First Ironman 2012 Couer d'alene

The ironman. Super cool event. Started the day off with a nice swim. Followed by a pretty tough bike ride up hill. In fact, even the pros had slower bike times than usual. Best words to describe the course-up hill and against the wind. They say this ironman is amongst the toughest in the U.S. (i'm not one hundred percent sure). There were moments when I wanted to walk the bike. But the thought of being seen by one of my friends and being labeled was unacceptable. So, I pushed through. I started this race knowing I would finish, and I would finish somewhere between 12 and 13 hours. In order to make this happen, I would have to consume at least 300 calories every hour. Easier said then done. There were moments on the bike where I didn't want to eat at all, which is dangerous. Not eating will cost you the race, and not finishing wasn't an option. At mile 56 I stopped for lunch to force myself to start eating again. I sat down at the turnaround point for 15 minutes and ate solid food...one musubi, Doritos, and a peanut butter sandwich. I'm sure 200 bikers passed me. With the bike finally out of the way it was on to the run. The run proved to be a lot easier than the bike. My strategy was simple, keep my heart rate low and eat. So I walked though each aid station eating and drinking. Between the aid stations I would focus on not throwing up. I would repeat this process about 25 times. There was one solid hill on the run-I walked. Finally, the last 500 meters. The most important part of the entire race. The town is going crazy. Thousands of people line each side of the street. Yelling and screaming at the top of their lungs. This was the moment that I was told by a few of my friends to enjoy. I did, I worked the crowed as much as possible. I gave a few arm and hand gestures that caused the crowd to erupt. Nothing but smiles all the way to the finish line. I also had a pretty good pose for the finish line. A pose that I had been perfecting for a year. Everything came together perfectly. The moment that I had been waiting for was finally here. Crossing the finish line, and hearing the word, "Makani Christensen from Honolulu, Hawaii with board shorts on. You are an Ironman!" It is an overwhelming feeling. Crossing the finish line after 140.3 miles. If you have time and you want to do something crazy...my recommendation is the Ironman.

Keawe Adventures Products

create & buy custom products at Zazzle

Hanauma Bay Snorkeling with Individuals from Wisconsin

6/18/2012

                 A beautiful morning strong winds blowing from the northeast at 20-30 miles per hour and overcast.  The sun peaks over the horizon, and the clouds glow bright orange with hints of red and pink.  The seas are rough, white caps blankets the ocean in a uniformed but disorganized pattern of white streaks over the blackened ocean.  The bay, however, is protected from the ferocity of the winds and waves.  

                Hanauma Bay is relatively empty with only a few soles wondering on the beach at such an early hour.   The bay waiting for the bus loads of people it has become accustom to.  Visitors from all parts of the world excited to see what swims beneath the surface. 

                Visitors plunge into the cool Pacific Ocean ready to discover, to snorkel with the god, and to find happiness where happiness was void.  These guest, these visitors find their way through the maze of reef with the help of hired guides.  To their amazement and highlight of their day they find a turtle.  This is the climax of their trip.  A picture of a turtle with is priceless.  This is a rare spectacle for an individual from the Midwest and an unforgettable experience that will last a lifetime.

 For three awesome people from Wisconsin, Cindy, Vicki and Robin, they experience Hanauma Bay at its finest.  Out of the three of them, two of them had never snorkeled before.   After a quick lesson, we headed to the water.  Rigged with a life vest, fins, mask and snorkel we practiced for a few minutes in the shallows before starting snorkel adventure.   Fish were all over the place. 

                You could see the excitement in their body language and facial expressions.  Their mask would quickly fill with water as they smiled or they would start to kick at a rapid rate when they saw fish beneath them.  Sometimes you will have the opportunity to hear screams and shouts under the water at the discovery of a new fish. 

                We talked and snorkeled and enjoyed these precious moments in the pacific.  I was able to share my knowledge of the ocean with great individuals from Wisconsin.  Ua mau kea o ka aina I ka pono (the life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness). 

Honu 70.3 Ironman 2012

        
           Sleeping was a part of the itinerary that I neglected. Tossing and turning all night anticipating the big race at 7:00 am. We would leave the condo, rented by Rick a fellow triathlete and a close friend, at 5:00 am-our alarm clock not necessary. This would be a day to remember!

            The training that we endured to get to this point was monumental. We spent hours on the bike. We trekked throughout areas of Oahu that I've never seen:  the back roads of Waipahu next to Pearl Harbor. This area I'm referring to is a 10 mile stretch from Waipahu and Aiea along the shores of Pearl Harbor (Waimomi).

            This race, the Honu Half Ironman on the Big Island, is a warm up to the full Ironman in Coeur d’alene, Idaho on the 24th of June. None the less a race is a race.

            Rick, Craige, Naomi, Craiges' girl, and I loaded into our dodge Chrysler van and headed to Hapuna. The start of the 2012 Half Ironman a 1.2 mile swim around some buoys.

            This year so happened to be Lance Armstrong’s debut into Ironman Hawaii, and we were racing against the guy. Lance is an impressive. He is the top triathlete in the world.  Right now unstoppable.

