Perhaps one of the things I enjoy most about our sport is meeting people from all over the world, most times we have to look no further than Kona Aquatics swim practice. Almost all the athletes (swimmers, triathletes, duathletes), that come to visit or train in Kona jump in to swim with Coach Steve. Lucky for me the Aussie's joining us, (Pro triathlete Allie and her hubby Stu Fitch), are training for Ironman Western OZ. That means I HAD SWIM COMPANY TODAY!
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Coach Paul gave me some pull practice to tack on after the Masters workout, the "Kangaroos" had pull too! I jumped in with them and they told me under one condition- "We swim Aussie rules". Huh? What? Okay, whatever that means, at least I have company.
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The first rule was we swim down on the left and back on the right (like driving on the opposite side of the road), yeah my flip turns got ugly. The set was 4x300's. The next rule was breathing, 3, 5, 7 by 25's. I about drowned! Honestly, how in the world I am managing 30ft free dives is beyond me because I could not hold my breath for 5 or 7 counts! The final round Allie tells us the 4th lap is underwater. By this time I am highly convinced they are playing a mean joke on me. The morning was laughing and suffocating with the kangaroos, and now I had to swim underwater with a pull buoy between my legs and paddles rubber banded to my hands??? How? I made Allie go first so I could copy and not look like a dodo bird trying to lead some "underwater pull like a roo". To my shocker, she was swimming underwater with the pull equipment! (wish I had it on video). I was getting so far behind on that lap that I would race to catch back on during the "normal" swim. My whole body was fatigued from that "drill". It wasn't over after that... we had their cool down. You guessed it, with the Australians, we had to hop underwater like a bunch of kangaroos! Never a dull moment in Kona...
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To top off my swim with the roos I was given a bit of a geography lesson. Stu gave me a nice little fact: Mexico is 80 miles North of Kona (almost on the same Latitude line), and just a few thousand miles East.
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Now I am feeling a lot like a kangaroo, hopping all over the place with Ironman Florida tomorrow! I WISH WISH WISH I was racing it! Tomorrow a couple of my best friends & some team mates are racing so I have been hopping all over the emails and FB leaving "go get em' " notes, hopping over the phone with calls and text messages too! Now I have to hop to Bike Works to pick up my bike, I've got my own race to train for ALL day long tomorrow...
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HAPPY RACING to everyone in Ironman Florida tomorrow!! Hope all your dreams come true!
Bree
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Today there was a world full on my mind... too much to think about, too much to try and figure out. Thankfully coach gave me a run and thankfully the beach surrounds me. A bit of both and I discovered there is something about the ocean that makes me fall in love all over again with the life I have been given...no matter the challenges. Then I thought about Helen Keller, she saw so much beauty in this life even without her sight. The fotos are what I saw, the words are what she sees...

"Everything has it's wonders, even darkness. I have learned whatever state I am in to be content"

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"We could never learn to be brave and patient if there were only joy in the world"

"It is a terrible thing to see and have no vision"
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"Keep your face to the sunshine and you will never see a shadow"

"Life is either a great adventure or nothing"

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"Never bend your head, always hold it high, look the world straight in the eye"

"It is hard to interest those who have everything in those who have nothing"

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"One can never creep when he feels an impulse to soar"

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart"

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"Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light"

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PS: Everyone racing Ironman Florida, I hope you have a GREAT day, go get it!

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Today my feet were ALL SORTS of happy! It started with the swim... POOR KATE! She is about to race IM AZ, first time the Kona girl has EVER been in a wetsuit! It took 3 of us to get it on her! My feet were thanking me that they will not have to slip through a wetsuit anytime soon. From the swim to the bike...

Today was my first completely solo ride in about 4 months...I think. It was so weird not having at least one training partner for at least a tiny bit of it. I told myself to keep it together, to keep focused, to just do it. Usually, when you know you are on your last big deal race of the year you pee in your shoes. For some reason me peeing on the bike just never happens, AND today, on the longish ride, my feet were thanking me that they were not riding in pee soaked shoes from IM Hawaii.

