Training in the USA

My ice run was cancelled today when I realised that my hotel was on the edge of a highway and that running would have put my life at risk. The lake that I planned to run around had bizarrely vanished and been replaced with a Wallmart.

Instead I asked the hotel to find me a gym and after a few phone calls I had the keys to a local sweat-box that I could use whenever I wanted.
It took me a few attempts to drive there (and I apologise to the very pissed off truck driver for almost running him off the road) but once there I was pleased to see that there were quite a few people working out.

After warming up I loaded up the bar for squats and did my first warm-up set. As I put the bar down and took a deep, happy breath a young guy wandered over and tried to engage me in conversation…however, I don’t speak Middle America and he soon left me, clearly thinking that I was some kind of retard. Later, when I was doing front squats a young girl came over to ask about the exercise (or at least that is what I think she asked as I could not understand a word she was saying). She too soon wandered off and went to confer with the original guy. There was lots of shaking of heads and shrugging of shoulders which clearly led me to conclude that they considered me a dullard that didn’t even speak English.

Later on, after a most pleasing workout, I went to a local bar for dinner. This again was less than successful and it was only by employing a man from Kansas that I was able to order dinner and avoid expiring from hunger. Middle America, it seems, is not my cup of tea.