Blog 1: Hey, I got a Kona spot!

Kona Here We Come

Monday, 19 August 2013

Hey, I got a Kona spot!

I have never really been exactly sure what a blog is, or what bloggers do. My only reference is from reading John Cooke's enlightening "iwantakonaspot" blog which is linked through Facebook. Now, being the extremely fortunate recipient of an exclusive Kona spot, inspired by the likes of John, and fellow triathletes met on my Euro travels this year, here were are - the pathway to Hawaii.

What is this "Kona" and why are its spots so special? Well, spots can be a symptom of a disease or serious ailment. These spots are no different - contagious too! Amazingly, despite the inevitable pain, discomfort and fatigue, tens of thousands of people around the world are obsessed with acquiring an elusive "spot".

If they are so elusive, how did this "Fat Irishman", with a fragile body, broken far too many times over the years, end up getting one? (To compound the indignity of my nickname is the fact that many say, "but you are not Irish", yet no one ever said "but you are not fat").

Kona has undoubtedly evolved into one of the world's iconic sporting events. The Holy Grail of triathlon. These days there are dozens of Ironman races around the world, but this is THE Ironman. Swimming 3.8km (2.5 miles), cycling 180km (112 miles) and finishing off with a full 42.2km marathon (26.1 miles). Kona is considered tougher than the rest due to the climatic combinations of heat, humidity and wind, exacerbated by the dark, unforgiving lava fields. Those that can endure the elements, whilst performing to the highest level in 3 demanding endurance sports, can then call themselves World Champion.

Traditionally, there have been two ways to become one of the 2000 or so Kona competitors. You have to be either very, very good and dedicated, or exceptionally lucky.

Traditional entry 1: Only for the gifted and obsessed. You merely have to be in the top one or two per cent of an Ironman race in your age group. In effect this means that the likes of John and I, along with the vast majority of competitors, in all honesty, have no chance at all of getting there. For those who believe it gets easier to qualify as you get older, think again. For example, at the last Busselton Ironman there were 2 Kona spots available for the 150 or so 50-55 year-old Male age groupers. The 2nd place getter did 9 hours 28! (Ronnie said he was disappointed with that). In the normal world that means you need to swim like a fish for an hour, ride your bike for the best part of 5 hours at almost 40kph, then run a marathon in not much more than 3 hours. So, no chance there then.

Finishing IMWA 2012

Traditional entry 2. Enter the lottery. A statistical probability around the same as winning Lotto, or any other national lottery. i.e. pretty close to zero.

However, much to the delight of people like John, Apple Nick (Crane) and myself, there is now another way to attain a spot, the main criteria being dogged persistence and having more money then sense. This is the Legacy option.  Merely complete twelve official Ironman races within the 17 hour deadline. Brilliant, somehow I have already managed to scrape through nine. Aloha 2014!

Time for a plan: with a 2013 European trip already arranged for daughter Rebecca's graduation from Manchester University, I could squeeze in an Ironman race at the start of the trip, and do another one at the end. These, added to the already entered Busselton Ironman in December, 2013, would earn me the magic number of 12 finishers medals.

Hence, all being well, I will satisfy the Legacy entry requirements for a realistic chance to go to Hawaii in 2014. With the help of Nirvana (the Euro equivalent of Tri Travel) I entered Ironman France, to be held in Nice in June; and Ironman Switzerland, at the end July. Sorted!

Until a bolt from the blue.

Early on the morning of April 15 I got a strange message from Kim Tyler Lees congratulating me on my Kona qualification for later this year - 2013. Forgetting all about the lottery I assumed she had texted me by mistake. I thought that perhaps a mutual friend must have qualified somehow. Shortly after, my phone/Facebook went mad. Unbelievable! Despite the odds, it turns out I had been exceptionally lucky and won an elusive lottery spot. Truly amazing. Ye ha!

Now just the small task of staying fit and healthy enough to do 4 Ironman events in 5 months. Bring it on.