Aloha Kailin!

Yea...daughter Kailin arrived from Tennessee tonight, still smiling after 17 hours of travel time! She's completed IM WI once and IM Louisville twice, and is here to cheer me on...yea! And I know niece Allison will want to swim-bike-run with her older cousin!

Also arriving today was friend and fellow swimmer Carol, all the way from Canada. We are looking forward to swimming again with her while she's here! The first picture is of Robin and Carol, and the next is of Robin and I, Lucie and Rebecca, who have been my great swim partners during Ironman training. Some days we swim with lots of talking, some days lots of floating, and some days we hardly stop at all...except for dolphins, sharks (!) and interesting fish. We also did 2.4 Ironman swims regularly - thanks girls!!

So, finally, a race report from the 7th Annual Kukio Blue Water Swim held last Saturday. This race is a point-to-point 1.2 mile swim beginning at Kua Bay and ending at Kukio beach, and for once, I was actually early enough to warm-up. But...standing at the water's edge, I watched as the waves came crashing in - big waves - and was concerned that once I got out there, I wouldn't be able to get back in for the pre-race meeting. So once again, I did not warm-up (my usual SOP at races). Later, I heard that a competitor was unable to start the race due to a dislocated shoulder during his warm-up/battle with the waves, so I was happy with my no-warm-up decision!

I choose a great spot to start - not many people, but still a good line to the first buoy. Before too long, I realized that once again, I was battling it out with my friend's 14-year-old daughter. She stayed on course, kept a great pace, and once again, beat me! Most of the way there were 4 to 6 of us jockeying for position, and there was some toe-touching going on, but it wasn't too too bad.

I felt strong, and had to work to stay on toes for the draft, especially at the end. I almost lost concentration when I saw a big turtle just before the finish...oh, the "hazards" of swim racing in the ocean! Then there was the usual run/slog through deep sand to the finish line!

I was surprised when someone tapped me on the shoulder after the race, and thanked me for the great draft and said he was sorry for touching my toes...and this was a guy who has won his age group in the Kona World Championship Ironman race numerous times! Anyway, I was very pleased with my time of 26:55, and first in my 50-54yr. age group of 17 women.

Sunday we ran in the 25th Annual 5k & 10k PATH Walk/Run, out and back on Alii Drive. Cliff and I held a steady pace for the first half of the race, and the second half I picked it up a little. I actually passed a few people on the way to the finish line, and was happy to come in just under 58 minutes. So, I ran 6.2 miles...that times 4, plus more, and I'll have the marathon on Saturday completed! No problem!

Lots of excitement starts tomorrow - athlete registration begins, there's an Ironman Keike Dip & Dash - young kids swim, then run a short distance; then it's time for the Parade of Nations, where the athletes from all the different countries walk down Alii Drive. The Ironman excitement is building!!