Running in Kona

The wife and I are on vacation, the one time a year when we both get to be off from our jobs and just relax and enjoy some time together. This year finds us in Hawaii, first on Oah'u and then on the Big Island. Being on the Big Island, and being triathlon geeks, we simply had to go into Kona (we're staying about 25min away) and find where the Ironman Championships are held. Our good friend, the greatest cycling instructor in the world competed here at Kona in 2010. Cool stuff. We drove into town and loved downtown Kona...it has a very small beach town feel to it. The area where the race starts and ends was undergoing some construction because of recent tsunami activity, but it was clearly recognizable. Anyway, from here we did what any good triathlete would do in the mythical land of Kona...run. :)

We started right on Ali'i Drive, which is the end of the race. We ran past where the finish line would be and then up Palani Drive before turning left onto Queen Kaahumanu (Queen K) Highway. We ran up the highway for a ways and then turned around and mirrored the Ironman finishing route turning onto Palani Drive, Kuakini Highway, Hualalai Road, and then Ali'i Drive, back to the finish line. Total run of about 5.25mi.

This was awesome. The Queen K Highway is straight...very straight. We are staying in Waikoloa, north of Kona, and right off Queen K Highway. The bike course comes all the way up here and then some, but the run course hits its turnaround point between where we are staying and Kona, at the National Energy Lab. Driving the highway up near our resort all the way down shows a lot about this bike course...it's long, straight, and hot. Parts have some serious crosswinds. Parts do not. This course would require some serious strategy planning to succeed at. Same deal with the run course (at least the small part we ran)...some elevation, some flat, some wide-open, and some constrained.

I can fully appreciate why so many consider Kona so hard. It's hot out here...really hot. The lava fields that you run and bike in are amazingly beautiful...and make it even hotter. All triathlons have some similar aspects to them and each has its own unique characteristics. My brief exposure to Kona's course highlights this...and I can fully appreciate why it is the site of the biggest dance in triathlon.

Running in an area where so many have done so much is very inspiring. Running on the same ground as the greats in our sport is a privilege and an honor. And I'm very happy to have had the opportunity. If your travels take you to the Big Island of Hawaii, you need to do this. You'll love it.