By Clint Lien
Oct. 11, 2007 -- When hunting the elusive Pro Triathlete in Kona one can’t just go off all half cocked. You have to do your homework and come prepared.
You have to know the best times of the season, the best spots to hunt and the best times in the day to do your hunting. Even with all that information it won’t mean a thing if your approach is clumsy and ill thought out. You’ll just scare them off.
In the past, the time of the season was a no brainer. You showed up in the middle of October and stayed until the last Monday of the month. If you showed up any other time you wouldn’t stand a chance of a Pro sighting.
That’s changed now. I think it was in ’98 that Pro Triathlete Peter Reid decided to come to Kona for ten days in September in order to better acclimatize himself for the return in October. He won the race and returned each year at that time to repeat the ritual. It took awhile but now it seems many Pro Triathletes (and a good many age groupers) are doing the same. Of course the numbers aren’t anywhere near as dense as they are in the week prior to the race but the density of the hunters is much lower as well.
Once you’ve established the optimal time of the season to arrive here you will need to ascertain the prime hunting locations to bag yourself a Pro Triathlete.
There are four or five good spots for sightings but only three of them are quality catch sites. There are a few ‘also rans’ as well.
The first place for a sighting is the famed Alii Drive. I’ve been here three days now and already I’ve seen MJ running twice, McGlone once. Corbin once and at least forty seven others who I’m sure were pros. They had Speedos on, a heart rate monitor strap and little else. They were also cruising along at about a 5:37 pace. They had to be pros.
As I stated, a Pro sighting on Alii drive is good for little else. It’s not advised to interfere with a Pro Triathlete during training. They can become unpredictable and sometimes hostile. Today I witnessed a hapless gentleman turn around and yell out at Sara Reinertsen as she ran down the drive, asking if she was racing again this year. She had her Ipod on (a common defence tool incorporated by many Pro Triathletes.) Not hearing the gentleman, she continued on her way. In this case the hunter only suffered some mild embarrassment. It could have been much worse.
It’s much the same for the second location - the Queen K. The Pro Triathlete can often be spotted on his bicycle riding out in the lava fields. Again, contact is not recommended here. If you happen to come upon a Pro out there while on your bike as well, stay off the wheel of the Pro. Water bottles have a way of launching out the back.
No, if you want to make contact with a Pro there are three premium locations to do so. The first is the Kona Aquatic outdoor pool. Now this may seem like a contradiction because isn’t the Pro also training in this environment? Yes, they usually are, however, they will often take their time getting in the pool and many times they can be seen lingering around after a workout. Approach during these times is often met with success. Belinda Granger was there on the morning of this writing and I witnessed not one but two successful approaches by hunters.
The second location is also a swim site – the pier. Same parameters as above. Only it’s a more target rich environment. There’s also a lot more hunters so you’ll need to be a little more aggressive.
But the prime hunting ground for the Pro Triathlete is far and away The Lava Java coffee shop. Here the Pro feels comfortable and at home. They’re usually sitting and the caffeine rich drinks makes them friendlier and more approachable.
The number of Pros found here fluctuates each season but there’s always a few.
In years past, Normann was seen holding court day in and day out. This year I’ve not heard tell of a single sighting. If he’s not victorious on Saturday you may see him back yet again The Pro Triathlete is often seen returning to familiar grounds after a bad race.
You can also find the Pro Triathlete at numerous organized Pro signings and the Ironman Expo. These areas deserve little more than a casual mention. To the experienced hunter, bagging a Pro at one of these locations is like shooting a deer on a game farm. It’s just not sporting.
When approaching a Pro Triathlete you have to have a plan. You can’t just fly in all henny penny. Do not, I repeat, do not regale the Pro with a history of the Pro’s athletic life. They know what they’ve done. One line of attack that is often successful is to choose a particularly inspirational performance and let the Pro know how that performance affected you. If you have a camera ask if it would be okay to have a picture taken with the Pro. The Pro will like this as the more pictures there are of the Pro the happier their sponsors are. After the picture is taken, thank the Pro, wish them luck in the upcoming event and move on. Do not linger overly long. Again, Pros can become unstable when exposed for too long.
The final tip - approaching a Pro Triathlete is much easier if you are attired in the product of the Pro’s sponsor.
Hunting the Pro Triathlete is fraught with peril but a successful approach can be well worth the risk. Just remember to follow the simple rules – know when and where and have a plan. And always approach with caution!
Check out Clint's previous installment
HERE.