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The Ironman Hawaii run starts in a windless steam bath during a 9-mile out and back along Alii Drive. This provides a handy opportunity for contenders to see how far they are ahead or behind when they reach the turnaround near the cozy little seaside place of worship called St. Peter’s Catholic Church. With a few places where the run passes open seashore, it’s also a magnet for photographers. Then the course climbs up the half mile hill at Palani before turning left and entering a six-mile stretch on the Queen K Highway which includes the beginning of the signature lava fields – although development has dampened the sense of magnificent isolation that still pervades the bike. Then they hit the 4-mile decent and climb out of the Natural Energy Lab of Hawaii which includes some of the hottest temperatures at a pivotal point in the race. It is also a second significant chance for runners to get a fix on the margins of lead or deficit – just hit your watch when you pass your rival and multiply it by two when you hit the turnaround.

The final stretch is a little over 10k to go. Just under five miles along the Queen K. At Mile 24, everybody knows that is the start of Mark and Dave Hill – the spot where Mark Allen made his move on Dave Scott in their epic 1989 Iron War. At the top of Palani, it’s about 1.2 miles to go. Down the steep declivity of Palani, left half a mile along Kuakini, right on Hualalai where Karen Smyers passed a reeling Paula Newby-Fraser in 1995, right on Alii at Uncle Billy’s (where Julie Moss and Paula stopped dung their meltdowns. Then turn right for a quarter mile or so along magical Alii Drive.

Photo gallery by Timothy Carlson

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