I think it is Gator EF will be pretty available. They set up "aid stations" on the Queen K the days before and. And I assume that the swim will have it available like the IMNA events.

The week leading up to the race is all about race day parking driving logistics for your family ;-) do a little hunting around and you'll find your own spot and routes in and out. There are plenty within a short walk.

Given the way the race shuts down the main roads, don't bother the family having them try and venture past the main areas in town for spectating, it isn't worth a 1/2 mile family sprint up a hill to see you a seond time flash past on the bike. They can see you several times on the doubling back run course.

My routine is to hithc hike to the race that morning and then ride my bike back home at the end of the race beause to get a little flush out the legs. Give you wife your gear and pedal home, remembering all the pain on that part of the run!

Vernon I am not sure where you are located, but if you are in the US Gatorade EF is readily available in most grocery stores. If not you can probably get some mail order. That way you can try some in Training before you go to Kona.

Personally I can't tell much of a difference between regular G-ade and EF, and I have used them interchangably... but you may be different.

In 1997 they used Met-Rx ORS on the course. I did not try it until race week at the expo. I thought it was great in the lobby of the King k hotel, but could not handle it out on the course.

Vernon,

You will have the opportunity to test the endurance formula at the expo. Look for the Gatorade booth, they will have pre-made samples as well as packets you can take with you and constitute as needed. It's all free, so take what you think you will need.

We stayed about 5 miles south of TA, just after St Peter's Church and the5 mile turnaround, and we drove into town every day and parked just outside town on Ali'i Dr just across from the Royal Kona. Look for the lot, it is free, on your right as you head into town, it is grass/dirt. We were able to find a spot there all week. My wife drove me as far as that lot on race day, and I walked into town from there [as previous poster noted, very easy to thumb a ride]. After the race, we walked back to the car and drove from there. My wife is a runner so she ran between town and our hotel during the day [ I think she probably ran close to a marathon when you added up all her trips to and from]. That's not going to be possible for your wife as she will have your son in tow, however, you can get around town quite easily on race day by foot. Your hotel will have a sheet with all the road closures and times the roads are closed and times they re-open.

Best place to view is right around TA, up Palani a bit. Family can see you exit T1, head out on bike, and then can catch you as you loop back from Kuakini Hwy and up Palani and out Queen K. I agree with previous poster, don't bother leaving town, your family can catch you 2x's on the bike and quite a few times on the run between town and the 5 mile turnaround. Once you leave town you are on your own for 16 miles until you return. She and your son should have no problem seeing you finish as they will be allowed behind finish line [you will get passes in race bag]. My advice is to do what my wife did, keep updated on IMLive at King K hotel. Once you head out of town on the marathon, you will have roughly 16 miles to go. You can give her a 'rough estimate' of what you think your finish time will be so she can be there with your son to see you finish. You will cross a timing mat at the Energy Lab, that will be the last split on IMLive until you finish so she can gauge your progress from there.

You should have no problem borrowing a pump for a few minutes. I brought mine and handed off to my wife but you will not have that luxury. I had a few people ask me to use mine on race morning and was happy to help out.

Good luck

The King K pool is a decent place for the wife to hang out and kill some time. They can swim, and there is food served outdoors. It is also really close to the transition area so it is easy to get back into the action whenever you are in the area.

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Don't hold back

No need for apologies about Kona questions. It is understandable for the "type As" going to an event like that for the first time to want to know as much as possible about the experience before they get there ...... I know I did last year.

I didn't see a response about your ride back to the hotel after the race ..... there is a shuttle. I was going to walk my bike back last year (about a mile and a half) and ended up throwing it in the back of the shuttle bus and getting driven back to the condo I'd rented. There are a lot of good spots along Alii to watch from for your family.

