Kona Pilgrimmage: Station 1, Running on Ali’i

I first came to Kona during race week in 2004, five years into my triathlon career. By that time, I had absorbed a lot of the Big Island lore, the history of the race, the iconic landmarks, the rumors about the wind and heat. I needed to see for myself places such as the Energy Lab, Hawi, Ali’i Drive, and all the rest. I’ve had the good fortune to make it back here a number of times since then, enough so everything is feeling very … familiar. To help me see the whole spectacle through fresh eyes, I’d like to offer to the Nation a guide to the highlights of Race Week in Kona. The required stops of the Pilgrimage, along with some of my own favorites. A daily update from Triathlon Central, at least during the first two weeks of October.

This year, my wife Cheryl is coming for the whole shebang, so we fly into KOA together. My routine: hit up the Cycle Station for CO2, then cruise Costco for some key food items (berries, salad, muffins, fruits). Get the remaining necessities at Safeway on Henry St, then follow the run start and finish along Kuakini, down Hualalai, to Ali’i Drive. Turn left past Lava Java, down the seaside alley to my steadfast condo next to the Royal Kona, the Hale Kona Kai. It sits on top of a lava tongue jutting into the ocean; wave spray hits my third story window at high tide.

By 4 PM the food is put away, and my meagre clothes are safely in drawers. I change into running gear, and go outside for the shakedown cruise. A run down Ali’i and back for 5 miles, to test my self in the environment. Race day, miles 2-9 of the marathon follow this street. Traffic heads north; we occupy the Southbound lane and shoulder to a turnaround at the Little Blue Church. This far ahead of race day, only a few TT bikers and a scattering of runners are out. But we’ll call this the First Station of the Kona Pilgrimage: running along Ali’l, out away from the honky-tonk central of Kailua-Kona near the pier. It’s all about seeing and being seen, testing oneself in the moist warmth off the Pacific –  basically getting your Island Legs under you.

There are green mileage markers every half mile. Several times each mile, the condos open up, revealing pocket beaches. Some are prime surfing spots for the locals, others are for snorkelers, searching for tortoise and dolphin. It’s best to run on the ocean side; there are no side roads to deal with, only the condo driveways, and the folks who park too far out into the shoulder, forcing a risky detour into the traffic lane. But the cars are *supposed* to be going 20-25 mph, and most go more slowly, simply due to the congestion.

Runners are out at all hours of the day, and some of the night. Early on, no clouds hide the sun, which rakes the skin with its radiance. After about 2-3 PM, clouds often migrate down the slopes of the Hualalai volcano, tempering that intensity, but providing a blanket which holds more and more heat and humidity down the surface. Take your pick: bake or broil, it’s all the same to the Island.

Back at my Hale, I jump (sans shoes and socks) into the pool. If I time it right, I can se the beginnings of this evening’s sunset – clouds appear at horizon level, waiting for the orb to drop.