillow. Just when I’m deep in dreamland, though, I get woken up for photos. Why, pawrents, why? Can’t a girl get some uninterrupted sleep?

Bath Time Ordeal This week also included the dreaded bath time. I’m not a fan, and this time, Dad tried to coax me out of bed at 7:00 pm for a shower – how inconsiderate! In my attempt to escape, I accidentally scratched Dad – sorry, but baths are just not my thing!

Post-Bath Frustrations And then there’s the post-bath photoshoot. Seriously, Mom, do we need pictures every time? I just want to go back to bed. Yes, I know I look fabulous in my towel-dried state, but can we hurry up?

Beauty Sleep Needed Finally, I returned to bed for some much-needed beauty rest. I’ve heard it’s important for a girl like me.

Signing Off with a Selfie Alright, it’s nap time for me. But first, let me try this self-timer for a quick photo – still working on it. Here’s my close-up shot for all my friends!

Until Next Time Stay tuned for more of my adventures, friends! Until then, nap well!

The post Doras Corner Beauty Sleep appeared first on Aj in the Life.

This year, we decided to visit the place where it all began, Disneyland in
Anaheim California.

Disneyland is personally our favorite park.
It is the original, Walt‚’s
park.
There is just something special and charming about Disneyland.
Just
like last year, we decided to go during the holidays.

This year, the Holidays at the Disneyland Resort run from November 9, 2018-
January 6, 2019.
We went during the first weekend, and had a blast!
The Food
Disneyland Resort went all out with their special holiday food and even
prepared a Foodie Guide to 2018 Holidays at Disney Resort! I couldn‚’t believe my eyes when I saw all the options the resort was
offering in 2018.
They also have the Festival of Holidays at Disney
California Adventure and prepared yet another Foodie Guide to 2018 Festival of Holidays.
There was honestly no way for us to eat everything in two days, so we
just enjoyed a few.
Here‚’s a list of what we had:
Disneyland Park
Peppermint Holiday Sundae at Gibson Girl Ice Cream ParlorGingerbread Creme Brulee at Blue BayouChurro with crushed pretzel and peppermint at the churro cart near Big
Thunder MountainCandy Cane Beignets – Mint Julep BarLumps of Coal Beignets – Cafe Orleans
California Adventure
Peppermint Churro at the churro cart near the Redwood Creek Trail
Festival of Holidays
Reuben Potato Tots with Russian Dressing and Rye Toast at Favorite Things
Our ultimate favorites that we would definitely eat again are the
peppermint holiday sundae, gingerbread creme brulee, candy cane beignets,
and the peppermint churro.

The Decor
I‚’ve said it before and I‚’ll say it again‚Äö√Ѭ∂holidays plus Disney is the best
combination.
We simply can‚’t get enough.

I wish we had more time to take it all in.
Disney does it best! I mean just
look at how magical the castle and it‚’s a small world look.
The rest of the
park is decked out too!
If you can, try to visit the parks during the holiday season.
It can get
really crowded, but if you utilize MaxPass and take some time to relax or sit down for a meal, the crowds don‚’t seem
too bad.
Trust us, you won‚’t regret it!
I‚’ll do another post in the coming weeks that shows everything we did eachday! There‚’s simply nothing like walking down Main Street USA toward Sleeping
Beauty Castle during the holidays.
It might even snow on you!

The post Holidays At The Disneyland Resort 2018 appeared first on Aj in the Life.

Festive Preparations at Home At home, the Christmas tree is up, and I’ve noticed my pawrents bringing home intriguing boxes and packages. Naturally, I assume they’re filled with treats for me, their spoiled princess. I’ve been nosily investigating because, after all, Christmas is nearing!

Last Year’s Christmas Memories In anticipation of the upcoming celebrations, let me share what I got last Christmas. There was an attempt to dress me up as a reindeer – quite a mismatch, given that I’m a proud dog. Despite my lack of enthusiasm for the reindeer look, I played along for the sake of more gifts.

