Kona Camp 2013

View from our lanai

Part 1 (I'm super wordy...don't want to forget anything, so I'm breaking this out into 2 parts :))

Where do I even begin?   W.O.W.   What a life changing even for me.  Let me start by saying I’ve met some of the most fabulous people in this sport.  Genuine, hard working folks.  The real deal.  I am blessed to be able to call them my friends/coach/teammates.  I thank each and every one of them for the support they’ve gave me before/during/and I’m sure will continue after camp.  I had a couple of low sessions in Kona and they were there to pick me up and remind me of where I was and that I was coming back, and rightfully so.  (thank you thank you thank you!)

Michelle has rightfully so earned the name ‘BSC’.  For those who think it means ‘bed side commode’, you’re close but it actually means ‘bat shit crazy’.  This camp was like none other I’ve done.  She was great at getting logistics figured out AND making sure we were grunting, crying, sweaty, snotty and exhausted after every session. Brilliant!  One thing I think EVERYONE learned was that we are all capable of getting the work done.  It’s all upstairs folks, seriously.  It’s amazing how far the body will go when the brain will let it.
 

Thursday, Lynsey and traveled to Hawaii.  Started off rough as I had to pay $$ for 9 lbs of sundress and 5-6 pairs of slippers (flip flops).  I wound up wearing one of the ten dresses and would have been fine with one set of slippers.  Lesson learned.  We wound up having a blast traveling together!  We had a 5 hour layover in Honolulu and decided to explore.  I had googled ‘what to do during a layover in Honolulu’ and found this amazing gem. 
 

“La Mariana Sailing Club: Just over 10 minutes from the airport is a unique sailing club where you can be merry and enjoy a mai tai as you admire the sailing boats moored in the Ke'ehi Lagoon. A South Seas fantasy island in an almost impossible to find location (50 Sand Island Access Road; #808.848.2800), this local watering hole is a throwback to the Trader Vic's days. The food is standard: salads, burgers, Chicken Parmigiana and the like, but the decor is the draw: a tacky mishmash of fishnet, glass floats and shell chandeliers adorns the sprawling room. A reed fence is all that separates you from the ocean, and a huge live tree grows in the middle of it all.” – www.gadling.com
 

Stiff drinks (seriously, we couldn’t even finish one) and some serious sailboats…it was perfect!

These boats are stunning!

Obligatory pina colada and mai tai :)  These were finished, no worries.

Up and at it early on Friday morning!   Hill Repeats!  Breakfast of champions!  The ‘Pit’ was a part of the original ironman course and it’s brutal, but beautiful.  What a treat!  

Hill Repeats aren't so bad with this view!

After lunch back at our condo, we headed to session 2 & 3 of the day.  An ocean swim at Kealakekua Bay (near the village of Captain Cook) and an hour run after.  This bay is beautiful, quiet, clear waters…spinner dolphins, paradise!  Someone pinch me please!   The goal of the swim was to get used to the ocean AND swimming with a group and to evaluate who would swim with who during the 10k swim scheduled for the next day.  Kimberly and I are the same pace so we were paired each other.  (Check out Kimberly’s blog and watch out for her at the races…you’ll only see her pass you, she’s a STUD!!!)

Kealakekua Bay

Out of the swim, we headed out to run.  This was a hot as hell run…but suffering with others is always a bit more enjoyable!  

 

HOT HOT HOT!!

Myself, Lynsey & Nalani

aloha kai (love and caring for the sea)
 

Saturday we headed out for what most would have said was the most daunting day of all of camp.  Keauhou to Kona escorted 10k swim.  Not me.  I was stoked to get back in the ocean!  I’m not a fast swimmer by any means but man I love being in the salt water.  I think it’s in my blood!  Kimberly, Scott (Michelle’s husband and our personal kayaker) and I started out with Krista and Shane nearby.  The 1^st 2 hours were perfect.  Kimberly and I decided to stop ~ 45’ to fuel.  We both were feeling great!  Couldn’t have asked for better conditions!  If you haven’t swam (swum?) with a kayaker, you should.  Scott was our eyes and our aid station.  It’s so much easier to sight a kayaker to the side of you vs. a radio tower/big boat 6.2 miles ahead of you.  ;)  After the 2 hour mark a western wind decided to pick up (which I hear is rare there) and we had some serious chop ahead of us.  Ugh.  I was getting beat up; Kimberly (all 100 lbs of her) was also getting beat up.  We both needed some encouragement to get to the finish.  So we rallied.  There wasn’t any other option.  Here’s where it gets mental.  She had never swum (swam?)  a 10k before and I’m not a great swimmer, but we both put our minds to it and another 2 hours later we finished.  It was an emotional finish that is too hard to describe but I have a feeling we’ll be swim friends for life!!!  (Kimberly we should get matching fish tattoos or something…;)) 

I'm in the pink and the LaPans are in blue and green!

No need for a caption...Kimberly and I with sand b/t our toes!

10k #2 in the books!  What?  Why bother swimming another 10K or even one at all?  You can’t win an ironman from the swim…your coach must be a swimmer…etc.etc.etc.  I've heard them all by now.  Let’s just say I have improved my swim tremendously in the past year and a ½.  I WILL NOT be exhausted getting out of the water Oct. 12^th.  

And WHY NOT?  I LOVE to swim and being in the OCEAN.  Take me back, I'll do it again in a heartbeat.  :) 
 

Post 10K celebration on the Pier!  Lynsey, Krista, coach and Tiffany!

Proof I wore ONE sundress!
from L to R: Pam, Krista, Lynsey, myself, Kimberly