We are here, we have arrived, well when I say ‘we’ I mean me, and I’ve enjoyed a couple of days in Kona now. We (that’s all of us this time) are one week out and things are certainly now getting hyped and excitement building as we enter race week.
I always remember these days and the sensations. You know the race is less than a week away, and suddenly it seems so close. Yet at the same time you still have five days, which when you break it down, really it’s still quite a lot of time. It sometimes feels like this odd time warp, of fast and slow time, that’s sometimes hard to explain.
Arriving on the island, I still got the buzz. The approach to landing, if you are lucky, takes you along the Kona coastline, tracking the Queen K and the bike course. I got the excitement, and the Aloha spirit, on the approach, but at the same time without the nerves that landing here as a competitor brings.
There is definitely some level of FOMO being here, and with that some JOMO too (joy of missing out). I know this week is going to be up and down with emotions for me, but I’m going to enjoy the next few days, catching up with friends, feeling full of respect for each of the women here Pros and Age Groupers), what they have done and achieved just to get here. And then get ready for what is going to be an epic day of racing!
First big get-together
Over the next few days, I’m going to give you a daily update from Kona. What’s happening, who’s said what or done what, the energy and vibe, and perhaps some of my thoughts.
Oh yes, I should introduce myself. I’m Sid, Laura Siddall. I’ve recently finished racing Professionally, and in the process of transitioning into something else, and working out what the heck to do with my life, and how do you fill the huge void that training and racing filled (emotionally and physically). Spoiler, the answer is you don’t, but maybe we can cover more of that at a later time.
For now let’s celebrate all things Women in Kona!
Sunday, and it marks the eve of race week with the Ho’ala Training Swim. It’s the first time really that many of the Pros are all together, as well of course as all the athletes and anyone else who wants to join in the fun.
Unfortunately, the swim had to be shorten, ending up being around 2.7km rather than the 3.8km. The athletes were also told not to run into the water which resulted in some fairly comical skipping, and walking down the beach.
Ultimately it didn’t really change the result Lucy Charles-Barclay the first out, standing up out the water, and just casually, almost nonchalantly walking up the beach, removing her cap, and almost shaking out her hair, in the process like a hair advert! Whether for show or real, Lucy looked like she hardly put in an effort, yet emerged clear of the pack of women behind.
Lucy is coming into Kona on a high and clearly feels the good island energy returning here as the Champion from 2023.
Apparently there had been a few bets flying around between the Pro women, as to who was going to beat Lucy, but she showed who is the best in the water.
Points to prove
The swim meant it was chance to catch up with some of the Pro women – hugs and hellos and the awkward “how are you feeling?”.
Britain’s Steph Clutterbuck is lining up in Kona for the first time as a Professional. Having competed here twice before, first a DNF, then a finish, which she describes as “getting round”, struggling with the heat both times. This year for Steph it’s about managing her effort and having a good back half of the run.
Easier said than done, as she’s fully aware. Steph has had a mixed lead into Kona, with some chest pain back in June that turned out to be myocarditis (inflammation of muscle around the heart). This resulted in complete rest to give her body time to properly heal. Complete rest for any Pro is hard, and then coming back, with this issue at the back of your mind, would have been tough.
But with a renewed appreciate for the sport, Steph comes to Kona full of gratitude and a good heart (literally).
We then caught up with American Danielle Lewis out at the infamous Energy Lab, before she started her run. Lewis has also raced here before back in 2023, but was a DNF on the run. She had been experiencing some neuro muscular issues, preventing her from training, but came to the race in the hope she could start and she made it to mile 6.
Eleventh place at the World Championship in Nice last year, and Lewis comes into 2025 with some great results over the 70.3 distance and strong IRONMAN performances. Lewis’ strength is her bike/run combo, and so will be wanting to limit the deficit to the front of the race in the swim, to give herself a chance.
Lewis has called upon the support, as a training partner, from British athlete Jodie Stimpson, a two time Commonwealth gold medallist, who has moved up to racing the middle distance over the past few years. After a lot of open water sessions and swim work, Lewis will be hoping she’s not too far behind at T1.
Balancing act
Tomorrow things really start to ramp up. Most Pros hope they have all their media commitments squared away the week prior, with more in person events during race week.
Shake out runs with partner brands, Breakfast with Bob from Huggos, meet and greets, Q&As as the expo springs to life. It’s all about managing your energy levels, balancing the last few training sessions, just to keep the body firing, (as most of the work is done now), with the sponsor commitments and ensuring you also have enough quiet and down time to freshen up come Saturday.
T-5 sleeps…
Café of the day: HiCO Hawaiian Coffee – a little out of the chaos that is the center of Kona, towards the Kona swimming pool, on Pawai Place. A quieter vibe, from the well known places on Ali’I Drive, although I did notice quite a few more athletes seem to be finding it too, so will see how long this little escape lasts.
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