Gifts Galore I uncovered a festive collar, a cozy new nap blanket, and a fun toy from my gift bag. Nap blankets are my absolute favorite, especially for nibbling! Then came the posing session – I must say, I’m quite the professional.

Post-Reindeer Joy Once freed from the reindeer attire, I thoroughly enjoyed my gifts. My soft penguin blanket remains a favorite, and the reindeer toy survives in my toy box, albeit with one ear missing. As for the reindeer ears and collar, their whereabouts are unknown, and I hope they stay that way. But, with Christmas approaching, I’m bracing myself for their possible return. I’ll keep you all updated, friends!

The post Doras Corner Week 4 appeared first on Aj in the Life.

The post Doras Corner Week 1 appeared first on Aj in the Life.

My daily routine is all thrown out of whack! Gone are my midmorning naps,
noon naps, and afternoon naps in peace.
I keep getting bothered with
snuggles.
What is happening? I am SO tired!
But, there are a few pawsitives to this situation‚

1.I get to enjoy the air conditioning all day long! Sometimes I just hang
out under Mom‚’s desk (aka the dining table).

I still go outside as I please, of course.

Mom & Dad are my personal door openers at my beck and
call.

2.I am now Dad‚’s supervisor.
I look over his work and make sure he is doing
everything properly.
I also realized that I enjoy being a lap dog!

3. I feel more attached to Mom & Dad than ever! Literally attached.
This way
if they move, I KNOW!

4. We are spending a lot of time in our backyard.
I‚’ve always loved yard
time and sunbathing and now we enjoy it several times a week!
Rolling in the grass is so satisfying!
I don‚’t mind posing for photoshoots as long as I can sunbathe.
Get all my
angles Mom!
Alright, telling Mom what to type is exhausting.
Time for me to take my nap.
Please don‚’t wake me up Dad!
I‚’ll try to keep my posts coming.
Keep bothering Mom to do my typing!
Until next time, friends!

The post Doras Corner Home All Day appeared first on Aj in the Life.

For my family, it was filled with a roller coaster of uncertainty and emotions.

For my Dad, it was filled with withering away, a few hip replacement surgeries, and most recently, a few spinal surgeries. Yes, more than one. Not to mention the blood work, pre-surgery COVID tests (good thing he has big nostrils), colonoscopies, and EGDs. The man has done it all. If you are not caught up on the reason for all these things, make sure to check out the first two posts (part 1 and part 2).

Despite going through all the world went through, and then going through his own medical issues, he still was one of the happiest people around. Not everyday has been good. In fact, most days are very hard, but he still tries his best to be a Dad.

If we have learned anything collectively as a family in the last two years since his original diagnosis, it is that we are all stronger together than apart. We have all done our part to support him physically, emotionally, and spiritually as needed.

But things weren’t looking good. In fact, they still are far from great. His second spinal surgery sent him into a spiral of pain and discomfort. So much so, that it made living not fun. Imagine waking up one day with deep chronic pain in your back that won’t ever stop, and affects every other aspect of life. Oh, and you can’t eat much because your body is in such discomfort from the surgery and the fact that the celiac disease was diagnosed so late, that your stomach is not absorbing the food you eat. Every bite of food just makes you nauseous. But you have to eat or you die. This is his every day.

All of these non celiac disease medical issues were created because for years, his body stopped absorbing nutrients. The celiac disease went undetected in his body until it was so far gone, he was falling apart. Why is this important? Because right now, this can happen to anyone. Without proper funding from the government, celiac disease can go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for years. Sometimes, a patient is young enough and their body can heal. Other times, they are not so lucky.

Celiac disease is also found to be hereditary on some level, and I am lucky enough (sarcasm) to have the two genes needed to get celiac disease. Yay me! What does this mean? Well for now, it means nothing. For now it means I am lucky enough to KNOW about celiac disease, the symptoms, and how to handle it.

One of the best things we have all found out in this process is that there are more and more gluten free food options in the market, and many taste just as good or better than their counterpart. We have spent majority of the past year eating GF, and it has been pretty good. Not perfect, as my favorite pizza and burger have gluten, but as I currently don’t have CD, I am clear to enjoy them for now. There are even gluten free beers that are beginning to taste better and better!

