Pro insight

USA Today has a series of diary entries from Chris Lieto covering his whole 2010 Kona experience. I love reading articles like this because they give regular age-groupers like us insight into the mind of pro triathletes.

The day is done, the fight is over, some would say I lost, but the battle was won. I fought hard out there all day, took the risks to try and win and the day did not go as planned. I may have lost the ultimate prize of becoming world champion, but I pushed through some of the most difficult times in my professional career and came home with the prize of top American.

Chris didn't do as well this year as he did last year, but he still have a great performance worthy of a champion. I was really rooting for him this year after last year's gutsy performance but it wasn't his day on Saturday. My other favorite, Craig Alexander, also didn't do as well as he did last year, but that's the nature of Ironman Hawaii. I spoke with a friend who just got back from Kona and she said it was one of the hardest races she's ever done. The heat and wind are overwhelming and it's truly a race where you have to have a perfect day to come out on top. I can't wait to see the NBC coverage on December 18th!