This is going to hurt…a lot. But you’ll be so glad you did it! Maybe WTC should consider having something like that pop up on screen after athletes register for Ironman Hawaii. I mean, there’s no way to sugar coat this race. Even on the nicest of days, it’s still humid, hot, windy and just plain hard! This year, the winds out on course seemed to fall off the Fujita tornado scale but they were still there and Mother Nature managed to dish out her fair share of hurt to the amazing women and men who were fortunate enough to compete in the 2018 edition of the Ironman World Championships.
Speaking of fortunate, we were lucky enough to have front row seats all week and want to share a brief recap of our time on The Big Island.
We arrived the Sunday before the race and went to work setting up the Coeur Sports booth at the expo. While working a booth is always tiring, we were lucky to have a great view and we got meet old and new friends.
There's nothing quite like an office with a view
Once the booth was up and running, we headed over to the Coeur house. The house was in a gated community tucked away behind the King Kam hotel and it made for easy access to the expo and the race course. We had several of our athletes staying with us and there was always someone coming in from a workout or going out on run or ride.
Plus, we invited Lilias and David who are our the amazing hosts of our podcast called Ear Splitz to record their own podcast called Kona Kamps (it’s awesome so check it out) in the house. This added to the fun since we had their guests coming through on the way to the interview room.
The hosts of our podcast Ear Splitz and Kona Kamps hard at work
The week flew by and suddenly it was Thursday. As they say, if it’s Thursday in Kona, it must be Underpants Run “UPR” day! Most of you probably know this, but the UPR started off as a tongue in cheek protest against all the tiny swim suits seen on the bike and run before and during the race. They did it each year and eventually there were so many people participating that the organizers turned it into a charity run and most of the proceeds go back to the local community. We always try to have a team on the course and this year was our biggest yet.
No pre (Underpants Run) race jitters to be seen.
Since we’ve got so many athletes in one place and we’re surrounded by beauty, we try to carve out time for a photo shoot in Kona each year. This year, we gathered near the old airport and got some great shots of the team.
We couldn't pass up the opportunity for a photo shoot with the team
A few run pics captured at the old airport
1, 2, 3...Jump...or just be sillly.
The mood and feel in town always seems to transition after Thursday afternoon. The athletes who were running and biking all over town during the week retreat to their rooms as they contemplate what’s in front of them.
For those of us not jumping into the ocean at sunrise, there's the legendary Thank Goodness I'm Not Racing ("TGINR") party hosted by the equally legendary Bob Babbitt.
Attending TGINR takes a different kind of endurance!
Then, somewhere around 4:00 a.m. the alarm goes off and it’s Race Day! We tried to spread out on the course and managed to snap some pictures of our ambassadors and customers in action.
Hailey Manning Heading out on the Bike
Lots of Coeur Customers out on the course
Amy Farrell Ran her way onto the podium again
Angela Quick was first female AG out of the water & had a great race
Triny Willerton went being hit by a car in May to IM Hawaii Finisher.
Laura Sophiea was cleared by her doctor to race with an injured knee
Another one of our favorite traditions is the Coeur Sports post-race brunch. We hold it at Daylight Mind and it’s a great chance to catch up with everyone who competed and listen to their war stories.
Thank you Daylight Mind for Hosting
First time IM Hawaii Finisher Marisa Rastetter being interviewed
Before we knew it, we were flying home with full hearts and tired feet. If you’ve never been to Kona to watch, we’d certainly encourage you to consider the trip. It’s equal parts, fun, exhausting and inspiring and we hope to see you there next year!
Kona...you truly are magical.
Until then…Mahalo from your friends at Coeur!