Train-n-Tri: 2013 Kona Ironman Championships

I've been watching the 2013 Kona Ironman Championships on and off, but mostly on all day long.

I did take time off from viewing this morning to run a 5k race (well, I ran, walked and even skipped because I was not signed up for the event - I was a polite bandit) and then I ran the 10k race because I WAS signed up for that one.

Riverside Hometown Heroes Run

Before I even ran I got a great Brooks Dry-Wick Run shirt, a bag of goodies and a water bottle.

I ran a total of 9 miles, which of course is NOTHING compared to an Ironman competition.

But my goal going into the race this morning was to run less than 10 minute miles.

I have been a slow runner.

But my goal is to get faster.

I've been an 11 minute to 12 minute mile runner for a the past couple of year and I just want to run faster and feel good.

So, I warmed up with the 5k and then ran the 10k averaging 9.55 minute miles - UNDER 10!!!!

According to my Garmin 910:

Time:	1:01:39
Moving Time:	1:00:56
Elapsed Time:	1:01:42

Avg Speed:	6.1 mph
Avg Moving Speed:	6.1 mph
Max Speed:	10.2 mph

Avg Pace:	9:55 min/mi
Avg Moving Pace:	9:48 min/mi
Best Pace:	5:53 min/mi

I was so happy!

Then I got some bling!!

Thanks Peggy for taking such a nice picture of the finisher medals!!!

I came in 2nd place in my age group. There were only three of us, but I am going to feel good about it.

Why?

Because I remember what Harriet Anderson said to me when I ran along side her at Vineman 70.3 this year.

A win is a win.

http://train-n-tri.blogspot.com/2013/07/vineman-703-good-bad-and-ugly.html

(above is my blog about my Vineman 70.3 experience, especially running with Harriet)

Harriet is going to be a winner tonight!

All she has to do is cross the finish line at the 2013 Kona Ironman Championship event.

She just has to finish to be the winner of her age group because she is the ONLY one in her age group.

Harriet is competing in the 75-79 age group.

This is her 23rd Kona Championship race.

This is a pic of Harriet and me at Vineman 70.3 in July.

I will be sitting in front of my computer this evening waiting for Harriet to cross the finish line. In 2012 she was the final competitor to cross the finish line with just 41 seconds to spare. She was competing even through she had broken her collarbone six weeks before the race.

All athletes have until midnight to finish the race, giving amateurs 17 hours to cover the 140.6 miles. To finish, competitors must also finish the swim in 2:20 and get off the bike 10.5 hours after the start.

This year Harriet's swim was 2:13:02.

Her bike was 7:38:28

As I blog she is shown on IronTrac to be 5.2 plus miles into the run, but it looks as if it may be a long night for Harriet.

Her first 3.1 miles took her 42 minutes. The next 2.1 miles took her 33 minutes.

Go Harriet!!!!

A did take some time off from viewing to go the Triathlon Connection quarterly meeting. The meeting consisted of lots of awesome athletes, great vegan food and a raffle.

I think the people in my car drove off with a lot of the raffle prizes.

Go Jeanne. She won a shirt, a new bike pump, socks, and an entry into the Riverside Triathlon next week. I won also - an entry into the Riverside Triathlon and a TC hat.

I love winning!
I was in the perfect mood to get home and sit and watch triathletes cross the finish line at Kona.

A Triathlon Connection member and friend, Rusty Robertson, is also competing at Kona.

I didn't have to sit in front of my computer watching for him to finish for long.

He is done.

In under 10 hours.

Congratulations Rusty!!!

I should mention that both Harriet and Rusty are Mark Allen athletes.

The very first Ironman Champion Gordon Haller is racing this year.

Thank you Wikipedia:

On Oahu, Hawaii in 1978, Haller competed in Navy Commander John Collins’ race which combined the Waikiki Roughwater Swim, the Around-Oahu Bike Race, and the Honolulu Marathon. Of the 15 competitors, 12 finished what today we call the Ironman, and Gordon Haller was the first champion, with a time of 11 hours, 46 minutes, 58 seconds

Gordon was born in 1950, so he is competing in 60-64 division.

My IronTracs shows that he swam the 2.4 miles swim in 1:30 and the bike in 7:16.

I can't find any information after that.

I just want Gordon to finish tonight so Mike Reilly can say to him, "Gordon Haller, you are an Ironman."

And then wouldn't it be great if Gordon said back to him, "I was the FIRST Ironman."

Go Gordon!!!!

I don't like to say NEVER and I try to stay positive and refrain from using the word not.....so here is my goal for Kona.

I want to go and run in the Underpants Race!!!!