Ultraman 2020 Thread: 3 days looping Big Island...10Km swim....way too much bike, Hawi to Kona run!

Nov 28, 19 20:14

Post #1 of 74 (3912 views)

Well, here they go again. Another year another loop of the big Island.

STer Rob Gray is on the start line....in the last three years two seconds and a win.

i had the opportunity to "live" for a week in Ultraman training zone with him in Kona in October during Kona week. Rob was either eating, or sleeping....other than that, it was continuous training. And he was getting everywhere via bike or run for transportation. Everything was "motion with a purpose". It felt like part of the week was just living through the mental aspect of being in either perpetual motion or trying to maximize how to recover in between all that. We were the only idiots trying to TT back to Kona as the sun dissappeared under the ocean at Sunset. There was one ride where we were decending in close to pitch dark at 80kph on the road back from Captain Cook just to cram in some more miles (or it may have been because our ice cream stop was too long and now we were riding in the dark).

In any case it was fun doing some of the training of an Ultraman guy (well at least I got to do the back half of many bike rides and swim...forget about the run).

I can't imagine how these guys run from Hawi back to Kona. That leg seems grinding enough on the bike. Rob took me on some of the really cool riding that makes up the Ultraman course. Sadly almost everyone who goes to Kona never sees the amazing terrain for MOST of the ultraman course. They are stuck on the QueenK for riding. The best riding in Kona is everywhere BUT the QueenK.

Best of luck to all Ultraman athletes. Play safe and come home with a smile. I am sure many of us will follow the heroics again. ST 100/100 starts on Saturday, so anyone doing ultraman on Sunday and signs up for 100/100 will have a very long 52.2 mile run in the bag!

Last edited by: devashish_paul: Nov 28, 19 20:15

Re: Ultraman 2020 Thread: 3 days looping Big Island...10Km swim....way too much bike, Hawi to Kona run! [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]

Nov 28, 19 20:56

Post #2 of 74 (3876 views)

I’m looking forward to another race report/AMA thread from Rob, hopefully after a solid win!

Re: Ultraman 2020 Thread: 3 days looping Big Island...10Km swim....way too much bike, Hawi to Kona run! [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]

Nov 29, 19 3:17

Post #3 of 74 (3771 views)

Hey dev. Can you describe some of the other cool riding on the Kona side. I am heading there over Xmas and would love to try something new. Thanks

Scott in Whistler

Re: Ultraman 2020 Thread: 3 days looping Big Island...10Km swim....way too much bike, Hawi to Kona run! [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]

Nov 29, 19 3:20

Post #4 of 74 (3767 views)

Another three days of internet athlete stalking ahead.Good luck to everyone out there.

Re: Ultraman 2020 Thread: 3 days looping Big Island...10Km swim....way too much bike, Hawi to Kona run! [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]

Nov 29, 19 4:40

Post #5 of 74 (3730 views)

Will there by any video updates via FB or other means by either Ultraman or competitor sherpas? I saw some pre-race pics and looks like Babbitt is on site. Would be cool if he would do at least some sort of daily recap/update.

tinman

Re: Ultraman 2020 Thread: 3 days looping Big Island...10Km swim....way too much bike, Hawi to Kona run! [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]

Nov 29, 19 4:48

Post #6 of 74 (3721 views)

Good luck Rob! And good luck all but especially Tara Norton and Josef Ajram.

The list of athletes is here:

https://ultramanworlds.com/2019-athletes/

clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

Re: Ultraman 2020 Thread: 3 days looping Big Island...10Km swim....way too much bike, Hawi to Kona run! [tinman] [ In reply to ]

Nov 29, 19 5:15

Post #7 of 74 (3688 views)

tinman wrote:

Will there by any video updates via FB or other means by either Ultraman or competitor sherpas? I saw some pre-race pics and looks like Babbitt is on site. Would be cool if he would do at least some sort of daily recap/update.

.
Ultraman certainly is an amazing experience and a unique race and one of the truly unique things about it is the consistantly horrible coverage that comes out of the event.If you have friends or Facebook buddies racing or crewing then that is the best way to follow it as even the "official" Facebook coverage is historically pretty patchy.

Follow along here as it will be a great event and lets see if the two "pro's" in the field can hold off the age groupers,especially in the mens field.Should be a fun weekend.

https://www.facebook.com/UMWCHawaii/

Last edited by: ThailandUltras: Nov 29, 19 5:18

Re: Ultraman 2020 Thread: 3 days looping Big Island...10Km swim....way too much bike, Hawi to Kona run! [ironclm] [ In reply to ]

Nov 29, 19 5:18

Post #8 of 74 (3683 views)

ironclm wrote:

Good luck Rob! And good luck all but especially Tara Norton and Josef Ajram.

