Seriously? Is this my life?!!!! Because it’s FREAKING AWESOME!



When I think paradise, I picture race week in Kona. Morning swims in the ocean, the most delicious coffee known to man, mid-day naps, afternoon runs, and bike rides that look like this:


With just one day left til the Big Dance I am feeling rested and ready. And there’s nothing I like better than a little Saturday morning jaunt that kicks off with a 2.4 mile swim through Kailua Bay, 112 mile bike up the Kohala Coast and my favorite 26.2 mile run on the planet.

I may have raced here three times before, but this year I get to race with my Dynamo teammates Kathryn, Drew, EJ, and Matthew.

And between the GREEN gear, vuvuzelas, and Coach Maria’s custom beach cruiser, the Dynamo cheer crew is going to be tough to miss!

So what’s the best place to get updates during the race? I’d bet on the Dynamo Multisport Twitter account to be blowing up with the most up-to-date race details on me and my fellow Greenies. And you’re welcome to try IronmanLive though I have a hunch the online Athlete Tracker, which is notorious for going down during races, might actually be a social experiment in frustration.

Either way, thank you for following! I really do appreciate all the cheers and I can feel those good vibes all the way out here in the middle of the Pacific. The cannon goes off at 7am Hawaii time, which is 1pm on the East Coast and I hope to be done in time for my ATL friends to still go out and party!

Oh, and one last thing. So Coach and I have made our traditional Kona bet. It’s not just about the swim (though we’re always both out for fastest Dynamo Masters swim bragging rights), this is our “OMG you did not actually agree to that” total finish time wager. And yes, we’re talking tattoos again. And this year, I think I might actually have a shot at making my time. I have a couple ideas for what I’m planning to make him get (maybe an M-Dot tramp stamp with hearts and flowers?) but I’m always open to ideas so please, send them, and maybe a little extra luck, my way!! Mahalo!

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What is it about Hawaii? What keeps me coming back? Why can’t I stop thinking about the Big Island? About the Queen K? Ali’i Drive? Why in the world would I spend 51 weeks saving just to blow ALL that cash on ONE WEEK?

Aren’t there other races? Aren’t there better hobbies? What makes Hawaii so special?

I think it’s the views. Both above water,

And below.

It’s the coffee,

Which tastes even better 700 meters off-shore.

It’s the food,

And by food, I mean ice cream.

In Kona, World Champions are everywhere,

And they happily greet their scantily clad fans.

I’ve grown up with this race:

2009

2010

2011

Now I get to reunite with old friends.

And give those at home a reason to cheer.

Because I know I can do better.

So here goes round four!

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Holy hell Vegas, you did not disappoint!

Last year I watched the 70.3 World Championships at home on my computer. I’d opted for Ironman Louisville over the Championship Half Ironman’s first run in Sin City. But as I hit refresh on IronmanLive for the 1 millionth time, I was suffering from some serious race envy. Vegas looked other-worldly. Desert heat, hills, and crazy fast competition; I knew in 2012 I wanted to be on that start line.

The Swim that Almost Wasn’t

Fast forward 365 days and there I was! Treading water in Lake Las Vegas with one hundred of my closest 18-29 year old female friends. The gun went off and BOOM! WORST START EVER. It was like I’d never swum a stroke in my life. I was seriously floundering and getting totally run over by my entire age group. Sensing panic-mode, my brain took over:

Dear Self,
Remember those four years you swam for the University of Georgia?
400 IM Group? Get out swims? 3000 meter backstrokes for time?
Remember your awesome Lane 8 teammates at Dynamo Masters?
Coach Maria yelling at your lazy right arm during hour straight swims?
Well now would be a great time to put your head down and
FREAKING DO YOURSELF AND YOUR TEAMS SOME JUSTICE!!!

Normally I try to keep the self-talk positive, but every now and then the only thing that works is a much deserved swift kick in the ass. And thankfully, on this occasion, my mind delivered.

