Without a doubt, being able to manage the heat is what will make or break your run. Dress appropriately and know what you need to do to stay cool both in the humidity and in the direct heat of the lava fields. Keeping your core body temperature and heart rate down in the early stages of the run will ensure you'll have something left for when it matters.
Once you have suffered up Palani Road, you leave the relative comfort of Kailua and the spectators for a solitary, mind-bending run through the lava fields of the Queen K and into the Energy Lab. There is quite possibly no single flat part on this latter segment, with rolling terrain that defies your mind's efforts to ascertain where you are and how much you have left in the tank.
Once you make the descent down Palani, however, adrenaline takes over and there's little else to do but cruise in and soak up one of the longest (and coolest) finishing chutes in all of triathlon.
What Can My Family Do on Race Day?
If they want to see you on the bike, the quick out and back is nice. For the adventurous, there is a shuttle out on the Queen K, but most folks stay in town and swim at the beach or relax. There's a jumbo TV downtown broadcasting the Pro race and plenty of places to eat.
Everyone will want to be near the course early for the run (about 12:30 p.m.) as the Pros start coming through with elite Age Groupers not too far behind. In fact, if you look at the run map, you'll see that your family can station themselves near the bottom of the hill on Palani and catch you coming and going many times before dashing to the finish line to see you wrap up your day!
What's the Biggest Mistake I Can Make?
Course aside, it's racing outside of your ability. Not respecting the race for what it is—a collection of the world's best triathletes on one of the toughest courses anywhere—is a surefire recipe for disaster.
We highly recommend that you commit yourself to cruising the swim and bike until you are descending from Hawi. At that point you can dial things up to Steady and begin your day of racing. Coach Rich rode a 5:12 and qualified for Kona in 2002 at Ironman Wisconsin doing just this: a 72-mile bike ride after a 40-mile warm-up.
What's the Temperature Like on Race Day?
Temps for Kailua-Kona have historically been in the mid- to upper-80s. This is compounded by the humidity and the radiant heat coming from the asphalt and lava. Your best bet is to be ready for a very hot day, both gear-wise and nutritionally speaking. But remember: At the end of the day, everyone else has to race under the same conditions!
As you approach race day, remember to relax and enjoy the journey. There are few times in our lives when we can honestly say, on this day, in this sport, I competed against the best in the world.
Don't ruin the few weeks beforehand—and race day—by crushing yourself. Focus on what matters and save all the hardcore training for your run at qualification next year. You do want to go back...don't you?