Sunfish FAIL 7-14-18

There is always a first time for everything they say....  Well, for the first time I went to a race out of town and after arriving realized that I had forgotten some very important equipment.  Shocked is an understatement.  

I rode with Jennifer to Meridian.  The night before I had sat my bike out on the carport by the door so I would not wake Gary at 4am moving all my stuff around in the house.  I was so concerned about leaving my swim stuff that I didn't even think about my bike bag!!  I've never done that.  If I had drove myself, I would have remembered my bag because I would have moved it to put my bike rack on my car.  LOL

I was literally rolling my bike into transition and it hit be that I didn't grab my bike bag that had my bike shoes and my bike helmet in it.   I just stood there.  I couldn't believe it!  I had been nervous on the ride and told Jennifer that my stomach was in knots just thinking about the race.  Sunfish is not easy even if it is only a sprint TRI.  It has some massive hills on the bike route and the run is always so hot.  The lake water usually feels like 100 degrees also.  So I was not looking forward to the race itself, but knew I needed the open water practice along with hills on the bike.  

We asked around and the race director even had the announcer announce several times asking if anyone had an extra pair of shoes.  The race director had a helmet but not shoes.  I have clip in peddles so it's not as simple as just wearing your tennis shoes you run in to ride the bike.   If the course had not been so hilly, I probably would have attempted to just ride with my running shoes.  However I knew I would have a very hard time on those hills and if my foot slipped off the little round clip and I hurt myself that Chattanooga would be out.  With my foot not being 100% yet and the race director advising me not to ride without the proper bike shoes, I decided that was best.  And then working about telling my coach what happen.  I didn't want to disappoint her.  She was so looking forward to seeing how I did in the race.  

So I just did the swim and then I ran while everyone else was going out on their bikes.  The swim was ok.   Water was so hot.  I was burning up by the time I got back to the shore and I didn't even swim hard.  I tried to focus on good deep breaths and remaining calm when others swam real close to me and when I'd see feet kicking.  Many times I had to stop almost and try to move over because I'd be up on someone's feet kicking.  I had a nightmare the night before about getting kick in the face during the swim.  The swim part of a TRI is just not the fun part to me. :>). 

So it's 11 weeks to Chattanooga and I'm starting to feel very nervous again.  I'm worried about this dang foot.  I go back to the doctor on the 25th for a recheck.  I'll be so glad when I can say I can run without any pain!!!  I was running so dang good before the PF decided to take up house in my right foot!  I'm also concerned about the swim.  I still can't imagine doing 4,400 yards!  My coach keeps reassuring me that I can do it.  So far I've swam 3,600 yards at the pool with no problem.  It's that open water that gets me every time.  I know I swam Augusta with no problems for the half ironman.    I'm praying every day that will be the case for Chattanooga come September.   I have an Oly distance next month in Georgia.  I'm trying to get in all the open water practice that I can before September. :>). 

As the saying goes....   #keeppushing #don'tstop #won'tquit #onedayatatime #focus #keepthefaith #trainhard #trainingpaysoff #visualizethefinish #allheart 

So Sunfish race was a FAIL.... In life we having many failures.... it's what we decide to do with them that determines the real outcome in my opinion.  So I'm getting that race check list back out and laminating it! I'll have it real handy next time.  

Happy training to you!  Next week I have a full load.  Going to be exhausting....but it won't stop me.  :>). 

The only picture I got..... Jennifer & Amanda coming in to the finish.  Amanda had a PR.  I'm so proud of her.  She's training for her first half ironman.  Jennifer will be going Georgia with me for the Oly.  Looking forward to a girls weekend with her and Krista. :>) 

Well... until next time.... keep moving! 

