“I hear the winds in Kona are as fierce as the heat,” my dad said on the other end of the line.
Two weeks separated me from the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. My dad would be cheering for me from across the Pacific. Since being diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2003, he has more than outlived the 5-year average survival rate. And though he continues to defy the odds, his chemotherapy occasionally cuffs him to California.
“I hope Kona isn’t like Hurricane St. George,” he laughed.
Note: Picture not to scale
I laughed too, recalling that it took me 1 hour and 51 minutes (!!!) to escape the St. George swim alive.
But instead of agreeing with my dad, I told him that I hoped race day would bring the windiest and hottest day Kona had ever seen. I wasn’t racing for time, I reminded him. I was racing for place.
But I was also racing the strongest, most-experienced triathletes in the world.
On a course with easy, breezy conditions, the outcome will favor the triathlete with the greatest physical prowess. Having raced my first triathlon only 18 months before and having learned to swim 6 months before that, I knew that I could not compete on the international level on physical terms alone.
But the harsher the conditions, I told my dad, the larger role fortitude would play in the outcome of the race. Should the winds kick up and the sun beat down, my mental game could help me minimize the experience gap.
“Well, you always liked a great challenge,” my dad replied.
–
Swim
1:14:17
The greatest challenge I have faced in the past 18 months is open water panic.
I pinpointed the source of panic as the rough contact experienced during a mass swim start. I set about to overcome that fear with the help of some riot police in Kona.
After some convincing, the riot police agreed to let me swim with them in practice while they simultaneously pushed, punched, and pulled me under water. With each day, I panicked a little less. And before the cannon fired on race day, I felt mentally prepared to face my open water demon.
Drafting in the water (i.e., swimming in someone’s slipstream) is legal, unlike drafting on the bike. AND it leads to faster swim splits. But until this race, I had lined up far from my competitors, bypassing the drafting advantage that comes with a higher risk of kicks to the head. This time though, I lined up close to my competitors, jumped on a pair of feet, and gained the drafting advantage for the first time in my life. After much body contact, and some salt water in my belly, I exited the water in 1:14. No fear. No panic attack.
Though I emerged 18 minutes behind the leader, my mental game was on. And I couldn’t wait to put it to the Queen K test.
–
Bike
5:38:25
As I biked toward the Queen K, Sherpa Jeffrey yelled that I was 43rd out of the water. Though further behind than I anticipated, I put it back in perspective. Two years ago, I laughed at my brother-in-law when he suggested racing an Ironman together. “Brother,” I said, “I can’t swim.”
“If anyone is tough enough to learn girl, it’s you,” he argued.
This memory filled my eyes with tears, momentarily spiked my heart rate, and gave a bolt of energy to my legs. I gave my brother those first 10 miles for seeing something in me that I never would have seen myself.
I focused on even pedal stroke, strong breaths, and catching superior swimmers for the next 50 miles, which got me to the turnaround at Hawi with a 22mph average. Of course, the crosswinds were too strong for me to notice the tailwind. So when I hit the turnaround only to face a brutal headwind, I watched my average speed drop off precipitously. I struggled to keep my heart rate up. My legs felt more like they should at the end of a build cycle. And I still had 52 miles to go.
1267–one of many looking for the draft-legal race
In preparation for those low points, I had written on my left hand the names of five people who would never have the opportunity to do what I was doing, people who know the true meaning of harsh conditions. People whose courage I would honor as I faced the day. I gave each of them 10 miles during which time I replayed in my mind memories we had made long before I knew triathlon.
Those thoughts carried me into T2 with a smile.
Mind and body had weathered the wind.
And we biked our way into 21st place.
–
Run
3:29:26
My left hand carried five names, but my right carried five words.
Every time I step into my running shoes, I acknowledge that I am doing something that my father once loved to do, taught me to do, but can no longer do himself. When I run, I run for both of us.
With a patient and steady pace over the first 9 miles, I had worked my way from 21st into 17th.
It was around 2pm, the hottest recorded point of the day. The next 15 miles took me out and back along the boiling blacktop of the Queen K Highway. I hear the heat index exceeded 100 degrees. I hear it felt like a furnace. I hear there wasn’t a single ocean breeze. But I can’t remember any of that.
Instead, I remember my legs and mind running us into a 9th place finish. In the WORLD!
–
As I lay in bed that night, too elated to sleep, I revisited several of the pre-race conversations I had with Kona veterans. A few in particular advised me to view my first Kona more as a learning experience than a competition. “You’re new to the course, you don’t know that heat, and you’ll make mistakes,” one told me. “Odds are not in your favor.”
That’s okay, I remember thinking to myself.
