I have barely run outside in Arizona lately. It’s been hot all summer and I am super-careful about my hydration. Today it was just a bit cooler with wind and moisture in the air. It started to drizzle and I love running in the rain.
I started the run with a smile in the light drizzle going east on Thompson Peak. It was flat and fun for the first mile-and-a-half. My pace picked up as the rain subsided going downhill and south on Pima. It was when I turned left to go west on Union Hills that I felt the wind in my face. The rain had stopped and it was hot. I was huffing and puffing as I entered my fifth mile uphill on Thompson Peak going back north. The finish was brutal with wind against me and the heat, but I still managed an average of just above 8:30 per mile. You can see my half-mile splits in the picture on the left.
Tomorrow, Simi goes into surgery for her knee. She should be fine and back home on Thursday. Her recovery will be about 6 weeks. She has slowed down over the past couple of years, but still has the most gorgeous smile ever!