Good questions. As far as viewing the race there will be information booth at athlete village and race check in with maps of routes viewing points alternate routes around closed roads etc so good place to find all this stuff out.
This will be my 7th kona and I've volunteered there a number of other times.
I'm staying in sheraton(used to be kona surf and the old course bike finish) anyway it's about 8 miles actually. During week it's much faster to go up kam3 steep uphill to QK.
Sheraton has 3 scheduled time shuttles into kona I think but don't count on it race day. Usually there is a shuttle of some kind race day going to race start not sure back but you have a car. That lot near the church(also some farmers market during week) is good but after race might be difficult to get out becausee you have to cross run course but later in night not a problem. Myself I always park up at the bank in the parking lot where longs, pay & save(or whatever its called) are located which is first light right turn going up
palani hill. But your family won't be able to get out of their until all the bikes are gone.
As far as pumping up my tires I have them pumped to preasure when I check the bike in. (It's old wifes tail that your tires will blow in the heat unless you have some cheap bad tires) If you tire blows in the heat then it was probably going to blow during the race.
So I always have mine pumped up day before(never failed 6 times in hawaii).
Then you don't need pump but if something happens just get one there and use it volunteers will help you get a pump(I've worked t1 before).

You will get a couple of passes for finish line in your bag when you check in. You can ask for more I guess but usually I give mine away since I'm by myself most of time so you can ask others if they need them.
this gets your family access to the bleachers close to finish and after you finish to pier I believe. Ask info guys when you get there to be sure.
I usually work as finish line catcher(actually still signed up even though I'm racing and might still work after I finish) and get shirt and pass to the area as well post race. Pier access race morning is only racers and officials and t1 volunteers.

While I've gotten in the car and driven up to waikaloa(upper highway not on QK) and then back up to waimea and kohala mountain road to hawi or kawaihai turn and back it's long trip and you have to plan but you can do that and maybe even see you at 3 places on the course but can be a long day of driving.
If you are there early enough in week then you might check it out that mountain road(back way to hawi has very good views and I believe goes up toward 4000 feet it is doable depends on how much patience your family has.

If you family has parked in the free parking lot near the church across from the athlete village then short walk to finish or up palani as well(tough walk for yourself back to the car up hill) but they can find place have breakfast then go back to hotel hang out at pool until your proposed arrival time to start run but they will need to go up Kam III highway at keahou to QK and come back into town because alii will be closed for the run.

Good luck see you in kona.

Excellant answers everyone. The only thing I need to add is that bikes will be not allowed on the Shuttle at night for safety reasons. You can try asking the driver nicely, if there aren't many people getting on, but no promises. The shuttle will be from 7:30 p.m. to just after midnight Hale Halawai to Keauhou along Alii Drive.

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Have you hugged Your Mom today?

[reply]Hi all number of pumps available. Any one know whether it realistic to get hold of one of these pumps on race morning for 5 minutes?

there are plenty of roving helpers with pumps in the T area race morning. i've never had to borrow a fellow athlete's, nor had to wait more than a couple of minutes for one. this would definitely not be on my worry list, or "iffy" list. i've used the service each time i've been there and it's been easy to track down.
peggy

Don't worry about the car on race day. Your family will be able to get around. Some limitations of course, especially once the race starts and until the last bike is off to the North on the Hwy. Park up above the Hwy. accross from Palani rd. or just to the South near the shopping center. From that point you can even drive up to Hawi (thru Waimea) and see the turnaround of the bike and then make it back for the leaders off the bike. Check out the roads on a map before for that trip. On race morning we always drop off and park with no problem. Allow enough time though. Pumps will be provided by the local bike shop support people in transition. Relax and enjoy. This is the best run race of all in my opinion. Best advice I can give you (this will be my 4th time to race there), DON't ride on Alii Dr. during race week. It's suicide. If you want to ride a little take the bike in the car up the Hwy. past the airport and ride out and back. Or in town you can stay up on Kuakini or the Queen K (Southbound), a final option is the little out and back at the very end of ALii dr. past the Keauhou shopping center. There are just way too many cars, bikes, runners, and stoned surfers to negotiate on Alii between Keaohou and the pier. It gets worse every year. Good luck and have fun.