SGN

Now I don’t want to end the update without Some Good News.

I was able to postpone my NYC Marathon to 2022, which works out because my 2021 race calendar got filled with a few important races (Ironman World Championship in Kona).

More importantly than that however, is that Dad has started a new protocol of Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN). Basically his heart is connected to an I.V. bag 24/7. While that sounds like a drag, the bag actually is filled with all the macronutrients and vitamins and minerals he needs, directly into his bloodstream! So he is finally getting nourished!

In the first few days since he started the TPN, he already sounded like a new man. I can’t tell you how happy that made me. Just the tone in his voice was so much better than a week before when he felt like he was circling the drain.

The process is a bit scary because there are a lot of things that can go wrong and don’t end well, but if things go well, this could be the first step toward the long long road to recovery. Science is amazing.

We can’t thank his doctors enough for continually searching for ways to heal him, even if the process is longer than we want. With all the additional stuff the medical staff have had to go through with COVID, they have been true heroes in keeping him alive, and possibly on the right side of this mess.

If you want to support the Celiac Disease Foundation, please donate to the team. I might not be running my race in 2020 or 2021, but I will forever support the cause behind this disease. Let me know in the comments if you have any questions!

The post NYC Marathon: Life Update appeared first on Aj in the Life.

Finish line views
Held annually on the Sunday of the Martin Luther King, Jr.
holiday weekend
(which was January 20 this year), I participated in the 12th annual M-O-M.

Originally, I signed up for the MOM in January 2019, in anticipation of a
possible BQ race.
However, I was lucky enough to qualify again for the 2021
Boston Marathon in my Big Bear race a few months ago.

So I went into this race with zero expectations, and wanted to just enjoy
every second of it.
That sounds like it is easy enough to do, but for
someone competitive, that can be a challenge.

Travel to Maui
There are a few ways to get to Maui.
You can fly to a different island and
swim (not advisable as your luggage would get wet).
Or you can fly to one
of the airports on Maui.
Personally I recommend the main airport in Kahului
(OGG) as it is newly renovated, has cheaper flights, and is centrally
located.
The Kapalua Airport is much smaller, has more expensive flights, and uses
tiny planes.
It is technically closer to Lahaina, which is where the finish
line is, but I don‚’t recommend it.

Where to Stay
Maui is paradise, like all the Hawaiian Islands.
So there are many
different places to stay.
Since I was running the full marathon, and I like
to make my race mornings as easy as possible, we chose to stay in Wailea at
Hotel Wailea (it was a splurge).
Janell wanted to relax while I ran.
I
couldn‚’t argue.
There are numerous places in Wailea to stay, and they are all within 1-2
miles of the starting line.
Perfect for a pre-race warmup.
There are two post race shuttles 10:30 AM and 12:30 PM that go from Lahaina
to Wailea.
They cost $12, and tickets can be purchased at packet pick up.

Otherwise you could stay in Lahaina, near the finish line, and catch the
shuttle bus to the start line in the morning.

You could technically stay in Kihei if you wanted as well, and get dropped
off or drive to the shops at Wailea.
You would however have to pay for
parking and it is expensive.

The race director recommends getting dropped off at the start in Wailea,
and then having your cheer squad stop at the various turn outs to take
photos.
I saw a lot of people doing this, with the best spots from miles
18-26.

Pre-Race Festivities
The packet pickup is super chill, and very small.
On the Friday before the
race, you could pick up the packet in Kihei, and on Saturday you could pick
up the packet in Lahaina.

I couldn‚’t make it to the packet pickup Friday, so we spent Saturday
driving the course and then grabbing the race packet.

Things that are unique to this race, is that the race director sends out a
ton of emails in the weeks leading up to the race.
In most cases, he will
make an exception to any rule in exchange for a bottle of Merlot.
Even race
morning bib pick up or having someone else grab your bib for you.

This is a local race, but there is a decent international crowd.
That being
said, it is a pretty small race, with less than 400 people running the full
marathon.

