Happy FriYAY Team!
KONA. LET THE RACE BEGIN.
This Saturday — or Sunday morning for us here in Australia — the world’s best Ironman athletes will line up on the Big Island of Hawai‘i, in Kailua-Kona.
Kona. A place like no other in the world.
Only a handful of Multisport Gold athletes have ever qualified to race on this stage, and for those who have, they know that what you see in the photographs is only part of the story.
Because Kona isn't just about the swim, the bike and the run.
It's the heat. The wind. The lava. The elements. It's a place that demands respect.
All the big names are there. The champions. The favourites. The athletes everyone is talking about. We can debate the strategies, the numbers, the watts, the pacing plans and who might have the perfect race.
But there is one thing nobody can control...
What is Kona going to do to them? Because the real showstopper isn't standing on the start line.
She's already there.
Its Kona herself.
There is something raw and very spiritual about this place. The island has a personality, a history and a power that you simply cannot ignore. Respect Kona — and Madame Pele — and perhaps she'll let you have your day.
Take her for granted?
Well... she has a way of reminding you very quickly who is really in charge.
Kona doesn't care who you are. She doesn't care about your FTP, your VO₂ max, your race history or the numbers you've been producing in training. She doesn't care what the predictions say or who the favourites are.
When the wind starts to howl, the heat starts to bite and the lava fields seem to throw everything they have back at you, the spreadsheets suddenly become a lot less important.
Because Kona has seen champions. She's seen favourites. She's seen legends. And she's seen athletes nobody expected to win step up when the conditions turned savage and simply refuse to break.
That's what makes this race so special.
You can arrive with the perfect plan, the perfect preparation and the perfect numbers — but once you are out there, Kona gets a vote.
And sometimes, she gets the deciding vote.
The athletes who thrive here aren't necessarily the ones with the biggest numbers or the flashiest credentials.
They're the ones who can respect the conditions, adapt when the plan goes out the window, and keep moving when Kona starts asking questions.
So to our Multisport Gold athletes watching from home, set the alarm, pour the coffee and get ready.
Because on Sunday morning, we get to watch some of the best endurance athletes on the planet take on one of the toughest places in the sport.
And hopefully...
Madame Pele will remind them who is Boss.
Let the race begin.
Live Boldly. 💛💙💚
Coach Alli |
