Its been a nippy week in Truckee with fresh white on the surrounding mountains. I’ve figured the secret to survival: go in between rainy spells and wear layers. Many  of them.

(Starting the Xterra USA Championship bike course in Incline Village)

I would say that I am pretty involved in Dan’s career. I try to make sure that everything goes well for him during training and racing. The biggest thing that I have come to realize is how important diet is. He has three sessions a day, most days. Being fresh out of university and [...]

As opposed to writing you about my week, I figured film an interview report thereof. A first, and an umcomfy first at that… Having to see myself on the screen and all… But I’ll have some fun with it going forward. If you’re unable to watch Youtube because of a work prohibits it, change jobs, [...]

I wrote over the festive season on time spent with some foreigners, training in and around Stellenbosch. Will Clarke (home),  Andreas Raelert, Tim Don (home)- friends of mine - had to qualify their Olympic spots this weekend. I’ve not seen a more committed effort by an athlete than by Andreas. He missed out today. But [...]

We had plenty reason to celebrate last night: 2nd in Temecula. Ruth’s support of and patience with me. Gary’s fine programs and guidance. Gia’s grace for those programs being written on Sunday night. To name but the first few.

(Rolling California Rolls)

Managed to roll out of bed this morning in time to join the Truckee Donner Masters Swim Squad - at 6:45am… Mounting my bike to get there signaled the end of the euphoric post race feelings. Body loosened a bit after though, and managed a long run in the evening with Gia. 
   
(Running at Temecula - [...]

Ruth managed to get some great clips on the weekend, despite it not being a spectator friendly course. Enjoy this clip, and the alternate music…

(Video clip of the Xterra West Championships at Temecula, USA) 

A really great article with some humorous quotes on the xterraplanet.com website. Still working on getting some good photo’s from the day. Here is one pearler from the lens of Rich Cruse and some from Ruth and I just messing about. 
 
(The first major downhill - a roller coaster on hardpacked smooth soil) 

Xterra West Championships
1.5km swim, 30km mtb, 10km trail run.
Time: 2:25:20
2nd - 2min18 behind winner Conrad Stoltz (blog)
 
(Conrad and I - 3km into the 30km mountain bike leg - photo by Rich Cruse)

Managed to get some photo’s up… 

(Leaving Tahoe - the Incline Village Corner - site of Xterra USA Championships)

Temecula cowboys, image added by Nikola
Sitting where I was a year back, at Brian’s over looking the Temecula Valley with a setting sun. Magic to catch up with Brian, Lauren and the kids. Great people who have stayed in touch and stayed supportive for the past year. One day back though, to the most spectacular [...]

photo from Xterra photos
20min before Ruth and I are fetched by our lift, Emma, for our drive down through most of California to Temecula where the first of my races here the United States is held. I think I’ve packed most things… Done a bit of pilates this morning with Gia, to loosen up the [...]

Hoping you like the direction of dghugo.com’s evolution? I am entirely excited at the start of change, and hope you too share the impression of possibility with me, enough to bare with some minor flaws that will be sorted in the next few days. This is the start of my new theme, developed by Nikola [...]

Ruth’s clip from glimpses of the past ten days here in Truckee California. From arriving and seeing snow for the firs time, to Little Ella doing Pilate’s (downward dog), to doing an ice bath in Lake Tahoe after last weekend’s long run… Enjoy. End’s off with a face of Jerry, which Little Ella does a great [...]

Been a good week to get into the bag. Feeling a bit knackered as I type this late Saturday night but its a positive fatigue, and already I’ve started cutting back on volume in preparation for next Sunday the 18th’s Xterra West Championships at Temecula near San Diego and Los Angeles.

Every Tuesday evening the Reno Wheelmen (renowheelmen.org) have some form of road race. Last Tuesday I did the Boca Road Race in near freezing conditions (post) and this Tuesday Conrad Snover, Gary Mandy and myself raced the Air Centre Criterium in Reno with the support of Ruth and her camera.

(Four man break away - me in [...]

 
I watched two films last week, compliments to our in-house dvd store here via Apple TV (Apple Home). If you’re anything like me, you’ve not heard much of Apple TV. It’s one of the best expressions of technological advancement I’ve come across. The long and the short is that we can sit here in the [...]

(Bike lane from Squaw Valley to Tahoe City)

Such a great weekend of training. Body feeling good and all senses stimulated and inspired by the terrain covered. Gary and I rode and ran together this weekend, through breath taking forests, over mounds of frozen ice (sometimes in it) and got to see sights worth travelling for.

(On a dam wall taking a breather… and [...]