After completing his 20th Ironman this Fall in Hawaii, Don returned to Kona a month later for the UltraMan World Championships (Nov 29, 30 and Dec 1), a grueling invitation-only three-day ultra distance stage race.

Below is Mel's daily journal as part of Don's support team: 

• Day One November 29: A 6.2 mile ocean swim, followed by a 90 mile bike ride through the lava fields of the Hawaii Ironman Course.
  
  
• Day Two, November 30: A 171 mile bike ride through the Ironman course and through the climbs at the Northern end of the Big Island.

  		— Don attacks during his sub-nine hour day in the saddle . Photo courtesy of ultramanlive.com

  
  
  Mel's Journal:
  It is again 4:00 am as we prepare for the long day ahead of us..171 mile bike which has three climbs, each 3,600 feet elevation! I know if we keep Don fueled and support him he will do well.  Bike start is at the pier. Should be interesting, Don has never started a race this way before.

  Pele, if I could ask another favor of you, please give Don the strength to finish strong and make it a safe race today!

  We are out the door!
  
  Mel's Post-stage report:
  Well you just can't imagine the bike ride! Three climbs of 3,600 feet each, winding and climbing and then some hairy descents!!

  Don started the race in about fourth place. There were only four guys together at the beginning of the bike and for the most part up to Hawi.

  		— Don gives onlookers a refreshing breeze as he opens it up on the flats . Photo courtesy of ultramanlive.com

  Then the next grueling climb. The second place guy, Tony, makes a wrong turn on the course and is also not feeling so well. He drops back to fourth and now Don is in third place. Not for long....he passes the now 2nd place guy...Gary Wang, to move into second place. After the turnaround at 99 miles, Don is down only 6:42 minutes from 1st place, Gordo Byrn. He is looking good as he makes the final climb (3,600 feet mind you!) back to Waimea. The Gordo support team keeps dropping back to get Don's split to inform their rider. We make the right turn onto Waikola Road into a screaming downhill....Don takes the descent like a champ! Lance Armstrong would be proud! Then, left onto the Queen K at Waikola Village (amazing to think the run will come all the way out here tomorrow....can't think about that now....we got a bike race to finish.

  Don holds second place and finishes under 9:00 hrs. (8:58 hrs.)

  AWESOME...again we are so proud of him! Overall, that puts him in 2nd place with a total time of 17:03:36.

  The next place, 3rd, has an overall time of 7:22.24....the run will be a battle.

  It's 5:30 am and we must leave for the run. Let the next event begin!

  Oh yeah, and Pele, if you have it in your heart, please look favorably upon Don!

• Day Three, December 3: A 52.4 mile double marathon...an out-and-back on the Queen K Highway through the lava fields. The total distance covered over three days is 520 kilometers.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: You can find out more about each stage by clicking HERE.

RESULTS: You can find stage-by-stage, and overall, results by clicking HERE.