Training, but for what?

Yesterday's training ride - visually stunning but thermally challenging. Had more than a few moments where switching to the slick tyres earlier in the week seemed to have been a lunatic idea. To be fair, it probably was but it definitely kept the ride 'interesting'. With no sign of a thaw here in Edinburgh anytime soon I might end up being better trained to do this http://www.iditarod.com/ rather than the US trip.