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Kainoa was happy too. The ride ended just in time to pick him up from school, so that meant he didn't have to eat Orange Tree with mom and her stinky feet (just stinky sweaty mom).

My feet got more happy. A box came filled with K-Swiss shoes for Ironman Mexico. K-Swiss got the 26.2 mile American shoes and the slippers (you know the race is on a white sandy island), so both will come in VERY handy! Thank you K-Swiss, feels like early Christmas!

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10 days till Kainoa and I blast off to Florida... wooohoooooooo!

Time to put the feet up!

Bree.

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I have discovered a sandcastle pretty much sums up the past few weeks/months of my life. It was all sorts of building up for Ironman, stacking loads of training, decorating with some amazing moments, some digging deep, some smoothing out the surface, a lot of focus and attention to my castle. Much like a giant wave that comes in the night to wash over the castle, Ironman came and went like the sweeping of the sea over the sand. It's kind of funny, but it is so similar. What's left is a bit of a mess, sand clumps here and there, and other clumps that were swept out to sea. So Ironman is over (the castle is down), and some clumps are here and there (my everyday life in Kona), and some parts are out to sea (the friends from other states/countries that went home).
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At first it was a little sad. I enjoy the building of a castle so much, I am beyond thankful that my life gets to spend so much time training and enjoying all sport has to offer. Then it was back to reality, looking at the clumps of a wave crashed castle (or seeing all the things I neglected, like cleaning my house, mail, chores, ect.). The most difficult was knowing some chunks washed out to sea (as some friends went home and others on the island had to get back to their lives too).

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Today feels the most normal life has been in months, literally months. The town is back to it's little small coconut wireless vibe (except for a handful of pros here training for IM Cozumel and IM OZ), and my mail is almost all stamped and in the mail box. The hardest part is missing all the get together's we had morning-noon-and night. Everything is quiet again. This has left me with a lot of time to stop and smell the plumerias...

Yesterday was our Mango Post Ironman Triathlon... it was fun as ever to smash your local friends into the lane lines and tug on feet. Of course, some things never change, I was not allowed to play with IM Cozumel coming... however... I just happened to be at the pier that morning. Coach said to ride a mountain bike for 2hrs. I don't have a mountain bike...so I jumped in and did the swim, far left, swimming with the Mango crew is exactly like a mountain bike wipe out, you get smashed on all sides!

Today my sporting life feels more normal too. I got to jump back into action with the Kona Aquatics where my lane mates had me laughing till my sides ache. Even after all the Ironman frenzy went home the lanes are still filled with 7-8 people. The highlight was Andy saying next workout he would be doing pedicures, since he was on feet all morning anyways... and Jason slacking and asking if I have a matching purse to go with my pink cap... it was so good to be part of their nonsense.

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From there it was a nice longish run. However I could not take myself seriously with the neon 1980's nail polish left on from Halloween (note to self: remove before Mexico). And of course, a little recovery at the beach... where someone (no names) was having a bit more of a struggle then me getting back to life post-Ironman! ha ha ha, not sure the umbrella ever opened!

The sun is now down... another day and night on the beach and another sandcastle (IM Cozumel), is being built in my life...

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Que duermas bien! (Sleep well)...

Bree

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Kainoa was Elmo, it was his world, his day here in Kona. BUT Mexico was all around me! Paco was ready for the fiesta too. There were a ton of mariachi's and even a band "Los Tigres" on stage. Oh boy... talk about getting me pshyched for Ironman Cozumel! Que Divertidooooooo! Forget candy, break out the salsa!

The place to be in Kona was none other than Ali'i Drive. The road closes from 2-midnight and all sorts of tricks, treats, and things you cannot image take place. Let me tell you, a few of the costumes were hilarious, and 2 of them I could never post on the rated "G" blog I try to keep! I saw all my students that were once 3rd graders now trick-or-treating like grown ups! My gosh time flies! Kainoa got his fair share of sugar and this momma carried the pumpkin. Let me take that back, my sister carried the pumpkin (she dressed her big pregnant belly as a pumpkin).

