Katie at mile 2, heading out Ali’i Drive.
The run is the triathlon leg most accessible spectators. The Kona route features a couple loops that return through the heart of town, meaning you can see your favorite runner 3 or 4 times. Better yet, veteran spectators have bikes at their disposal and are able to trail their runners throughout the course.
Katie coming–video from mile 9 along Ali’i Drive. Click on the photo for an mpeg video download.
The heart of Kona, along Ali’i Drive and Kuakini Highway, is filled with people cheering and otherwise encouraging the runners. After mile 9, the run route climbs to Queen K. highway and spectators dramatically thin until the route enters The Energy Lab around mile 17. The Energy Lab loop is a 4 mile black hole for runners, remote, no spectators, a time to dig deep for a reason to keep going. The climb back to Queen K. is, by all reports, purgatory.
Mile 10 on Hualalai Road. Runners going in other direction are at just beginning their run (mile 1.5).
Queen K. ends with a final 1/2 mi. long 3% grade up to Palani Rd. (mile 25) before a last downhill to the finish line. Betsy and I stationed ourselves along the hill, along with a few other spectators, offering encouragement. We were greatly appreciated. I blew a green vuvuzuela, and whenever I gave my lips a break, a struggling runner–almost always European, it seemed–would stagger by and gasp, “Horn! Horn!” Anything to get to the top…..
Shanks with Dynamo’s signature cheerhorn–the vuvuzuela. Shanks was everywhere on race day, tracking the Dynamo racers’ progress.