D

Hawaii -- Vacation 2018

Vacation 2018 - Hawaii - Big Island

Hawaii... a bucket list item.  However, if my PPRF (Peer Pressure Running Friends group) had not talked me into doing the Kona marathon, I might of waited to go to Hawaii at a later time in my life.  I figured it would be expensive.  Let me just say that if you think Disney is expensive... well just triple that amount for Hawaii. :)  But it was so WORTH IT! :)

My husband asked me what was my favorite thing about Hawaii and I told him I could not come up with just one thing.  There is so much to see!  And we did not see it all!  We only managed to get in 2 of the islands and one was just a one day trip for a tour to hit all the high spots.  I'd love to go back and visit all the islands and have more time.  It's just an amazing place and so laid back!

Girls when we arrived in Kona .. 2pm (Hawaii time)

Getting our rental car... JEEP

I was disappointed when we arrived at the Kona airport and started driving to our resort.  I imagined I'd be seeing beautiful beaches and ocean.  Instead we were seeing nothing but fields of black rock and sand.  Barely any trees.   It sure was not what I imagined.  As I drove I thought to myself .... boy this is disappointing.  But trust me.. it got much better once we arrived at our resort!  There is a lava tube just a few miles from the airport that all the cars were stopping at.  We finally stopped on our last day before going to the airport to leave to see what all the people were looking at. Our tour guide earlier in the week had told us that it was created in 1983 when one of the volcanoes erupted.  Here's a picture of the girls at the lava tube.  It was HUGE.

We stayed on the Big Island at the Hilton resort in Waikoloa village. 

It is a beautiful resort.  We had an ocean view room.  

Erin (my daughter), Me & Katelyn at the resort ready for race expo.  So glad the expo was at our resort. We didn't have to leave the resort to go pick up all our race stuff. :>)

Right outside our room...I could sit there forever with the wind blowing and watching the beautiful water.

photo sessions at the resort.. this area is right outside our room.  Can you tell girls are having fun? 

Me and Erin

 Pools at our resort.  There were several!

I'll try to make this post brief and only post a few of my favorite pictures.  I took a ton.  :>)

The first sunset we saw from our room the first day.

This was our itinerary I gave the girls before we left on our adventure.  I've added a few notes in blue.  I'll add a picture or two from each day to keep this post short. :>) 

Hawaii – Itinerary

Thursday – 6/21/2018…  Leave for airport 4am BE READY ---- arrive in Hawaii 2:05pm  -

The struggle was real for some to get up (which girls said they never went to sleep when I picked them up at 4am). 

  

Girls at Kona Airport when we arrived around 2pm (Hawaii time) ...... they are holding their bank card for their bank .... I can't remember why... they just said they had to get pic with their bank card for the bank.  LOL

The view out our balcony.. boy were we excited when we arrived!

-  Supper after getting settled at resort… Boat Landing Cantina at Resort ... right outside our room.  We were tired from our long travel day, plus I had not slept any the night before we left due to my son's puppy being hit by a car.  I was exhausted. 

 Surviving the plane ride.... ha  8 hours is a long time on one plane. 

Friday – 6/22/2018  … First full day at Hawaii -- Tour of big Island (Ultimate Circle Tour) -  Depart hotel at 7am …. Return around 8pm  …. Tour includes lunch…   

Our tour was awesome!! We were with another couple from New Zeland.  They were so interesting.. they have traveled the world! We were in a brand new Mercedes van.  Our driver drove us completely around the whole Island stopping at all the high spots and filling us in on tons of Island history.  It was an awesome tour.  Paul from Essential Tours was great!  We saw the following:  Kona Coffee farm, Macadamia Nut farm, Hilalalai and Mauna Loa volcanoes, Punalu'u black sand beach, sea turtles, Kilauea volcano, Rainbow falls, Akaka Falls, Waipio Valley, and a tropical garden.  And I'm sure I've left some things out.  Here is the map of the Island showing the circle tour we did:

Info on some of the volcanoes we saw:

Kohala - the oldest volcano.  The Waipi'o Valley use to be bigger before this volcano erupted causing the Northern part to collapse into the ocean in a giant landslide.  This created stunning sea cliffs in the valley and also a monster tsunami.  

