Ironmanlife: Malaysia Shout Out

Kevin Mackinnon prepares for another hot day of racing in Langkawi

We're just 45 minutes away from the pro start here at the 11th running of Ironman Malaysia, so today's column will be quick and, well, let me use an expression I'm sure I'd here from Belinda Granger: quick and dirty. To get to the live text updates, go to: http://ironman.com/coverage/?race=malaysia&year=2010

Which is all-too-appropriate this morning since Granger is back to defend her title (she’s won here the last two years) and has been her usual, bubbly self in the transition area this morning. Her husband, Justin, is also racing today. Anyone who knows him won’t be surprised to know that he’s been stretching quietly by the water as his wife has been flitting around transition.

So here are a few quick thoughts and well-wishes for today’s race:

• Let the Luke and Amanda show continue. Luke McKenzie won here last year. Amanda Balding, his girlfriend and manager is racing for the third time. Amanda hasn’t finished here yet – hopefully today is her day! The two are in the midst of creating a television show that documents their crazy life and travels as professional triathletes – their cameraman Joe has been everpresent over the last year and a bit. I can’t wait to see the shows later this year!

• Good luck to the Vanhoenackers. OK, Marino’s wife Elke doesn’t go by that last name, but it makes life easier to say. They have left their six-year-old daughter with her grandparents for a couple of weeks as they both race here this weekend. Elke was stung by a jelly fish on Wednesday and ended up at the hospital – she seems to have recovered, though, and will be on the start line this morning.

• I hardly have to wish the Team TBB crew much luck, but I will anyway. Team manager Alex Bok has been a huge help here at the race this week and has come along with a crew of race favorites that include Maki and Hiroyuki Nishiuchi, Jocelyn Wong and Rebecca Preston.

• One other Team TBB athlete I can’t wait watch race here today is Emma Bishop, who could very well tear up the women’s 35-39 category today. Bishop did her first triathlon here at Ironman Malaysia two years ago and just missed a Kona spot here last year. I rode with her on Thursday and saw her in action – she is a powerhouse on the bike. (One of her training partners told me that there’s only one guy in Malaysia who can keep up with her. “We get ‘chicked’ every ride,” he said.)

• Finally, I need to send some good wishes to Freddy Lampret, who I met for the first time yesterday. Lampret lives in Johannesburg, South Africa, just four kilometers away from the school I attended there for five years when I was a kid. (I won’t tell you how long ago that was, but suffice it to say that I am surprised the school is still standing!) Lampret has been a pro for a while, but six weeks ago he made the huge step of committing to racing pretty much full time – giving up his work as a physiotherapist to do this triathlon thing. That takes guts when you have a wife and seven-month-old daughter at home – but I know he’s never going to regret going for it. Good luck, Freddy!You can follow my live text updates on the site throughout the day.

You can reach Kevin Mackinnon at kevin@ironman.comComments powered by Disqus.