The list of athletes is here:

https://ultramanworlds.com/2019-athletes/

Best of luck to Tara. Rob better watch out or she will put the hurt on him. Looks like a good line up of athletes including, a detour by 33 year old Canadian Pro Jordan Bryce on deck. During one of those brief moments during Rob's training camp when he was not training or sleeping we were at a party run by one of his sponsors iKOR where we bumped into Nicole deBoom (yes, Rob is busted for not training and going to a party like a normal person....what was he thinking). I was trying to rope Nicole DeBoom to brow beat Tim deBooom to show up but I think he chickened out of any QueenK based duels after lifteime scars that come with beating Peter Reid LOL!!!!

Last edited by: devashish_paul: Nov 29, 19 6:54

Re: Ultraman 2020 Thread: 3 days looping Big Island...10Km swim....way too much bike, Hawi to Kona run! [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]

Nov 29, 19 5:30

Post #9 of 74 (3670 views)

devashish_paul wrote:

ironclm wrote:

Good luck Rob! And good luck all but especially Tara Norton and Josef Ajram.

The list of athletes is here:

https://ultramanworlds.com/2019-athletes/

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Looks like a good line up of athletes including, a detour by 33 year old Canadian Pro Jordan Bryce on deck.

Jordan won this years Ultraman Canada and the Ultra520K Canada in 2017 so he is familiar with the distance.He has never had any competition really and both his winning times in Canada were slow by the race winning times posted by guys like Dave Matheson and Kevin Cutjar.He should come out of the water in the lead but day three will be his biggest worry and I predict a lead which will be erased on day three.

Re: Ultraman 2020 Thread: 3 days looping Big Island...10Km swim....way too much bike, Hawi to Kona run! [ThailandUltras] [ In reply to ]

Nov 29, 19 9:46

Post #10 of 74 (3564 views)

Hey it is 12:45 EST now so 6:45 in Hawaii which means the boys and girls should be in the water and heading out of the 10km swim....let us know how successful you all are about internet athlete stalking and post updates if you can.

I am heading to the pool!

Re: Ultraman 2020 Thread: 3 days looping Big Island...10Km swim....way too much bike, Hawi to Kona run! [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]

Nov 29, 19 9:56

Post #11 of 74 (3556 views)

All the best for every athlete out there. Hoping the currents are kind and the jellyfish absent for this morning's swim. And, after the swim, may Madame Pele have mercy on their souls (and legs).

I also share the sentiments about being unable to comprehend running from Hawi to Kona. That is a long enough ride and there is no coasting downhill on the run.

Brian

Re: Ultraman 2020 Thread: 3 days looping Big Island...10Km swim....way too much bike, Hawi to Kona run! [Overdistance] [ In reply to ]

Nov 29, 19 13:02

Post #12 of 74 (3453 views)

Overdistance wrote:

All the best for every athlete out there. Hoping the currents are kind and the jellyfish absent for this morning's swim. And, after the swim, may Madame Pele have mercy on their souls (and legs).

I also share the sentiments about being unable to comprehend running from Hawi to Kona. That is a long enough ride and there is no coasting downhill on the run.

Brian

Thanks for the same sentiment. Anyone have any athlete stalking results yet?

Re: Ultraman 2020 Thread: 3 days looping Big Island...10Km swim....way too much bike, Hawi to Kona run! [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]

Nov 29, 19 13:16

Post #13 of 74 (3440 views)

As expected Jordan has a handy lead out of the swim and the slow times suggest a hard day fighting currents.The guy in 4th place is 64 year old Kurt Madden who was the original Ultraman winner in 1983 and top 10 Ironman Hawaii finisher "back in the day"

Re: Ultraman 2020 Thread: 3 days looping Big Island...10Km swim....way too much bike, Hawi to Kona run! [ThailandUltras] [ In reply to ]

Nov 29, 19 13:35

Post #14 of 74 (3425 views)

ThailandUltras wrote:

As expected Jordan has a handy lead out of the swim and the slow times suggest a hard day fighting currents.The guy in 4th place is 64 year old Kurt Madden who was the original Ultraman winner in 1983 and top 10 Ironman Hawaii finisher "back in the day"

Hey, that slacker Rob Gray barely broke 3 hrs. He must have stopped for Cuban Cigar smoking along the route or something. Maybe he got too skinny on the Macca approved cabbage and water diet and is not sinking in the water, but will climb up the stairstep to Captain Cook quickly!

Re: Ultraman 2020 Thread: 3 days looping Big Island...10Km swim....way too much bike, Hawi to Kona run! [ThailandUltras] [ In reply to ]

Nov 29, 19 13:52

Post #15 of 74 (3401 views)

Way to go Kurt!! And it looks like the time he should be swimming, why do you think the course is slow today?? 2;40 is a solid time too for the winner, but I really don't know how fast he is supposed to be. Isn't that time like sub hour 3.8 pace??