There was also a 5K, 10K, 15K, and half marathon which all start at
different points and at different times.
Race Morning
The race starts in the parking lot of the Shops at Wailea.
This is on the
South West end of the Island.
Race start is 5:00 AM sharp (for full
marathon only).
They do have a time limit on this race (12 Noon), so you
can start at 3:30 AM if you need more time.

I left the hotel room at 4:15 AM, and made my way down to the start line.
I
was probably one of the last people to show up to the race, even though I
was 30 minutes early.
The porta-potty lines were pretty long, so I did my
best not to think about it.
There was a Hawaiian blessing, and some words from the race director, and
then we started lining up at 4:55 AM.
The front of the race was for the
largest donators.
Followed by the 50 state racers.
Most of these folks were
too timid to start at the front (thankfully), and I made my way up.
One thing unique about this race is that you are required to have a
headlamp or light of some sort for the first part of the race.
I actually
needed my light to see the road until mile 10, and then for a few
additional miles to warn drivers that I was there.
Personally I used my
Ultraspire Lumen 800 multisport waist light and I was the brightest runner
out there.
The first mile started flat and the quickly went uphill.
I ran this the day
before the race to see how hard the hill was.
It wasn‚’t easy, but it was
short, and at least followed by a nice downhill.
At the bottom of the
downhill, there was a short out and back section.
I used this as my
opportunity to count the people ahead of me.
I counted 27.
I had my work
cut out for me.
I knew the race would flatten out till mile 10.
What I didn‚’t expect was a
headwind.
This forced me to pay real close attention to my pacing, and
slowed me down more than I would have liked.
In these first few miles, I
knew it wasn‚’t going to be a PR type of day.

Daytime views in Kihei
For majority of the race, I was running on the shoulder of the road,
against traffic.
In Kihei, there are some real small or non-existent
shoulders.
In most these areas, the adjacent lane was closed.
I never felt
unsafe, even during the twists and turns of miles 12-17.

At mile 10, there was a mile long uphill which looked worse than it was.

However, the headwind made it tough.
Luckily, there was an equally sloped
downhill back towards the coast right after, which had a tail wind! I was
relieved to get some speed in my legs after that slow uphill section.
Once I hit the coast line, I was treated with 6 miles of rollers.
This is
where the whale watching was the best! I made sure to look out, and
actually did see a few whale spouts in this area.
The sun had started to
brighten up the sky by the start of mile 12, and I no longer needed my
Ultraspire light.

Looking back at Wailea from mile 13
The aid stations were evenly spaced out, and there was a contest for which
aid station was the best.
I liked the ladies dressed in pajamas.
This race
also had two bottle drops at miles 7 and 16 (announced the day before the
race so I didn‚’t use it).
I also saw spectators swapping bottles for
runners.
I don‚’t think this was technically against any rules (it isn‚’t an
Ironman), but it was something I‚’ve never seen before.
At mile 17, I was blessed with one final downhill.
From there, I was on the
home stretch.
There were many moments during this time that I wanted to
just stop running and sit in the water just feet away.
I refrained, but it
was so tempting.

Along this final, almost perfectly flat stretch of road, I was treated to
views of other Hawaiian Islands, calm waters, brilliant blues, and tropical
vibes.

I also encountered the other 4 races of shorter distances.
Those races
actually started at different points on the course, but every race had the
same finish line.
The half marathon started at the finish (out and back),
so they got to see all the beaches twice!
Personally I never found the course too crowded with all of the different
races fitting in one shoulder lane.
There were however a few times I had to
run in the road to go around people.
Thankfully the cars were very
courteous and never ran me over.
Finish
The finish line was welcome.
I was tired, despite not running nearly as
hard as I could have.
I made sure to enjoy as many of the views as I could,
and made sure I didn‚’t end up hurting myself.

I was satisfied with my time considering my effort, and was surprised with
a 2nd place in my Age Group award (first and second place overall were also
in my age group).
Finish: 3:16:09, 20/323 Overall, 4/20 in Age Group
Post Race
The finish line was just steps away from the beach, and I finally was able
to jump in the water.
It felt as good as I thought it would.