Even on a crazy Halloween evening Hawaii is beautiful! All the hibiscus and plumerias are sending this amazing smell more sweet than the candy filling the air! AND of course local food was making me hungry too...

Little Elmo is now snoring and I'm hoping we get a mad rush of trick-or-treaters as the night winds down so I can give all Elmo's candy away! (shhhhh, don't tell him I said that). Buenos Noches from Kona, with Mexico on my mind!!

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Bree

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Plan A is in bloooooooom! Estoy MUY feliz! It took some text messages, like 5 a day for over a week to Coach Paul. They were random and at sporadic times of the day, hoping I would just catch him at a good time and he would say, "Si, Senorita". They went something like this:
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Margaritas and senoritas for you, 140.6 miles for me.
Yo quiero Taco Bell.
I hear a mariachi band.
Hola entrenador, Que tengas un buen dia
Me gusta mi bici!
Que pasa?
Chihuahuas are cool
Got burritos?
uno, dos, tres
I want a sombrero, can I go get one?
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He wasn't buying any of it. He ignored me for 10 days. Told me to relax after Kona. SO I hiked, camped, and rode down a volcano. He told me about Plan C (Clearwater and Costa Rica or Honolulu Marathon) he really wanted that one, he shoooooooved my plan B out the window (Florida, I LOVED that race & wanted to see my family). I was not giving up...
I rubbed my pregnant sisters belly for good luck almost everyday waiting for coach to respond. She LOVES the land of burritos, she learned to drive standard trucks there and worked with children. I slept in my land of burrito t-shirt almost every night having dreams of mariachi bands, riding with a sombrero on, and running next to chihuahua dogs all while sweating with 100% humidity.

THEN the new issue of surf magazine showed up at my house! The issue was ALL ABOUT the land of burritos! Wave after wave of sunny shiney beach paradise and island life... One final email to coach went like this:

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Dear Coach, Como andas??? Por favooooooooor, what is my plan? If it is or isn't let me know, I need to start packing and planning. MUCHAS gracias!

His response was: "MEXICO".

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I wasn't sure I read it correctly... M-E-X-I-C-O! Celebration soon went into action! I got in touch with Jim (I have Kainoa Thanksgiving this year) so it works WONDERFUL... we will go to Florida and visit with my family for a week or so, then I will hop over the Gulf Coast for the weekend for 140.6 Mexican miles, then hop back. Kainoa will get his DREAM weekend of major spoiling from Grandma and Grandpa, PERFECTO!

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Next up was making sure the sponsors/supporters were on the burrito wagon...I got some GOOD responses! Mostly positive...like Guy at Blue Seventy, "Rip that Ironman up girl, your a gem". He made my day. I'm not really loca, I just love racing. Today I got a call from the race director too, HOLA AMIGOOOOOOOOOOOO! I will meet him in Mexico...woooohoooo. The only thing left to do is book some flights for Kainoa and I.
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What a dream! Honestly a DREAM come true. Thank you coach... so much! Mexico here I come! AND thank you to my sponsors for supporting one more race of the season!

Oh, how could I forget... Travis, the MAN-ager, thank you too! This is Travis in Mexico last week, he texted me this foto bragging that he was there and I wasn't allowed to go. He was the brains behind the plan and worked the burrito magic on coach Paul...wooooohoooooo!

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Time to pack my traje de banooooooooo (Splish)!!

MUCHOS abrazoooooos!

Bree

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Pablitoooooooo! Adios from your friends in Hawaii! Good luck with your studies & your crazy adventures! Everyone misses you already...see you in 2010! MUCHOS abrazos y sonrisas desde su amigos en Hawaii. Que Dios te bendiga!!!!!!!

Nos vemos pronto!!

