Leiahi - The Ring of Fire

So this year's Ironman Hawaii World Championship's theme, for the 30th Anniversary, is LeiAhi, in Hawaiian, the "Ring of Fire". As the Hawaiian Priest explained, LeiAhi is not only what drives us, but what makes us who we are. It is our family, friends, our sport, our passions, triumphs and failures - it is all-encompassing and we must respect all that makes up special Lei or ring.

Saturday will mark the 5th Ironman start of my career and the most meaningful in a lot of ways. Before I get all sentimental on you all, I thought I should share some cool photos from yesterday and today...

The welcome ceremony opened with a prayer from a Hawaiian Priest, followed by this "warrior" dancing with fire... then hula dancers and conch shells - yeah, plain awesome.
My parents playing with the giant sea turtles outside our condo... "don't touch the turtles". These things are pre-historic - SOOOOO cool!!!
"Is that a dead crab or a sea urchin? Uh oh, might lose that big thai food meets 'uncrustables' lunch"
The Road to Hawi. We drove the bike course yesterday. Lava - check! Hot- check! windy- check! Beautiful beyond belief - check!

We stopped along the roadside after a fun jaunt in the cute town of Hawi (the bike turn-around) and took this pic. There are gorgeous wind mills in the distance as well as the island of Maui! That dark outline behind the clouds.

Seeing the coral cheers along the course - thousands of them - is the best graffiti I can think of!

Flowers are everywhere here and this one caught my eye while riding my bike. Lizards were climbing all over it, so it must be good!
Mahalo for all of your kind words, calls and emails - it means the world to me and I will carry all of your thoughts and well wishes with me on race day!!