Aloha! It’s a beautiful day in Kona….

Mitch Anderson

It’s funny how nothing much at all changes in Kona…but your purpose for being in Hawaii can modulate the way you see the place.  I remember getting off the small (and slightly frightening) Hawaiian airlines flight from Honolulu in 2000 and being hit by a wall of heat and humidity. My internal monologue went along the lines of “Holy beep, this is going to be a beeping hard place to race!” Towering volcano Mauna Loa and all the black lava fields were truly terrifying.

But I arrived here for my seventh visit yesterday (Sunday lunchtime) not having been here for two years, and it seems very different. For starters, I had trouble negotiating the aero-stairs with the cam-walker boot I’m wearing, courtesy of an operation I had Thursday afternoon. A troublesome achilles capsule required some trimming by kindly Dr Schneider. I thought I could make it through a career without surgery, but 20 Ironman races to one operation is a pretty good ratio for an elite athlete. I hope I can make it through the next twenty before I visit the Avenue Hospital again. Maybe that will be for a vasectomy though!!!

So I wasn’t worried by the conditions as I stepped out. Indeed it’s quite mild here in Kona for race week (26-28 C) with light winds. So with no fear factor, I’m looking at the course in a new light. The rolling surf and sea turtles could be savoured as I plunged into the warm waters. Scratch that, hobbled awkwardly into the turqoise waters at White Sands Beach. Seemingly the same locals as every other time bobbed their heads to the same rasta beats, with sub-woofers turned up to eleven. They look and snigger at the lean, lily-white bodies clad only in budgie-smugglers as we head for the water. They sip from luke-warm cans of bud, fast tracking to type2 diabetes, which is plaguing the indigenous population. Those in the water happily whoop and yell as a small swell rolls in, with eskie-lid riders (body boarders) contort their bodies as they’re dumped in the shore-break. Sand in every crevice is the gauranteed result.

So after a splash we retire to our beach shack across the road for tea, where the tweeter sound is diminished but we can still feel the bass of  parked monster trucks. It’s humid and still, and smatterings of athletes trot past in race gear or zing by on humming race wheels. More is less in race week, but most can’t heed that motto. I’ll keep you in the loop and answer some questions later today…

Mahalo,

Mitch

Hi Crew,

You’ll find regular blogs on www.firstoffthebike.com while I’m in Kona this week…but keep checking back here for photo’s and updates from the Kona house!

Send me any questions via the tag on the side, which is fully functional now!

best

mitch 

PS Brett and Humey on the Balcony looking ripped (img_0044.JPG)

Hi Gang,

Well, I’m in Honolulu waiting at the airport to get through to Kona. I don’t feel sort of breath at the minute, so I think my DVT hasn’t turned into a PE yet! That’s a medical joke for all you House watchers out there.

I met a few good sorts on the way over and have explained what’s going on with my paratenon for the 58th time. I can see it’s going to get annoying, but I’ll suck it up!

I’m looking fwd to getting in the water in Kona and starting back training every day. Being an owner-builder is good fun, but not as much as training for Ironman.

I have attached the promo material for Busso which is coming out…looks pretty cool. (imwa_a2_poster.pdf) (imwa_sticker_2008.pdf)

I’ll update you all from Kona with some photo’s…this is Ros in the airport in Kona (06102008007.jpg).

see you on the road,

Mitch

Hi Gang,

I’m off to Hawaii on Wednesday, but will not be racing due to an achilles injury. I’m keeping my powder dry for Busso and letting this thing heal. It’s been a frustrating 2 months with this injury, but I’m going to get it right now, so that it doesn’t affect my Dec 2008 or any of 2009!

I’m going to be running a couple of seminars at Melbourne Uni in October (see below info- which I clearly didn’t write!)

see you on the road,

Mitch  

Members,

We are pleased to announce that Ironman Mitch Anderson has agreed to take us on a presentation over two sessions (including Q&A), focusing on training, nutrition and race tactics to maximise your potential on the bike. Needless to say, this is a remarkable opportunity to be counseled by one of the sports best: Mitch is currently one of Australia’s top ironmen, recently finishing second in Ironman Japan (22 June 08). Further, Mitch is a graduate of Physiotherapy as well as Medicine at the University of Melbourne - and is a professional trainer to many young talented Australian cyclists. Please see his website for further info: www.mitchellanderson.com

At this stage we need you, our members, to help make this happen!Please confirm your interest by this coming Monday (29th Sept) to attend a one hour session on the 17th Oct (Fri) at 12:30pm, followed by another follow-up session on the 30th Oct (Thurs) 12:30pm.Prices will be between $5-10 per person per session depending on numbers. Likely location somewhere on Uni Campus - Details TBC. Those that have investigated professional coaching will know that this is a rare, not to be missed offer. I hasten to add that you do not need to be racing, or considering it, to benefit from the wealth of knowledge and advice that Mitch has to offer. I am confident that all of our members will find it an interesting and useful experience.

I hope to see you there!

Regards,

Joseph Amin

Vice President

Hi gang,

hmmm…it’s not all going to plan…but watch the video and see what’s new.

Good luck Bridie who is racing the world championship TT tonight at 23:14!!!!

see you out there,

Mitch