I also made sure to take advantage of the free massages they were giving
out!
There were also tables of snacks with bananas, oranges, pineapples,
pretzels, cookies, crackers.

I also checked out the awards table and saw the coolest first place awards
I have ever seen.
Perhaps the highlight of the finish line however, was my new friend Meadow.

She was a 6 month old Australian Shepard/Border Collie mix, and was so
cute.
I spent a long time sitting with her at the medical tent.
I was fine,
but she needed a friend.

We tried figuring out how to sneak her away, but in the end she couldn‚’t
break free.
Final Thoughts
If you like beaches, paradise, whale watching, and marathons, the MOM is
your dream race.
Perhaps you only like half marathons, or shorter
distances, the MOM is still your race.

This was my 7th marathon, and 4th Hawaiian Island I have ran on.
I would
say it was easily the most beautiful.
I don‚’t think this race is a PR type
of race, but it isn‚’t slow either.
The weather was cool (mid 60‚’s at the
start), not too humid because the wind, and started early so it wasn‚’t too
hot at the finish (at least for me).
Highly recommended.
Plus it is an
excuse to go to Maui!

The post Maui Oceanfront Marathon 2020 Race Report appeared first on Aj in the Life.

I woke up today with a continued sense of purpose.
I had a great sleep,
with some weird dreams that included a dinosaur made out of a cloud that
screamed and then exploded into rain…glad I survived the dream.
On our morning walk, I paid close attention to some new aches and pains.

Mainly I had some tenderness from my trail run.
What a grand idea that was.

By the end of the walk, my body had woken up a bit and I was ready to go.
The weather was a few degrees warmer than yesterday with a little more
humidity.
I could feel it.
But this is Hawaii, so I just learn to deal with
it.
I got my Tailwind ready to go, and gulped down a SIS gel for good
measure.
If you haven‚’t had one of these gels, they are my personal
favorite, and what I use for all marathons.

I also brought out some new shoes.
It is important to cycle through shoes
when you are running long distances.
I rotate between 7-8 pairs.
It keeps
the foam cushion from getting compressed too much, so they last longer.
At
least that is what I tell Janell.

Music of choice today was Taylor Swift radio, starting with “Blank Space”.

With my headphones on, I was ready to go.
As mentioned, it was warmer today than on day 1.
So I had every intention
to take it easy.
But after doing a new activation drill from Purple Patch
(my new triathlon program), I actually started hot out the gates.
In fact,
I ran today‚’s 10 miles over 2 minutes faster than yesterday‚’s! Whoops.
I did take the same number of breaks, and my heart rate was only 1 bpm
higher on average, but my stride was a little longer (perhaps from the
activation drills).
I guess we will see how bad an idea it was tomorrow.
26 down.
74 to go.
For my second run of the day, I decided to stay on the road vice the
trails.
As much as I would have loved to be back in the mountains, my
ankles were a little stiff today from all the rock and rolls, so I gave
them a rest.
Despite the weather app saying it felt like 72 degrees, the humidity in the
afternoon made it feel like it was 85 degrees.
I got out another new pair
of shoes, or lightly used pair rather, and put on my cool kid glasses.
I
figured that if nothing else, at least I would be running in style.

Since I listened to only Tay Tay this morning, I switched it up with some
old school (for me) All out 90‚’s.
Nothing like running to the beat of “My
Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion…
After another round of activation drills, I was on my way.
Surprisingly, my
legs weren‚’t heavy feeling at this point.
I was however still running a bit
quicker than I planned, so my walk breaks were important.

I was getting more and more drenched in sweat, and tried not to think about
the smells that were going to be ingrained in my shirt after this run.

Again my run was quicker than the previous day, granted, it was an “easier”
run with half the elevation gain.

