The shoulders of Kona’s roadways were sporadically crowded with runners and cyclists on Monday afternoon as triathletes from around the world get in some last-minute training and become acclimated to the heat, wind and other conditions for the 2024 VinFast Ironman World Championship.
In the first all-male Ironman race in Kona, about 2,500 athletes will compete in the swim, bike and run competition that covers 140.6 miles on Saturday, starting at the Kailua Pier and ending on Aliʻi Drive.
Before the triathletes arrived, and during the days leading up the race, Ironman organizers have harped to the competitors and their supporters about the Live Aloha initiative to be pono (righteous) and respect the people, places and culture of Hawai‘i Island.
The initiative was started in 2019 under the direction of Diana Bertsch, senior vice president of world championship events for The Ironman Group, after seeing a need for bike course support that included assistance and monitoring bike riding behavior.
Officials have advise triathletes that they shouldn’t cycle prior to the race on the roads south of Kona town, as shown on the maps included and publicly available.
“These roads are narrow and lack a hard shoulder on which cyclists can ride,” officials stated in a press release on Sunday. “The lengthy traffic delays caused by the inability to pass cyclists on these narrow roads also creates inconvenience for the local community, and can become a danger for athletes and drivers.”
For athlete safety and to be consistent with the Live Aloha Initiative and the Pono Pledge (which says an athlete will be righteous on the island), athletes are asked to refrain from cycling on these portions of Highway 190/Palani Road, Highway 180/Old Māmalahoa, Highway 11/ Queen Ka‘ahumanu Highway, and Highway 160/ Napo‘opo‘o Road.
A dedicated Kōkua (help) Patrol team will be monitoring certain cycling routes on the Island to ensure all athletes are abiding by the guidelines and being respectful of one another and the community, as well as providing any necessary support for flat tires and other issues.
Riders should obey all traffic signals and laws and know that cycling against the flow of traffic is against the law. This includes training with an athlete who is running.
Runners should train going against the flow of traffic.
For community members, whether cheering from the sidelines or driving through town, be extra vigilant. Watch for cyclists, especially at intersections and crosswalks.
Despite the posted guidelines and map on social media, Rain Serrano, a Kona resident for 43 years, said some training athletes aren’t listening.
On Sunday, Serrano said she was driving on Old Māmalahoa Highway through Hōlualoa, a windy two-lane roadway with no shoulder, where she was forced to follow two cyclists, riding two abreast, for miles.
“It’s so overgrown our infrastructure,” Serrano said.
JD Hsu has lived on the Big Island for five years. As an Olympic distance triathlete, he loves Ironman.
While he’s watched the championship race in the past, Hsu will be on Ali‘i Drive on this race day as the operator of a small business, Superbees, which is just yards from the finish line.
“We have a front-row seat,” Hsu said Monday, where he sells jars of honey and drinks infused the sweet amber substance.
While the commute does seem longer into the heart of town, Hsu said there seemed to be fewer people on the roads and in town this year compared to last year.
