Kona Week: Welcome to the Big Show!

It's the start of Kona week. And we all know what that means: hype, groundshaking hype and online chat galore on web forums like Slowtwitch.com and Trinewbies.com. I like these forums, don't get me wrong, but any venue that allows anonymous posters to write just about anything they please will become less-than-accurate sources of the street-level goings on of Alii Drive.

Over on OstomyAthlete.com, I have a bit of a remedy for this: follow the journals of 3-time Ironman World Champion, Peter Reid and his good buddy, and incidently one of my coaches, Writer Guy. Just follow the links on PeterReid.com to hear all about the shenanigans of two triathletes focussed on participating in the race-community rather than in the race itself.

I love this week, it always gets me motivated to take my training to a new level. Though I am approaching it with a different mindset this time. When Peter won Ironman in 1998, I decided to take up the sport. No other single event has had such a motivating impact for me. And I have watched with baited breath as he has raced almost every year since. Pete's not racing this year. I refused to believe he had retired in 2002; he was just too young still, had too much to do in the sport. I know he's gone now. And I am aware he won't be back. It feels strange to not have any one particular person to follow on race day - Jasper is opting out this year to focus on ITU Long Course Worlds. Oh, to be a fan with no iconic figure to worship!

I am going to do something different this year: I will take this week to turn my dreams into a plan to get there - to the big show - sometime soon. 2007 will be the start of a likely long campaign to arrive at the World Champs, to race. So I will ramp up the mental part of my training, and lay off the potato chips as I play arm chair athlete on Ironman Saturday. You can follow the progress of the race live at Ironman.com.