Kona 2014 Diary days 1 and 2

5 Oct, 20140 Comments

Well one thing is for sure, geting to Kona isn't easy

So here I am, sat in the condo adjacent to Palani Drive soaking it up. To be honest I'm still having to pinch myself a bit. Here is the first two days of the diary, hope you all enjoy!!

Sat 3rd October. Marlon my trusty companion, picked me up at 04:00 for a 07:00 flight (the first of 3) from Manchester to Heathrow. Marlon on my advice was clean shaven both head and face, this to ensure we got through customs in one piece, anyone who knows him will know what I'm on about (Silence, I kill you!!!!!) should see the rest of you right.

As per usual the smooth start to the trip was scuppered when the pilot of the aircraft told us we weren't going anywhere for a bit due to fog in London. He told us not to worry as he had radioed forward to warn Air Traffic Control there were passengers on-board with connecting flights. This was good news for us, as our connection was only 1:15 after landing. So after a one hour delay we took off.

On landing at Haethrow we had 15 mins to make the connection. This became a little more difficult for me when, much to Marlons amusement and my disgust, I was stopped for extra security check. So, as Marlon disappeared into the distance laughing I was all but strip searched, I actually felt violated for the second time in the same day, the first was parting with 65 quid to get the bike to Kona, more on that later.

One thing Ive got to say, the new Airbus A380 is increadible. The ten and a half hours flew by (no pun intended), hundreds of films, TV programs, music, brilliant and super smooth and queit to boot. We were in LA in what seemed like no time and I was ready to be reunited with my bike if only for a short time, wrong! I looked at my phone and I had a text from Joey saying dont worry but your bike didn't make the flight. Brillliant. So, there I was talking to the One World rep about my next move, when who should ask me what's wrong, Chrissy Wellington!! What a girl, she told me not to worry it happens every year to someone and the bike generally turns up in Kona the next day. As I write this, I am waiting to go and pick up the bike tonight. So photos with Chrissy done and onto Kona!!

The Kona flight was the worst bit of the trip. We had now been up for over 24 hours, the aircraft looked like the Wright brothers may have flown it. No TV, soft drinks f ree and pay for food. Add to that two people sat with me who said nothing for the whole flight and you have four and a half very long hours!!

However, we touch down in Kona all the same and what a cool airport, small, with everythime outside, carousels, baggage etc, all under what looked like a giant Tiki Bar. So I took the one bag (no bike) and we eventually got to the condo about 22:30 on the evening of 3rd October actually it was 09:30 on the 4th October. By the time I got in bed I had been up 29 hours!! and guess what I hardly slept a wink!!

Saturday 4th October

so I got up today at 06:00 to do the Kona official 2.4 mile Ironman World Champs practice swim along with 400 others. Not a lot to say about the swim but the venue is amazing. Within 200 meters of swimming I had swum with 2 turtles and seen countless spiecies of fish of all shapes and sizes!! I plod round the coures in 1:13 and the course was long so I was well happy.

After breakfast coooked by chef Greenwood, a little R&R was required so we went to White Sands Beach with the body boards. It was beautiful. Lovely sand and magic waves the only downside was the big rocks on the beech. This is where things got funny for us both. I popped into the sea followed by Marlon equipped with bodyboards. The next 30 minutes were brilliant. Wave after wave all huge, wiped me and Marlon out continuously, there were legs, arm, arses all over the place. At one point I was being strangled by a cord off someone elses missing body board. With that enough was enough. So we went for the more relaxing persuit of snorkelling with the turtles. I say more relaxing, but Marlon may disagree. As he was getting in, he slipped on a rock went under, swallowed a ton of water through the snorkel, then took a big roller straight in the kisser. It's one of the funniest things I've seen in a long time. So after getting mullered again, he got out, shortly followed by me, I did however manage to swim with a couple more turtles.

Then the most shocking part of the day, a 10k run in the mid-day heat (95 degrees). I have now realised that finishing this race really is an achievment if you aren'y used to these condition. I managed to run sub 7 minute miles but my word was it tough. A local took pity on me half way round and soaked me with a hosepipe. I eventually cooled down thanks to the air con and a big portable fan. N thats about it for day 2. Oh, I almost forgot, I did manage to meet Fredrick Van Lierde current Word Champ. Its a tough life!!!!

Look out for the day 3 and 4 report