Re: Ultraman 2020 Thread: 3 days looping Big Island...10Km swim....way too much bike, Hawi to Kona run! [monty] [ In reply to ]

Nov 29, 19 14:08

Post #16 of 74 (3383 views)

monty wrote:

Way to go Kurt!! And it looks like the time he should be swimming, why do you think the course is slow today?? 2;40 is a solid time too for the winner, but I really don't know how fast he is supposed to be. Isn't that time like sub hour 3.8 pace??

Jordan's 10k in the Ultra520K was 2:23..I have done 2:44ish twice in that same event to lead out of the water and I was not in the same class as Jordan and others.

Here are some of the fastest Ultraman Hawaii times from past races with some names you will recognise for comparison.

Jonas Colting 31 2:14:43 2004 Hillary Biscay 32 2:20:48 2010
John Nickles 35 2:14:49 1999 Kate Belivaqua 39 2:31:58 2016
Jonas Colting 37 2:16:04 2010 Hillary Biscay 35 2:37:46 2013
John Nickles 32 2:19:57 1996 Tara Norton 45 2:37:57 2016
Martin Raymond 42 2:20:15 2004 Shanna Armstrong 36 2:40:16 2010

Notice that Tara Norton did 2:37 in 2016 and today swam 3:17

I have no doubt that currents were an issue this year.

Last edited by: ThailandUltras: Nov 29, 19 14:10

Re: Ultraman 2020 Thread: 3 days looping Big Island...10Km swim....way too much bike, Hawi to Kona run! [ThailandUltras] [ In reply to ]

Nov 29, 19 14:21

Post #17 of 74 (3364 views)

ThailandUltras wrote:

monty wrote:

Way to go Kurt!! And it looks like the time he should be swimming, why do you think the course is slow today?? 2;40 is a solid time too for the winner, but I really don't know how fast he is supposed to be. Isn't that time like sub hour 3.8 pace??

Jordan's 10k in the Ultra520K was 2:23..I have done 2:44ish twice in that same event to lead out of the water and I was not in the same class as Jordan and others.

Here are some of the fastest Ultraman Hawaii times from past races with some names you will recognise for comparison.

Jonas Colting 31 2:14:43 2004 Hillary Biscay 32 2:20:48 2010
John Nickles 35 2:14:49 1999 Kate Belivaqua 39 2:31:58 2016
Jonas Colting 37 2:16:04 2010 Hillary Biscay 35 2:37:46 2013
John Nickles 32 2:19:57 1996 Tara Norton 45 2:37:57 2016
Martin Raymond 42 2:20:15 2004 Shanna Armstrong 36 2:40:16 2010

Notice that Tara Norton did 2:37 in 2016 and today swam 3:17

I have no doubt that currents were an issue this year.

For sure there is a current issue....3 hours is ONLY 3.3 kph which is a 69 minute Ironman swim pace which is slow for most of these top athletes!

Also keep in mind this is salt water with a wetsuit, so 4 kph or 1.30 per 100m should be easy for the top guys and girls even with the chop....so for sure, current!!!!

Re: Ultraman 2020 Thread: 3 days looping Big Island...10Km swim....way too much bike, Hawi to Kona run! [ThailandUltras] [ In reply to ]

Nov 29, 19 15:55

Post #18 of 74 (3306 views)

Looks like Jordan expanded his lead and is 24 min up on Rob now!

Re: Ultraman 2020 Thread: 3 days looping Big Island...10Km swim....way too much bike, Hawi to Kona run! [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]

Nov 29, 19 16:30

Post #19 of 74 (3285 views)

For sure there is a current issue....3 hours is ONLY 3.3 kph which is a 69 minute Ironman swim pace which is slow for most of these top athletes! //

Well I looked at Kurt's Kona swim this year, and it was just under 1;03. So doing nearly 3 Kona swims in a row, with no draft, and a much longer race ahead, it didn't seem strange to me that he would be doing 1;09 ironman pace for this swim. Of course they have wetsuits, but no draft, and a lot longer. So what do you think his fade from all out Kona swim pace should be for this? To me, a 6 minute fade(per ironman distance swim) seems quite reasonable, and prudent.

