Tips for Kona newbie

The Hawaii Ironman is always a big deal whether you're a newbie or a veteran...and people do go back year after year to try and conquer the island and the race. Many people take years to really succeed in their race, be they pros or age groupers.

As much as experience is hard won through sweat and tears, there is also a wealth of advice around from those who have done the hard yards and who are happy to offer it up, from which we can all benefit. So in putting out the question of advice for a newbie heading to Kona, the following is a compilation of individual tips and tricks to hopefully help make it a great experience.

General
See some of the island. If you've only got a short time then drive up the Queen K, turn right where the bike course turns left and head over to the Eastern side of the island. With a bit more time drive over the saddle between the two mountains and into Hilo, and go to volcano national park. The island is an incredibly beautiful place...if you like seeing that kind of stuff.

Captain cook memorial trip - boat ride with interesting marine lesson on way - kids will love it. The boat stays out on the bay for few hours...you can relax, swim, eat, drink, snorkle. It's an awesome place. Boat provides all required.

Use lots of sunscreen before, DURING (especially) and after the race. Your skin will thank you.

Pre-RaceArrive in Kona fresher than you think you should be.

Take part in the athlets parade, and cruise the expo for the freebies.

If you are getting there a week before hand, you can still check out the important bits (i.e. the ride up and down Hawi) by driving to the appropriate starting point. Doing a training ride up to Hawi and back in strong winds is an invaluable exercise just to know what the day might have in store.

Take it easy. Don't try to do too much. It is easy to get caught up in the hype and spend too much time out and about and on your feet when you should be taking it easy.

Recommend the Hula Bean (on the non-coast side of Alii Dve not far from the swim entry) rather than Lava Java for quality of coffee. Lava Java is THE SCENE so it is the place to go for celebrity spotting and freebies (in the past they have given away fuel belts and other stuff out front).

Acclimatisation - Everyone is different but I you're probably best not to use air-con and get used to living in the termperature and humidity 24 x 7. If you can't sleep or are worried about hydration, this might not work for you.

Swim
The swim will have more biffo than any other race you've done, and you will swim 5-10min slower than you usually do.

Some years there is a bit of a current and all the people planning to stay out of trouble by swimming wide wind up jammed up in a big pack on the left hand side. I think it was best to be in between those trying to stay wide and the gun swimmers. Of course, if you are a gun swimmer you want to get on board at the start and need to be prepared to take your lumps.

Start way left (with the pier on your right) - to get less biffo. Aim for the 2nd or 3rd orange buoy and by that point you should be settled into your pace with less biffo - and very very small over-distance by starting to the left. There are outrigger canoes that let you hang on to if you wish to not tread water.

Bike
Wheels on bike...if it is windy, you will get blown about no matter what wheelset you use. The balance of (eg) Zipp 1080 (rear) with 404 (front) should be OK, or 404 on both. If it is windy, watch out for lost bottles blowing around the road at aid stations. These have brought down a few people in the past. Be prepared to take bottles on the bike with your right hand instead of left.

When riding before race day (or even when walking) be careful to look the opposite way - best to look every way every time. It is very easy to step into the path of a car or to look the wrong way before riding into an intersection.

The bike has the smoothest surface of any race, and the "climb" to Hawi is over rated.

At the 120km mark (after the decent as you turn back on the Queen K) your day is either just starting or starting to finish. Go too hard and it will be finishing.

On the road to Hawi - cross winds are common from approx mile post 14 to 19, with predominantly tail winds on the return from Hawi from mile post 20 to 15, but can have some cross winds gusts from MP 17 to 14. The worst cross winds are on a relatively short stretch from Hawi, after that it's likely to be a head wind. Enjoy.

Run
Pace the run evenly. If it doesn't feel too slow at the start, it's too fast. Break the run up into 25 short runs from aid station to the next aid station. Forget about beating people. Aim for the race to be an exercise in pacing and control - if you come out of the energy lab and you have something left, start racing there.

The run is hot along Alii Dve, and full of spectators. Do NOT get caught up in the vibe and let it speed up your pace. You will need it for the Queen K and in/out Energy Lab where it is has considerably less screaming spectators.
If you lose your focus at anytime during the first 10 mile (the section up and back Alii Dr) and go too hard you will pay for it 10 fold on the Queen K.

Palani Rd hill is worth walking a bit of to save yourself.

Be familiar with landmarks on the way to the energy lab turn-off because it all looks the same and seems to go forever. Same on return.

Have a great time and enjoy that awesome last km of the run leg.