Pre-race

I arrived in Hawaii on Tuesday and relaxed for the next three days.  I had light workout each day and spent a lot of time watching the Yankees, eating too many cheeseburgers and shopping at the amazing expo, shops and local stores.  The hotel was literally on top of the start.  The perfect place to stay.  No need for race day porta-potties.  No race day stress of getting to the starting line.  And you live amongst the crowds – an absolutely electric atmosphere.

The amount of work that goes into putting this race on is astounding.  It is like nothing else in the sport of triathlon.  They essentially build up an entire city for the thousands of competitors and fans that show up for the race.  There are media everywhere - camera crews, photographers, etc.  Corporate sponsorship is rampant.  I have never seen on event so heavily sponsored in my life and I have been to my fair share of Yankees games.  Products signs, personnel, free-be's, etc were absolutely everywhere.  And then the fans.  People I met actually came to the race just to watch.  No family racing, no friends.  They just wanted to check it out.  Others wanted to compete but never qualified, or hope to qualify in the future.  People are everywhere, all concentrated in the small town of Kona. Put all this together and the atmosphere is absolutely unique, inspirational, awesome.  Our sport isn’t the most spectator friendly as I am sure you are aware.  So when there is a race such as this one - this is the ONLY one - that captures such mass appeal, they really do it right.  Every step of the way, you are treated like an all-star.  There are more volunteers working this race then there are competitors.  When athletes walk their bikes into transition the evening before the race, there are about 20 volunteers clearing out hoards of spectators so we could move to transition.  That's right.  People were actually watching athletes move into transition with interest.  Some were even star struck by some of the pros.  After making it through the "fans", athletes proceed down a corale into transition, fenced off from spectators.  Lining that road, three deep, are corporate sponsors.  They calculate the total number of people, and specific number of each racer who is using their gear.  Racer 1560 (Joop!) - Cervelo Bike, Gyro Helmet, Asics shoes, 2XU tri suit, Oakley sunglasses, Bontragger Wheels, and so on.  All documented by the sponsors. Then, each competitor has personal guide to shuttle he/she through transition giving each person the ins and outs of the race, the path we will take, holding our gear for us, everything.