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Hawaii...Hawaii...Paradise! Another adventurous day (or few days) captured my heart yet again. My amigo Pablo and his family have a home in Volcano, when I got the invitation to spend the weekend with them my bike and I could not say no! I adore the "other sides" of the island and I have about 8 things I want to tackle on my "Hawaiian must-do-in-this-life-list"...4 more to go! On the Friday ride over I called Hilo Mike to let him know we would be in his neighborhood and to get ready for Saturday...the boys had no idea they were going to help me check another thing off my Hawaiiana list...

Kilauea is our states most active volcano. The report for the day went like this:

Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

Current Volcano Alert Level: WATCH

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To me that meant, safe. I asked the boys if we could PLEASE ride to the coast, the lava flow, the "beach". I have ALWAYS wanted to do this ride. It's kind of exciting to ride up and down an active volcano with lava slowly coming out at the bottom and steam vents causing you a bit of suffocation in certain areas of the ride. I'm not sure it was on their "must do" list but they had as much fun as me.

Eventually we got as far as the bikes could go, as close to the ocean as possible, and within touch of lava. My bike has never been hotter! Going down was cake. Going up...it was like riding up a volcano, if you can imagine that.

Check out the lava running into the ocean and creating that steamy view in the right side of the above foto. Click it to make it bigger for your viewing pleasure... that was our "turn around here point".

The only surviving palms in the lower area...

2,000 feet more to climb...

Going up???

Vamos amigooooooooooo!

We had a little trouble rolling up our windows.... I did discover that if you lick your arm you can taste the sulfur and get A LOT of salt, no need for salt tabs on this ride! The passing cars looked at us like we were a bunch of fools riding without gas masks...

Phewwwwww.... back to the top...we escaped the lava.

What a fantastic weekend. Some riding, some hiking, a giant turkey dinner with amazing company, no computer and limited phone connection, my book, my journal, 2 cameras, and another weekend in paradise! Sunday is closing up...Monday is almost here, and another week awaits. I did get an email from Coach Paul too... it's a good one...cha cha cha!!

Ua ola loko i ke aloha-Love gives life...

LOTS of hugs,

Bree

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My dream Big Island adventure was to hike up and over the valley's... I said after Ironman I would do it, and I did. Ironman is over... yesterday was as good of time as any to make my dream adventure happen. There are 7 major valleys that stand between Pololu'u and Waipio. The Pacific in this area is shark filled, holds some of the most incredible life taking currents and rips, and the valleys go in 2 directions, up & down. There is nothing easy about this adventure, especially with a camera in hand...
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The foto above shows the valleys. So beautiful, so untouched, and only 2 ways to get in the middle of them-by land or by sea. By land we went. Going up with a bag made things a little more heavy, but nothing too challenging. Going down, let's just say I wanted to hurl my bag over the side and let it wait for me at the bottom. There are some ropes hanging by trees that make the drop into the valley's a million times easier, however, the side of the mountain was more of a slip-n-slide for me. Of course I managed to drag my journal with me on this camping trip:
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Wednesday 10/21/09:
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I'm not really sure where we are, some valley between Pololu'u and Waipio. It's gorgeous in every way. The sound of the ocean reminds me so much of Costa Rica and all the days on the beach at night, only the ocean and me. The day feels so calm, I'm able to catch my breath and let my mind clear the clutter of so many busy days. The sea spray is gently touching my face, reminding me to smile. I love it here. No phone, no TV, no computers, not even a roof over my head. Nothing stands between me and the stars tonight.
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These moments in life are so good for me, they give me a chance to let my head and body catch up with my heart. There is a lot on my heart lately, Mostly Kainoa. I suppose when you love someone so much it's natural to want the very best in the world for them. Everyday I find myself just praying his little heart is happy, I still worry that one day the divorce will cause him to lose a few smiles in his life. I wish he could know how hard I tried to keep the family together, but it was killing me.
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I've been thinking about how it's almost 2010 and I wanted to move us to Costa Rica. I know now that will never happen, Kainoa needs his dad within reach and I would never go without him. When I close my eyes I can smell Playa Hermosa, I can feel the dark sand and breathe in everything I once knew. It's crazy how some dreams just never fade, maybe because it was my first love and in life we sometimes want what we can't have.
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The sky is now starting to turn all sorts of pinks and purples. It looks like heaven, I feel like I am in heaven on Earth. The other major thing on my heart lately is how much I have. I really truly have a blessed life, nothing fancy, it's simple, but it's all I need. I have known having the world at my feet and wondering where I would sleep at night. Both have helped me to appreciate where I am now and what I have now, each moment. Last night I tried to share that with Kainoa. We packed a giant box full of clothes, shoes, and other things to ship to families in the Philippines. At first it was so easy...I put in all the things I never wear or use. When it came time to put in the things I "sometimes" where I was challenged. My selfish side kept saying, "one day you might wear that again", and my giving side said, "people need that, they are naked". Kainoa told me to put it in the box, he then gave away almost all his clothes. It felt so good once the box was filled and the drawers and closet was now only our most worn clothes.
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I keep taking breaks to look out at the ocean, then a new thought comes into mind. I'm still in awe at the power and beauty of the ocean even after having watched a million waves break in my life time. The ocean reflects my life, ever changing, always beautiful. God I love it. I have discovered that the only times I am truly unhappy in this life is when I want something I already have. For some silly reason the more I have the more I want and when I have all I need I am content beyond blessed.
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The waves are coming in bigger now and the sky is growing dark. Tonight I am going to sleep somewhere between Pololu'u and Waipio. It doesn't exactly matter where I am, I just know it's beautiful and in between two Hawaiian valleys that I had to hike up and over and slide down a mountain to land in the middle of this crazy beautiful place in my life... time to sleep under a blanket of stars... good night.
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In the middle of a valley...to my left and my right, mother nature at her best...from here it was back down the side and into the middle of another set of valley's.