The Waipi'o Valley

Mauna Kea - tallest sea mountain in the world.  It's taller than Mt.Everest!  It's a dormant volcano. 

Hualalai - Got Kona Coffee?  This volcano is best known for the black gold that comes from it's slopes: Kona Coffee.  It's active, but hasn't erupted for a while.  

Mauna Loa - Largest volcano on the planet!  It's very active and has erupted over 150 times, with the last one ending April, 1984.

Kilauea - has been erupting since 1983! it's the youngest of the 6 volcanoes on the Big Island.  It's also the one causing the major damage right now.  

So as we were touring around the Island, I said to my tour guide, "So basically at any time any part of this big island could erupt with a few fisher from a volcano".  The whole Island is basically volcanoes. LOL 

We did not see a rainbow the day we went, however most of the time you have to go early in the morning to catch the rainbow view from what I've read.

So many pretty plants!  

Our New Zeland Friends... they were a hoot!

We even drove 12 miles through the park.  There were signs everywhere saying do not stop, but we could drive through.  We only saw one small crack in the road from the current volcano.

Check out those sea turtles behind us.  This is at Black Sand Beach.

Supper at Lava Lava Beach Club after arriving back at the resort.. it was packed!  It’s directly on beach.. we had to wait for a table.

Saturday – 6/23/2018 …  Race expo – meet group at 10am for picture,  relax before Sunday’s race.    
  Dinner 6:30 pm … Huggo’s in Kona  … on the water.. nice sunset view.  Had some awesome raw tuna!  Also saw a guy catching fish, cleaning fish, and eating them on the shallow water below the restaurant.  

Sunday – 6/24/2018 … Race Day … Marathon starts at 5:30am, 5K starts at 6:45am …………I’ll be up around 4am getting ready for marathon … so I’ll have you girls up in time for your race! J    ………… 
Race sucked.. see previous blog post.. ha  Sunday night after race Legends of Hawaii Luau dinner… 5:30pm  The Luau was awesome.  Great food and the dancers were amazing!  

Girls at Luau

We were greeted with real flowers. 

Monday – 6/25/2018 – Fly to Oahu (Honolulu) for tour of that Island … have to be at airport at 5:15am … so probably leaving hotel at 4:45am…. Arrive back on big Island around 8pm. 

Headed out to airport

 

Boy were we tired this day... or I was! Marathon day before and then we had to get up so early to get to airport... we had private tour of Oahu.  It was nice that it was only the 3 of us with our driver.  We were not on a set schedule.  If we had not been so tired, we would have requested more things to do.  ha  Katelyn even slept during some of the drive on the tour.  We saw many things....  Our tour started with Pearl Harbor.   Due to structural damage no one is allowed to get off the boat and walk on Pearl Harbor.  I was sad about that, but so glad I got to see Pearl Harbor.  From there we begin our drive around the island.

  We saw the following:

Dole Pineapple Pavilion, Scenic La'ie Point, Oahu's famous north shore beaches, Waimea Bay, Waimanalo Beach park, Legendary Oahu Surf Spots, had lunch from a shrimp truck, Tantalus lookout which you can literally see all around the Island of Oahu From Diamond head to Waikiki Beach & Chinaman's Hat from Kualoa Point State Rec Area.  Plus some other things I'm sure I'm forgetting.  It was another full day of island touring. 

The hat Island and the turtle island... can you make it out?
Chinaman's Hat, Oahu ..... Mokolii is proper name.  Located on the north end of Kaneohe Bay, offshore.  According to local legend, Hi'aka, the volcano goddess Pele's sister, created the hat island by sleighing a dragon and throwing it's tail out into the water.  

Monk Seal we saw laying on the beach.. it was HUGE

During the winter months the waves here are huge and they have surf competitions.  Ever heard of the pipeline?  Well, you're looking at it. 

