Summer mornings in AZ

It's so hot in the summer that most people start their rides by 5 a.m. I didn't get on the road until 7 a.m. but will still rewarded with temperatures in the mid-90's and no traffic on the streets. Once I got closer to the mountains saw a bit of the city wildlife. A flock of quail ran across the road in front of me, and some other birds were flying from cactus to cactus. What a beautiful morning.

Next up...

The Firecraker Tri on the 4th of July. There are races every weekend all summer long, it makes choosing difficult! I chose this one because it is local and I won't have to spend too much money. I'm currently planning on two races for the fall at the end of the triathlon season, but that's when the weather is the best in AZ.

Bartlett Lake Tri

I haven't written about my tri training in awhile. I did finish the Bartlett Lake Tri (March 21, 2010) but I was incredibly slow. I finished a full hour after the fastest woman in my age group. I was totally unprepared for the hill work on the bike ride and that's where I picked up an extra 45 minutes of time overall. It was about 8 miles, straight up. I was in granny gear the entire ride. Don't get me wrong, the down hill was thrilling. I was going downhill at 30-35 mph, and there were riders passing me.

My grandfather died a couple of days before the race and my heart just wasn't in it. There was nothing inside of me that wanted to compete, but I had committed to this race with a handful of friends and I didn't want to let them down. I'm considering another attempt at this race in 2011, I want to finish with a better time but as of right now, the sights on this course still make me think of my grandfather and how I felt right after his death. It might be cathartic to do it again, I'm not sure.