            Almost 2000 swimmers line Hapuna Beach for the start of the race. The swim dictates the entire race. If you lose it on the swim you will lose your concentration throughout the race.

Our national anthem was sung by some dude, then boom!!! The blast marked the official start to the race. It was on!!!

            I started behind a few slow people and going around them without drowning them would be difficult. No worries there would be clear water when the crowd thinned out. But not before hitting the first buoy. The crowd of people pinched around a hair pin turn. It looked like a scene right out of shark week where the schools of sharks are frenzying. Bottom-line...it was nuts!

            For the next few minutes looked for the next buoy. I couldn’t see it and continued to swim. The depth of the water got deeper and deeper. Before I knew it the mass of swimmers were about 200 yards off course. One of the buoys broke. They actually allowed a couple swimmers to continue racing even thought they were past the allotted time.

            I finally turned on the final buoy 50 yards from shore. The end of the swim only a few strokes away.

            My plan was to take it easy out of the water. Keep my heart rate down in efforts to maintain a solid pace during the bike ride. I even walked up the hill to the transition area 1 (swim to bike).

            The first five miles of the bike ride, I got my legs adjusted to peddling. I peddled easy to get the blood back into my legs down towards the Maunalani the turnaround point. Finally I got into a solid grove. I peddled at a solid pace toward Kawaihae into a fierce wind 30-40 mph. Although the winds were super strong the majority of the time the winds were blowing from the side.

            Out to Hawi and back to Maunalani. I conserved energy on the hills and maintained at a relatively fast pace. A few triathletes that struggled during the swim passed me on the bike.

About 10 miles from the bike turn around Lance Armstrong was on the opposite side of the street. I finally passed Lance Armstrong on the right.  He had a demanding lead at least 2 miles.

            At the turn around point in Hawi I ate half of a half peanut butter sandwich that Rick a.k.a Ricky Bobby shared with me. It was an uphill climb to Hawi. At the turn around it would be smooth sailing. Down hill...at times we would reach speeds of 40 miles per hour.

Couple times during the ride I ran into a couple of my friends.  Kim B. and I were going back and forth for a little while. At one point I passed her going downhill. Then she passed me going uphill. This happened a couple times. I saw her breaking going downhill as I passed her for the fourth time. I yelled at her, "Get aggressive feel the wind!" That was the last time I saw her on the bike. A little motivation goes a long way.

            Getting into the transition area 2 (bike to run) I felt great. Then I started running, and my legs immediately cramped up. Push through the pain! The first mile was pretty tough. I finally got into a rhythm. The legs and arms were cramping, but I was handling. I saw Kim about 200 yards in front of me. I was gaining on her. My goal was to pass her. 

            On mile 7 my legs and arms started to cramp more. I stopped at each aid station drinking water, coke and eating. Passing Kim B. was now a distant memory. Everything I ate or drank didn’t help. What I needed more than anything was salt!!! My pace started to slow. Rick and Craige (the guys I car pooled with to Hapuna) passed me on mile 8.

            This run would prove to be the most difficult task. I started to walk up hills and at aid stations. It was hot, it was like running through a desert. The heat reflected off the as-fault and lava fields creating mirages in the distance. The wind was strong. I had to lean forward to move forward. Drafting other runners would have made the run so much easier, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

            The last 3 miles of this 13.1 mile run was the toughest. The heat, wind, and lack of salt all added to my mind wondering. I questioned the full Ironman competition that is coming up on June 24, 2012 in Idaho.  Arms were cramping, legs were cramping and I was dehydrated borderline heat exhaustion.

            The final mile! Walking wasn't an option. Although everything in my body told me that I should. Finally, the end in sight! All I had to do is run towards the ocean, over the back nine, and into the shoot and cross the finish line.

            Five hours and thirty five minutes later (5:35:50) I crossed the finish line. I raised my arms above my head in a partial celebration, saving the big celebration for the full Ironman.

As I moved forward all I could think about was water. I stopped at the aid station and started to drink, drink and drink.  After a few awesome moments lying on the ground and my body getting back to normal, I joined the rest my support crew. Talking story and of course drinking a couple beers.

            I was happy with my time. I also learned a valuable lesson. I needed salt tablets to endure this race.



Some of the Highlights from our training crew....

-Kathreen Taylor got a Kona spot (world championship)

-Frans ...unreal time 5 hours 11 min

-Aarron S. (aka Nitro) time of 4 hours and 45 min

-Kim B. time of 5 hours and 25 min

-Hiroyuki H. (aka Harry) personal record

-Creige passed me got lottary for Kona (world championship)

-Rick K. (aka Ricky Bobby) passed med and got lottary for Kona (world championship)

-Rachael R. time of 4 hours and 50 min got Kona spot and turned it down. I think she gave up on triathlons all together. Very impressive athlete who has many accomplishments.



As for me, I improved my time by 50 minutes. I was pumped, stoked and excited. I questioned my capabilities.  I questioned my physical ability to finish the full Ironman in a couple of weeks.  Ultimately this race better prepared me for the physical torture that we will soon endure.  Tomorrow would be a new day and a new race.  I signed up for the Kukio Challenge.  Another Triathlon.