I had a rather strange morning, going to Stellies to collect a car for my pops (check out his rear fender accessory here) and have 2 quick meetings, one with the honorable Dan Hugo, the other with a client.

After waiting for an hour (first meeting quick and klaar early) my 2nd meeting cancelled on me, wait for it, 15 minutes before the meeting was supposed to commence. Via email nogal, which made the taste that more woolies sour worm-ish.

Nevertheless, I took off towards the SafeHouse2.0, with some running gear in the car, and on the way had a look up at the sky, and made the decision to run early, over lunch today. What a decision.

Shirtless, I ran the trail around Lions Head and Signal Hill. 1 hour 7min today. I kid you not, the view was this good towards Clifton…

It was perfectly still.

Since the weekend, and Ironman Hawai, I have had this image stuck in my head, and its jumped back a few times in actual conversation with people.

This is the image…

Its one of the best images I have seen in ages, and gave me goosebumps when I first saw it. Its two guys, at the TOP of their game, in battle. Some people choose to fight battles with their fists, others with their minds. As a guy who loves Ironman, we choose to fight a loooong fight, in the ocean, then over land on a bike, and finally, we don our running shoes for the marathon.

The two guys in the picture are amazing, humble guys in person, from what Dan tells me about Andreas, and from what I know about Crowie, having met the dude last year. I also saw a tweet about them all being together at a braai tonight, chilling, having a good time. Those same two guys.

In that moment, they would not share a potato if it was the last thing on earth, even if they are friendly. They would not give each other an inch. Its the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, and a big paycheck is on the line, as well as a huge amount of honor and history.

Nobody remembers 2nd place in Kona.

F A C T

Pure competition only lasts as long as the competition is running. Further from that, its rivalry that extends to a personal dislike of that said person. Competition isn’t personal. Thats why I love it.

The image has had me thinking about the choices Pro’s make to give up corporate jobs to be there, IN THE MOMENT, in battle, competition, because that’s why they train, for the love of competition. Its why they race, for the love of competition. Yes, there is the money aspect, but I bet if you asked Tiger Woods if he would be happy being a semi-wealthy guy, instead of a billionaire, if the competitions were the same, I bet he would.

That’s why guys CHOOSE to throw their whole lives into the eggbasket of a small sport, in spite of there being limited cash involved.

Its for the competition, to go Mano e Mano on the playing field.

Its pure…

and I am in love with that feeling. To be right there, in the moment. Nothing else exists.

Could that be me? YES, I believe if I had the financial backing to take 3 years to get there, I could be there. I would have to give up just about everything I know, move countries, expectations, life goals, etc to be that guy, and that is why guys like James Cunnama do it, to be there, in that moment, racing the other guy, with ALL you have got.

Its honorable beyond belief in a society filled with fast solutions. There is no fast solution to get to the top. Something reiterated by Dan today during coffee. The kid is looking lean and mean, and knows the value of hard work, but he knows he still has hours to do, to pay his dues, to get to the top. He too, is taking the life I am talking about here.

I salute you, every single pro out there, in any sport, living the dream of being involved in competition in the moment. You are amazing.

I have a tiny drop of jealousy going about this, but value the life I am carving for myself just as much, because I took the chance to pursue a passion really close to me too, which is storytelling, which I now do for a living, leaving the corporate side for this. I have NO regrets. Life is GOOD.

Its alot of thought for a one hour run, but time did seem to stand still there for that while, running there, in the moment, at lunch time on a Tuesday, above one of the most beautiful coastlines in the whole world.

There is very little I would swop that for…

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this, from one of my favorite new sites, First Off the Bike

Sunday, 11 October 2009

Wellington and Alexander rule Kona

The day started off with a bit of wind but this dropped as the athletes jumped into the warm waters of the bay. With the navy SEALS doing there thing and jumping into the bay from a few thousand feet the cannon sounded to send off the pros. All the talk was done and all speculation as now going to end.

The swim was the usual affair with the pros all drifting from the start as the poor officials were getting pasted by them as they tried to restore order. By the time the cannon went it was a bit of free for all with so many edging ahead. By the end of the swim it was Andy Potts who got out ahead of the rest. He proceeded out on the Queen K Highway but was not really expected to ride away with this one. One guy who got out early was British athlete Phil Graves. He is a real talent and had talked up a bike course record pre race. What he was getting was a lesson in the lava fields as he slowly lost hi momentum.

The real momentum was with Chris Lieto as proceeded to write the damage report for this year’s edition of the race. Not content to just sit in the bunch he took off out of Hawi and rode away. The groups splintered on the road with the other athletes not quite knowing how hard to chase. it was decision time for the rest of the group and the end result was a a broken up bunch and pros strung out on the highway.

The women’s race was not going to script for the other contenders. Linsey Corbin and Teresa Macel were nowhere to be seen and Wellington was opening up a lead that would prove insurmountable. The rest of the women were riding hard but making little impact. Wellington had booked a ticket to a sub 5 hour bike time and had not invited anyone else along for the ride.

So it was going to come down to this. Could the hare out run the hound. Crowie had done this before in other races but all the mail pointed to the improved running of Lieto. Throw in upstart Andreas Raelert Chris McCormack and the mix was complete. Macca was the first to crack, walking through some aid stations. Then went Raelert before Crowie was able to pull away front the rest and do what he does best. His marathon time (2:48) was some 14 minutes better than the time set by Lieto. Lights out.

For Wellington she has no challengers except herself and the clock. She is immune from those would take her crown. She’s 8 for 8 over this distance and it would have taken a truck to stop her. While all her competitors imploded she remained calm and continued to apply pressure. In the end it was a new record set on this course and buoyed on by the voice of Ironman Mike Riley she greeted the tape with her trade mark smile and roll across the line. She was then joined by her family to soak up the line and wait a full 19 minutes before young Aussie Mirinda Carfrae ran herself into second with a 2:56. Carfrae’s time was also a course record. Rounding out the top three was Virginia Berasategui.

But the day belonged to Alexander and Wellington. They came into this race with all the pressure on them and delivered on the world’s biggest stage.

Women’s Results

1. 8:54:02 Wellington, Chrissie 54:31/4:52:07/ 3:03:06
2. 9:13:59 Carfrae, Mirinda 58:45/5:14:18/2:56:51
3. 9:15:28 Berasategui, Virginia 58:52/5:01:42/3:10:43
4. 9:23:43 Macel, Tereza 53:29/5:04:17/3:21:12
5. 9:25:48 Keat, Rebekah 57:17/5:15:50/ 3:04:32

Mens Results

1. 8:20:21 Alexander, Craig 50:57/4:37:33/2:48:05
2. 8:22:56 Lieto, Chris 51:07/4:25:11/ 3:02:35
3. 8:24:32 Raelert, Andreas Drage 51:00/4:38:01/2:51:05
4. 8:25:20 McCormack, Chris 52:51/4:32:45/ 2:55:59
5. 8:28:17 Henning, Rasmus 51:06/4:37:07/ 2:55:33
6. 8:28:52 Bracht, Timo 54:30/4:33:49/2:56:27
7. 8:29:55 Bockel, Dirk 50:50/4:37:29/2:57:42
8. 8:30:15 Jacobs, Pete 50:03/4:38:41/2:57:14
9. 8:30:30 Potts, Andy 47:45/4:46:07/2:52:15
10. 8:31:44 Al-Sultan, Faris 50:53/4:33:40

    firstoffthebike.com’s Kona coverage is presented by Powerbar.

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