32 down.
68 to go.
I made sure to have a post run recovery shake, treat, and hydration (Liquid
IV).
That GF banana bread was surely pushing me to finish today!
All in all, I was happy with another day completed.
With some aches from
day 1, it will be interesting how long I last tomorrow on my long 15 mile
run.
I think I will still wake up motivated, knowing that I will be half
way through once it is done.
However, I will probably start to feel the
previous 32 miles with each step.
Some of the tools I have been using for a while now for recovery include
the Hyperice Vyper vibrating roller and the Hyperice Hypervolt massager.

After a good 20 minute session with these bad boys, I am usually feeling a
lot better.
Time will tell.
Two days down.
Four more to go.

Thanks for reading!
PrefaceDay 1: Miles 0-16Day 3: Miles 33-47Day 4: Miles 48-63Day 5: Miles 64-73Day 6: Miles 74-100

The post My First 100 Mile Week Day 2 appeared first on Aj in the Life.

It was my first triathlon, and the race that hooked me into the sport.
I
will try to capture as many parts of it as I can, so that you can learn
something perhaps you didn‚’t know before!
Travel to the Big Island
There are two airports to fly into on the Big Island (aka Hawai‚’i).
The
closest one to the race venue is Kona International Airport (KOA).
From
there, it is about a 45 min drive (usually with no traffic), to the
Fairmont Orchid (where the pre-race festivities take place).

PRO TIP: When in Kona, stop by Walmart, Costco, or Longs before heading to your
hotel, so you can load up on your essentials (water, sun screen, snacks,
post race drinks).
Otherwise you end up paying resort prices for everything
once you are in that area.
You might even want to stop somewhere to get
food if it is meal time.
If you are not as serious a racer, or don‚’t want to ship your bike for the
race, I recommend renting your bike from Bike Works in Kona.
That is THE bike shop for all your race needs, and bike rentals.

In 2017 I rented a road disc bike for $140 for the race weekend, and in
2018 I put my bike together in their parking lot, almost broke it, and they
helped me before I over torqued my stem!
Bike Works is also a great place to get CO2 cartridges, because you can
return them for store credit if you don‚’t use them! Make sure you also put
in your request for rental as early as possible.
If they run out of
rentals, they will even put you on a wait list!
Accommodations
In both 2017 and 2018 we chose to stay at the Westin Hapuna Beach Resort
(formerly known as the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel).
Personally I love making
race morning as easy as possible.
The Westin hotel is only a 10-15 min walk
from the room to the race start, so there is no waiting or shuttles to deal
with.
Westin Hapuna Beach Room
Westin Hapuna Beach Bath
The hotel itself just went under a renovation, and the pools are great for
post race relaxing!
You can even walk (ride) your bike to T-1 the day before the race, through
a side road, and avoid the traffic of the other racers!
There aren‚’t many Airbnbs near the race start or finish, but there is a
dirt parking lot at the Fairmont Orchid and shuttles to the start for
racers/spectators.
The Fairmont Orchid is a very nice hotel, and is very
convenient post race, but I prefer the post race bike ride back to the
hotel instead.
Pre-Race Festivities
The pre-race environment for Ironman events are always full of fun and
energy.

Many racers get caught up in the atmosphere, visiting all the vendors,
walking around a lot, sightseeing, over training, etc.
This venue is no
different, but the actual pre-race areas are relatively small.
However, you
end up walking more than you would expect so don‚’t waste steps.
The pre-race brief is usually crowded, and held in a very large ballroom
(so it‚’s AC!).
There are sign-in sheets at the front, so it is technically
honor system, but your signature needs to be down there.

The brief is about an hour long (standard), and does a good job covering
the main points and scaring people into not drafting.
Next door to that is the bike shop and merchandise store, again in a
ballroom, and also AC.
That place can get very crowded, so don‚’t go before
or after the athlete briefing if you can help it.

Next door to that is the athlete check in, which is again in a ballroom,
and takes roughly 5-10 minutes.

