Today was all about being flexible, and I don’t mean in back bends or tree pose. It was an absolutely epic day for the iTz training crew and a great lesson on how your attitude can have a profound effect on the attitudes of people around you. Waking up we all knew the workout: 3 hours on the bike with high winds and predicted gusts of up to 40mph, 30-minute brick and a swim. Despite the ridiculous winds today, our team made me so proud, totally accepting the conditions and going with the flow. We knew that the weather could not be changed and so we made the choice to have positive attitudes, work hard and enjoy one another’s company. “That was like Fear!,” was the not so eloquent quote of the day from yours truly.  Honestly, I have never been more afraid of losing control on my bike. If my feet hadn’t been clipped in, there is a pretty good chance I would have blown away! The ride was undoubtedly a test of mental toughness. We were all tired and had to fight for every mile into the headwind, taking turns pulling and sheltering each other from the worst of the unforgiving gusts…it was a total blast!

However, three hours later, starting a 30 minute run off the bike was the last thing we wanted to do. Rallying each other with words of encouragement we set off for the river path. Honestly I don’t think any of us expected we would run that fast. It is so true how the outcomes of many things in life are dependent solely on your perspective, we chose to have fun, and every single one of us rocked today! All the positive energy and camaraderie really came together to make today unforgettable. Triathlon is considered an individual sport, but today I felt so blessed to have my teammates with me. They exhibited exemplary behavior, supporting and encouraging one another even as they suffered, pushing you and themselves to become better athletes. It was a pretty great adventure and I can’t wait for the traditional Mt. Lemmon climb tomorrow!

Only 7 days till Havasu!