Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Some Like It Hot

OK, can I just say how jealous I am of so many people posting about the hot temperatures on the mainland? Seems like every time I log on to facebook or blogs in the last week I'm reading about how hot it is. Funny to me that a lot of it is complaining. HA! I would NOT be complaining if it was 90 degrees here right now.

We've had week upon week upon week of wet windy weather here... a bit of sun here and there but overall it's been an overwhelmingly wet winter. I know it doesn't help that I live on the windward side of the island (which is the wet side). But seriously, I am ready to be hot. I want to train in hot weather. I want to feel all dehydrated b/c I just can't drink enough while training because it is THAT hot. I want to feel the sun beating down on me- burning holes in my skin from its intensity...

It's not that I really enjoy feeling like I might burst out in flames or die of dehydration while running... it's just that I know that it's going to be brutally hot and sunny at the 70.3 I'm doing on The Big Island in less than 9 weeks. If we don't start getting some sunny days soon, we won't have time to acclimatize to running while feeling like we might melt. That's what it's going to feel like at 11AM out on that golf course so that's what I want to feel like right now on my long runs. Grrrrr.

Moving on... On Friday I get to fly over to Molokai for the day to check out the Coffees Of Hawaii Plantation! I'm not sure what all I'm going to be doing over there, but I'm guessing I'll get to tour the plantation and get to learn more about how the business works and what my role might be... Oh, and meet a bunch of the friendly folks who work there! I'll take lots of pictures and write it all up for you when I get back. :) I've never been to Molokai so I'm looking forward to going! We were going to take Moana and stay for the weekend, but I have to be back on Sunday (more on that in a bit) so it was only going to be 24 hours for her there and the thought of packing her car seat and the pack-n-play and all her stuff for just 24 hours didn't seem worth it in the end. Maybe we'll go back over for a 3 day weekend later this summer when we'll have more time to settle in and explore the island a bit.

So Sunday is the annual Team Time Trial! It's a 40K race on the bike with 3 other teammates... I think TTT's are the hardest thing ever to do on a bike... harder than individual time trials because you just don't want to let your teammates down so you're giving 100% the whole time. I've done the TTT twice since living here- both times had my friend Sandy on my team and both times we won the women's race! This year I'll be riding with Sandy once again and our other 2 teammates are stronger than we've ever had before so the 4 of us are going to ROCK that course! The scary thing about riding with such strong teammates is that they will be hauling so fast at the front that sitting on won't give us a ton of rest before it's our turn to get on the front for our own pulls so it's going to be brutal. Then, like last year, I'm going to turn around and ride the 40K TTT again as the woman on our mixed team! Last year I had all of about 2 minutes to recover before starting again on the second team. Man, that was hard. Hopefully I'll have an extra couple minutes this year but we'll have to see how they order the teams. We have requested an early start for our women and a later start for our mixed team so hopefully it'll be ok. I'll find out on Saturday when they post the start times for each team. Regardless, this is going to be a wicked hard day on the bike but so much fun being part of this great Pac Velo team! :)

14 comments:

Ange said...

Wow....Fun and Crazy TT events you have comign! can't wait to hear about it. SO great that you'll do it twice!
Thanks for your comment/advice on my blog too. I think I am lax about consequences because I expect them to just "do it" so I don't always have a plan for if they don't!
And re: the wet adn rain. That is how I felt all last summer when we only had rain and 50s before Lake Placid and then it was fall and cool when I was prepping for Kona! Scary when the weather is what can bring you down!
You'll be fine! :)

Running and living said...

I ran hard in 90 degrees this afternoon (by choice, I ran at noon to get ready for potentially high temps at Boston) and my heart was about to jump out of my chest. I am so tired now, I can barely type. I'd be glad to exchange our respective weather(s)! So fun about the trip. I love to take short trips away from Petru, I feel so refreshed when I return. Good luck with the TTT! You'll rock it, I am sure!

Katie A. said...

Yes, it is even hot on the west coast! Lovin' my spring temps! I hope it starts warming up for you VERY soon! Good luck on the TTT, I am sure you are going to rock it!!

GoBigGreen said...

Team time trials are hard! Practice pulls if you can but hopefully you have ridden together;)
have fun touring the coffee fields( plant ?) and btw it wad 53 here today. I will race in Texas in 3 weeks on
about 1 week of 75 degrees in Tucson:(

Allison Chapple said...

You mean you would have been jealous of how muggy it was at 5 AM this morning when I was out there? :P

Good luck with your weekend - sounds exciting!

Big Daddy Diesel said...

The Race of Truth is my favorite race of them all. I agree, TTT are extra tough, making sure you are pulling your weight for your team. Trying to hatch on and stay with your teammates wheel, and then the stress when it is your turn to pull. I love it all.

GOOD LUCK!!!!

Angela said...

Good luck this weekend and have fun!

Angela and David said...

People in Hawaii are not allowed to complain about the weather. We were at risk of getting snow flurries last night. I'd kill for some heat.

Enjoy those time trials. Kick some ass!

cherelli said...

Wow a busy weekend ahead - enjoy inhaling those coffee fumes...should gear you up nicely for a day of torture on the bike Sunday - good luck!

Lizzie said...

I ran in 90F yesterday - and I was so slow I ended up having to run to the dentists for my 5pm appointment and ask if I could quickly run home towel off and grab some water (nice people that they are, it wasn't a problem!), but I absolutely LOVE hot weather. I mean really love it. It's tough to run in, but there's something about sweating a lot that makes you feel strong at the end . .. even if you ran the slowest time ever! :) Sadly today it is almost 30F lower for a high. Hurry up heat!! :)

Unknown said...

Hi, I am new here i read your whole journal and i am a true supporter of everything you do.
Have fun tomorrow. and Kick some Butts on Sunday!! Good luck!

Regina said...

I'm packing our hot weather and sending it where it belongs, in Hawaii. Too soon for 90˚F.

that TTT sounds great, but two in one day? you are an animal! good luck and have a great trip to Molokai!

Anonymous said...

I am right there with you on loving the heat!! Yes it's warmer now, but I look forward to hitting triple digits and not having to freeze my ass off at 5am. Have fun visiting Coffees of Hawaii and at your team time trial :).

prashant said...

Good luck this weekend and have fun!
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