A beach between

Sun coming up on another day of life...

Up and over this valley is the only way out...

Taking a breath and a view on the edge of the valley, half way up and over...

The trip was filled with mountain apples, lilikoi, guava, papaya, bread fruit, and ohelo berries. It was like aid stations during Ironman :)

A rinse off in the calm shores of The Pacific Ocean...

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There is something about rainbows and shooting stars... they always make moments in life simply perfect. It is almost the time of year (October 20-November 30) when stars will fall from the sky (you know, a meteor shower called Taurids), that just makes beach nights glow! Tomorrow is the 20th, but a handful of us were lucky enough to get a preview of shooting stars tonight!! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE making wishes on stars and tonight I got to make 2! Wednesday we are going camping, I am sure with the "Taurids meteor thingy" I will get to make a handful more!

Tonight was sand covered burrito's at the beach, a beautiful sunset, Kainoa running barefoot, dark water swimming, laughing with the girls about who knows what...something about singing at a wedding (I'm the one singing and I plan on sounding like Adam Sandler in the "Wedding Singer" when he sings, Love Stinks, not that I think it does, I just want to sound like him at the wedding). It was teasing Dave about his violin lessons, a visit with Cody and his brother, and hearing about Pablo's travel adventures. The night was almost perfect... it reminded me of that song, "What a Wonderful World". Not every night feels like that, but tonight did... BEACH nights amaze me...

In triathlon news... coach called to give me my answer on plan A, B, or C...but he didn't give me my answer, he said maybe tomorrow. I wanted & asked for plan A at the begining of the year & STILL want it, I would happily agree to plan B because I could make it a family thing but that plan is already out the window and we aren't talking about it anymore, and plan C just flat out makes me want to ride my bike into the ocean and not ride out of it till I am sure it's just a bad dream, but I would bite my tongue and do it anyways... Dear Coach, if you are reading this, Plan A, por favor!

The sand covered Kainoa is now showered and sleeping. This momma is ready for some sweet dreams too! There is a swell on the way, and SINCE I HAVE NO TRAINING PLAN YET, Coach Paul, I think I will take myself surfing tomorrow and call it swim practice.

