Lavaman Waikoloa Triathlon : Official Thread

looking forward to it.

we'll have to meet up !

my bib is:

Rode the bike course yesterday. Really nice. The pavement is absolutely smooth and the shoulders are really wide. Hills are rolling. Unless we get a nasty wind it should be a great ride.

I went for a very short swim around noon. Unfortunately there was about a 15 mph headwind creating major whitecaps. By the time I got out I was so dizzy I could hardly stand. It was dead calm in the morning, so I'm hoping the wind won't churn up the water until after our swim.  On the good side, the water is fabulous....warmer than the public pool I train in at home!

I'm hitting the bay in about 30 minutes to see what it's like at race time (7:50).

Well I WAS having a pretty good day until I read this....

Tri ENVY!

Have a great race no wind and fast times for everyone!

Looking forward to seeing some Pics!

Not sure I'm going to be able to start.  Sliced the my foot on lava rock yesterday morning.  I doubt there is a good spot to cut the bottom of your foot, but this is mid-foot, right on the outer edge where the pressure hits during foot strike.  It's not a large cut, but it's painful.  

I'm thinking I may hit the hardware store for super glue.  I think I could seal up the slice to at least get through the race.

This stinks, but it's certainly better than a bike crash.

just got back, didn't check internet for the weekend.

how was that swim ? !!!

absolutely calm before the race, and then out of nowhere comes the squall clouds that churned up the ocean, which turned the swim into a much harder one. pretty decent swells were challenging everyone.

luckily the wind wasn't there on the bike, so that was great.

having overcast skies helped keep the heat down.

the run was fine too.

sorry steve about your foot. Hope your run was ok today.

Yes...the swim was crazy.  It was carnage out there.  I felt bad that so many people on their first triathlon had to experience that swim.  I saw the same thing Noel...dead calm until just before the pro wave stared at which point you could see the wind coming across the water.  By the time the old guy wave (55+) started 30 minutes later we were swimming through large white caps and swells.  It was pretty nasty at the first/second turns on the outer buoys.   What a deal...the pros got the flat water and all us day-job guys have to fight through the surf!

On the good side, there was very little wind on the bike course and the cloud cover kept the temperatures under control for us weak main-landers that are more conditioned for snow than sun at this point.

Hats off to the Lavaman organizers.  Very well run race, volunteers galore, great post race party.

To anyone reading this review in the future, it's a great time on a very unique race course.  Practice your trail running skills if you can to be ready for the last mile of the run.  Also, if you decide to do a practice swim prior in the days leading up to the race, be extremely careful of the lava rock near the shore in A Bay.  There is exposed rock about 20 feet off the beach that runs along the shoreline for a good chunk of the edge.  The water at that point is only waist deep and the rock is impossible to see because of the churning sand.  It is very sharp and unforgiving on bare feet.  I slashed my foot pretty good and thought I would miss the race. Fortunately, I had three days to mend otherwise my race would have been over before it started.   Be careful out there.

Lavaman has been the best in terms of excellent swim management, I always feel good seeing all those water protection folks out there on paddle boards, kayaks, or surfboards to guide us. Can't think of any other race so well managed for the swim.

I agree, the after race party is one of the best around. Can't been Kona brew on tap.

Same for the second Lavaman in Nov down in Keauhou. That's a treat too. Lot less people, very laid back and fun race.

Hey Noel--Congratulations!  I looked up your results and see you nailed an Age Group podium slot.  Very nicely done!  It's always a great reward to walk away with age group hardware.

Congrats again.

First off happy you got to race sounds like it was a tough day out there...

Your swim report generated a question and I hope you can help me with preparation for my first HIM…

I’m trying to relate the conditions (Choppy) and course turns to the course I will be swimming in Sept in Cozumel. I’m hoping for the CALM seas and NO wind but will prepare for reality…

During your race the chop came from one side and then the other as you made your turn; so I would assume you needed to breathe bilaterally?

Currently I cannot breathe on my left side and will be working to fix that as I feel it is VERY important to be able to breathe bilaterally.

Any perspective you can give on the choppy conditions and how it affected your breathing would be very much appreciated.  

And just in case I have problems mastering the left side what are my options on the section where the chop or waves would be from my right.

I can envision trying to breathe and getting a wave to the face…

thanks Steve!  I lucked out, the fast ones stayed home ;-)

Bilateral breathing definitely helps with the situation you mention (chop coming on one side).

What I do for that situation, is to exaggerate my roll, so I'm able to clear the chop and get a good breath.

I do bilateral breathe, but I don't change to unilateral because of chop on one side. Sometimes I get a mouthful, and am ready to spit it out. Which is something you have to be prepared for.