A couple strong strokes later I was in clear water heaven. I enjoyed this for about 2.5 seconds before I caught the wave of men who had started five minutes before me. This presented another problem:
Orange caps + Orange buoys = Sighting DISASTER!

So much orange...

Far left, far right, smack dab on top of a man I mistook for a buoy (sorry!); I could barely tell which way was up. Happy thoughts and a couple laughs kept me going and before I knew it I was under the bridge with the RED swim exit buoy in sight!

Biking and Baking in the Desert Sun

The 56 mile bike course was absolutely GORGEOUS! The up and down barren desert landscape kind of reminded me of the lava fields of Hawaii. Except where the lava fields feel empty, I sensed the Lake Mead National Recreation Area was teeming with life. I knew if I stopped, I’d definitely be eaten alive by the rattlesnakes, gila monsters, and man-sized tarantulas living in the roadside brush. Lucikly, this kept me moving.

The climb from Lake Mead to T2 at Green Valley Ranch was brutal. Although it kept my hair frizz free, the dry desert air was sucking the life out of me. And even with four on-course aid stations, my water bottle always seemed to be dry. I knew the upcoming 13.1 mile run was going to take some major focus.

Just Keep Running

I love running loops and I was pretty psyched about Vegas’ three loop run course. I thought the set up was a brilliant way to ensure aid station and spectator support thorughout the run. But I was in for a surprise.

The first loop I felt like a spectator in Gladiator. I was still fairly fresh, but some of the people from the waves ahead of me had already been trudging up and down Green Valley Parkway for more than an hour. It was total carnage and unfortunately, a bit of a preview.

My second and third loops were a couple slices of humble pie. The fresh feeling of Loop 1 was gone and I kicked myself for ever thinking “this was only a half.” The heat, the hills, the competition – this race deserved some serious respect.

My saving grace, once again, was Chance Regina. Just like last year in Hawaii, the Blue Competition Cycles Man was there at my lowest points, telling me exactly what I needed to hear. Echoing Coach Diablo’s words and reminding me to keep fighting. I took a lot of strength from both Chance and some other unexpected on-course cheers. Just when I thought I was alone out there, someone would drag me from the depths with a quick “Go Haley.” And for that I say: Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU. That may have looked like a grimace on my face, but I heard you! And inside I was backflipping with joy!

Aftermath and Takeaways

I crossed the finish line four hours and 53 minutes after I started. Third in my age group, sixth amateur, and 23rd female overall. Not bad!!!

At the awards ceremony the presenter announced I’d posted the fastest overall female swim time, including the pros! He also joked “somewhere out there Matt Rose is happy,” refering to Coach Diablo. This made my day, because really, my success is a reflection of the hard work of my coaches, teammates, sponsors, friends and family, and they all deserved to be on that podium with me. Though I’m glad Diablo wasn’t actually up there because I kind of enjoyed being one of the tallest people on stage:

Vegas was a World Championship worthy course. It was not easy and I may have underestimated it a bit, but the experience was incredible. There are a couple things I might do different next time, like carry water on the run and maybe plan better for the point-to-point race logistics, but overall I couldn’t be happier with my performance. I had to work out there. I learned a lot and I will be back!

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Friday morning I will be on the early flight out of ATL. Destination: Sin City!!!

An accountant gambling in Vegas?! Yeah, right! The only place my hard earned cash is headed is straight into the pockets of the World Triathlon Corporation. And that’s how I like it!

This weekend I’m competing in the Ironman 70.3 World Championship. The Half Ironman distance race starts with a nice 1.2 mile swim in Lake Las Vegas, followed by a hilly 56 mile bike around Lake Mead, and finishes up with a blistering hot 13.1 mile run through Green Valley Ranch. Now THAT is my idea of the perfect Vegas Vacation!!!

My partner in crime for the weekend is none other than the very talented Mr. Ryan Wolfe. And wouldn’t you know, Ryan’s 28th birthday happens to be this weekend!!! This means two things:

(1) There WILL be post-race celebrations
(2) Drinks are on me!

See you in Vegas!

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