It’s that time of the year again. Training camps, new bikes, new clothes and, if you ride for Garmin-Slipstream and are American, it means Silver City. Silver City has everything you would ever want: Bowling Alley, Movie Theatre, the biggest mine you have every seen, altitude, gelato, mexican food, internet…ummm, and of course a Walmart. Not just any Walmart, but a Super Walmart!
Tommy D. took pity on my sorry self and came down here early to keep me company while I played catch up after a long winter in Chicago. He has also taken pity on me on every climb, acting like he is actually breathing. Nice guy.
But now the camp is over two weeks in and some of the scenery is starting to get old and my ruts are starting to get deep. I know every corner of every loop, altitude gain, kilojouls…you name it. I have also fallen into staying up late watching movies, following the Tour Down Under and Twitter too closely. And generally forgetting how to read. It’s a regular rut that I get in to after weeks in a hotel room with no responsibility other than training yourself silly and recovering.
But apart from all of the trivial things of surviving a training camp, this has been one of the most productive camps of my life. I have gone from 0-60 (in terms of fitness) faster than a Bugatti and I am waking up wanting more every day. Good times. We have all the meals catered this year by Barb Grilisch and that has made life much easier. We are eating far better and actually maybe even loosing weight! What a concept.
So yeah, a cold winter in Chicago and a wife waiting to give birth back home will make you appreciate every day that you have to train under the sun. Today may be my last one outside until California since THE phone call could come at any moment. Nobody appreciates Silver City like me. Nobody. That said, I can’t wait to get home to the ever-growing family, dead batteries, frozen pipes and all.
