I don’t really have adequate words to describe how much I love Hawaii other than it forever holds special place in my heart – because we married on Kauai and also because both Nick and I have raced the world champs on the Big Island. There’s nothing quite like that humid hug when you get off the plane. And the smell of plumeria and jasmine gah! Magical ✨
And now – somehow it’s race week! The first women’s-only IRONMAN World Champs in Kona is Saturday! There’s been a lot of coverage and course tips from but I’m adding my 2 cents with some insights I learned both racing and spectating.
buy a cheap bike to ride before the race
No idea who told me this, but it was a game changer! I bought a $90 purple mountain bike at Walmart when I arrived in Kona and used it all week to cruise back and forth from my Airbnb to the pier. It was a blast riding along Ali’i! I left it at the Airbnb after the race, and when I was back the next year, contacted the owner and he let me use it again! Anyway, at the end of the week, donate the bike locally to an organization like Paying it Forward – West Hawaii.
acclimate, but also embrace the the a/c
Absolutely spend time outside to acclimate as much as you can to the heat and humidity. Do your runs at midday about the same time you’ll be racing. Eat meals outside. But also embrace the air conditioning and FFS, use it in your room when sleeping. It’s important for recovery so you go into the race feeling good. (I’ve seen some people recommend sleeping with just a fan, but don’t do that! I didn’t have a/c during one trip to Kona and I was absolutely miserable the entire time and was swollen all week and never felt recovered.)
quiet time is important
Definitely embrace the pre-race activities – the Underpants Run! the expo! – but also shut it all down for a bit everyday and take some quiet time for yourself (including turning off all social media).
the ocean is salty AF
It was shocking how salty the Pacific was during my first swim. Of course I knew the ocean was salty, but I wasn’t prepared for just how salty it was. Salty but absolutely the most incredible place to swim. Take the little bit of extra time to rinse off under the hoses in T1 so you don’t chafe on the bike.
wear reef-safe sunscreen
Keep the coral reefs safe by wearing reef-save sunscreen! This means your sunscreen can’t have oxybenzone and octinoxate in it. And skip the spray-on stuff and use rub-in sunscreen instead. Race day tip: put it on before you go to bed the night before the race and again the morning of. I did this when I raced and didn’t burn at all.
riding Hawi isn’t a must-do before the race
Absolutely drive to Hawi and ride there if you want. But know that you don’t have to. Don’t overthink it. It’s long steady climb and long descent, and it’s windy. Which leads me to…
watch the cyclists in front of you
They’ll be a good indicator of how windy it is near Hawi. There are berms on the side of the road and when you’re next to one you’re protected from the wind coming from ocean (also, whitecaps = windy). When you ride past one, the wind will smack you so watch the cyclists in front of you to gauge just how windy it is and how much to brace for it. Also: on the descent from Hawi – don’t stop pedaling! If you do, it’s far easier to get blown around. When you pedal the entire way, you create more pressure with the road so are less likely to get blown around.
the last 30 miles of the bike go on forever
But there’s Coke at the aid stations! Grab 2 waters at each aid station (one at the start of the aid station and one at the end). Use the first to refill the bottle on your bike. Use the second to spray water all over your face and body.
YOU GET TO DO THIS
It’s a privilege to race Kona and an even bigger privilege to do so on sacred Hawaiian land. Race with gratitude – for your body, for Hawaii, for all the sacrifices you made during training, for your family and friends who supported you – and remember you *get* to do this. Approaching from a place of gratitude makes the hard miles a little bit easier.
Have the most fun out there, ladies. Chase your light ✨
more insights in few related Kona posts
the week prior to kona
6 things i learn training for kona
our trip to kona 2022 (with a toddler!)
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