I have a new respect for those Kona IM'ers!!

[Running Mommy]

Once again I made a bone head decision and headed out for a ride when I knew full well that a thunderstorm was coming in!!
I had planned to go out around 6:30, and it was nice earlier when I went down to swim, so I didn't think twice.
I stepped out the door and noticed the grey ugly sky to my north west, and felt the wind picking up, but stubborn me... I was determined to at least get some sort of ride in! It was kind of ugly and blowing for the first 7 miles, but not horrible. Then things turned south! I had crosswinds like you wouldn't believe!! And once again I was being pelted with dust and debris. The trees were bending a good 3 foot over into the wind- ohh it was getting UGLY!!
I kept thinking " I bet this is what Kona feels like". I turned to head home at 10 miles and saw my first lightning bolt. The fives miles home were HORRIBLE! At times I was going 11.7 mph fighting the wind. And the crosswinds.. Oh the crosswinds!! I was on my tri rig, so the dish wheels were howling in the wind. I felt like I was riding a KITE!!! I swear in the last two miles I was almost blown over a few times! It was really scary!! The last mile was quite a light show! The mother of one of Spencers friend stopped and asked me if I wanted a ride home. She said "Your NUTS to be riding in this!!".. Yeah, that;s for sure!!!
But finally I made it, and now I have a whole new respect for those that take on the Kona winds!!! BOY HOWDY!!!!
Oh- and an aside, these teenage girls saw me at the end and I must have looked miserable because they asked me if I wanted a gatorade as they held it out to me. Nice girls! Someone is raising them right!!!
Anyhoo... Yeah, so this is our weather:
AT 750 PM MST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL...AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM WEST OF WICKENBURG...TO NORTH PEORIA...TO NORTH SCOTTSDALE. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 10 MPH.
Our local weather station shows winds at 22 mph, but it sure feels worse than that!! Oh, and it's STILL over a 100!!!!
weather.com says sustained at 23, gusting to 35!! YEAH i BELIEVE IT...
I think I need to have my head checked!!!

[crazycanuck]

Denise if you keep doing these funky things men with white coats or little green men will knock on your door one day. In fact, go to your door now...

I would have been too scared to continue if i ever saw lightning....

The life of an ironwoman!!!

Take care

c

[Lise]

Um, Denise, some feel that the desire to do triathlon at all, much less an Ironman, should be categorized as "nutty" (not sure that's still the official term... ) Wow, that sounds like a scary experience, fun in the retelling only. Glad you made it home to tell the tale! I cannot imagine how exhausting the wind and heat must be at Kona. Or Arizona, for that matter!

[KSH]

Denise... you need to stay out of that bad weather! Be safe!

It does sound a little bit better than that dust storm though?

Crazy lady!

[Denise223]

Hmm....another Denise?? And, an ironwoman at that !!!

I don't "know" many Denise's..... Be careful!

Have a great day!

Denise

[Nanci]

And you live in AZ because why???

You are _crazy!!!_