Here come the judge’s scores in today’s Backdoor Bragging competition....

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

I can't help with everything, but #3, yes it's hot and humid. I doubt it got below 70 at any point during my trip ('17)
#4 I'm a fast swimmer for my AG and swam in a speedo because, a) I didn't wanna spend $$$ on a swim skin knowing it wouldn't help much (salt water and all that), and b) I wanted to feel the "old school" experience
#6 I'd choose a helmet that is as cool as possible, which is hopefully aero too. (I didn't think about that and regret it)
#7 Drink way more than you think you need, drink way more than you want (that was likely my biggest downfall)

Congrats on qualifying...
enjoy the journey!

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I saw this on a white board in a window box at my daughters middle school...
List of what life owes you:
1. __________
2. __________
3. __________

thank you thank you thank you....small tear...sniffle...gracious bow...pick up bouquet and teddy bears


ps where else can you brag about it?? Sane people just shake their heads.

1) I like the Keauhou area. Really enjoyed the Kona Coast Resort (we were only 2 though)
2) Take your bike
3) Ridiculously hot in the sun and not much cooling benefit from the evaporation of sweat since it's so damn humid. Dumping ice cold water on your head is the only way to cool down during the race.
4) No, but you'd be a tiny bit faster with one... (it isn't buoyant at all, it's textile with some kind of hydrophobic coating)
5) 11-28, you'll use the 11 on the way back from Hawi
6) Use the road helmet (one in white if you have one). Looks like you don't tolerate heat very well. Also get a white kit, shoes, etc...
7) Own stuff and water/gatorade/coke from course
8) For real, use good sunscreen... I had blistering in 2017. This year I used a few coats of water resistant 100 before the swim, another coat on forearms and knees before bike and a last coat before the run. I am fair skinned and did not get burned this year (it was one of my main goals lol)

Just go get that t-shirt/medal/bragging right and don't be a hero on race day, especially at your first showing...

Congrats and happy training!

Thanks

Is there a shuttle from Keauhou, or along Ali in any form, or did you rent a car?

Do they have sunscreen on the course, I had one race where it was hot they didn't and one race, Louisville, where they had a tent coming out of the change room with two volunteers offering it. I nearly fell over laughing at that, because it was 8c and raining. But they at least had it.

I hadn't thought of sunscreen for the swim, because it's so early.
ps is the sun a problem in the swim?

If you swim 1:15 with wetsuit then don't be disappointed if you add 10-15 minutes at Kona. Yes go with a skin.

Take your bike. I'd do an aero road helmet if I was heat intolerant.

In the town of Kailua-Kona it actually isn't that hot. mid 80s. humid. most restaurants are open air. out on the Queen K it's a different story though. no shade and the pavement really lets off heat in the afternoon.

Drink lots! and use what's on course unless you just can't stomach it. there's coke on the bike which I love.

Start the run much slower than you think. there are a bunch of athletes who overcook bike and first few miles of run and are walking early, yes, even at Kona

Everyone on the bike is fast it seems. there are no slow riders to pass like you may be used to. and there's very little "on your left" being spoken, so stay heads up. The flip side is that most everyone is a decent bike handler.

Expect the unexpected from the winds during the bike. Just because you have a stiff headwind on the way out doesn't mean it won't be just as strong in your face on way back in.

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Coach at KonaCoach Multisport

Regarding #5- gearing: I think the two best Kona options on a standard 53/39 crank are:
If it is expected to be windy a 12-28: you need the 28 to spin up some hills and into the wind if going uphill, saves legs for run
If it is expected to be less windy 11-25 to take advantage of the faster tailwinds
I see it only these two choices to preserve the 16 gear which you lose in many other cassette combinations. I think the 16 is critical on this course.