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Aloha Ahiahi :)

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Coach Paul has yet to let me return to masters swim practice. Today I over ruled that and returned to my beloved Kona Aquatics Swim Team! Last season we were voted the "Most Social" masters swim team in the USA. I am sure we won the award again this season...and will continue to hold that honor for years to come! You see, having a coach like Coach Steve makes it all too easy to go to the pool, the ocean, or wherever he is holding practice. I beg, plead, and cry like a baby when Coach Paul doesn't work masters into my training plan. Today, no masters yet again...however...this momma & her son made it to the pier on time, for another Kona-style-practice with Coach Steve and the incredible masters swim team!

Today's workout was a pretty fun filled adventure!

Warm Up: Meet at 8:30, Aloha time, say good morning to almost the entire swim team, rub on a lot of sunscreen, look over board at all the playful dolphins, smile because the vog is gone and we have a perfect view of Hualalai, and of course, break out the bikini's!

Main Set: Laugh so hard it hurts, watch Kainoa over dose on donuts from Uncle Giovani, find fins that are too big but wear them snorkeling anyways, look at all the underwater creatures and play in the ocean till you taste like sea salt and turn into a prune, get on the boards and paddle out to sea!

Cool Down: A cannon ball, flip, or dive off the side of the boat, anything goes as long as the splash is really big and gets everyone wet! Sunday, I will log this workout to coach for sure! As for the other training...I have been working coach Paul on those "plan A, B, and C". His only response is, I will let you know. I still don't know... till then, MORE KONA AQUATICS PLEASE! Except I really miss my bike!

Aloha from Kona,

Bree

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It's amazing, simply amazing. Each and every time I have a mindful of things that need my attention I get a rainbow! I am absolutely positive it is God's way of telling me that EVERY LITTLE THING will be okay and that I have to follow my heart...have some faith...and trust...

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Today, Kainoa and I got 6 rainbows on our excellent adventure around the island! Perhaps every little thing will be alright... Today I looked at my son different than I have ever looked at him. He is growing into a little person before my eyes. Once the little poop machine that had me covered in spit up and crying over milk in the middle of the night, he is now my best friend. Today was so different, rather than "dragging him along on my adventures" he was with me, next to me, front seat, holding my hand, my partner in crime.
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We were like real friends, buddies, chums, pals! He kept me company, we had real conversation, we laughed at jokes, I told him all about when he was little and how challenging motherhood was for me, but that it was so worth it to have him in this life and I would never change a thing...
About 2 hours into our trip, almost to Hilo, we meet a man needing a ride, I am sure many of you reading are cringing to even consider picking up a stranger...I'm not sure why but I love to pick them up. In college I once read that helping strangers you are really entertaining angels...besides, I am pretty sure my driving & singing keeps them fearing me more than I should fear them. So we make friends with "Kee-lee-ahu", not sure how to spell it, it's Hawaiian for something like, "with God". He was cool, he said he held his breath when I took corners on 2 wheels and he enjoyed stopping 4 times to take rainbow pictures...we got him safely to his place in the world...

The views around the island were breath taking. Everyday I remind myself to take nothing for granted and what I see everyday is part of that... it still takes my breath away and sharing this life and these views with Kainoa makes it even better. I want to teach him to appreciate the simple life, loving and caring for others, and enjoying life as it is without asking for more than we are given...

Kainoa getting comfy, "Mom, we don't need slippers for this right?"

Kainoa reading his "map". "Mom, we have to take the next left...."

Kainoa making a list of all the places we should stop, "Mom, we have to stop at the waterfalls, the beach, the farmers market, every fruit stand, stop to look at horses on the side of the road, get out in the rain in Waimea, and count tractors..."

"Mom, can I eat all the fruit we buy before we get it home?"

"Oh Mom, stop that horrible singing now, mom PLEASE, this is embarrassing"

"Mom, I need a little nap, 7 hours is a long drive..."

Me and Kainoa, the open road, a Saturday with nothing to do but spend the day together around the island. No watch, no plan, just cruising...

A stretch break, we wrote names with coral on the side of the road...

One of 4 bathroom breaks...he goes more than my grandma!

