The Road to Kona; Chicago Edition #10

Well, just a couple of weeks till Kona. It has been a while since my last blog update, so I thought I would provide a quick summary of where I stand:

Swim - I did the 2.5k course at the Big Shoulders race a few weeks ago. While I have a lot of room for improvement in my swim, I feel pretty confident that I will have no problems here. I read that one of the primary reasons for the dreaded 'DNF' is sea sickness during the swim, so I'll have to get a few practice swims in after I arrive and think about taking a Dramamine (non-drowsy, of course!). Predicted swim finish - 1 hour, 20 minutes.

Bike - This is the one area that I am concerned about. My training was going great until my accident that cost me a week of training, then my wedding and honeymoon kept me off my bike for another week. While I am confident that I will finish well before the bike cut-off, I will have to really focus on my power zones and not get smoked on the bike (literally, since the temperature on the bike course can reach 100+ due to heat radiating off the black asphalt and lava rocks. Predicted bike finish - 7 hours.

Run - While it is extremely unlikely that I will qualify for Boston before I am 70, I do feel that the run is my strong point. If my previous predictions hold true, I should be starting the run around 3:30 - 4 PM. That will give me two hours of running before the sun sets, so I will be enjoying a nice view of the ocean. Then after dark, I just have to reach the finish line. Luckily, Jennifer will be volunteering at a water stop on the run, so I'll get to see her a few times before the finish. Predicted run finish - anytime before midnight!

So, that is my plan... I can't wait to get to the start!