Saturday RACE DAY!
Had a great night sleep and awoke by alarm at 3:30 AM.  I felt well rested and excited to the get the day started!  Dressed, breakfast, and ready to leave at 4:40 AM!   Arrived in Kona a little after 5:00 AM.  Transition opened at 4:45 AM.  Parked near Palani Drive and walked down to the transition area.  Dropped off special foods bags and then headed to body marking.  I lucked out and got a real perfectionist!  They use ink and stamps to apply the numbers and no ages on our calf! To prevent smearing, sunscreen is applied after the swim. I had about a half hour before the professionals went off and one hour until the amateur start.  I checked in my pre-swim bag and sat down on the ground.  It was warm but I felt good and relaxed.  Small world, I ran into a woman from Baltimore in the Port-a-Pot line!  She got in with a lottery slot.  I listened to the pro wave start and then completed a short series of dynamic warm ups.   Fifteen min prior to my start, I headed for the water along everyone else.  It moved quickly even though officials were checking all speed suits to ensure they were textile.

The Swim 1.2 miles
The water was as beautiful as it had been on my practice swims in Kealakekua Bay.   A reef is positioned almost immediately at entry.  The water was comfortable temperature and crystal-clear. I did some “snorkeling” on my way out to the swim start (a few 100 yds).  The fish were beautiful.   I had a wait time of 7 minutes in the deep water at the swim start.   I was careful to pick a spot that wasn’t in front of the surf boards and one that had more pink caps than blue caps (females have pink caps).  Volunteers on  surf boards were positioned parallel to the swimmers, in an effort to keep athletes behind the swim start line.   The announcer/official was threatening to penalize athletes positioned ahead of the start line.  I don’t think they actually penalized anyone.  The announcement sounded, “five  minutes to start!”  When the next line from the official starter was “boards forward” I knew the start was just seconds away ... the gun went off, and the white water began!   I knew that going in this would be one of the toughest, most brutal swims. My strategy was to keep my head down and keep swimming, no stopping, no braking stroke, despite being dragged under water a few times.  I learned 3 years ago, if you stop, you could drown.  I heard a women scream through the masses of  white water.  I felt or her, but; I knew her mistake, she stopped!  The first half of the swim felt good but rough.  A lot of up and down, but surprisingly not as hard as the ocean swim at the Make-A-Wish Triathlon I finished few weeks prior.  I was surrounded by the masses of other swimmers for the first half. I stayed with my game plan, keeping my head down as much as possible.   The water was rough, as I spotted the turn-around boat and I made the right hand turn.  There was definitely more open water on the second half of the swim.  I swam close to the buoys as I found myself in a pack of fairly straight, even swimmers.  Although more open, it was definitely harder on the way back, with a lot of up and down movement.  One female swimmer was all over the place, she was suddenly to my right, my left, or just in front.  She gave me a hard breaststroke kick, right in the chest that stunned me.  I’ve never had been kicked like that before, and it took a me a few strokes to recover.  I’m not sure it was an accident but the best plan was  to forget about it and keep swimming.  Finally, I sighted the dock and I  knew I was just few 100 yds to the finish!  It seems tough to get in the finish.  I swam as far as I could and then stood up.  The stairs were right in front of me -- time to get out of the water!

T1 –Swim to Bike transition
A little unstable, I stubbed by foot and slipped on the stairs (hoping that wasn’t captured  on my video!).  Just a short distance to the showers – transition bag pick up, and into the changing tent.  Without a volunteer available for help; I was on my own.  I stripped off my new Blue Seventy speed suit, which sadly never made it back into my transition bag , race belt, sunglasses, and held on to my cycle shoes.  Stopped off at the sunblock station to get lathered up. Again with assistance available, I was on my own .  I did my best and then took off for my bike.  It was a long way around the pier to my bike, which is why I opted to hold my cycle shoes.  I found my bike without issue, quickly slipped on my shoes, fastened my helmet, and grabbed my bike.  Mount line were clearly marked and manned, although I was cautious to avoid the swerving athletes who had left their shoes on their bikes and were presently struggling to get them on.
Bike- 112 miles 
I felt good on the bike right from the beginning.  My legs were well rested and I was feeling really strong. The first 10 miles were in town and I was able to see my family twice.  Once on Queen K Highway, I was able to tuck- in a aero position and I felt really strong.  I consumed only aelectrolyte drink for the first 45 min. ,in an effort to allow my stomach to settle after the ocean swim.  My tongue was still feeling the effects of the salt water.  My nutritional plan consisted of GU gel blocks, electrolyte tablets and drink mix.  I was planning just over a 200-250 calorie intake every hour.  My bike game plan was to stay in my aerobars as much as possible.  I experienced a bit of a cross/tail wind the first 10 miles out of town. Luckily, the head wind decreased for the next 20 miles.  The road was rolling and I was able to stay aero feeling really strong.  With the a left turn at the end of the highway, it was just under 20 miles to the Hawi turn around.  This is the toughest part of the course.  I remember really strong cross winds on the road to Hawi three years prior.  The cross winds were so strong, it was difficult to stay up right. It’s a net up hill to Hawi.  Winds were not too bad initially; comparable to winds experienced on the Eagleman bike course. The last 8 miles were a different story with head winds so strong I could hardly hold 10 mph.  I moved to my small ring, stayed aero and tried to hold my cadence at 80-90 rpm.  There was no break from the headwinds.  I watched my average RPM drop, drop, and drop some more.  Finally, there were more spectators on the course cheering and I knew the turn-a-around was close.  With a hairpin turn I was over the timing mat -- just ahead was special foods bag.  I stopped briefly to replace my fuel bottles and then headed back out.  I grabbed a few bites of a peanut butter/honey sandwich.  Coming down from Hawi was superfast with the head wind now transitioning to a tail wind for the next 8 miles. After, the cross winds persisted, as I made my way back to the Queen K. highway.  Only 30 miles to the finish!  It was getting pretty hot out in the lava fields.  I dumped water on me at every water stop, previously doing this every other water stop.  With head winds and long up hills for the next 20 miles I stayed  mentally tough.  Although I felt slow, with speed under 20 miles/hr, I felt strong staying in my aeroposition  maintaining a at 80-90 RPM cadence.  Finally, the last 8 miles! I don’t know if it was the slight turn in the road, or more downhill, but I felt like I could go fast again!  The only problem ... the saddle was starting to take its toll on me!  I felt strong but I was ready to be off the bike.   I finished the bike in 5 hours 34 min.

