By Cameron Elford
April 4, 2007 -- It's easy to slip into lazy vacation mode while in Hawaii, but the frenetic triathlon subculture on the Big Island runs counter to the easy-going pace of many holidaymakers, and the training opportunities on the Kona-Kohala coasts all but compel athletic activity.
On Sunday, I covered the Lavaman Olympic-distance triathlon, in Waikoloa, about 25 miles north of Kailua-Kona, then, at the invitation of the LifeSport coaching team, I decided to stick around on the Big Island for a few extra days to take in the Lava Camp -- an age-group-focused training camp that covers the basics and the not-so-basics of achieving your best swim-bike-run performance.
Yesterday, after a morning swim session, we headed inland from Waikoloa to the town of Waimea, in the Kohala Mountains, for a 90-minute run through spr
awling Parker Ranch, a massive cattle ranch founded in the 19th century by some of the first Europeans to settle on the Big Island. Beginning at just below 3000 feet in elevation, the red-dirt road (which also serves as an active thoroughfare for the ranch employees, so heads up for vehicles and horses) meanders gently upwards past vestiges and contemporary evidence of Waimea's ranching history. If you get a chance to train on the Big Island, a run off the beaten path through Parker Ranch is a must. Not only will you get an opportunity to leave the hard-surface road-running in Kailua but you'll also be treated to spectacular views of the towering Mauna Kea Volcano (which is capped by the white domes of the observatory) and the surrounding peaks and valleys as you roll through the lush, desolate ranching country.
This morning, after an open-water swim workout in sheltered A Bay, a sandy public-access beach in the Waikoloa Resort complex, the group sat down for an inspirational talk on setting and achieving your goals at the Waikoloa Hilton by top Ironman athlete and star cyclist Chris Lieto, from California.
Following Lieto's presentation, the group tackled the stunning ride up Hualalai Volcano (the youngest of the volcanic peaks on the Big Island), which broods over Kailua-Kona. This is another must-do session if you have the opportunity to train on the Big Island. Begin the ride in Kailua and spend a few minutes spinning your legs out on the Queen K before attacking the grade, because once you begin the 12-mile climb there will be little respite -- although the workout and the view will be worth the effort. To head up the Hualalai climb, turn up Hina Lani St. (about midway between the Energy Lab Road and Kailua) off the Queen K and settle into a steady rhythm. Then take a left onto the Upper Highway for about a mile before turning right onto Kaloko Rd. at the 1500-foot elevation mark. Pay careful attention to vehicle traffic -- especially on the bottom sections of the climb where Kailua's outrageous traffic can lead to some white-knuckle moments.
Here's a brief round-up of Lieto's take-home messages:
- Know your outcome: Goal-setting is key. Don't be afraid to commit your goals to paper or otherwise articulate them explicitly. Doing so will allow you to find focus, create priorities and help you believe in what you want to achieve.
- Know why you want to achieve your goals. What do you hope to achieve through your goals and what is the cost of reaching - or falling short of - your goals?
- Take action. Once you know what you want, and why you want it, take action to capitalize on the momentum, rather than risk losing inertia.
- Don't allow yourself to be circumscribed by self-imposed limits. Instead, draw positive emotions from past experiences and visualize yourself performing without limitations. By doing so, you can accomplish far more than you'd ever think would be possible.
- Find a mentor. Ask someone who has gone before you how they did it and follow in their footsteps, learning from their past mistakes and successes.
- Know what you're getting. If you're not achieving the results you're after, don't be afraid to engage in a bit of introspection and make a few course corrections as necessary.
- Break every race down into manageable sections. Especially if you're hurting, don't get down on yourself but focus on reaching mini-goals: the next aid station, mile-marker or tree.
- Surround yourself with people who share your vision and will encourage and support you.