Book Em Dano!

Well, it’s time for the first race of the season. I’m looking forward to a great year of racing, I believe I’m in the best triathlon shape ever, and hopefully everything comes together on race day.

We’ve been in Honolulu now for a full day now, and I’m loving the place. We’re in the Aqua Coconut Plaza, nice and close to the host hotel, and only a 5km ride at the most to the race site. We swam on the course today, the water’s pretty salty (it leaves a nasty bite in my throat) but it’s in a protected bay. The beach is spectacular. There is a corral reef wall that breaks the waves further out, giving us our protected bay.

We went out to ride on the course…looks really flat, so it’s gonna be fast. I never thought that the island of Honolulu could have so many cars!! Our ride today was pretty congested, but all the roads will be closed on race morning. A fair portion of the bike is conducted under a highway overpass, think of riding along Lakeshore Blvd in downtown Toronto.

Our tiny room...

McCartney in his corner...

We (Andrew, AP and I) had a brief chat with Joel prior to leaving. Since it’s the first race of the season, Joel wanted us to just go out and race; no expectations placed on ourselves. He makes a great point. We are fit, but regardless of what happens, he wants us to race hard the whole way, especially on the run. That is the hardest part, to keep pushing when the going gets tough late in the race. No excuses for whatever happens (good or bad), just race, and then determine/realize what work still needs to be done. And there is a lot of work still to come this year!!

I’m going to have to try and remember to just race, and not worry about what is happening in the race, which will be tough as I’ve got expectations in the back of my mind as to how I think I should be able to do. I’m going to go into the race with the mindset of the fact that I am much more fit than this time last year, race hard, and run like hell. And if things don’t go as I had hoped, well, hopefully I can learn why.

Aloha,

Dano

The steed ready for action

McCartney couldn't keep the women off him in the Seattle airport