Kari and I had a successful trip to visit her parents in Kona on the Big Island in October. It was jam packed with Ironman events and plenty of other of fun activities! We even ran part of the Ironman course a couple of times.
Watching 1,800 world class athletes compete in the Ironman was the most inspirational and motivating sporting even I have ever experienced. There were people in their 80’s finishing the race! “Incredible,” doesn’t even begin to describe it…
We started the day with a 4:30 am wake-up call to reserve a spot on the ocean wall for the swim start.
We moved on to the hot corner and watched biker’s speed by. There was even a guy doing the race on a BMX bike. We went to the finish line to watch the winners and almost made it to the cutoff at midnight!
A big shout out goes to Kari’s parents Kris and Brad! While in Hawaii they helped us experience an ocean kayaking trip, cliff jumping, a luau, and took us to a secret local beach. We had a lot of great food but even better were all the laughs!
We left Kona with a thirst for triathlons. A hunger and urge to become Ironman finishers. “Kari Wilcox and Lauren Griswold, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!”
Cheer us on and pray for us during our training! We need strength, confidence, persistence and a lot of luck!
Quotes from the trip:
1.
On the airplane to Hawaii.
Lauren: “Kari, I am so excited to eat my peanut butter pretzels and cookies.”
Kari: “Me too, they sound good!”
Passenger: “Umm, excuse me, but my daughter is allergic to peanuts, so can you please not eat those pretzels, she’ll die if any nuts are eaten.”
Lauren and Kari: “Yeah of course.”
(5 hours into the flight)
Kari: “Mmmm, Lauren this banana bread I made is so good!”
(Kari gasps and gives a distressed look of shock)
Kari whispers: “Nuts!”
(Kari had forgot that her banana bread was more like banana NUT bread. To all our readers, the girl in front of us on the plane lived. We aren’t sure how, but Kari stashed that NUT bread so fast that the nut molecules didn’t get into the oxygen flow of the girl. Phew!)
2.
Kris: “Erin! So good to see you!”
Kari: “Uhhh, Mom, it’s Lauren.”
Kris: “No it’s not. You are Mary and this is Erin.”
Kari: “Well then, you are Suze!”
3.
Kari and Lauren watching runners go by the condos during the race.
Kari: “Lauren look, that runner has her name on the front of her shirt. It’s Dorothy.”
Lauren: “Yeah, Dorothy Ger.”
Kari: “Uhhh, Lauren, that’s short for Germany.”
(Lauren and Kari laugh hysterically. About one minute later another German runner comes by.)
Kari: “Look Lauren! It’s Dorothy Ger’s brother!”
Lauren: “Go Ger Go!”
4.
Still cheering and watching the runners from the pool, both are wearing tube tops and shorts.
Kari and Lauren: “Good job! Keep it up! Way to go!”
Runner: “Are you girls wearing anything back there? You look naked.”
5.
At a local bar having a drink on our first night to the island.
Man at the bar: “Excuse me, but did you go to Kona High School?”
Kari: “Does it look like we’re from around here?” (Gesturing at our milky white Seattle Skin.)
Man at the bar: “Yeah you do. You look like locals.”
6.
After the 6 hour redeye back to Seattle…
Lauren: “Kari, what is that on your face?”
(With a disturbed look Kari takes a sock and pulls it off of her cheek)
Kari: “It’s a sock! Was it there the entire time?”
