I keep checking (about 10x per day) the weather in Kailua. weather.com says the winds are 6-12 mph most of the time. What’s the deal with that? Even when it says it’s going to be windy with the little wind graphic thing, it says 18-22 mph. That’s acceptable. Why do people get so wrapped up in the wind thing? Also, it says the temp is 86-87 every day. Shit, CdA was 95+ and it wasn’t that bad. I realize arid vs humid makes a difference but again, what’s the big deal? I guess I’ll find out soon enough, but all these clowns training in lots of clothes crack me up.
The race is not in Kona, it only starts and finishes there. The race is mostly in a long stretch of very black lava fields along a coast. Those Lava fields heat up and cause wind to come in off the cooler ocean. Forget weather.com. Train for hot and windy.
See page 14 of the 2003 Kona IM Contestant Information Handbook: Legendary Winds and Heat: From Alii Drive to the airport, a seabreeze blows from the ocean across Highway 19 approximately 10-12 mph. During the evening, this wind reverses and blows from the mountains. From the airport area to Hawi, you will be biking into the legendary ho’o mumuku headwinds, which are most noticeable on this portion of the bike course north of the airport. These winds blow 5-35 mph and in extreme conditions can gust to 60 mph. After the Hawi turnaround, you will usually have these winds at your back to Kawaihae and side winds again along Highway 19.While air temperatures may register in the high 80’s to low 90’s, temperatures along this section of the course may exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit due to the reflected heat from the lava and asphalt. ** Good luck in Kona Hairy Legs
David D, you are clearly a stud if you qualifed for Kona at CDA, but I would listen to Frank Day who is one of the “original Ironman” finishers as well as the “clowns” training with all kinds of clothes on. The training with clothes on approach worked well for me in 1996, when I went from 30-40 degree Ottawa, Can to race in 90 degree heat at Wildflower. It was funny, since some of the guys I knew from Arizona and SoCal all burned in the heat. Still, was not fast enough…missed a Kona slot that day by 8 seconds. Something about have studs like Pete Kain in your age group !
If you look at a Big Island map there are two really big mountains. Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. The tradewinds come generally from the North and East at a steady 15-25 ish if they are “normal”. The two big mountains compress the air and the forces out around the Hilton can be rough. Then there is a wrap around Mauna Kea that makes the channel between Maui and Big Island one of the most windy channels on earth…ie headwind in Hawi.
The winds can sometimes change so you could in theory have a headwind or tailwind both directions.
The temp stated by the national weather service often lists Kona as 2-4 degrees cooler than Honolulu, but I can tell you it is hot on Alii drive, The Vog can also be a factor if you have asthma or sensitive airways.
The wind can be a major factor and vets talk of the “wind years”, much like the “heat” in Idaho or smoke in Canada this year. I wouldn’t worry about the wind, everybody races the same course. It may or may not show up in a fury. Reading the weather report means nothing as it changes as far as the winds go from High cell to High cell.
When you get to Kona see what the weather is like Friday and should be about the same Sat. Good luck G
This is what astounds anyone who goes to watch the race and NOT compete. They stand in Kona and feel almost no wind and wonder why the riders coming in off the bike look like they’ve just had a run in with the devil! Fact is, why do you think there is virtually no housing or development for huge tracks of land between Kona and Hawi? It’s not because of the lava (the corps of engineers can handle that stuff), it’s not becuase of lack of water (plenty in the ground in aquifers). No it’s because it’s really unpleasant most of the time in the gap between the two volcanoes. Kona is situated just around the corner to the south effectively sheltered from those downslope winds (Muumukua) that kick up betweem Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. You will be blown away (pun intended) if it’s a windy day and crying for mommy by the time you get to the turn at Kawaihae heading up to Hawi. It is possible you could get a lucky day and the winds will be easy, but don’t count on it. Hold on and enjoy them for all their might!
In 2001 my wife was in Kona all day waiting, forever, for me to get back to T2. The winds were unbelievable out on the course yet it wasn’t that evident in town. She started wondering as she began watching everyone get back to the old airport looking just shredded.
If you have the 2001 videotape, take a look at how people looked coming off the bike. It was rough. It truly deserves to be called the world championship.
I believe that 2001 was the year that Amy White was out on the course covering the race and in order to get out of the car, had to push on the door with both legs since the door opened straight into the wind. Meanwhile, those of us back in town thought it was hot, but the wasn’t really any wind. Isn’t that also the year Sister M got blown off her bike into the lava field? A friend of mine also got blown across the road that year out by Waikaloa and had to DNF.
Poor David, he’s going to be scared spitless if we keep these stories up. But, better forewarned than not, right? Anyway, in some ways 2000 was worse than '01. While the winds were relentless the WHOLE way in '01 (both directions!!!), 2000 was scarier. That was the year Sister Madona got blown off her bike and nailed her collarbone. The 2000 winds were far gustier, and as such caught you off guard. I got bumped into by a petitie little woman rider on the way up to Hawi coming around one of the little mini canyon hills and she was so terrified. I said “great fun huh?” She just muttered something to the effect that you should try doing this weighing in at 110lbs.! On the way back from Hawi with a 40 mph tailwind, we thought it would be a gas, when in fact it was so gusty we were all totally freaked out hanging on to the pursuit bars in less than an aero position just trying not to get blown away. I have never been so tired after a protracted downhill. Needless to say, when the run rolled around, we were all saying, " jeeeeeeeez, this is a real bugger!!" And, oh by the way, the pros often get in and out of the worst of it before the trade winds and muumukua really kick up big time for the AGers later. Nice of Pele to think of us mortals.
pdxjohn wrote: “Poor David, he’s going to be scared spitless”
Let’s hope not. He is going to need all the spit he can muster for hydration on the back side of the course. 
Scared??? To the contrary, the only reason I qualified in CdA was because of the hard conditions. The harder the better as far as I am concerned. If it comes down to a battle of wills and brains, I choose me. If it comes down to a battle of speed and fitness, I choose not me.
Scared, smared. David has already screwed up his karma with Madame Pele in his original post.
A few things:
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The winds that can really get you on the IMH bike course are localized in specific areas of the course. As others have noted it can be calm in town, but people are getting blown off their bikes out near Hawi
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It’s hot and humid. From where I come from, the conditions in Hawaii for IMH are like the most hot and humid day of the summer. Conditions that many people would advise caution in going out for a big training day. But that’s Hawaii.
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The combination of all three, heat/humidty/wind can be brutal. Unless you are very confidant of your ability to perform “well” in these conditions, my suggestion would be to race as conservitive as you can and then dial that back even more.
Karma, shmarma. Wonder why Oregonians are tired of Californians moving North?