At athlete check in, you receive a draw string bag, filled with a schedule,
swim cap, tri-tat race number, bike stickers, a T-1 bag and a T-2 bag.
You
will need to leave your T-2 bag at the Fairmont Orchid the day before the
race (location for drop changed each year).
I think they leave it in the
sun, so keep that in mind for nutrition.
PSA: If you do what is recommended and put on the tri-tat the night before, you
will be in pain if you sleep shirtless and the tat gets stuck to the
sheets.
Trust me.
Morning of the race is fine.
I recommend doing the Friday 10:45 AM Athlete check-in, 11 AM Race Brief,
12 PM T-2 bag drop, and then rushing over to the Hapuna Beach State Park
for the 1 PM T-1 bike drop.

There are no shuttles to T-1, so many racers just ride over (5-6 miles) and
then get picked up.
Kama‚’aina can park free with I.D., otherwise it‚’s $5 I
think.
If you do this plan, MAKE sure you have everything you need for your T-2 bag before you get to the
expo! The T-1 area always opens at least 30 min early, and rack location is
first come first serve.
So don‚’t wait until 5pm!
After all the pre-race stuff, it is time to prep everything for the next
morning, eat some food, and relax.
Race Morning
I usually get up about 3-4 hrs before the race, or 1.5 hrs before I need to
leave my room.
This gives me enough time to eat, drink and empty in my own
privacy.
Being able to walk to the start from the hotel is super awesome
because I get to sleep in a little!
T-1 opens around 5 am, and I try get there around 5:30 am.
If you go too
early, you do a lot of sitting around and anxiously waiting.

At T-1, there are tons of bike pumps, people giving body marking, and
sunscreen.
Music is blaring and there is a lot of open space to swim, run,
or hang out with loved ones.

Don‚’t forget all your bike nutrition/water and T-1 bag (helmet, bikes
shoes, batteries, computers, etc.) Also make sure you adjust your gearing
for that first big hill and pump up those tires!
Race Start/Swim
The swim start is a rolling, self seeded AG start, and usually it is a 4
person send off every 5 seconds.
I‚’ve never done a true mass start, but I
hear they are not fun…so I am a fan of this type of start.

Spectators at swim start
The swim is breathtaking.
The water is clear about 20-30 feet deep, and
often times you can see honu! My goggles fogged the first year, and I was
too busy swimming to notice myself, but from what I heard there are fish as
well.

The last two years were the same, with three right hand turns and a final
left hand turn.
The sky is pretty lit by the time the swim starts, but not
visible until 15 min after swim start.
However, it isn‚’t really ever in
your eyes, at least when my AG is in the water (usually 4-5 group).

PRO TIP: Don‚’t hit the swim buoys! I have a bad left shoulder, and ended up
swimming too close to a buoy on the third turn.
It hit my face, stopped me
still, and my left shoulder ended up dislocating when I started my stroke.

It popped back in after, but it hurt for the rest of the swim.
Aaron 0 –
Buoy 1.
T-1 Area
The run up to T-1 is sand, then concrete with carpet over it.
There are
some water hoses for the sand.

Once you pass that area, the bags are along the path in numerical order
(where you placed it).
The bike racks are categorized by famous
triathletes, something I think is pretty cool.
It makes it easy to
remember, and also pays homage to their hard work.

Once you get past the mount line, there are volunteers there to help you
get on your bike, as it is a steep incline in the first 1/2 mile.
Remember to choose the right gear before you rack your bike one last time!
Bike
There is nothing like biking on the famous Queen Ka‚’ahumanu Highway in a
race (unless you have already done it at THE IRONMAN).
The history of the
course can give you chills, except it is too hot for that.

The bike course is fairly straight forward, except for two U-turns (make
sure to practice those).
The rest of the course isn‚’t technically
challenging, but it is physically taxing with the heat, cross winds, and
rolling hills (about 3,500 ft climbing).

The Hawi climb of 5 miles isn‚’t that bad if you are smart about your
pacing, or have a 30/32 cassette.
I have an 11-32 and didn‚’t run out of
gears up that climb.

The year before I had a 11-28 and was a new rider, so it sucked but was far
from impossible.
It did rain a little both years on that climb.
Remember,
what goes up must come down, so look forward to that.

