It was back in 2011 that I got the crazy idea to run a marathon. I blame Frank Smith, the owner of Island Triathlon and Bike. I had been riding for years. Never raced. Just commuted to work every day and did the two Century Rides every year. People still remember me for that. "Still riding you bike to work?" I'm never sure how to answer.
Two years ago I wrote about the onslaught of devices offering some sort of coaching ecosystem. My Garmin watch tells me how far I should bike or run. My Stryd running power meter suggests workouts and offers canned training plans. My Form goggles do the same, albeit only for pool swimming, which I never do. Honestly, I am surprised Shokz doesn't offer workouts to go with their headphones. (Don't get me wrong, I love my Shokz.)
The website is finally working. The issue was upgrading the underlying engine without losing content. To that end I followed the advice of a popular science fiction writer Jerry Pournelle, who years ago wrote a monthly column for Byte Magazine. In that column he often recommended against taking on tasks you lack experience with, and instead finding an expert. The expert I hired took the load off me, did things I know little about, and did a great job.
I am pleased to announce a uniquely comprehensive listing of endurance races held in Hawaii, together with an associated list of clubs, organizations, and stores. Races without announced dates are not included. I know there is still work to be done. I am committed to making this directory as complete as possible.
To access the lists, click Events on the main navigation menu.
It was the best of marathons. It was the worst of marathons. There was darkness and light. Hope and despair. We had the road before us. All we had to do was finish. I did. But there were times along the way when I thought I was going to die. I puked near mile 20, just a tablespoon of thick, gelatinous yellow bile. I crawled up Diamond Head, stopping often to cool off and recharge my empty battery. For the entire second half I swore this would be my last.
A skill that will be invaluable to you in a race is mindfulness. What is mindfulness? To put it simply, just noticing things around you, noticing random thoughts that pop up and letting them go without trying to block them or make them go away. The practice of mindfulness is a great way to quiet your mind when it is going in louder and louder circles of negativity. It also helps when fatigue begins to envelope you, or when some part of your anatomy starts to complain.
The 2023 season is winding down. In the Ironman world, Kona and Nice mark the end of the year. The Internet is all abuzz with tips on how to train through the winter. Layering. Heated vests. Heated gloves. Heated socks. Those of us living in Hawaii can be grateful for not needing any of that. Not even a wetsuit. At most a rash guard for a morning swim, or a light weight jacket on a long bike ride.
Hard to believe this website has been up for three whole years. A little longer, actually, counting the time it took to create the initial content. In that time I have shifted the focus from a mostly personal athlete blog to a coaching site aimed more at helping other athletes.
Look for some changes. The site has converted to using a secure SSL (https) address. My hosting service also provides a little extra firewall service to block bad actors. So far the change has been transparent.
Finding enough time to train is always a challenge. To make the most out of your limited training time you must always act with intention.
Think about two people going to the mall on a Saturday morning. One has no idea what they will do. They just walk around and see what comes up. The other person has a number of objectives. New shoes for work. A gift for a friend’s upcoming birthday. A new toothbrush. This person has made a list, sequenced to minimize the amount of walking necessary. They get in, and get it done. They act with intention.
When COVID-19 turned the world upside-down, I found myself, like a lot of people, taking a long, hard look at what had been my routine, and what I might change that would provide greater satisfaction. I chose to become a coach. What appealed to me the most was the shift from focusing on myself to helping others achieve their goals. Now that I think about it, that describes my professional career as an IT tech support person. Season planning is a popular coaching topic. Every fall, around this time, I see advertisements from coaches offering to help athletes plan their next season.