Try the New Otani. It overlooks the swim course and is across from the park. I think they actually have some suites with kitchenettes. It is a bit pricey and not a luxurious hotel, but it is very convenient for the race.
Thanks for all the help. Booked yesterday for a week so if the hills are tough, I’ll have plenty of time to recover.
Thanks for all the help. Booked yesterday for a week so if the hills are tough, I’ll have plenty of time to recover.
So are you in my age group? :~)
Sounds awesome. I’m going to be in Oahu the week leading up to race weekend for work…tough job, I know. I’m looking forward to racing with you guys in Sunday’s AG race. The wife is coming out to race, too. For the locals, what restaurants in and around Honolulu should I not miss? I’ve been there before, but it was too long ago. Aloha ; )
No. I’m in 35-39 (38)
When I lived in Shreveport, I used to worry about lack there of hill climbing, but the Tri hill isn’t that tough. Just put it in a small gear and ride. You might lose 5-10 places on the climb (or maybe 30 sec), but it is more of a power hill than a climbers hill, so you might even pick up a couple places. Yea there isn’t a lot you can do in big D for hills, but we used to do 5 min stands in the biggest gear in Shreveport a couple times a week before we raced in Austin, which you can find some serious hills. The New Otani hotel is a bit of a hike from the" Grind" in Waikiki. Some of our friends loved it as it is out of the way, and others hated the hike for going clubbing at night. I am such an old fart I am clubbed out. If I didn’t live here I would stay there. Aloha G-man
how strange, here we are talking about this big hill yesterday and then who do I see riding up the hill as I’m riding down that very same afternoon? It’s Hairy legs and those legs were going pretty fast up that hill. That was about 2 minutes after my 2nd flat of the ride, these last couple weeks, I swear I should just buy a case of tubes.
Strangely, I like that hill going up towards Koko Head. I always used to go up it rather than follow the rest of the guys and take that right turn up into the neighborhood and come out near the top of it. Plus, you can go down that thing at a screaming fast mph 
I usually ride with an 11-21, and I’ve managed to get up it in a 39/21 or 39/19 some weeks.
Really, from where I ride (Kaneohe to Kapiolani Park and back), I can hit a ton of hills very hard, or really easy, if I want. Most of them are short and sharp enough to cause real pain if you want, or to just lollygag up, if you want to do that, too.
The first one (about 10 minutes into the ride) is that hill up and over Mokapu saddle and the H3 (before the Marine Corps Base). I take that in my 53/19 or 53/17 and watch my heartrate go up past 170bpm, easy.
It’s great to shower in lactic acid so early in the ride, brahs ;-))
Tony
Hawaii is a pretty nice place to live especially if you are into running/cycling/swimming/other outdoor sports. Granted it’s an island so whatever is here is here and you can’t really jump in a car and go somewhere new for the weekend but other than that it’s great. Weather is pretty good, people are friendly and although everyone says it’s pricey to live here it’s not that bad. As far as jobs go, there are jobs in most fields it’s just that there aren’t that many to choose from so you may not get exactly what you are looking for. Pay is average, maybe a bit below unless you go federal. Quite a few programming jobs out here from what I hear. A close friend of mine is a programmer and he’s doing pretty well although he’s getting bored and may move. I was an engineer for a small bit, graduated was hired as a nuclear engineer for DOD at the shipyard here. Didn’t like it and quit. Everything engineering out here is maintenance, boring boring boring, at least for my taste. I can’t ever imagine leaving though. There are a lot of people who move here and a lot of people who grow up here and move away as well. For sports during the winter we get a pretty good influx of elite athletes heading down here. For instance we’ve got this bunch of Canadian weirdos heading out here soon, some guy by the name of Simon Whitfield (who posts here as simon off and on) and his crew. I’d be excited but they are taking my training partner who just turned pro to train with them for a few weeks. Great, there goes my last hope of beating him…
I lived in Honolulu last year, and did the event. It was awesome! Tai’s description is good, with the following additions: the breaking surf was huge, we were all looking back over our shoulders as we were swimming back into shore, making sure we weren’t walloped by the waves. Many laughs out on the swim at the size of the waves. For us MOPers at least. Very fun for me, broke up the monotony, others did NOT enjoy it. I can’t remember a single person who wore a wetsuit. At least in the AG waves. I think they would’ve been laughed off the course. Maybe I’m remembering this wrong; it was cold, but I don’t think anyone wore them. The one big hill was longer and steeper than any tri I’ve seen. Ok, my sample size is only about 6, but it was pretty big. We went down the same way we went up, and people were absolutely flying! The run is a multi-loop, with many spectators cheering everyone on, right through the streets of Waikiki. Very cool.
I def recommend it, the most enjoyable triathlon I’ve done by far. Best tip: enjoy the scenery, it’s beautiful!
Waves??? What Waves!?!?!?!
There was a tiny tiny swell - barely surfable.
