Countdown to Kona

Scenes from last year...

Above, the finish line at 4:45 AM on race day, Kona, 2006. Right about that time, nervous athletes were queueing up for body marking.


Athletes are marked with their race number on their arms, and age on the back of the left calf. That number will be 47 instead of 46 this year, firmly in the middle of the 45-49 age group. The tattoos are the logos of all the Ironman races I've done.

From top to bottom, left to right:

Hawaii 2004 (hibiscus), Canada 2002 (maple leaf), the Ironman logo (known as the M-dot), Canada 2003, Canada 2004, Wisconsin 2005 (Madison's capitol dome), Arizona 2006 (cactus), and Coeur d'Alene 2006 (pine tree). Missing are Hawaii 2006 and Canada 2007. I'm still trying to work up the courage...

Hydrate, or die! That's the race day fuelling strategy to counter the legendary winds, heat and humidity of the Big Island.

17 days and counting, to race day...