RACE WEEK

Did I mention I ran a little on Sunday after my bike?  I DID!!  relatively pain free - the biggest problem seems to be in my foot still.  The Hip is not perfect, but it is essentially pain free and THANK GOD for that!!

This foot - what seems like plantar fascitius is just not going away.  I am mystified.

Anyhoo...

RACE WEEK

The BUZZ is in Kona.  The Triathlon community of the world is arriving daily and the crowds are ever increasing.  I am so glad I arrived so early - I feel like I got to chill out and settle in before all the hubbub. There are foreigners everywhere and lots of crazy accents - but at the same time - there are A LOT of HOT BODS in SPEEDO's EVERYWHERE!!!  LOL!!!

The swim is downright dangerous now unless you get there at sunrise or swim later in the day. 

I for one choose sunrise...and today, so did a sea turtle :)

I was suprised how chilly the water has been - I recall it being a little warmer in 07 - but maybe I have just become more of a ninny through the years.  It is probably the latter.  I have been wearing my 2012 ZOOT SWIM SKIN nearly every swim hoping for a little warmth and I absolutely love it.  I has one of those quick zippers that automatically releases when you pull the neck upon exiting the swim.  So awesome! no more dancing around reaching for a string to pull while I am dizzy in transition! 
After my swim on Monday, I hopped in the Jeep with Mel & Rob for a trip up the coast to Havi (the bike turnaround point for the race) and beyond.  It was another beautiful day stopping for some sight seeing, fudge, coffee, shopping, beach going and finishing up with sushi in Waikoloa at Sensei.  The food was quick and yummy and by 730 we were home and worn out!

Tuesday started with guess what?  another swim!!  LOL!  This time it was with the ZOOT PEEPS who just got into town from So Cal on Sunday.  I didn't take my camera with me today (bummers) but it would have been fun to have it.  We didn't swim far - just to the Kona Coffee boat(passed on the coffee this go round) and back.  I'll bring the camera out on Thursday...

After the swim - it was time for our Zoot Run - andother day to test out the hip.  again, the hip was fine.  it's the damn foot.  wtf is going on??  It was an awesome run along Ali'i drive south headed out just like we will on the first few miles on race day.  We stopped at the Cytomax house/booth -- just one of the many booths product peps set up along Ali'i for runners to stop and refuel.


It felt sooo good to run :)

So TODAY is the BIG DAY!  The Expo Officially Opens up and it was time for the swag grab.


Before heading into the expo I thought I would pick up a few avocados from the farmers market right there in town.  Just as I was picking them up, ther was BREE!!   Oh what fun to see her and meet her sister and nephew.  It wasn't soon after that we ran into Eileen and Reid and what seems like a bazillion other people I haven't seen in a long time...
I found my way around the expo but stopped at my two fav's -- the ZOOT BOOTH (of course) and the KT (kinesio Tape) Booth.  The ZOOT booth was SWAMPED.  The unveiled the KONA KIT (the bike kits and the tshits/socks/bags) and the line was unbelievable.  The kit is so awesome this year!  After my time at ZOOT, I decided to give the KT guys a chance to tape me up.  This foot thing has not responded well to all the time off of running I have taken.  After talking to the PT, Joseph, about what I thought was Plantar Fascitius, he taped me up and I found it to not relieve the pain too much.  After some more poking and prodding, he wondered if it wasn't post tib tendonitis!!  AGH!!!!!! 

I have had that before (3 years ago and off of running for 10 weeks!!) so I wondered if it wasn't rearing it's head again too.  except I thought I had it in my left foot before....anyhoo, he quickly removed the PF taping and retaped the foot for PTT and VOILA!  THE PAIN was almost totally gone.  An amazing relief instantly!  THANK YOU JOE!!  I will be visiting these guys a few more times before the race to keep me squared away.  Things are looking so good!!