Dinner … at Waikoloa village close to resort .. Waikoloa Luxury Cinemas .. yep they served supper and you could also go to the movies… we only ate.  

Tuesday – 6/26/2018 -  Lava boat tour --  We have to drive to Hilo side of Island to catch boat -  leaves at 4pm….    We may drive over the Hilo around lunch and sight see some of that side of Island before Lava boat Tour.

  The boat ride is very rough.... let me caution anyone that goes.  We had several throwing up the whole time.  We were hitting waves that looked 10-12 feet high in a metal boat!  The trade winds had really picked up while we were there which makes it worse.   They brief you ahead of time and tell you it's going to be bad, but until you get on that boat, you don't really know how bad.. ha  At least none of us were sick.  Jackie Ray’s Ohana Grill for dinner.   It was great!  Did not get to sight see on Hilo side (good thing our tour on Friday took is by there and hit the high spots) ... our GPS took us down a road that ended on a dead end.  However, we got to see Paul Mitchell's son and had a good laugh in the jeep trying to get back down the mountain.  

Fisher 8 ... the live volcano.  We are on the boat heading to see the Lava.

As lava flows into the ocean it explodes creating black sand & a lot of smoke.... new land forming.  So cool watching this, but also sad for all those that lost their homes. 

Girls on Lava Boat Tour

Red Lava flowing before it hits the ocean waters

This picture of the other Lava boat out with us really doesn't show the waves as bad as they are when we were going out to the lava.  We jumped waves 7-10 feet high.. in an aluminum boat!  Several  people were sick the entire time.  When they said rough waters, they meant it.  

Supper .. oh it was so GOOD! 

Wednesday – 6/27/2018 – Rest… ha   Manta Ray night snorkel …. We have to drive to the harbor to load boat … leave hotel probably around 3pm – have to check in at 5pm on boat. – returns 9pm  

I let the girls sleep as long as they wanted this day since every day we had gotten up early.  However, they were up by 9am and out in the water.  They couldn't get enough of Hawaii either!  I had a massage at 8am! Yeah me :>)  We ended up ordering room service for supper when we got back to the room that night and a small pizza was $40.. :<>) 

It was the only overcast day we had the day we hung out at the resort.  And the girls still got sunburned. LOL 

Erin is ready to see those Manta Rays!   I love traveling with her.  She's so much FUN. :>) 

Katelyn was not liking the wet suit one bit.  

So we only saw 1 manta ray...  We were disappointed in this.  Several people had told us they saw between 8-10.  Our captain did tell us that not every trip do they get to see mantas, so we were lucky to see one.  It was amazing seeing that thing swim so close to us!  Here's a little video I took with the GoPro.  Excuse the angle and movement.  I was trying to hold on to a rope and not float off and the waves were steady out in the water. Click the link:
Manta Ray Swim

A little bit of Hawaii on Video

Thursday – 6/28/2018 – depart L  Shop at Kona until we have to drive to airport around 2pm to catch 5pm flight home. 

I stood on the bank where the world Ironman Championship happens.   The beach there is beautiful!  Kona is a cute little town.  Lots of shops.  We parked and walked around.  The main street there is like their own Vegas strip. 

A really cool tree in Kona

Where Ironman happens!

Girls leaving... booooooooo

My cool bike jersey I got in Kona. 

What a vacation!!! It was a busy one.  We tried to fit in so much that we never had any time to just sit and relax.  I'd love to go back and sit with the wind blowing my hair and read a book surrounded by all the beautiful landscape.  Hawaii is amazing.  So blessed to be able to go!  The ride home was AWFUL.  Losing the 5 hours, a guy sitting next to me that went to sleep all over my arm rest where I couldn't put my food tray back up, my legs aching from sitting, and just not being able to get comfy, made me not sleep one bit!  By the time we got to New Orleans and I had to drive home, it was bad.  I could barely hold my eyes open!  I've never driven that sleepy in all my life.  Next time I'll have someone pick us up and drive us home. :>)