Some of my gearing data for 2018 Kona to back up my reasoning: I gambled and used the 12-28. It ended up being less windy so I gambled wrong. Here is why: post race analysis revealed I only needed the 39-28 gear for a total of 2mins 21 seconds. I was in the 52-12 for 26min 43 seconds with an average speed of 32.9 and avg cadence of 94. That tells me I "spun out" for too much of the course and could have gained a larger speed advantage if I had an 11. I would have been better off using an 11-25, struggling in the 25 for only maybe 2 mins and going much faster in sections with an 11 for almost 30 mins.
BTW, I used my 53-16 for 29mins at 199 watts so that is why I think any cassette you choose should preserve the 16

I have a couple of Hed3 (front and back) I love, is it too windy? Maybe just the back? I'm no lightweight.

I start the run, walking :0)

- I highly recommend renting a car (there is a shuttle from the Keauhou shopping center to the race start race morning)
- They do have sunscreen in transition, but I wanted to use mine before the bike (and it can get crowded...)
- The morning coating is not for the swim, but to make sure I at least have some everywhere in case I miss a spot in a hurry in transition. In "regular" IM races, I just put 2 coats pre swim and that's it. Kona is different for a few reasons : my skin is not used to the sun anymore coming from east coast canada in October, the sun is BRUTAL, you sweat a lot more than usual...

how did you record this?

Thanks..noted

May be a stupid question, but what is wrong with an 11-28....not sure what you mean by the 16th gear?
I know there are redundancies, does this mean I am down to 15 combinations.

To be honest, if it's seriously uphill I need the luxury of the 28 (I can manhandle 25, but that invites cramping in the heat), and I love the 11, because that's as much fun as I get all day.

There are no big hills in Kona

The climb to Hawi is really not hard at all unless you are a real big lad

Ignore any reference to town not being hot - this year was a hot and sweaty oven , it was cooler on the Queen K but not by much

It’s always somehow hotter than anywhere else I have raced

Carry a bottle with you and get used to carrying one months out - stopping and filling up at every 3 to 4 aid stations will save you time and allow my time for ice and water of which you will need a shit load

The energy lab is like a scene from the walking dead even at the pointy end , everyone walks at some point

Apart from that it’s so much fun !

I'm sorry, I have to ask what AG are you in?

And no, I am not asking because of the times you posted... I am asking because you used the word "Bupkiss"

And this is important because if you are 70+, you can wear a wetsuit in Kona (although not be eligible for awards)

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808 > NYC > PDX > YVR
2024 Races: Taupo

I have Di2 and the Dfly integration that records this data to your Garmin file. Then you can load your Garmin file into Di2stats.com and some absolutely fantastic data visualizations appear and you can geek out for days. I haven't seen many others talk about Di2stats.com much so maybe not enough know about it, but it is a fantastic tool to determine what cassette works best on a certain course, where you can improve, or in my case, where I made mistakes.

If we are talking about 11 speed cassettes, the Shimano 11-28 skips the 16 gear. Many other wide ranging cassettes miss the 16 gear to. I am saying that I think the 16 is critical for typical cruising power and cadence on the Kona course. Again, in my case I was in that gear for 29 minutes so that is a good chunk of the course. If I didn't have the 16, that means I would have spent 29 minutes in the 15 or the 17, either of which are doable, but just not the perfect gear to be in for those times.
The 11-25 cassette has a 16 but not the 28 that you probably want but it gives you the "fun" 11 gear, and on a day like 2018 Kona, the right gear for a good 30 minutes of the ride.
The 12-28 cassette has a 16 but not the 11, but it does have the relief 28 that would be more critical on a higher wind day (especially if you want to preserve run legs by spinning more). Does this make sense?

Wow! I really have no idea there's a way to record and analyze this. Thanks!

Really, I didn't know that.

Congrats. Kona was my #8 and was by far, much, much more than any of the others! I agree with the notion of not being a hero, just enjoy it, it's a pretty cool thing to be a part of.

1)VBRO a house, tons of places available and very easy to stay 3-4 miles out.
2)TBT, this was my first time with them. It's not cheap, but I'd use them again with out question. (although I haven't gotten my bike back yet).
3)It's hot, and its humid, all the time. Get a place with A/C if you want to feel dry while sleeping. The sun is HOT during the day!!
4)I bought a Roka skin. 50/50% if I'd do that again. Lots of peeps not using them.
5)Don't worry about gears. No real hills.
6)road helmet will be less fragile while traveling
7)lots of aid stations on both bike and run course. plenty of stuff to go around.
8)sunscreen is available before the race starts and in the changing tents T1+T2.

