#2008's Kona Goals

Now that I'm settled into our accommodations I thought it be a good time to promo my new race kit, provide race number and tracking info and also give a run down of my goals for this Saturday. So to start off I have to give props to Dave Anderson his buddy Tom of Tom Mills Design, who put together a B-Nuts jersey. Dave said if I was going to Kona then I better properly represent my business. I think they look pretty sharp. I also got the Great Lakes Proud logo from my buddy Austin. So I can represent for the Michiganders.

So my race number is 2008. By my count there are 98 men in the 25-29 age group. When race day comes around you can find all the athlete tracking information here. If you're interested in watching a streaming broadcast you can find that link here. The cannon goes off at 7am Hawaii Time, which is 6 hours behind EST.

My first shot at this race back in 2010 I finished in 9:52:45, 360th overall and 14th in my 19-24 Age Group. I swam 1:07, biked 5:08 and ran a 3:29. If you're interested in that race report it starts here.

This go around I have high expectations for myself. I would be ecstatic if I managed to podium in my age group (Top 5). Based on past times I would have to be right around 9 hrs flat, however times are highly dependent on weather conditions. Given my current fitness this is a tall task. However throwing down a 9:25 at Lake Placid, highlighted with a 3:01 marathon was a huge confidence booster. Now LP and Kona are two very different courses, but I think knowing what to expect for this course is invaluable.

I know I am capable of swimming in the 62 minute range, biking a 5:00 or just under. My biggest concern from my past experience here is toughing out the heat for the marathon. If I effectively manage the heat I am in a great position to have a solid marathon. I made a few changes to my training while back in Michigan to try to stimulate the heat of Hawaii. I'm also approaching my prep here on the island slightly different. Hopefully all those little things pay off come Saturday.