T2 bike-run transition
No need to worry about my bike as volunteers racked it for me.  I stripped off my shoes and held them as it was a long way around the transition area and the mat was slippery.  I grabbed my T2 bag and headed to the changing tent.  My number had ripped on the bike, fortunately I had another race belt and number in my T2 bag.  Socks, shoes, visor, race belt, and fuel belt -- CHECK.  This time, I had a volunteer help me and she was great.  She helped me with Vaseline and did a good job with more sunblock.

Run 26.2 miles
I saw my family as I headed out of T2.  High fives all around as I  headed to Ali drive for the first 10 miles of the course.  I felt okay but it was HOT.  Really HOT- like being inside an oven.  All water stops had water, ice, Powerbar drink, cola, powered gel and some had sponges. Fast walk/run through the water stop and then back to a run.  I felt pretty slow.  I was being passed by many runners or at least seemed like it ... but It’s a long run. I just kept running.  At mile 10, I saw my family again, no high fives this time, but I did wave.   With a turn up Palani Drive, a pretty good hill and then a left on to Queen K highway. I knew Ali drive would be really hot but I was hoping once I got on Queen K highway, it would feel cooler.  No such luck.  No cloud cover like three years ago. It was just hot. I later found out the temperature coming off the black asphalt was 131 degrees.  Did I say it was hot?  I focused on running, concentrating on my next step until I could see the bright yellow or orange shirts of the volunteers. Then I focused on running to them.  Each water stop was a fast walk as I took in water/ice/Powerbar drink.  I took a gel every 4 miles.  It’s net up hill to the Energy Lab turn off and I was feeling it, it was tough time. With a left turn on to the Energy Lab, and 2 miles of a net downhill to the turn around.  Then it was around the hairpin turn and timing mat then 2 miles uphill to Queen K highway.   Retuning to Queen K highway, it only was about 6 miles to go and the first time I looked at my watch. Trying to do some quick math, I needed to figure out where I stood to finish under 11 hours.  It definitely seemed possible, even if I really slowed down. With a net downhill from the Energy Lab turn off I just opened it up as best I could.  Consequently, I passed few women who had passed me earlier and they were walking.  I was surprised to see Scott at mile 24.  Later, I found out he was concerned that I might be slowing down and I could miss my under 11 hours goal. However,  I was moving pretty good during the last 10K.  Just down Palani Drive , I hit mile 25.  It’s a steep downhill and it was hard to remain stable.  The final mile and it seemed like forever to reach the  turn on to  Ali Drive.  Finally, the right turn to Ali Drive!  Ali Drive was packed with spectators.  I saw my family cheering me on. I passed a few kids with hands held out for high-fives. I was afraid that if I slapped them I would lose my balance and fall.   Then I heard my name ...  “Elizabeth Flynn from USA - YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!” ... and all I could do was smile!  With hands in the air, I crossed the finish in 10:45.28 !   My marathon time was just under 4 hours – 3:59.51.   I saw Vigo at the finish and he gave me hug.  I met Scott and my dad (only two family members allowed) past the finish, picked up pre-swim bag, finishers medal and shirt, posed for pictures. Then I got a free massage!  I was so happy to be done.

Goals and Targets
I met my first goal, to finish strong, while targeting under an 11 hrs finish time.  I stayed to my strategy on the swim, by keep ing my head down while limiting sighting, and not to breaking stroke while swimming with the masses with a target time just over an hour.  My strategy on the bike was to stay in my aerobars as much as possible, while keeping my cadence close to 90 rpm, while sticking to my nutrition plan with a target time under 5:45.  My strategy on the run was to just keep running and to think of the “now”,  with a target time under 4 hrs.  My biggest target was  to finish among the top 10 in my age group.  I didn’t realize this target with my 15th place but I was the 10th athlete from USA in my age group!