The fatigue is starting to accumulate….this morning feels like a lifetime ago! Tara warned us to be prepared for a big day today, and she didn’t disappoint 
We started the day with a 3k swim at the pier–and I got buzzed by three dolphins midway out to the Kings buoy (wonder if they’re my new friends from the pod I saw yesterday at Captain Cook??). The ocean seemed relatively calm but I managed to swim a bit off course (imagine that?!) into the ocean treadmill/endless pool on the return to shore, which is always challenging to move past. Thank goodness my legs weren’t cramping today….!
We had a quick breakfast (‘snarfing’ would be a good description!) then onto the bikes for what was planned to be a 178k ride out the QueenK, up Waikoloa road, and partway up the infamous old Saddle Road. Backtracking down to the upper highway and down HinaLani (a fun descent with wide shoulders and sweeping turns; thankful T hadn’t planned intervals on it like last year!!) to the QueenK was our return route.
I managed to stay aboard the Tara train almost to Waikoloa today so I guess the drafting practice is paying off? (I have mixed feelings about perfecting that skill, since it’s not allowed in a triathlon or TT, but it can be a great workout if the train engineer is as powerful and steady as T!) Once I fall off the back, it’s nearly impossible to get back on…It was a scorcher of a day and we were extremely grateful for the regular ice (and fluids, etc) refills from David and Etienne in the van. Thankfully, the breeze picked up toward the top of Waikoloa; that and another ice stop at the van saved me…but as always, be careful what you wish for…! Alicia and I turned left with instructions to turn right onto old Saddle Road (the new one is like a highway, with good shoulders but heavily trafficked). Turns out that the turnoff, while labeled Saddle Rd on google maps, was actually marked with a different street name. We actually stopped, looked at the sign, and decided it wasn’t what we were looking for and continued north on the upper highway. About 2 miles out of Waimea (!!), E and D caught up with us and we all u-turned/high-tailed it back to Saddle (or whatever the street name was) Road. We were not pleased to have tacked on 10 or so bonus miles, especially when we saw the bumpy tarmac and grinding climb that was Saddle Road. Thankfully, just when I had announced to Alicia that I needed to stop and stretch my back, she spotted the van up ahead—again, the guys knew just what was required at that point. Poor Anja had been suffering with digestive issues all day, so that was the revised turnaround spot. We headed back down the rutty road (wishing I had my new gravel/cross bike instead of my tri rig…) and headed south on the Mamalahoa highway toward Kona. The breeze we so appreciated a few hours earlier? Now it was crazy crosswinds eventually becoming a steady headwind into town. Typical windy day on the island, but an unfortunate development for us campers, who had been spoiled by virtually windless days thus far. Between the cross gusts, the narrow shoulder (with embedded reflectors that could wreak havoc it we hit one), and the heavy traffic (much of which barely moved over, buzzing us instead!), it was pretty harrowing. I wish I had Alica’s bike skills, as she rode rock solid just to the right of the shoulder line, whereas I was squirrelly and annoying the heck out of the traffic! After pulling over at the scenic overlook to catch my breath (was my heart pounding from the effort of climbing up there or from the terror of the vehicles buzzing by?), we managed to tackle the last bit on the upper hwy, very happy to see the Hina Lani intersection. Thankfully we navigated the last bit, ending up back at the epic house with adequate time to slog thru the final workout of the day, a 10run. )But first, a quick and refreshing jump into the large dipping pool here at the house! Brilliant suggestion, Alicia!!)
Between my old injuries and misaligned hips, my 10k was a jog/walk marathon (or so it felt); I barely made it home by dark. Big day indeed. (Turns out Alicia and I rode 189k total–yikes! No wonder we are practically comatose this evening… Let’s hope for a restful sleep–I know we all need it desperately…!!)