Enjoy

would you ever use a compact instead ? and thanks for the other info.

So no cookies for a year, if I don't want to toss them in the race.
And practice walking (I can do that )
Got it.

Cheers

Firstly, congrats on qualifying and taking your spot. I did my first Kona this year and I'm still on a high from the experience.



1) Where to rent, enough for 6 people (friends and other idiot who want to race as well) any favourites that don't require a 2nd mortgage.



You have two options: either you stay right in the heart of town where everything is walking distance OR you hire a car. If you hire a car, that opens up a whole range of really good options and house rentals. Just be aware that traffic and parking gets pretty bad as you get closer to the race - not a major problem, just something to consider. We had a big group as well and went with a car and an apartment rental right on Kahalu'u beach park. We chose that spot because my kids love surfing and snorkeling and would be bored to death living the triathlon scene 24/7 - in theory they could watch the run from the pool but they changed the run course slightly after we'd booked it!! My point is - it depends on what you're into and where you want to be close to but airbnb, vrbo etc have heaps of good options this far out.


2) Take your own bike or rent, travelling with a bike is a b***** or take own wheels/saddle/whatever?



Definitely take your own bike. Get a decent bike bag/box and it is super easy. I traveled with a bike, 4 surfboards, 3 kids and 4 adults and traveled around 3 islands in the weeks prior. I packed/unpacked my bike 6 times but it was super easy. I rented race wheels from racedaywheels and that was also very easy to arrange.


3) Just how bloody hot is it? I cook at anything above about 70f



I can totally relate to this one. I've previously never had a good race in the heat. I arrived in Hawaii 3 weeks before the race (I realise this isn't feasible for most). The first week I was there I severely struggled to run in the heat - I mean severely - like I bonked on a 8km steady run!!. I made a point of using fans but never the A/C and acclimated really well. By race day I barely noticed the heat. Also they have the best aid stations and best volunteers you've ever seen and they are at every mile on the run. I was surprised how little the heat was a factor for me in the end but I think a lot of it was also due to racing conservatively.


4) Do I really need a swimskin....I go 1:15'ish with a wetsuit and sea water is about equally buoyant (isn't it?)


Up to you. Almost everyone wears one but it is just a question of money for speed and the speed/time difference could be minimal


5) Gearing.....I'm a 6 hr bike in Mt Tremblant which is about the same elevation change (1800m/5400ft). Did that with a 12-25, but it should have been a 11-28, standard crank.



I went 11-28 and was glad I did.


6) Aero helmet or stay cooler with road helmet.



Either Aero with plenty of vents or roadie. You not only want the air to pass over your head but when you squirt cold water on yourself, you want it to get in.


7) Course food/drink or own stuff?



Personal preference.


8) Anything else (yeah I know sunscreen)


If you're not expecting to be FOP, race really safe and conservative. I just plodded the swim and the first half of the bike. I'm sure I could've posted a faster overall time but I still wouldn't have been even remotely close to the podium and, in the end, my favourite and strongest part of the race was the notorious energy lab. And I still managed to just sneak in under 10. Remember, everyone there is a local hero and not used to letting people go past them. This is why so many people blow up on the run. If you're still running strongly at the end, you'll be passing a lot of people.


I was really nervous before the race and the best bit of advice I received was 'think of it as a fully catered long training day on closed roads with 2000 friends and like-minded people' - worked for me.




Good luck!!

Thanks

I am beginning to get the idea.

In my age group, even on a good day, I'm an hour (or more) out of placing in Kona.

TriBike Transport for your bike - no fuss, no muss!

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David
* Ironman for Life! (Blog) * IM Everyday Hero Video * Daggett Shuler Law *
Disclaimer: I have personal and professional relationships with many athletes, vendors, and organizations in the triathlon world.