"Mom, I have a BRILLIANT idea, YOU give me your camera, it is my turn to take pictures!" This is when I discover Kainoa really is totally a little me...he LOVES taking photos just as much. After an hour we were fighting over the camera like brother and sister! 73 fotos later he got 2 of something other than my knee...

Nice job son! I think I know what to get you for Christmas...

About a 1/4 of a Saturday later we found this! (see above). I know, a new taco place! I LOVE Hawaii... I already made reservations! wooooohoooooo! Well, I can't let this post let you all think I am SUPER MOM just yet, it's still a work in progress for me, I'm still trouble...

See, skinny dipping still happens, sort of...

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Kainoa, thank you for the best day! Good night from Kona, go entertain some angels!

Bree

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The past couple days have been a lot of summer time. Living, loving, laughing, life...lots of life. With Ironman a memory away my mind is filled with new ideas and dreams. New goals and new adventures to tackle. I've got a plan A, a plan B, and a plan C on my mind... of course coach told me to STOP with the plans and go play, recover, rest. Soooooo... the upcomming "schedule" looks like this:

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1. Beach picnic tomorrow with Kona crew.

2. Friday: mom/son date with Kainoa, maybe zip line in the afternoon.

3. Sunday boat day with Kona Aquatics

4. A major hike/camping trip in the planning

5. Trip to the volcano

6. More beach, cliff jumps, free diving, snorkel, look for dolphins

7. Mini Hawaii island trip (depends on if coach says yes or no to plan A).

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For now, its time to find my raft for the beach tomorrow...

Bree

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Today my head is spinning as if a few coconuts landed on it (and not because of the K-Swiss Party last night). Life is back full swing ahead and it is a beautiful place to be. When you pour your heart and soul into something you really care about and you wake up the next day wishing to do it all over again it really helps having "more to life". I'm not mad about how my Ironman unfolded, even if (to me) it was darn ugly, I just really want to do it again right now because I still feel so ready to go...but like I said, there is more to life and that "more in life" makes it easier to embrace the "other days" in life...

I love racing... good day, bad day, I love it. Ironman day was a day that the love I have for my sport was the only reason I kept going even though it wasn't the way I wanted to go...

The emotional swim start, simply put-AMAZING! Being part of something so big is beautiful!

And of course the emotional finish... the start and finish are always good spots, it's all the places in between that really define us as we have to battle, wrestle, and ride through all that happens between the two points...As a matter of fact, my last mile was a 6:50, what the piss I thought to myself, I was ready and I-BREE WEE messed up in between my start and finish...

And like my mom always tells me, "Where the ocean meets the sky, I'll be sailing". I think it's from some 80's song. BUT she is right, a post race trip to the beach hit the spot!

20 of us planned to have a picnic, 10 of us actually showed up... it was refreshing to have more than the "20 minutes" coach was allowing me pre race... beach days make EVERYTHING better! Summer never ends in Hawaii...

To keep the laughter on full force we even broke out a few games of MASH. Pat is going to marry LeAnn! A few of us cheated and played over and over until we got our dream life... I am pretty sure I am already living mine...

Lava fields are a girls best friend and the perfect football field! ha ha ha... what a way to remind ourselves that there are far better good days then a day that didn't go as planned...

If you think playing catch on a lava field it absolutely dangerous, you should have seen the evening... It started with awards, then rain, then the K-Swiss post Ironman party, and from there, my lips are sealed and pictures are deleted from the camera. (it's for your protection, not mine).

Okay, back to Pablo's Ironman (because it will remind you that if you think your Ironman (or life) is rough, someone always has it a little more challenging) After a solid swim and a 5hour ride this is where Pablo landed, covered in vomit...It was ugly and smelly (not that I saw it till the fotos).

But he got lucky, at mile marker 23 he found a chair from an old beat up car on the side of the road, nice for napping??! If you can read Spanish his story is here.

Kona town is calm again. Most people have taken a flight back to wherever they came from. Some with awards and fantastic new records to celebrate. Others with a broken heart and a bad sun burn. At the end of it all, it really is good to have more to life...

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K-Swiss makes good shoes and good parties...

Bree

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