I am my father’s daughter.
–
Though not my father, this man carries a similar outlook on life
–
Mahalo:
To our friends and family who fight for Team Poppy Tony!
To the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) for fighting to advance the cure with body and mind.
To Jeffrey, my patient and loyal Sherpa. More on his awesomeness here.
To my German Sage, for helping me weather The Kona Syndrome.
To Coach Cummings, for teaching me to aim beyond the qualification.
To Muscle Milk, Zensah, Chocolate #9, and Optimal Swimming.
And to the 5,000 (!!!) volunteers who make an Ironman World Championship happen! Here, with my favorite volunteers, Tracey and Mike:
This was right after Tracey told me that I got Top 10…I was crying tears of joy 
More Tears of Joy. Thank you, Mike!
funny picture at the end.
btw, did i see a Nike GPS watch on your wrist while running? didn’t you say all Garmin at some point?
No Nike on that girl. It’s a Garmin 310XT on one wrist and a tiny Timex on the other. I’m hoping the Garmins get smaller over time because that one dominates my wrist. 910 isn’t small enough either!
Way to go. I followed along. Am so proud of you!
Thank you, Donna. I could hear you from VA! –K.go
Amazing! Great recap of your incredible day; beautiful reflections on your journey to Kona. Lots of love, K-bop
Thank you, Kate! Running through train tunnels was great training. –Kgo
Wow Kendra! Your race was amazing! I love reading about your experiences; you take me right there with you! You sure made me tear up! Thank you for taking my mama along on your race with you! I’ll make sure she sees this! Love you!
Thank you, Kristy. Your mom is a special lady and I was honored to have her in my thoughts along the way!
Yep, you’re amazing! Thanks for the beautiful and fun recap : )
Thank you, Amanda. Looking forward to chasing you in the water…or at least swimming in the same pool as you!
Great recap of such a fantastic race!! I am over the moon thrilled for you – NINETH PLACE IN THE WORLD!! You are the toughest competitor I know!
So fun to both pop big races at the end of the season–and cheer for our social kick partners as we do! Woohoo! Thank you, Caroline. –Kgo
So proud of you! You never cease to amaze me, Kendra! Loving you and always cheering you on from a distance!! Xoxo
Thank you, BJ! I could hear your cheers from CA!
Fantastic post and very inspiring! Congrats!
Thank you so much. Enjoying your blog too!
I’m so glad you like it, I like yours a lot too! We’d love to help out if you have any swimming questions. Hope you’re having a wonderful weekend.
Super, I followed you some during awkward times here from Europe. You did super and what an inspiration to overcome adverse race situations. Hugs, Marcus
Marcus, We’ll have to sync our race plans for next year. Would be great to borrow your pump again. Look at all the luck it has given me
Thank you, Marcus!
So exciting!!!! Congratulations on yet another amazing race.
Thank you, Amanda! Hugs, Kgo
The more I learn about you, the more impressed I am! Your Kona story is inspiring. I can’t believe you did your first triathlon only 18 months ago. Wow! Furthermore, I hope I live my life in such a way that my son seeks to honor me in a similar way. What a blessing.
Thank you, Steve. I’m really looking forward to contributing to your family’s project
–Kgo
Fantastic race report – Love it! My favorite piece is the part on facing the mental challenges of the game head on, and using fortitude to your advantage to level the playing field. Very wise words for us all to keep in mind.
Thank you, LV! See you at HP! –Kgo
When I got my teaching job, I was single and influenced by the teachers in my department. All were successful coaches with young families. Some were cocky, some were tough to be around and some were like big brothers to me. I listened to every story about their sons and daughters and wondered what fatherhood would be like.As most men, I hoped to have a son but God had a better plan for me.Watching your Dad run along the course at Morley field cheering you on to your CIF title, brought tears to my eyes.Seein you two run together at the Rock and Roll marathon brought more tears. Any father would be thrilled to have his daughter write on her hand an inspirational reminder about him. You make the pain that your Dad is going thru more bearable. May God continue to bless you and your family.
Your support of the Familia Goffredo is so great. Means so much to us. Thank you, Jose! So special that you have been with us for all of these special moments. –Kgo
Once again, KGO kicks ass!! I know Poppy Tony is proud of his daughter. It’s fun to follow your amazing progress in the world of tri. And btw, love the earrings on the run!
Got to rock the earrings! Thank you, Sally! And yes, Poppy T is one proud daddy-o!
It seems Leanda Cave, the overall winner, endorses your mental game. http://www.leandacave.com/?p=65&option=com_wordpress&Itemid=235
Leanda is kind of the shiz-nit, so yeah, maybe I’m endorsing her mental game!
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