Kona 2014 Day 0

It happened! For the 7th year I'm back at the Hawaii World Championship- 3rd time not racing...except last year was a total catastrophe as I spent only a few days on the Island sick and counting down the minutes to return home. Needless to say, I didn't stay even to the race week and sort of left apathetically without looking back- more concerned about fixing my own work/life situation than playing around in the Hawaii sun.

However, this year the Kona plot began brewing early summer when the TriCabo races and events were being planned at full gear and I was set to come promote the camps and primarily our inaugural Cabo Whaleman. As well, I wanted to help some friends out at the Expo- LAVA Mag & SOAS.

The almost too-good-to-be-true fun of 2012 was begging to be repeated and 2014 had to be it. Then Hurricane Odile came through Cabo and did its little dance of destruction and there went Cozumel 70.3, and any concrete thoughts of promoting Cabo tourism through Ironman week.

Fast forward to a few days ago, sitting at home in Texas, regrouped and looking at everything through a "blessing in disguise"/"glass half full" lens and tick tick the dots connected and...well...ALOHA!

It's hard to succinctly describe the feeling of touching down in Kona. Wait, backup to getting on the triathlete-filled plane at LAX, and feeling a mix of butterflies as if I was going to race again, and an excitement of the week when this whole community of swim, bike, run lovers unites in paradise to celebrate the best of the best. I ran into a good friend, Pablo who was seated just across from me, and it was amazing to hear about all the endurance racing he packs on year after year! The baggage claim was full of people from all over the world, each with their unique story of how they got to be at this year's World Championship.

I got my suitcase, which was all I had since my bike is still cozy in Cabo, and another good friend and Kona local, Cody, picked me up and we went to grab lunch at the Kona Brewing Company. I'm not a beer person, but their Longboard is fantastic and after a whole morning of travel it went down like liquid gold.

From lunch he dropped me off to check in at Uncle Billy's where I'll be two nights before joining some girl friends at a condo for the remainder of the trip. At the lobby I met the cutest woman- in one of the elder categories- that was telling the receptionist she qualified in IM Sweden but had never swam without a wetsuit and was nervous and just hoping she'd make the swim cutoff. I couldn't resist, and asked her if she wouldn't mind me helping her out these next few days in the ocean to give her a few pointers and get her more comfortable so she makes that cut off no problem! So tomorrow we'll start bright and early :)!

Quicky, I unpacked and put on my bikini to head straight to the beach to get back some of the color I lost since Odile. I enjoyed a little swim in the ocean and was feeling surprisingly awake despite the 4am TX-time wake up, so also went for a run on Alii.

Now I'm starting to wind down and will just relax the rest of the evening.

Tomorrow after I swim with the woman I met, I think there's a group doing the whole course so why the heck not?!

Cabo Triathlon Training Camp(s)

Yesterday I felt exactly what it's like when you combine passion and work, and when you understand why you experienced what you did years prior, and why you are where you are at this very moment.

I posted this on my Facebook yesterday, even though there's still quite of bit of planning left because I know once the camp is officially open for registration people will appreciate having had a heads up.

"Get ready for the most EPIC "tracation" EVER!!...When I got to Cabo it sort of felt like the Kona of Mexico: Great highway, mountains juxtaposed with stunning coastline full of majestic bays for swimming & golf courses and new roads and trails for running, I could not contain my excitement and determination to bring my friends and make this a new Mecca of triathlon.

Life works wonders, & I've been fortunate to connect with some incredible people that share the same passion for sport and vision for Cabo as an athletic destination.

We already have the Ironman, we're planning more races, mountain biking is part if the culture here, we have a half marathon in February, & more and more people show up for group open water swims, and rides in and out of Cabo on some amazing mountainous roads.

We had a meeting today at the site of the ongoing TriCaboKidz camp and you could feel the generational impact of sport all around you.

We're going to offer an intermediate to advanced training camp for adults (to start) and invite a couple interested pros to help us promote the camp and lead the campers in swims, bikes, runs, trx sessions, and nutrition/training talks. The details of the discount packages for accommodations etc, as well as the "invite package" for pros will be announced later as we're still in the beginning stages of setting the camps loose;)!!

Friends, friends of friends, amateurs and pros alike, sponsors, and anyone else interested, please contact me with any questions or to mark your enthusiasm just like this post/album.

Where else can you get 350 + days of summer sunshine/yr, turquoise waters, quick (California!) and easy travel, amazing food and hospitality, and the chance to literally "live the dream" training?!?!"

We're shooting for early 2015 to allow participants a chance to really get in some SOLID work load before the season commences. Eventually, we hope to offer a mid and end of year camp as well. Because Cabo can get VERY hot in the summer months- July-September, I want to organize something for the masochists (like myself) that like brutal but effective Kona prep. 

The accommodations (villas/condos/homes and hotels) that we will offer campers- pros and amateurs- will be second to none. No matter your budget, you will be somewhere that allows training, recovery, and "enjoyment" :) to be your only concern. 

Myself and other locals we'll be partnering with, will offer rides to and from the airport, to other activities you may want to explore in Cabo (if you have energy left haha), and to some of the areas best EATS. This won't just be triathlon training- it will be the ultimate Cabo experience!!