Before I came out to Kona this time I really thought that I would have so much spare time that I would be able to catch up with lots of things I need to do!! As it turns out all it has been so full on with just doing stuff that nothing has got done including my blog for the last 2 days.
This trip to Kona for me was always going to be about 3 things – The journey, the race and the experience.
The journey firstly qualifying and then just trying to get in my best shape possible so that I could have a good race. Whether I have managed this I am not really sure! I do feel in good shape and I do feel ready but i also feel that I have not really had any good races this year. It is also hard because I know that at 50 i really can not race as fast as I did when I was 25. Most athletes will come here aiming to race faster, I need to come here and just try to race to the best of my ability.
So for the Race I can honestly say that I have no goals in terms of time or position. But my goal is to race well and to hopefully to 100% of what I am capable off. When I tell people that I want to be able to remember and enjoy the last km of the run I really mean it, I want to see the people and saver the moment. I have never done this before and I feel I am unlikely to get another chance. But I also want to make my family proud.
For me the over all experience of Kona is the thing that counts most! No matter what happens in the race I will go away from here with positive memories. To share this trip with my family and friends was always the goal and it has been amazing, I feel the time we have spent together and the memories that we have will be with us for ever. To catch up with old friends has also been amazing, people I raced against, coached or just have not seen for years.