I also struggle with the U-turn at Hawi, so make sure you are ready for a
tight one, after a climb.
I almost fell both years, of course I ride
indoors 99% of the time.

The aid stations are every 8-10 miles, and are pretty long and well marked.

One sneaky hard part is the turn from Kawaihae back to the Queen K.
I hit
my fastest speeds going down that hill, but that means coming up is not
very fun.
I just never expected it to be hard, but I did run out of gearing
there both years and had to push power harder than I wanted.
Again, not the
end of the world, but a segment that can sneak up on you.
The rest of the
rollers are the same ones you already rode, so nothing else to say until
the Fairmont no pass zone and T-2.
PRO TIP: Make sure you are paying attention at all times on the bike.
That goes
without saying at all times, but with the distraction of the beautiful
ocean to your right (or left), and the cross winds, all it takes is one
mistake to fall down a massive hill.
I got distracted for a second and
almost ran into a guardrail which would have probably ended my life…luckily
God was watching and I have since learned my lesson.
Enjoy the ride, but
never get distracted!
T-2
In this race, you must dismount and rack your own bike.
I have twice been
confused as to where my bike was supposed to be and luckily got help from
family to point me in the right direction.

It never crossed my mind to find my spot the day before, but I think you
technically could do that since it is set up (might be next to T-2 bag drop
area if they keep it the same as 2018).

Then you are handed your T-2 bag by volunteers, enter a small changing tent
or just sit in the available chairs, and then leave your bag and start
running.
I think there is water right out of T-2, followed by several aid
stations along the course.
Run
In my opinion, the hardest part of this run course is the rolling hills of
the golf course, not ‚Äö√Ñ√∫Hell‚’s Kitchen‚Äö√Ñ√π as they say.
It is hot and humid
everywhere, and the concrete golf cart paths that go up and down sharply,
followed by soft grass, makes it hard to find a running rhythm.

It is not meant to be a fast run course, but if you are fast then it
doesn‚’t matter where you run.
PRO TIP: Look out for all the goats! I counted 40+ last race, but that also means
goat poop.
But still fun to see them grazing the golf course.
Finish Line and Finish Area
There is nothing like the red carpet of an Ironman event.
However, in
Hawaii, there is no red carpet, but rather grass and a local floral
arrangement arch.
I prefer the red carpet finish, but that is a personal
thing.

The athletes are given three tickets for booze or water, and a meal ticket
for some burgers and such.
Nothing fancy, but better than nothing? I never
eat after races because I am never hungry, but people seem to enjoy
themselves.

There are also some massage areas, and the cool waters of Hawaii just
begging for you to jump in.
I love that feeling (after my Redbull of
course), but be careful not to cut your soft feet on the reef.
I did that
and didn‚’t realize til a few hours later when it started hurting.

The awards are held a few hours after the race, about 4pm, followed by the
roll down.
This is one of the very few 70.3 races with slots to both Kona
and 70.3 WC, but everyone who wins their AG most likely will take the Kona
slot.
The 70.3 WC South Africa slot did get passed up in many age groups to
who ever wanted it.
I was 9th and missed it by one spot! So you never know!
There are no shuttles back to the race start, only to the parking lot from
the hotel (same one used pre-race).
Bikes aren‚’t allowed back on the buses,
so I ended up just riding back to the hotel, picked up the car, and then
picked up Janell at the hotel.

Final Thoughts
This race is highly recommended, and can turn into a great family vacation.

I even met a guy from Europe who convinced his wife that this race was a
good honeymoon idea‚Äö√Ѭ∂she enjoyed a spa day while he raced (don‚’t get any
ideas Janell!).

If you are a healthier eater, I highly recommend Under the Bodhi Tree at
the Shops at Mauna Lani near the Fairmont Orchid.
They even have race week
specials for athletes!
That just about covers it.
If you have any other questions or things I
missed, feel free to comment! Hope you were able to learn something to help
you PR your next Ironman 70.3 Honu!

By Aaron

The post Ironman 703 Hawaii Honu Race Report 2017 2018 appeared first on Aj in the Life.