Big Kahuna 2007, September =20
total 6:37:17.7 36:28.8 3:21:02.9 avh hr 144 2:33:15.3 avg 161

My age group was won by Michellie Jones 4:19. My favorite announcer, Whit, was there, too!

On the way to the first buoy, I was like, "OK, that's it, I'm doing IM Western Australia. I was happy about that. Then on the bike I was like, "Oh, more long flat boring bike rides to train for IM Western Australia." The driving home went OK and I spent most of my time feeling an actual calling about IM Western Australia.

I had a good swim! The water temp was 60 degrees, the run to transition was long but a good way to get feeling back in your toes. My bike felt pretty bad, but I was glad I didn't have any mechanicals since I had a broken derailier spring the day before. But it was like I had no power; I kept thinking, are my brakes rubbing? It was like I had no power. I started off strong but had to back it down a little. I felt kind of bored on the bike for some reason. I spent most of the bike getting passed by fat and skinny bad bikers (the fast people were already gone).

I finished the bike feeling fine, really no worse for the wear although my butt muscles were sore while riding. The bike was a little cool with cloud cover like half-Vineman or Wisconsin making drinking not totally appealing. I got through one bottle (unusual) and still had to pee right away on the run. I think I did a good job on the pre-race and race nutrition though: I've got that nailed, but I do carry a lot of food. I guess if I ever did a longer event (like an ultra)I would want to be like more Hammer gel-based or something. I mean, pop tarts are heavy!

On the run I was fine/good the first 2 miles then pretty normal like
lower heart rate (155-160) for the next 5 miles then the 2nd half I
stepped it up(and amazingly felt better) and passed everybody who was falling apart (again, the fast people were gone.) I really put the hurt on myself the last six miles in the upper 160's. I said ouch out loud a few times in the last 3 miles. The last 2 miles sucked because they were hard and then I didn't really have a kick at the end like I did at Oceanside.

This bike was not big hills, more like gentle rollers, so easier than
Oceanside course. The run was kind of pretty with a little bit of dirt which I enjoyed.

For some reason this was not a "happy" race for me. Of course, I love the medal: it is a wooden "Big Kahuna." I know I wasn't happy about Ironman Brazil until like 3 months later and I still look at that as my saddest race besides Malaysia (forced to abandon) which at this point I'm like, who cares, you know, that happened, whatever. I think I had a mental problem at this race: sad about being slow. I was kind of angry after the race, too. Maybe hormones, or something. OK you might say, "Who cares, don't look at it that way, look how much progress you've made: why compare yourself to anybody?" And why compare yourself to Heather Gollnick? Anyway, it takes me a long tome to do these races. I mean I think if I go to IM WA that could be a "fast" race for me. Lanzarote would be survival.