Full-on winter

Winter has made it's way to Rochester. We've been receiving a few inches of snow each day for almost the last week. I skied at Mendon Ponds last night and the coverage was excellent, it was mid-winter trail conditions. My first ski was last Saturday at the Lima Country Club on some pretty thin snow. It was a lot better than roller skiing, but last night was the first real ski in good conditions on groomed trails and I was reminded in about the first 5 minutes (after I got used to the length of my real skis compared to my roller skis) why I am so passionate about cross country skiing.

Now that winter is here, it's time to get ready for all of the following idiosyncrasies associated with ski racing and training in the Rochester area:

- More miles will be put on my car in the next four months than the other 8 months of the year combined...by a lot.

- training in the daylight is limited to Saturday's and Sunday's only.

- eating dinner at 9pm on weeknights seems early.

- I will have a runny nose until at least March.

- My attic is fully converted into a waxing hut and already seems like a disaster and I've only waxed each set of skis once.

- The drying rack in our bathroom is always completely full and our boot dryer is the most valuable appliance that I own.

- I will mentally thank Gore at least 4 times a week for developing "Windstopper" technology. I think whoever named Chicago the "windy city" had never visited Rochester.

- The proportion of meals that involve peanut butter will be at least 50%. This is mainly out of convenience, but it has always been a staple in my diet...good thing I'm not allergic.

- My co-workers will ask me, at least weekly, if I do triathlon or if I have any recommendations on alpine skis for the children. Neither of which I have any clue about.

There are probably a lot of others, but that's a quick list anyways. I'm excited!