Swimming in Kona

#tbt to vacationing in Kona.  We spent a lot of time in the water!  We love to swim the Ironman course in the mornings from the pier, and it's not uncommon for dolphins to come into the bay and join us for a while.  There's really nothing more incredible than a pod of wild dolphins hanging out with you!

We made sure to spend some time on top of the water too.

Kohala Climb

One of my favourite rides in Kona is the climb from Kawaihae, up to Waimea and then over the top of Kohala then down to Hawi, and looping back to Kawaihae.  We try to ride it every time we're on the (other) big island.  Since we're here on vacation, we got to do that ride the other day!

Sunrise as we drove out to Kawaihae

Starting point - the harbour

Snack break about halfway up the climb!

We ascend the dry side - not a lot of vegetation!

Almost at the summit - the little white dots behind
Jason are near the harbour where we started.

We descend on the wet side, so there are trees!

We took a detour to see the birthplace of
King Kamehameha I

Tailwind back to Kawaihae!

Betty Designs Photo Shoot

As part of our #BettyEpicCamp, we had a professional photo shoot with all of us in our team gear.  It was a fantastic experience!  And a huge thanks to Matt for trying to deal with all of us!

#BettyEpicCamp

First - where did the time go?  It's March already!  Sorry for the radio silence; I'm back!

Last weekend we had our first annual BettyEpicCamp in Southern California.  Almost 40 Betty Designs team members showed up in Carlsbad to swim, bike, run, and socialize together.  It was an incredible weekend, and even though I didn't get much sleep, it was one of the most rewarding things I've done in a long time.

Here are some highlights:

We rented lanes at Alga Norte Aquatic Center
to get a swim workout in...

... but spent time playing too!

Thanks to Nytro Multisports for hooking us
up with bikes for the weekend!

Leading the group through Oceanside

The fast group before I got dropped :)

Running through Encinitas with
a quick photo stop at Swami's

Socializing was just as important as training!

HUGE thanks to our team sponsors, we were
SO SET for the weekend with everything from
Roka, Coola Suncare, Gatorade Endurance, Mavic and Suunto!

We capped off the weekend with a
team photo shoot - incredible!

I already can't wait for next year's camp!

Outdoor Pools of 2016

My only year in review post that I seem to do consistently is a look back at all the outdoor pools I've swam in.  2016 included some old favourites and some new ones (Healdsburg, Solana Beach, and Deerfield Beach).  Here is the list of outdoor pools I was lucky enough to swim in this past year.

One of my all-time favourites: Alga Norte in Carlsbad CA.  Gorgeous facility!

Another favourite: Henderson Multigenerational Centre, Henderson NV.

Pier Pool, Portland OR.  Not particularly fancy, but cute little pool tucked away in a quiet neighbourhood.  Must be a gem for the local homes.

Healdsburg (CA) Swim Center.  Attached to a high school.... that is my dream!

Finley Aquatic Center, Santa Rosa CA.

Kin Pool, Nanaimo BC.  The closest "swimmable" outdoor pool to me, about 40 minutes from my house.  There is a closer one (in Crofton, about 15 minutes away) but it's only 20 yards so not great for lap swimming.  Kin Pool doesn't have the best hours, but it's worth it on a hot summer day.

Pardee Aquatic Center, Solana Beach CA.  All the years I've been coming here, and this was the first time I've swam here!

Kitsilano Beach Pool, Vancouver BC.  Kits Pool is probably one of the world's top pools (no lie!), it's 137.5m (150 yards), right next to the ocean with the Vancouver skyline in the background.

Second Beach Pool, Vancouver BC.  Another gem, in Stanley Park and again right next to the ocean.

Kona Aquatic Center, Kona HI.  Of course I love this one because it means I'm in Hawaii!  Plus, Hawaii state pools are free!

Deerfield Beach Pool, Fort Lauderdale FL.  A super-friendly swim coach let us use one of their lanes, as we were just getting in when their practice was starting.  Thank you!