The big island

I've never been to Hawaii, but always wanted to go.  Now that I live on the west coast it's just a quick plane ride away.  I completed Ironman Wisconsin a few weeks before this trip, so the plan was to get in a little R&R, cook meals with lots of local veggies and and check out some trails for hiking and mountain biking.  This island didn't disappoint. 

I did a little research before I arrived and found out about some really great farmer's markets.  The town of Waimea has a farmer's market mid week and on the weekends, so I was able to stock up on plenty of colorful food. 

The house I was staying at had a stunning view, so most mornings were spent doing yoga on the front lawn and enjoying a fresh smoothie. The sunsets were pretty hard to beat too.

One of my favorite parts of the trip was a 40 mile mountain bike ride on Mana Road.  Big Island Bike Tours provided the bikes and a ride to the start.  The terrain was challenging but the views were stunning.  It was cold and rainy at the start with 30 mph winds, but after a few hours the sun came out and I actually finished the ride with a tailwind...that never happens:)  The picture below shows a beautiful old Koa tree covered in moss.  The next picture gives you an snapshot of Mana Road.  Sometimes the hills went on forever.

I was there about a 2 weeks before the Ironman World Championships and I have to tell you it was so inspiring to watch all of the athletes training out there in the lava fields.  A goal of mine is to toe the line there one day.  I've been working towards that goal for a long time now, but this trip gave me some extra motivation.  I even got inspired to sign up for the 70.3 in June!  See you soon Hawaii!