Race Week!

Well here we are... Honu race week once again. I lost count of how many times I've done Honu but went back and counted... figured it out this will be my seventh time racing this one. Crossing my fingers for some RDM and maybe some Lucky7 or something like that to help me get through that run... Anyway.

It's been a little tradition to swim Mokes on the Monday before Honu... mostly b/c pools are always closed on holidays around here and the Monday before Honu is always Memorial Day... and when you're a swimmer and you live in Hawaii and pools are closed, well, it's easy. You go ocean! Anyway, apparently if you put an invitation out on Facebook, they will come. Biggest group ever out to Mokes yesterday morning! How awesome is this!?! Decent conditions, several first timers, lots of fast-fishie talent in this group too. That's Oahu (Lanikai) in the background.

We head over on Thursday... Moana is super stoked to go to Kona again. This will be her FIFTH time at Honu! How cool is that? As she gets older she gets more and more into my racing. I didn't tell this story after HNL tri but it's kinda cute... The night before the race I told her that I was going to get up early and go to the race, but that she and daddy would come watch the finish so she needed to be quick in the morning (if you have or have had a 4 year old you understand the challenge being presented in doing anything quickly in the morning). Scott told me that on race morning, Moana came in to wake him up before 6:00.... she was all dressed and ready to go! Daddy wake up wake up we need to go watch Mommy race! How cute is that?? Melts my heart. Anyway, the point is that she'll be excited on Saturday and it should be a ton easier for Scott too. In years past he'd had to schlep her (and all her stuff!) around while she's passed out in her stroller...

I've been checking the weather forecast too of course to see if I can get a feel for what we're in for this weekend. Weatherman says winds are supposed to pick up and be strong this weekend... but weird looks like that's only for Oahu? I don't quite understand how Oahu can have strong NE winds while forecast for Waikoloa calls for moderate (12mph) winds from the south? We are not THAT far away... Anyway, I'm mentally prepping for strong winds then if it's only moderate winds I'll just be pleasantly surprised.

So as I pack I find myself feeling cautiously optimistic about the race on Saturday. I don't feel like I have quite the form I've had in years past (or the form I would prefer to have going into this race) but I'm in better shape than I anticipated being in given that 4-6 weeks ago I wasn't able to run a step without pain. So there's that. And I haven't had any peanut butter or almond butter in over a week. That has taken Discipline. So I've got that going for me too! Here's my prediction: my swim and bike will be fine. Then if you're checking splits online, send me some positive energy in the form of something like HANG ON BABY JUST HANG ON... That'll be best case scenario for me I'll do the best job I can putting one foot in front of the other on that golf course grass... 13 miles will be my longest run since Cabo- or before Cabo really b/c in Cabo I only made it to 12 miles before I seized up... So ya. Send positive thoughts I'm going to need them. :)