Kona diary - day 1

Mon 28 September

Up early at 5.30 to get into the right sort of sleep pattern for race day/overcome jet lag. Actually jet lag not that bad since we had a night stop over on our way here – an extra night sleep seems to have helped and though I was awake by 5, I had slept through the night. It was still dark as I left the room for my run, so was looking forward to running along the seafront as the sun rose. But I blinked and missed it! By the time I’d left the building, the sun was up – being so near the equator, dawn and dusk just don’t really exist!

A nice easy run up Alii drive. The day starts early here and I wasn’t alone on the road, with all the cafes setting up for breakfast business by 6am. As soon as the sun was up it really starts to feel hot. Returned to find the most amazingly coloured lizard in our room. So vibrant I thought it was a plastic toy – until I prodded it and got a start as it scuttled up the wall. Not entirely sure how I feel about a lizard running around in our room, beautiful or not, but I don’t think they bite or anything. Reckon as long as we don’t swallow it in our sleep, no harm will come of it.

The main mission of the morning was getting my hands on a rear cassette to replace the one which is still attached to my Powertap rear wheel, in Steven’s sister’s attic. With all the rushing around in London the last few days between Lanzarote and departing for Hawaii and hurried packing, something like this was bound to happen. Fortunately there are a couple of helpful and well stocked bike shops in Kona, and by midday I had a bike that would ride. Glad that I’d recently bought a new chain.

Checked out the aquatic centre for a pool swim . a large open air 50yard pool had been divided by a boom to create two 25y pools, dedicated to lap swimming – and a free facility. Free stuff makes me happy. Felt good swimming – did 3k with 6 x 350y reps on race pace.

Quick spin on the bike tinkered too much with the indexing on the gears. Wished I’d just left it alone – the guy at Pro bike ( La Santa, Lanzarote) had serviced it and had the shifting smoother tan it has ever been, but just not quite meshing perfectly on the new block, so I had to stop and fiddle. Now its far worse. And sure to get on my nerves unil I get it right…which could take several rides.

Rachel arrived this afternoon – She, Russel, Steven and I had dinner in the Canoe Club. Huge salads, brilliant sea-front view (albeit dark by 7!) in bed and falling asleep by 9! (that's jet-lag, jo)