For all the Hawaii people who will be watching the itu world cup race, look for a Hawaii athlete in the field duking it out in the pro field. I won’t say who it is just yet as I don’t think it’s been officially announced but he or she was one of the top Hawaii triathletes in 2004 and raced well at last year’s Honolulu Tri in the Amateur ranks. If everyone already knows who it is then I guess I’m the idiot out of the know still keeping this fairly hush hush.
Make sure to yell “Go Hawaii” as they fly by!
This certain someone mentioned to me this was going to be his pro debut. I wish him the best of luck. I remember him racing biathlons when he was still in high school – Damn I feel old!!!
At least his Dad is in a older age group…
how strange, here we are talking about this big hill yesterday and then who do I see riding up the hill as I’m riding down that very same afternoon? It’s Hairy legs and those legs were going pretty fast up that hill. That was about 2 minutes after my 2nd flat of the ride, these last couple weeks, I swear I should just buy a case of tubes.
I can’t wait to see Hairly Legs and Big Kahuna go head to head - I do believe they are in the same age group.
Warning Big Kahuna - Hairy Legs is runner - he will be chasing you down from behind - so don’t ever let up thinking you got it in the bag.
It’s all relative, my man Sparticus. A super duper stud surfer like you might scoff at some waves, many MOP triathletes and casual swimmers might have a different viewpoint. Either way, it was a very enjoyable swim, and the surfers next to the course looked like they were having fun too.
Tai, Good to see you out there. Sorry to hear about your flats. It was getting late - did you make it back to Kap Park before dark? Mark
Sparticus, who are you? I guess you know me but I am racking my brain on who you are! Give me a hint - male, AG, anything?
Big Kahuna - you do not need to be concerned. With a swim like I have and a bike that is not much better, it is shameful to call me a triathlete.
For example - my swim in the 10+ foot swell (okay slightly exagerated) at last year’s Honolulu Tri was so bad that “One-Arm” Willie Stewart beat me in the swim leg! He also whipped my ar%e on the run too! True! Actually, he and I were duking it out on the Koko Head hill too - how he rides like he does is fantastic.
Mark
**Warning Big Kahuna - Hairy Legs is runner - he will be chasing you down from behind - so don’t ever let up thinking you got it in the bag. **
Heh, heh. Hey…all the races I ever won, I won coming from behind off the bike. That’s another reason why I’m on Day 9 of my “nine days of bricks” self-flagellation torture session. Yesterday, 2.5 hours ride/30 minutes run. Today, THANK GOD, is the the last day, and it’s a one hour hard ride and a one hour hard run. I kind of took some of the Mark McCormack stuff and blended it with the Lance Watson workouts for these last nine days. What I probably did was blast my legs down to nothing for the next few weeks, but hopefully there’ll be some eventual improvement
I’ve got to at least be competitive against old Hairy Legs this summer
same as Hairy legs, who are you??? Just curious as it’s always fun to see another Hawaii athlete on the forum.
Our Hawaii boy in the big race has been doing some serious training:) swam with him yesterday after he had finished a crazy motorpacing workout. Sounds like touching the back tire of a moped at 40mph while trying to suck a draft is pretty scary!
Hey Mark, I’m getting all my flats for the year out of the way by March. I figure that’s when the real racing starts. I think I’m on flat 10 or so for 2005 and I have brand new tires so I’m a little confused. Made it back in time, just barely. It was just an easy 2 hour ride. Are you doing the Aloha Run??
Also don’t listen to this guy about being slow or anything like that. Granted he has to do it mainly on the bike and run but give him enough room and Watch Out! He had a great IM Kona debut last year.
The only time I ever get flats while out on my training rides is when I take Chris’ or someone else’s advice and go riding up the Kam Highway past Kualoa Ranch and out to Heleiwa, up the North Shore. Every single time I’ve ever ridden that way, I get AT LEAST four flats. No joke, ask Chris about the time last year we were riding that way last year, and I flatted 6 times.
If I want to ride a flat, windy course, I just stay on Pearl Harbor/Hickham and do a 17 mile loop course I laid out. It can get mind numbing, doing it 4 or 5 or more times, but no flats and no traffic worries. For hills and heat (and wind), I do the Kaneohe to Kapiolani Park and back thing (sometimes throwing in those big climbs up the hills off of Kalanianaole Highway) and tack on an hour at the Marine Base, doing Radar Hill and a couple of those minor climbs. Seems to work for me, and I avoid those damn flats :-))
Tony
Tai,
So, I was reading all the posts and found myself wondering who turned Pro? I plan to come to race in April as I continue to train for IM CDA.
I like the idea of the new shirt! It was cheap compared to all the great race shirts I used to get when living in HI. I look forward to getting back to the Islands and the warm weather. My computrainer will be getting really old by April.
Take care & safe training!
Scott in Spokane(Former Team Jet Coach)