The 2011 World Ironman Championship in Kailua-Kona has come and gone, but the images remain vivid. And sweaty. A week of blurred bodies and blazing temperatures bordered by the bluest of sea and sky, our week here on the western shore did not disappoint.

Set up in the thick of the mix on Ali’i Drive – just a mile from the run turnaround – each day leading up began by sampling Clif Bar goodness to said ‘blurry’ passers by.

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The last weekend in June is always a big one in the ultra running world, as the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Trail Run begins Saturday morning at 5am sharp from the base of Squaw Valley. The “Super Bowl” of ultra running follows a 100-mile route over rugged Sierra Nevada footpaths, and generally features over 18,000 feet of cumulative climbing (The course can change slightly in heavy snowfall years) as the race makes its way down to the foothills town of Auburn, CA. 

This is an exciting year for us here in Team Clif Bar land as we have an unprecedented number of TCB athletes starting the race. The Clif and Shot-powered Montrail team brings 2010 winner Geoff Roes, Ellie Greenwood, Joelle Vaught, Amy Sproston, Erik Skaden and a host of others, all of whom will most definitely be looking for podium finishes.  TCB running legend Dave Mackey and local wunderkind Eric Johnson will also be in the hunt for top spots.

One thing is sure: The runner who wins the overall will need to slog through 25 miles of snow without exhausting himself, since you could probably still ski Squaw top-to-bottom if you picked the right line. It’s deep.

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Next Thursday, November 11, Team CLIF BAR is excited to host an evening event with 2010 Ironman World Champion Chris McCormack.

We’ll pop the caps on some tasty beverages from New Belgium Brewing Company while we chow down on delicious lasagna made by the guys in the Clif Bar Café, Kali’s Kitchen.

Please join us! Hang out with fellow triathlon fans, chat it up with the folks from Clif Bar and meet Team CLIF BAR triathlete Chris McCormack. Chris will take the stage to talk about his adventures at the 2010 Ironman World Championships.

This is a rare op to meet a 2-time Ironman World Champion, an ITU World Champion, a 7-Time World Cup Champion, a Gold Medalist at the Goodwill Games and a 12-time Ironman Champion – all in one guy!

Hurry and RSVP. Attendance is limited to 250 people, so RSVPs are required. $20 (per person) gets you in the door for food, drink and festivities. Net proceeds from the evening will go to MaccaNOW.

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All is quiet on the western front; the 2010 Ironman World Championship in Kona is in the books as of 4am this morning.

Bikes are being boxed, last sips of Kona coffee are being savored, and – as I write – there are no doubt hundreds of athletes standing in front of compression sock strewn hotel beds, toiling over which pair to wear on the airplane. Fortunately, NONE of them go best with ‘any’ outfit, so may your choices be obvious and pain free. Own it.

As for us here at the TEAM CLIF BAR camp, we’re still trying to make sense of all that has been our last seven days on Ali’i Drive. All we can say at this point – judging by the smiles and stories being exchanged – is that it was one hell of an awesome week; a ‘success’ (to say the very least) if it had to be reduced to one word. 

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We’ve been having quite a week here at the TEAM CLIF BAR House on Ali’i Dr in Kona.

Between athlete visits & interviews, new CLIF SHOT Energy Gel sampling, the Triathlounge set-up, and grilling all sorts of stuff on the BBQ it’s been pretty much non-stop this week. Lots and lots of good stuff all week and – honestly – I really didn’t think it could get a whole lot better.

Until, of course, TEAM CLIF BAR triathlete Chris McCormack won one of the most exciting triathlons we’ve ever seen. That’s when the week went from great to simply ridiculous.

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