Training with 22 items on

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)

So I did a count once, 22 items of somethings, including my Garmin and all, but no wonder it takes time to get out the door. I had a run off the bike on Tuesday, and 20min at sub-threshold after a hill set on the mtb, and my transition must have been minutes in the garage…

Top down: Helmet, beanie, sunnies, wind jacket, sleeveless wind breaker, long sleeve bike shirt, arm warmers, Garmin Forerunner 305, gloves (warm ones…), Garmin HR belt, bib shorts, leg warmers, shoe covers (a first for me), shoes, woolen socks… Something like that.

(A ride in tights and shoe covers)

Decided it was time to tidy the old self up a bit. Just for general impression sake, but it was just before Ruth and my dinner with the Truckee Tahoe Masters Swim Squad at a pizzeria in town. Time was tight, as usual, and I thought at first that Gary’s clippers werent cutting, but then I realised they were… What can one do when late for dinner?

(They really didnt work this well at first…)

Ruth lost her cool at the clippers, so Darcy took control of the ’situation critical mate’.

(Darcy Norman saving the dinner date.)

I even got involved with some labour today. On the rest day. Manual labour that is. As Gary said, there wasnt anything automatic about it.

(Adding some varnish to the patio with Gary)

(A skilled artisan at work - in some sunshine after a week of rain)

And if you thought I could collapse on the bed thereafter, take into consideration our bed doubles up as a jumping castle when needed…

(Jumping and falling of course. All while trying to wake…)

Gary and I will be racing some mountain bike event in Reno in the morning, as part of the long ride. Should be good fun mixing it as best I can with no pressure. The last long ride at altitude (I intend writing a post on altitude training experience soon) and should be a good hit out. Hard to believe we pack up and ship out on Wednesday morning. To Sweet Home Alabama.

This entry was posted on Saturday, May 31st, 2008 at 7:10 am and is filed under Mandy Family, News, Training. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.