Re: Ultraman 2020 Thread: 3 days looping Big Island...10Km swim....way too much bike, Hawi to Kona run! [monty] [ In reply to ]

Nov 29, 19 17:08

Post #20 of 74 (3250 views)

monty wrote:

For sure there is a current issue....3 hours is ONLY 3.3 kph which is a 69 minute Ironman swim pace which is slow for most of these top athletes! //

Well I looked at Kurt's Kona swim this year, and it was just under 1;03. So doing nearly 3 Kona swims in a row, with no draft, and a much longer race ahead, it didn't seem strange to me that he would be doing 1;09 ironman pace for this swim. Of course they have wetsuits, but no draft, and a lot longer. So what do you think his fade from all out Kona swim pace should be for this? To me, a 6 minute fade(per ironman distance swim) seems quite reasonable, and prudent.

Never underestimate the power of a local kayaker who knows the currents and how to navigate around them.I know a lot of folks will call bullshit on that but Ultraman Hawaii is the only one of the 19 or so Ultraman style races where the current plays a significant role in swim outcome.Kurt may well have himself a smart paddler with local knowledge.It happens.

I was talking to Arnaud Selukov earlier this year about this very topic and he was telling me how he "stalled" during his last Ultraman Hawaii swim in one sport for about 20 mins while he could see other swimmers going past him a mere 50meters or so to one side.He changed direction and swam out of the current to follow them and it worked.

Last year Rob Gray swam 2:44 and this year 2:59

One year the current was so bad they had to extend the 6hr swim cut off to account for it.

Re: Ultraman 2020 Thread: 3 days looping Big Island...10Km swim....way too much bike, Hawi to Kona run! [monty] [ In reply to ]

Nov 29, 19 17:10

Post #21 of 74 (3249 views)

monty wrote:

For sure there is a current issue....3 hours is ONLY 3.3 kph which is a 69 minute Ironman swim pace which is slow for most of these top athletes! //

Well I looked at Kurt's Kona swim this year, and it was just under 1;03. So doing nearly 3 Kona swims in a row, with no draft, and a much longer race ahead, it didn't seem strange to me that he would be doing 1;09 ironman pace for this swim. Of course they have wetsuits, but no draft, and a lot longer. So what do you think his fade from all out Kona swim pace should be for this? To me, a 6 minute fade(per ironman distance swim) seems quite reasonable, and prudent.

Day 1 is shorter than an Ironman day overall but you have to pace for day 2 and day3 so perhaps 6 min fade per IM like you said is prudent. As a point of reference Rob seems to generally hold his sub 60 min IM swim pace for the UM swim when he gets the wetsuit. He acknowledges he is weird that he has no fade between a 1 hrs swim and 2.5 hrs swim!

Re: Ultraman 2020 Thread: 3 days looping Big Island...10Km swim....way too much bike, Hawi to Kona run! [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]

Nov 29, 19 18:06

Post #22 of 74 (3209 views)

It is very impressive what these athletes do, but I personally have zero interest in doing such an event.

Re: Ultraman 2020 Thread: 3 days looping Big Island...10Km swim....way too much bike, Hawi to Kona run! [ThailandUltras] [ In reply to ]

Nov 29, 19 18:58

Post #23 of 74 (3170 views)

Kurt may well have himself a smart paddler with local knowledge.It happens. //

I just saw him finish the swim, and he wasn't even wearing a wetsuit!! Looked like a swim skin, the same he would have worn in his Kona swim this year. So I guess we can now discount that 6 to 8 more second advantage from his time, so it appears he swam a legit course. And of course a different course could be quite beneficial on particular days, either way inside or way outside, depending on which way the ocean is moving..

Any updates after day one yet?

Last edited by: monty: Nov 29, 19 18:58

Re: Ultraman 2020 Thread: 3 days looping Big Island...10Km swim....way too much bike, Hawi to Kona run! [monty] [ In reply to ]

Nov 29, 19 19:43

Post #24 of 74 (3136 views)

monty wrote:

Kurt may well have himself a smart paddler with local knowledge.It happens. //

I just saw him finish the swim, and he wasn't even wearing a wetsuit!! Looked like a swim skin, the same he would have worn in his Kona swim this year. So I guess we can now discount that 6 to 8 more second advantage from his time, so it appears he swam a legit course. And of course a different course could be quite beneficial on particular days, either way inside or way outside, depending on which way the ocean is moving..

Any updates after day one yet?

Monty I got this off the Ultraman facebook page. I guess Rob pulled back a bit of time on all of todays climbs. Maybe I did not make him as fat as I thought with all my random cooking during the Kona camp and the on course stops of ice cream and coke. This bodes well for the day 3 run leg if his Macca approved cabbage and water diet means he's more built like a South African springbok than a fat hippo

Last edited by: devashish_paul: Nov 29, 19 19:50

Re: Ultraman 2020 Thread: 3 days looping Big Island...10Km swim....way too much bike, Hawi to Kona run! [monty] [ In reply to ]

Nov 29, 19 19:50

Post #25 of 74 (3130 views)

Anyone know why Kurt went no wetsuit?

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