(low-pitched whirring)
(dramatic music)
- Each year, under the measureless sky
of Hawaii's largest island, there is a gathering of warriors
unlike those we've ever observed before.
Relinquished of stardom,
promoted by bright desire and thirst.
We, heroic gladiators,
accustomed to grand acumen, will rise.
And here, on this patch of scorched earth,
do we find courage in unlikely places.
(glass clinking)
I'm doing this race, actually,
because it's a race that's been
on my radar for a very long time.
When I was racing professionally, obviously,
didn't really fit into the yearly schedule very well,
so now I've got the opportunity.
I guess I could call it a bucket list race.
I got involved last year.
Sampled the podium there, got onto the third step
just after a sprint finish with Jesse Thomas.
This year, I want that win.
(soft piano music)
The training for this event is pretty unique.
It is a lot of running, and in this heat, it is hard.
Luckily, I've had Fraser out here to train with.
Hopefully be able to ramp up a little bit
over the course of two weeks.
Racking up the runs out here, Fraser.
- Run number three in two days!
Second run for the day no less!
Ran this morning, here we are again
at five to six, about ten minutes before sunset,
which is possibly one of the best
parts of the day in Hawaii.
- And I've been turning those runs into brick sessions,
and making use of the garden.
(soft piano)
(waves lapping)
That was good, that's my training for today done.
Brilliant.
And, well, I've actually gone for the can
rather than the bottle.
It's pretty loose, this race.
Some people go bottle, some people go can.
As long as it's the same amount.
I find with a bottle,
almost it, like, funnels back,
and then you're running for 200 meters
and you can't breathe.
So I find the can a little bit better.
I just go for standard, from the top,
nothing fancy about it.
No shotguns or anything.
Yeah.
It's like, I just can't do it.
Yeah, I mean Kona beer mile training,
or beer mile training is pretty unique.
I'll be honest, it's been a bit of a shock
to me and my partner, Cassie.
She's been fantastic through all of it,
but you know, it's a slightly anti-social sport.
There have been a few nights
where I've come back quite late after being in the pub.
Conveniently, the pub's just
a couple of doors down from us, actually.
But yeah, really getting
some serious training in down there.
And yeah, I mean, needless to say,
it hasn't gone down very well.
Yeah, there's been some sacrifices this past year
for us as a couple,
but I'm pleased to finally be here,
and all of that to be paying off, hopefully.
Preparing to do this event
and sharing a house with the GTN team
has presented some challenges.
Sometimes I get support,
but occasionally, it's creating some tension in the house.
Mark, for (beep) sake.
- Interesting point, there is definitely some debris
left on my bike that I didn't put there.
- [Cameraman] Is this happening a lot?
- Yeah, it's been a common occurrence this week.
Apparently, there's a race Mark's been training for.
It's not the one everyone else is training for.
Suspicious.
- [Cameraman] Yours?
(chilled music)
- Alright, it's race day.
We're T minus an hour and a half, give or take.
On our way to the local store
to choose my beverage of choice,
which is quite an important thing actually, so...
I'm debating whether to go
for something I like the taste of,
or something that is maybe less fizzy
and just goes down well.
I'm going to have a little look, see what they've got.
But yeah, come along with me.
So yeah, it's been a long year,
a lot of training leading up to this race.
Finally, on the island,
the moment is just around the corner,
so it is pretty much just a case
of putting my feet up, being confident
in the preparation that I've done leading up to this,
and really just waiting for that big day.
So I know from experience,
a bottle, not that big...
Probably that size.
That, like, funnels back,
and that can be quite hard,
because then you're sort of almost burping
and coughing for the first section of the run.
Whereas it maybe takes slightly longer to go down,
but something like a can,
like this, seems to go down a lot better.
It pains me to say it,
but I'm sort of thinking
maybe like a Coors Light.
I know, there's going to be a lot of people out there
that are going to shake their heads at that,
but I'm thinking that will go down quite well.
What do you reckon?
- [Cameraman] I think if you turn up with a Coors Light,
you're going to get laughed out of the park.
- I think so too.
Budweiser?
Is that any better, though, than a...
- Don't like it.
Don't know why I even picked that up.
Going big waves.
(rattling)
Not that one!
(mischievous music)
I'm wondering now whether a Heineken's going to go down better.
I shouldn't admit it,
but I've downed enough of those over the years,
and I just, I know it works.
I know that goes down.
Easy, done, sorted.
Final decision.
("Heart Made of Stone")
♪ I saw the light go down Baker Street ♪
♪ Don't know exactly where she wants to meet ♪
Footwear of choice for tonight, the Cloudstratus.
Not a race shoe in the slightest,
but given that I just want to get round in one piece,
feeling like this is a good option.
Another last-minute change, some new shoes.
Well-planned, this one!
(slam)
(gentle electric guitar music)
I was starting to feel a little overwhelmed.
The talent that turned up this year was impressive,
and I started to doubt my preparation.
- It's been going pretty well.
I stopped my taper a little early this time,
a little earlier than usual.
But I've managed to do a little bit of panic-training
the last couple days.
So been getting ready for it.
I train up to three beers in my training.
I found last time I did my mile
that beer three and four were the hardest.
- Aloha!
Jeff Mcnair.
Living in Boulder, Colorado.
Originally from Honolulu, though.
So back in my home state!
My personal best is 6:42, so...
That was at elevation though,
so anything can happen!
(gentle music)
- It's all about range of motion, so
dry phase, less light weight.
The pockets add some aerodynamic appeal.
The fray is for style, though,
so that's actually not functional.
I'm a little embarrassed.
But feeling good,
and it's all about looking good, right?
- [Jeff] Also notice the Nike Next%s down there.
- [Michael] Partly on top, partly on bottom!
- He's going for Eliud Kipchoge's
like, whole persona right now
with these Next%s.
- Hopefully after this, everyone will
know how it's done.
So, sit back and take notes!
(gentle music)
- As the rules were laid out to us and my heart was beating,
my hands were clammy.
I only hoped this wouldn't impeach
my can-opening ability.
This was it.
- [Topless Cap-Wearing Runner] To another beer mile.
Let's have some fun, let's get drunk.
Cheers. - Cheers!
- [Topless Cap-Wearing Runner] All right, ready.
Go!
(upbeat electronic music)
(footsteps)
(glass clinking)
- [Cameraman] How's Mark doing?
- Mark's doing surprisingly well.
He's sitting in third place,
but there's a bit of a battle going on right behind him.
First and second are light years in front!
We've got Mark coming in here in third,
got men close behind in fourth.
- [Cameraman] You're third!
(coughing)
(cheering)
- [Cameraman] Sprint finish!
The podium!
(panting)
Well done, mate!
(panting)
- Nice job, guys!
(cheering)
(gentle music)
- Well, obviously,
this was all just a little bit of a joke,
but it was great fun doing it,
and yeah, I hope you've enjoyed my journey to the beer mile,
and through the beer mile,
the whole six minutes or so of it.
And yeah, incredible performances by everyone there,
both in the men's and the women's,
which was fantastic to see.
I really feel like the event is growing year-upon-year.
We had a very competitive field this year,
so maybe next year could be better yet again.
Maybe a few pros coming along.
Obviously not racing the next day.
But yeah, if you've enjoyed today's video,
hit that thumbs up button,
and if you'd like to see more from GTN,
then click on the globe and subscribe to the channel.
And if you'd like to see some of the hard work
that we have actually been up to out here in Kona,
you can see that by clicking just down here.